Earl Strickland

Earl 'the Pearl' Strickland began playing pool at the tender age of nine and after much devoted practice he entered his first professional tournament at around age 15 turning full-time professional only five years later.

Earl Strickland has many times won the prestigious Player of the Year Award and his illustrious career has included five wins at the U.S. Open 9 ball Championships - more than any other professional pool player in the world and three WPA World 9 ball Championships. In fact Strickland is the only WPA World 9 ball Champion ever to win this prestigious event two years in a row. He is also invariably invited to compete for the USA against Europe in the annual Mosconi Cup tournament.

Strickland is known for his volatile temperament and broke his own cue, smashing it against the floor in frustration after missing a shot during a match against Thomas Engert in the Mosconi cup although he did in fact go on to win the match 7-4 despite the rowdiness of the crowd who certainly were not on his side. Earl has however shown a different side to him on occasions and after heated arguments with referee Michaela Tabb during a 2003 World Championship game with Steve Davis, he bought the referee flowers by way of an apology which he brought to his next game. Because of this unpredictable temperament and his equally unpredictable style of play, the crowds inevitably will surround his table at major pool events. Achievements in 9 ball

In fact it was in 1983 at Lake Tahoe that a victory first brought Earl Strickland into national prominence. At Caesars Palace Pro Billiard Classic in Las Vegas in 1984, Strickland was said to have played "like a polished gem." He was clearly becoming a dominant force on the tournament trail and recognized as a future world champion also very notable for his speed of play. Onlookers said he had the "skill, endurance, patience, temperament, and tenacity of which champions are made. Because of his dominance, Strickland was named The National Billiard News Player of the Year in 1984.

Strickland is said to have once run 11 consecutive racks against Nick Mannino during the first PCA tournament in 1996 where there was a stipulation that anyone who could break and run 10 racks would win US$1,000,000. Apparently Strickland's last shot was a tough nine-ball combination in which Earl showed no fear and "fired it in with authority" to win the prize giving him another nickname- that of ' the million dollar man'.

Personal Background

• Name: Earl Strickland
• Known as: "Billiards Digest" or "the great Earl 'The Pearl'
• Sex: Male
• Age: 46 years old
• Date of Birth: June 8, 1961
• Place of Birth: Roseboro, North Carolina
• Country: United State of America
• Nationality: American
• Hobbies: Playing pool
• Spouse: na
• Sports: Billiard

Achievements:

• US Open Nine-ball Championship (1984, 1987, 1993, 1997, 2000)
• WPA World Nine-ball Championship (1990, 1991, 2002)
• 2003 Viking National Nine-ball Championship
• 1999 Camel Shooters Nine-ball Open
• 1999 Camel Riviera Hotel Pro 8-Ball Open
• 1995 PBT Eastern States Memorial 9-Ball Championship
• 1994 PBT Glass City Open Nine-ball
• 1994 PBT World Nine-ball Championship
• 1993 PBT Florida Flare Up
• 1993 PBT Western Open
• 1992 MPBA Los Angeles Open
• 1992 MPBA Sands Regency XVI Nine-ball
• 1991 MPBA McDermott Masters Nine-ball
• 1990MPBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball
• 1990 MPBA Sands Regent XI Nine-ball
• 1990 WPA World Pool Champion
• 1988 PBA Tara Open
• 1988 PBA Brunswick World Open
• 1988 PBA Shoals Classic
• 1988 PBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball
• 1988 PBA Augusta Classic
• 1988 PBA Greater Greenville Open
• 1987 PBA Bowling Green Open
• 1987 PBA Tara Open
• 1987 PBA Sands Regency Nine-ball
• 1987 PBA Charlotte Open
• 1987 PBA Fall Classic
• 1986 Bowling Green Open
• 1986 Citrus Open
• 1985 Ohio State Open
• 1985 Clyde Childress Open
• 1985 Charlotte Open
• 1985 Akron Open
• 1985 West Virginia Open
• 1984 Red's Nine-ball Open
• 1984 McDermott Masters
• 1984 Caesar's Palace Classic
• 1983 Caesar's Tahoe Nine-ball

Trivia:

• Strickland is a multiple winner of the prestigious Player of the Year Award, and his career highlights include five wins at the U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships (more than any other professional pool player worldwide), and the WPA World Nine-ball Championships. Strickland is the only WPA World Nine-ball Champion ever to win the event in consecutive years. He is also an ever-present player for the American team in the annual Mosconi Cup tournament.

• Strickland has engaged in back-and-forth colloquys with fans, players, referees, and tournament officials. During the 2006 Mosconi Cup, which took place at Rotterdam, Netherlands, December 7-10, 2006, the audience was loud, cheering and blowing horns when rooting for Team Europe. During a match with Nick van den Berg, someone shouted from the audience for Team USA Member Strickland to "shut up" since he had continued talking whilst opponents were taking their shots. The noise was so intense that Referee Michaela Tabb warned spectators they could be thrown out of the arena if they persisted. During Strickland's match with Team Europe Member Thomas Engert, he broke his own cue out of frustration by smashing it against the floor after a failed shot attempt during the difficult playing conditions. Strickland, however, went on to win the match, 7-4, despite the loud noise consisting of cheering and blowing horns from the audience as they were rooting for Team Europe.

• His 2003 World Pool Championship match with snooker star Steve Davis was particularly notorious, as the two engaged in mind games throughout, after Strickland engaged in heated verbal arguments with fans and referee Michaela Tabb. In response, Davis made use of his entitlement to take a break in the match, intentionally leaving Strickland to the mercy of the crowd. Strickland's tirade against Davis, the crowd, and the rules of the event, continued his tirade in a post-match interview, before visibly calming and apologising for his behaviour. He brought the referee flowers by way of an apology during his next game.

• Strickland is a major draw for pool tournament promoters because of his unpredictable style of play, and when his name is on the player roster, the crowds inevitably will surround his table. Billiards Digest described both Earl Strickland and fellow American player Keith McCready as "loose cannons" because they are vocal during competition.

• It was the 1983 Lake Tahoe victory that brought Earl Strickland into national prominence. In 1990, Earl Strickland was crowned the WPA World Champion and said he had not felt that way about a win since Lake Tahoe.

• At Caesars Palace Pro Billiard Classic in Las Vegas in 1984, Strickland played "like a polished gem." He was beginning to be a dominant force on the tournament trail and recognized as a future world champion. He had the "skill, endurance, patience, temperament, and tenacity of which champions are made." Because of his dominance, Strickland was named The National Billiard News Player of the Year in 1984.

• Strickland is known for his fast pace during competition. When he won the 1988 World Open championship, it was an event which featured a momentous final confrontation, "the great Earl 'The Pearl' Strickland and Mike 'Captain Hook' Sigel", and spectators eagerly fought for front-row seats to witness the battle. A 45-second shot clock was used to monitor each shot because the tournament was being recorded for broadcast for a seven-week series. At the conclusion, Sigel commented he could feel the pressure of being clocked. Strickland, on the other hand, said they "could have made it only 30 seconds between shots, and it wouldn't have mattered."

• At the 2004 Derby City Classic, a week-long multiple tournament event held every January in Louisville, Kentucky, Strickland was one of six competitors in a nine-ball ring game. Veteran Grady Mathews, when introducing Strickland, says when Earl Strickland is in the house, "A hush ensues, and there is an expectation," because of his brilliant shot-making capabilities.

• Strickland once ran 11 consecutive racks against Nick Mannino during the first PCA tournament in 1996 where there was a stipulation that anyone who could break and run 10 racks would win US$1,000,000. Jimmy Mataya, who was present at the event, witnessed Strickland's last shot, a tough nine-ball combination in which Earl showed no fear and "fired it in with authority" to win the prize.