Anthony Mabe
Raffled cues, online funding, organized by Christy Norris, raises $4,600 for Mabe family
Anthony Mabe, 28, a regular on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, died in a car accident on Saturday, May 29. Long-time friend and tour director Herman Parker began immediate arrangements for a benefit tournament, re-purposing an already-scheduled tour stop for this past weekend (June 5-6) at Gate City Billiards Club in Greensboro, NC. Mabe had begun appearing on the payout lists for the tour in 2015 and over the past six years, had cashed in 18 of the tour’s stops, including a default win (as occupant of the hot seat) that he shared with Graham Swinson and Corey Sykes in 2019 (his best earnings year). In his most recent effort, he finished in the tie for 5th place on the last weekend in February at Gate City Billiards Club.
With raffled cues and an online funding campaign, organized by Christy Norris, the Anthony Mabe benefit was able to raise $4,600 to help the Mabe family with the cost for services, which included a graveside service before the tournament began on Friday, June 4 at the West End Cemetery in West End, NC. The tournament drew 90 entrants to Gate City Billiards Club and was won by Zac Leonard, who, as occupant of the hot seat, split the top two prizes with Jimmy Bird.
In effect, Leonard and Bird settled the issue in the battle for the hot seat. They both defeated their winners’ side semifinal opponents 7-1; Leonard, over Brandon Butts and Bird, over Jesse Cortner. Leonard claimed the hot seat 7-2 in what proved to be his final match.
On the loss side, Butts and Cortner ran immediately into their second loss. Josh Shulz had defeated Reid Vance 7-1 and Jamie Bruce, double hill, before eliminating Cortner 7-2. Donnie Stewart had defeated Mike McPherson 6-3 and Robert Ash 6-2, before he shut out Butts.
Shultz then eliminated Stewart 7-2 in the quarterfinals, before he was eliminated by Bird 7-1 in the semifinals. Leonard and Bird agreed to the split, with Leonard as the official winner of the event.
Tour director Herman Parker thanked the ownership and staff at Gate City Billiards Club for their hospitality, as well as all those who attended and either in-person or online, contributed to the benefit of Anthony Mabe’s family. He also thanked title sponsor Viking Cues, BarPoolTables.net, Dirty South Grind Apparel Co., AZBilliards, Federal Savings Bank mortgage division and Diamond Brat.
The next stop on the Viking Cues’ Q City 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for this weekend, June 12-13, will be hosted Borderline Billiards in Bristol, TN.
