Laurance and Balabushka in BCA Hall of Fame

Laurance and Balabushka in BCA Hall of Fame "Sriking Viking" and the cue maker legend to be inducted in April at star-studded event in Las Vegas!Colorado Springs, CO - The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) is pleased to announce that Ewa Mataya Laurance and George Balabuska have been elected to the BCA Hall of Fame. The BCA Hall of Fame honors outstanding people whose competitive skills and dedication have enriched the sport and industry of billiards. Ms. Laurance was elected in the Greatest Player category, while the late Mr. Balabushka was elected in the Meritorious Service category. "We are very pleased with our 2004 election," said BCA Board of Director President Skip Nemecek. "We will honor these two outstanding individuals at an event that promises to be our biggest and best ever."
Jerry Orbach, the stage and screen actor currently appearing on NBC's Law & Order will attend the event as a special guest to bring even more attention to this group of distinguished billiard players and contributors.The 2004 BCA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 1, 2004, at the Las Vegas Hilton. The ceremony will take place at the height of the International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo to allow more people to attend the event to honor the new inductees and pay tribute to those previously inducted. The event will have a new format - a formal cocktail party with hors d'oeuvres and desserts - and lower admission price of $35 per person. Tickets may be purchased by calling the BCA at 719.264.8300 or by visiting the BCA website.Ewa Mataya Laurance - Ewa Mataya Laurance is one of the best-known and recognizable stars in billiards. Known as "The Striking Viking", she began her career in her native Sweden, where she captured the National 9-Ball Championship in 1980. In 1981, she won this title again and also won the 14.1 Championship and the European 14.1 Championship. She won the World Open 9-Ball Championship in 1983 and 1984, and she captained the winning team in the Old Milwaukee Team Cup in 1984. In 1988, Ms. Laurance won the International 9-Ball, the World 8-Ball and the U.S. Open Women's 9-Ball Championships. She set the Women's High Run record for Straight Pool in 1988 and has held it (except for 10 minutes in 1992) since then. She also won the 1991 WPBA National, the 1991 Women's U.S. Open 9-Ball and the 1994 WPA World 9-Ball Championships. Ms. Laurance has made many TV appearances, written four books, received the Billiard & Bowling Institute of America (BBIA) Industry Service award, , visited U.S. troops in Bosnia, is the only billiard player ever featured on the cover of the New York Times Magazine and currently serves as President of the WPBA. George Balabushka - Cue maker George Balabushka was born in Russia on December 9, 1912. He arrived in the U.S. in 1924 and began designing and building children's wooden toys and educational materials, which gave him an intimate knowledge of the properties of various woods. After 30 years as a woodworker and Straight Pool player, he began making pool cues. He was an innovator in cue construction, finishes and designs. Mr. Balabushka was quickly recognized as the premier cue maker of his era, inspiring other cue makers and elevating the demand for custom cues. He was the first to be inducted into the American Cuemakers Association (ACA) Hall of Fame in 1993. Because of their playability, design and rarity, Balabushka cues have become legendary and highly collectible. A Balabushka cue was featured as an object of admiration in the book and movie The Color of Money. Mr. Balabushka died in 1975 at age 62.Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news from the sport of billiards and pool.

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