Shane Van Boening
No masterpiece of art has ever been appreciated until its creation is over. Employing an example, it is possible that during the creation of the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, there were eyewitnesses (spectators) who watched and marveled at his brush strokes, his mastery of perspective, the human anatomy and the way he balanced light and shadow in blended shades of color. But at the moment that da Vinci stepped back from the canvas for the last time, those spectators had to spend some time watching the paint dry.
At the risk of stretching this obvious metaphor to its breaking point, it should also be noted that da Vinci began painting the Mona Lisa in 1503. Although it’s assumed that he completed it three years later, there is anecdotal evidence that he kept tweaking his masterpiece until 1517, and people still line up to see it at the Louvre Museum in Paris, 507 years later. Though revered as an artist, not everything he ever painted is universally labeled as a “masterpiece.”
All of which brings us, in a roundabout kind of way, to the subject of Shane Van Boening, who won the International 10-Ball Open’s “Big Foot Challenge” Invitational last night (Sunday, Nov. 24). He went undefeated through three opponents and was done when he defeated the Philippines’ Lee Van Corteza in the finals.
The two had punched their entrance tickets to the final match with their semifinal victories over Fedor Gorst and Robbie Capito. By identical 10-4 scores, Corteza downed Gorst and later in the afternoon, Van Boening defeated Capito.
Prior to stepping into the Simonis Aramith TV Arena, just after 8 p.m. last night, he’d engaged in eight matches since the International began six days ago; two in the “Big Foot Challenge,” three in straight pool (at which he is continuing to play, today) and three in the International 9-Ball Open, one of which he lost, to Austria’s Max Lechner 10-6. Hard to judge whether that final “Big Foot” match or any of the eight matches in which he’d been involved prior were masterpieces. And while his (and Corteza’s) talent, skills and determination to win were on full display for consideration as masterpieces in that final, spectators in the Arena spent some time “watching the paint dry.”
Slow, but steady, hallmarks the race and win to the “Big Foot” title
In three of the first five games in the race-to-10 final of the “Big Foot Challenge,” Van Boening and Corteza broke dry. Corteza scratched on one of them and only Van Boening managed to drop a single ball on those five breaks. So, not at the start, shaping up as a masterpiece for either of them.
At the end of those five racks, after Corteza had won two, Van Boening held a slim, one-rack lead at 3-2. Corteza broke and ran rack #6 to tie it up. At that point, Van Boening began a three-rack run that began when he dropped the 10-ball, breaking rack #7. He then ran the table following Corteza’s dry break and chalked up his second ‘break and run’ to re-establish his three-point lead at 6-3.
Cortez broke dry in the 10th rack, but won it to pull within two at 6-4. Assuming a much-hoped-for double-hill match, it was at the half-way point, and regardless of how it turned out, a critical juncture point for Corteza. They traded racks at that point, to include Van Boening’s contribution of his third break-and-run, and in effect, sliding that critical juncture point ahead to 7-5.
Van Boening opened the final stage of the match with his fourth break-and-run and chalked up two more to claim his first “Big Foot Challenge” title.
“You have to be tall to play on these tables,” Van Boening told table announcer, Derrick Keith shortly after winning and responding to a question about what he thought were important considerations of playing on the larger surface.
He would go on in a short interview to discuss his plans between now and the start of the Mosconi Cup in Orlando, FL, to include his induction into the BCA Hall of Fame on Friday.
“Just going to play every day,” he responded.
Asked about any meaningful influences that have affected his career at the tables, Van Boening spoke about his grandfather, who was influential as a mentor even before his career began.
“If it wasn’t for him,” he said. “I wouldn’t be here today.”
Van Boening has already moved on to continue play at the International Open’s Straight Pool Open, looking to advance into that tournament’s Final 16. Whether any shot, game or match in his career – before, now or in the future – will ever qualify as masterpieces, 507 years from now, is not something he ever considers. Though us of who watch him, though, bear witness to his mastery of the skills, craft and yes, artistry that he brings to his chosen profession.
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