ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Army News Service, Feb. 27, 2007) - Soldiers who can quickly clear a table of billiard balls have an opportunity to win a trip for two to Las Vegas in the Army MWR Speed Pool Tournament.
Six local installation winners will be the guests of speed pool multi world record-holder Dave "The Ginger Wizard" Pearson at the Valley National Eightball Association International Championships in Las Vegas. A $100,000 prize also awaits any contestant who eclipses Pearson's single-table world speed pool record of 26.5 seconds.
The object of speed pool is to run a rack of 15 balls as fast as possible, pocketing the eightball last. The cue ball must completely stop between shots.
The Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation-sponsored event lasts eight weeks and begins March 3 at Rocker II on Fort Knox, Ky.
Other local tourneys will begin March 7 at Rocky's on Fort Stewart, Ga.; March 8 at Fort Gordon, Ga.'s bowling center; March 9 at Afterhours on Fort Benning, Ga.; March 10 at Fort Bragg, N.C.'s Sports USA; and March 11 at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.'s bowling center.
All competitors will receive a limited-edition, customized pool cue and carrying case, both bearing the installation's insignia. The first 50 registrants also will receive a trick-shot teaching DVD.
To register, contact your Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers or MWR office. For contest rules and more details, visit <a href="http://www.mwrpromotions.com"target=_blank> www.mwrpromotions.com</a>. The contest is open to active-duty military, Reserve and National Guard members for a $25 entry fee.
Pearson is scheduled to perform on the opening night at each site. He holds Guinness Book World Records for clearing two complete pool tables in 1 minute, 22.6 seconds; running 10 tables in 8:57; and sinking 16,499 balls in 24 hours.
Twenty-five Soldiers - on a first-register, first-play basis - may compete each week in the local tournaments. Multiple entries are allowed, but each competitor is limited to winning only once at the installation level. Local weekly winners will receive a mini MP3 player and an event T-shirt.
Winners of the weekly double-elimination competitions will meet in a final-round shoot-off to determine the installation champions, who will receive round-trip airfare for two and three nights of lodging in Las Vegas, along with $400 for incidental expenses.
"The great thing about this is every installation has a winner," said Coleen Amstein, who works in business programs for the Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.
The contest is sponsored by FMWRC, BOSS and the Army Recreation Machine Program. The goal is to provide a quality recreational program that will keep Soldiers on post and safe, said Don Rojas, general manager of ARMP.
(Tim Hipps writes for the Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command.)
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