Jose Parica
Encyclopedia
Jose Parica is a Filipino
professional pool
player from Manila
, nicknamed "Amang" (Tagalog
for "father") and "the Giant Killer." As a Philippine
Hall of Famer, he pioneered the "Filipino invasion" in the United States, especially in the game of nine-ball.
Also known as "the King" and "the Legend" in Philippine pool, Parica became the World Player of the Year in 1997. He is the only player to achieve a perfect game of nine ball
in a ( to 11) match. He was the only Filipino to win all major final titles against his Filipino counterparts.
Parica sharpened his skills in the billiard halls his father owned in Blumentritt and in Sta. Cruz in Manila
. Soon, he was beating much older people. He had won all the tournaments that had to be won in the Philippines, but he felt he still did not earn the recognition he felt he deserve. Finally, in 1975, he got his break.
, and went looking for a guy known only as "Amang." Word got around fast, and soon Parica was on his way to Japan for his first major tournament outside the Philippines. By then, Parica was already 25. He bagged fourth place in the Tokyo International Open that year, and got invited to the tournament every year.
In 1976, Parica, hoping to get a better deal for Filipino billiard players, organized the Philippine Pocket Billiards Association and he became its first president.
In 1978, he got enough sponsors to compete in his first-ever tournament in the United States, the World Open Straight Pool Championship which was dominated by Ray Martin. He was the only Filipino in the tournament, and got the attention of the billiard world by placing in a tie for 9th to 12th places.
In 1979, Parica was the Philippine's National 3-Cushion Champion, Rotation Champion, and Snooker Champion.
Parica competed under the Men’s Professional Billiards Association for years, but did not win a U.S. title until 1986, when he won the World Open 9 Ball Child Cypress in Lexington
. He followed it up with a victory in the World Classic Cup title in Aurora, Illinois
.
In 1987, Parica went back to the Philippines to display new skills he had learned from the world’s best players, and to encourage Filipino players to compete in the prestigious and financially-rewarding U.S. billiard circuit. Parica had blazed the trail, and had actually paved the way with gold by gaining respect from the Filipino players. He wanted other Filipinos to follow his trail to world success.
Soon, Filipino players Efren "Bata" Reyes
and Francisco "Django" Bustamante
joined Parica in lording over the American circuit. Without realizing it, Parica had led what American billiard aficionados call the "Filipino Invasion."
Parica had won close to one hundred tournaments in the U.S., thirteen in Japan, and three in the Philippines (the 1980, 1989 and 1992 Philippine Nine-ball Open Championships). In 1988, Parica dominated the Japanese circuit, winning eight of the nine tournaments he competed in, and placing 2nd in the other. That same year, he won the World Pro Tournament, the biggest and richest tournament in that time, by beating arch-rival Reyes 9-3 in the finals. The tournament was played in Tokyo and had 900 players. Parica earned the first prize of ¥
5M. That year, Parica had total winnings of $289K.
Parica achieved one of the most revered records in pool, and was the only player to win a perfect match of nine-ball under race-to-11 format without misses or fouls.
He won three more tournaments in 1989, but the star of Reyes was beginning to shine, and that of Parica to fade. In 1994, Parica married Aurora and retired from active competition. He had a lot of savings from his billiard earnings, and he decided he did not want to travel constantly anymore.
, his wife Aurora overheard a Filipino say that Efren Reyes was the best Filipino player ever, and that Reyes could beat any Filipino, including Parica. Reyes had been named Player of the Year in 1995. Aurora told Parica what she heard, and convinced him to play competitively again, just to prove that he is not yet over the hill. Parica took it as a challenge and as a go-signal from his wife to resume his suspended billiards career.
In late 1996, Parica resumed playing in the U.S. circuit. He lost twice to Reyes that year, and also lost to American ace Johnny Archer
, who emerged Player of the Year in 1996. But Parica still managed to win four tournaments that year, against Reyes’ three.
Parica showed his fighting heart by coming back in 1997 to beat Reyes six in a row, and Archer seven times. Parica won five tournaments that year and emerged No. 1 in world ratings. Parica even won the Camel Overall Bonus of $50K. He proved he was still among the best in the world by being chosen Player of the Year in 1997 by three award-giving bodies — Billiards magazine, Billiards Digest magazine, and the Camel Pro Billiards Series (the richest and most prestigious circuit in the US at that time).
Parica and Reyes faded again in 1998, as the rising Francisco Bustamante dominated the circuit, by winning three of the Camel Circuit’s eight legs, and placing second in two. Bustamante won the Player of the Year honors that year.
After three tournaments in the Camel Circuit, Parica ranked 9th place with 130 points, with Bustamante at 6th and 170 points. Reyes, who missed one tournament when he represented the Philippines in Brunei
, was considerably behind, with only 80 points. Reyes won the World Nine-ball Open in London
in early August.
Parica finished in a tie for 7th and 8th in the first leg of the tour, in Kansas; 13th in Atlanta; and 32nd in Las Vegas, which Reyes did not compete in.
With his convincing victory in the Compton event, where six of the seven Filipinos who competed finished in the money list, Parica advanced to the next leg, at Nashville, Tennessee
starting 14 September, and later at the prestigious U.S. Open in Houston, Texas
on September 25–26.
At age 50, having played billiards for 43 years, and having more than 100 titles under his belt, Parica has not announced any plans to retire. In 2006, he won the $40K First Western Open Nine-ball Championship at the Crystal Park Casino and Hotel in Compton, beating Francisco Bustamante in the finals, 15-12. However, when he participated in the 2006 IPT North American Open Eight-ball Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, he was eliminated in the first round, winning only $2,000.00 for his effort. He fared better at the IPT World Open Eight-ball Championship in Reno, Nevada, where he reached the 4th round and won $22,322.00.
countless times, especially in money matches. During his prime, from the 1970s to the mid-1990s, Parica wasn't just a dominant player but a well-admired figure of the Philippine public.
After Reyes won the World Nine-ball Championship in 1999 and numerous events later, Reyes was enshrined in the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame
in 2003. Parica has expressed dismay at this honor, feeling that his great achievements have been forgotten because of Reyes, and that he, too, should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.What About Parica?
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
professional pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
player from Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, nicknamed "Amang" (Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
for "father") and "the Giant Killer." As a Philippine
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
Hall of Famer, he pioneered the "Filipino invasion" in the United States, especially in the game of nine-ball.
Also known as "the King" and "the Legend" in Philippine pool, Parica became the World Player of the Year in 1997. He is the only player to achieve a perfect game of nine ball
Nine Ball
Nine-ball is a contemporary form of pool , with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s...
in a ( to 11) match. He was the only Filipino to win all major final titles against his Filipino counterparts.
Early years
Jose "Amang" Parica had to pull a stool every time it was his turn to make a shot when he first played billiards at his father’s billiard hall in Blumentritt back in the Philippines. He was just seven years old when he first struck a cue ball with a cue that was much longer than he was, on a billiard table that was just as high as he was. Parica literally grew up with a cue in his hands.Parica sharpened his skills in the billiard halls his father owned in Blumentritt and in Sta. Cruz in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
. Soon, he was beating much older people. He had won all the tournaments that had to be won in the Philippines, but he felt he still did not earn the recognition he felt he deserve. Finally, in 1975, he got his break.
Professional career
A Japanese billiard player and promoter was looking for a Filipino player to compete in a tournament in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and went looking for a guy known only as "Amang." Word got around fast, and soon Parica was on his way to Japan for his first major tournament outside the Philippines. By then, Parica was already 25. He bagged fourth place in the Tokyo International Open that year, and got invited to the tournament every year.
In 1976, Parica, hoping to get a better deal for Filipino billiard players, organized the Philippine Pocket Billiards Association and he became its first president.
In 1978, he got enough sponsors to compete in his first-ever tournament in the United States, the World Open Straight Pool Championship which was dominated by Ray Martin. He was the only Filipino in the tournament, and got the attention of the billiard world by placing in a tie for 9th to 12th places.
In 1979, Parica was the Philippine's National 3-Cushion Champion, Rotation Champion, and Snooker Champion.
Parica competed under the Men’s Professional Billiards Association for years, but did not win a U.S. title until 1986, when he won the World Open 9 Ball Child Cypress in Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
. He followed it up with a victory in the World Classic Cup title in Aurora, Illinois
Aurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
.
In 1987, Parica went back to the Philippines to display new skills he had learned from the world’s best players, and to encourage Filipino players to compete in the prestigious and financially-rewarding U.S. billiard circuit. Parica had blazed the trail, and had actually paved the way with gold by gaining respect from the Filipino players. He wanted other Filipinos to follow his trail to world success.
Soon, Filipino players Efren "Bata" Reyes
Efren Reyes
Efren Manalang Reyes is a Filipino professional pool player and a two-time world champion. Reyes is considered by many to be the greatest all-around pool player in the history of the game. He is affectionately nicknamed "Bata" and "the Magician".-Early life:Reyes was born in Pampanga in 1954...
and Francisco "Django" Bustamante
Francisco Bustamante
Francisco Bustamante is a Filipino professional pocket billiards player from Tarlac, and the 2010 World Nine-ball Champion., nicknamed "Django", after the lead character of the film of the same name, and sometimes also called "Bustie", especially in the United States.-Early life:Bustamante is the...
joined Parica in lording over the American circuit. Without realizing it, Parica had led what American billiard aficionados call the "Filipino Invasion."
Parica had won close to one hundred tournaments in the U.S., thirteen in Japan, and three in the Philippines (the 1980, 1989 and 1992 Philippine Nine-ball Open Championships). In 1988, Parica dominated the Japanese circuit, winning eight of the nine tournaments he competed in, and placing 2nd in the other. That same year, he won the World Pro Tournament, the biggest and richest tournament in that time, by beating arch-rival Reyes 9-3 in the finals. The tournament was played in Tokyo and had 900 players. Parica earned the first prize of ¥
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
5M. That year, Parica had total winnings of $289K.
Parica achieved one of the most revered records in pool, and was the only player to win a perfect match of nine-ball under race-to-11 format without misses or fouls.
He won three more tournaments in 1989, but the star of Reyes was beginning to shine, and that of Parica to fade. In 1994, Parica married Aurora and retired from active competition. He had a lot of savings from his billiard earnings, and he decided he did not want to travel constantly anymore.
Comeback
Parica was content with playing billiards privately and wading in the pool of his 5-bedroom house in West Covina, until one day, while they were in Las VegasLas Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, his wife Aurora overheard a Filipino say that Efren Reyes was the best Filipino player ever, and that Reyes could beat any Filipino, including Parica. Reyes had been named Player of the Year in 1995. Aurora told Parica what she heard, and convinced him to play competitively again, just to prove that he is not yet over the hill. Parica took it as a challenge and as a go-signal from his wife to resume his suspended billiards career.
In late 1996, Parica resumed playing in the U.S. circuit. He lost twice to Reyes that year, and also lost to American ace Johnny Archer
Johnny Archer
Johnny Archer is an American professional pool player. He is nicknamed "the Scorpion" ....
, who emerged Player of the Year in 1996. But Parica still managed to win four tournaments that year, against Reyes’ three.
Parica showed his fighting heart by coming back in 1997 to beat Reyes six in a row, and Archer seven times. Parica won five tournaments that year and emerged No. 1 in world ratings. Parica even won the Camel Overall Bonus of $50K. He proved he was still among the best in the world by being chosen Player of the Year in 1997 by three award-giving bodies — Billiards magazine, Billiards Digest magazine, and the Camel Pro Billiards Series (the richest and most prestigious circuit in the US at that time).
Parica and Reyes faded again in 1998, as the rising Francisco Bustamante dominated the circuit, by winning three of the Camel Circuit’s eight legs, and placing second in two. Bustamante won the Player of the Year honors that year.
After three tournaments in the Camel Circuit, Parica ranked 9th place with 130 points, with Bustamante at 6th and 170 points. Reyes, who missed one tournament when he represented the Philippines in Brunei
Brunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, was considerably behind, with only 80 points. Reyes won the World Nine-ball Open in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in early August.
Parica finished in a tie for 7th and 8th in the first leg of the tour, in Kansas; 13th in Atlanta; and 32nd in Las Vegas, which Reyes did not compete in.
With his convincing victory in the Compton event, where six of the seven Filipinos who competed finished in the money list, Parica advanced to the next leg, at Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
starting 14 September, and later at the prestigious U.S. Open in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
on September 25–26.
At age 50, having played billiards for 43 years, and having more than 100 titles under his belt, Parica has not announced any plans to retire. In 2006, he won the $40K First Western Open Nine-ball Championship at the Crystal Park Casino and Hotel in Compton, beating Francisco Bustamante in the finals, 15-12. However, when he participated in the 2006 IPT North American Open Eight-ball Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, he was eliminated in the first round, winning only $2,000.00 for his effort. He fared better at the IPT World Open Eight-ball Championship in Reno, Nevada, where he reached the 4th round and won $22,322.00.
Heightened rivalry toward Reyes
Years before, Parica has been known to have bested Efren ReyesEfren Reyes
Efren Manalang Reyes is a Filipino professional pool player and a two-time world champion. Reyes is considered by many to be the greatest all-around pool player in the history of the game. He is affectionately nicknamed "Bata" and "the Magician".-Early life:Reyes was born in Pampanga in 1954...
countless times, especially in money matches. During his prime, from the 1970s to the mid-1990s, Parica wasn't just a dominant player but a well-admired figure of the Philippine public.
After Reyes won the World Nine-ball Championship in 1999 and numerous events later, Reyes was enshrined in the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame
Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame
This is the list of people inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's hall of fame. Many of these were inducted based on their excellence as world-class players , while others were inducted for their contributions to the game or the billiards industry .The year of induction is listed after...
in 2003. Parica has expressed dismay at this honor, feeling that his great achievements have been forgotten because of Reyes, and that he, too, should be inducted into the Hall of Fame.What About Parica?
Career history
|
1996 in sports 1996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:... PBT Darafeev Pro Nine-ball Classic, 1st place 1995 in sports 1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:... On Cue Billiards Tournament, La Mesa, CA 1994 in sports 1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen... Tommy's Billiards Tournament, Mesa, AZ 1992 in sports 1992 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup* Men's overall season champion: Paul Accola, Switzerland* Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:... Philippine Nine-ball Open Championship 1991 in sports 1991 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Petra Kronberger, Austria-American football:... Florida State Open 1990 in sports 1990 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland-American football:... Tennessee Bar Table Championship 1989 in sports 1989 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:... World Pro Nine-ball Championship (Japan) 1988 in sports 1988 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Pirmin Zurbriggen, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Michela Figini, Switzerland-American football:... Gandy Open 1986 in sports 1986 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup –** Men's overall season champion: Marc Girardelli, Luxembourg** Women's overall season champion: Maria Walliser, Switzerland-American football:... Great American Open 1982 in sports 1982 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Phil Mahre, United States** Women's overall season champion: Erika Hess, Switzerland-American football:... Playboy All-around Classic 1980 in sports 1980 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup:** Men's overall season champion: Andreas Wenzel, Liechtenstein** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein... International, Taiwan, All-around Champion 1979 in sports 1979 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Peter Lüscher, Switzerland** Women's overall season champion: Annemarie Moser-Pröll, Austria-American football:... Japan Open 1978 in sports 1978 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Ingemar Stenmark, Sweden** Women's overall season champion: Hanni Wenzel, Liechtenstein-American football:... International, Japan, All-around Champion |
Winnings
- 2009 Winnings: $12,650.00
- 2008 Winnings: $23,165.00
- 2007 Winnings: $19,495.00
- 2006 Winnings: $33,597.00
- 2005 Winnings: $40,994.00
- 2004 Winnings: $25,926.00
- 2003 Winnings: $75,670.00
- 2002 Winnings: $53,695.00
- 2001 Winnings: $43,690.00
- 2000 Winnings: $16,050.00