Once again the name Stephen Itule has made headlines, though not as prominently as in last year’s 2nd Lite Beer $200.000 World Series of Tavern Pool in July at Caesars Palace.
Itule, a Sands Hotel craps dealer, as many no doubt know finished third in the 9-ball portion of that event and took home $5, 000.
Itule ventured to Scottsdale, AZ, Dec. 10-11 for the 1983 All- Around Tavern Billiards Championship, sponsored by “Off The Rack, ” Arizona’s equivalent of Southern Nevada’s “ON CUE. ”
Las Vegas’ mighty mite finished fourth in both the 9-ball and 8-ball divisions and amassed 14 points overall to capture fourth place in the All-Around division.
This unique tournament offered a first-place prize of $500 in each of three separate divisions — 9-ball. 8-ball and the new game of 7-ball, which was designed for television audiences and is rapidly gaining popularity nationally.
Dan “Buddy” Dennis, perennial winner of many Arizona events, including State 8-ball and 9-ball championships, took home $3, 600 in total prize money.
Dennis won both the 9-ball and 7-ball competitions, finished third in 8-ball and totalled 40 overall points, far out-distancing any player in the field for the $2, 000 winner-take-all first-place All-Around division prize.
Rudy Brady, who defeated Itule in 9-ball play, won the 7-ball division for $500, finished third in 9-ball ($100) and seventh in 7-ball ($20) for 27 points, edging Steve Yelm for runner-up in All-Around honors.
Yelm, like Dennis and Brady an Arizonan, was second in both the 8-ball and 7-ball divisions ($200 each) and was out of the money in 9-ball. He closely followed Brady with 25 points.
Itule earned $75 for each fourth-place divisional finish and his 14 overall points were 14 more than fifth-place All- Around finisher Don Rose of Arizona.
“Little Stevie” as he is affectionately known to Las Vegas supporters, failed to place in 7-ball, a new game to him.
Fellow Las Vegan Bobby Butler made the trip with Itule, but he failed to place in the out- of-state event.
“It was an unusual experience for me, ” Itule revealed. “We played on six 31/2-foot by 7-foot standard bar size tables. I only got to the table twice against Brady in 9-ball and was “hooked” both times.
“I had a chance to beat Dennis in 8-ball, but I couldn’t get out when I had to. I didn’t understand the rules in 7-ball before I began play and I didn’t do too well in that division.
“Overall I enjoyed the experience. They had the finals televised live by a local station down there. It was pretty impressive, ” Itule added.
He said that he is undecided just which tournaments he will participate in early in 1984, although he is planning a more extensive schedule than in past years.
“I felt I played as well as anyone in the field down there, but I didn’t get the rolls when I needed them. However, when you’re really playing well as I was in the Miller Lite tournament, you make your own breaks, ” he explained.
