Shane Van Boening
Encyclopedia
Shane Van Boening is an American
professional pocket billiards
(pool) player from Rapid City
, South Dakota
, currently ranked No. 1 in the U.S. Rankings published by the UPA Tour.
Van Boening is hearing-impaired and uses a hearing aid, but it has not limited his pool ability. He has received praise for his attitude towards the sport, partially for his behaviour during matches, and for eschewing alcohol.
background. His grandfather, Gary Bloomberg, was a trick-shot artist; his grandmother, Jeanne Bloomberg, a VNEA national champion; his mother, Timi Bloomberg, a BCA national champion; and his aunt, Gari Jo Bloomberg, a three-time VNEA national champion.
Van Boening defeated Hungarian Vilmos Foldes
at the International Pool Tour qualifier in 2006, and was one of several players to earn a bonus of US$5,000 for breaking and running six consecutive racks in tournament play. Shane was one of only 10 players to earn their IPT tour card by finishing in the top two spots of one of five qualifiers. Shane won the second stop held at the Pool Room in Atlanta, Georgia
. He has been ranked number one in the world by AZBilliards.com. When he is not competing professionally, he can be found practicing in downtown Sioux Falls at Lucky Billiards, where he is the house pro and co-owner.
Van Boening is a three-time VNEA national eight-ball champion. In 2007, he made it to the final of the BCA Open Nine-ball Championship but lost to Dennis Orcollo. Days later, he dominated the inaugural World Ten-ball Championship to become the first-ever world champion in that discipline of pool.
Shane has been declared by some as the next-in-line and heir-apparent to the throne of being the best pool player in the US by Inside POOL Magazine.
Van Boening captured the hot seat in the World Summit of Pool on June 16, 2007, giving 2004 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Champion Alex "the Lion" Pagulayan
an 11–4 thrashing. The last day, all matches were shortened races to 7 because they were being recorded by ESPN
. Alex Pagulayan
plowed through Francisco Bustamante
and Warren Kiamco
and faced Van Boening in the final. Despite Pagulayan leading 4-1, Van Boening recovered to tie the score 5-5 before veteran Pagulayan won the next two games to claim the victory, 7 to 5.
The Billiards Congress of America Pool League owner Mark Griffin recognized his talent and decided in 2007 to sponsor him as he advances his professional career.
On October 20, 2007, he won the 2007 (32nd annual) US Open Nine-ball Championship, defeating Filipino Champion Ronnie Alcano in the finals, 13–10. Van Boening remained undefeated in the double-elimination format of the championship, held in Chesapeake, Virginia.
At the Reno Open Nine-ball Championship, held on December 9, 2007, Van Boening and Johnny Archer were in the double-elimination finals. Archer was up to that point undefeated, and Van Boening had to beat Archer twice; Van Boening won the first set, and 83 minutes later, claimed the championship.
As a capstone to his record year, for 2007 he was declared the male Player of the Year by all three of the major pool publications, Billiards Digest, Pool & Billiard Magazine, and InsidePOOL Magazine (in each case with Allison Fisher
as his female co-recipient of the honor), and also ranked #11 in the P&B "Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players" poll for that year.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional pocket billiards
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...
(pool) player from Rapid City
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
, South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
, currently ranked No. 1 in the U.S. Rankings published by the UPA Tour.
Van Boening is hearing-impaired and uses a hearing aid, but it has not limited his pool ability. He has received praise for his attitude towards the sport, partially for his behaviour during matches, and for eschewing alcohol.
Professional career
Van Boening's family has a strong pocket billiardsPocket 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...
background. His grandfather, Gary Bloomberg, was a trick-shot artist; his grandmother, Jeanne Bloomberg, a VNEA national champion; his mother, Timi Bloomberg, a BCA national champion; and his aunt, Gari Jo Bloomberg, a three-time VNEA national champion.
Van Boening defeated Hungarian Vilmos Foldes
Vilmos Földes
Vilmos Földes is a Hungarian professional Pocket billiards player, nicknamed "the Magic Magyar"....
at the International Pool Tour qualifier in 2006, and was one of several players to earn a bonus of US$5,000 for breaking and running six consecutive racks in tournament play. Shane was one of only 10 players to earn their IPT tour card by finishing in the top two spots of one of five qualifiers. Shane won the second stop held at the Pool Room in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
. He has been ranked number one in the world by AZBilliards.com. When he is not competing professionally, he can be found practicing in downtown Sioux Falls at Lucky Billiards, where he is the house pro and co-owner.
Van Boening is a three-time VNEA national eight-ball champion. In 2007, he made it to the final of the BCA Open Nine-ball Championship but lost to Dennis Orcollo. Days later, he dominated the inaugural World Ten-ball Championship to become the first-ever world champion in that discipline of pool.
Shane has been declared by some as the next-in-line and heir-apparent to the throne of being the best pool player in the US by Inside POOL Magazine.
Van Boening captured the hot seat in the World Summit of Pool on June 16, 2007, giving 2004 WPA Men's World Nine-ball Champion Alex "the Lion" Pagulayan
Alex Pagulayan
Alejandro Salvador Pagulayan, is a Filipino Canadian professional pool and snooker player. His nicknames are "the Lion" and "the Killer Pixie". He was born in Cabagan, Isabela, Philippines and was raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
an 11–4 thrashing. The last day, all matches were shortened races to 7 because they were being recorded by ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
. Alex Pagulayan
Alex Pagulayan
Alejandro Salvador Pagulayan, is a Filipino Canadian professional pool and snooker player. His nicknames are "the Lion" and "the Killer Pixie". He was born in Cabagan, Isabela, Philippines and was raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
plowed through Francisco 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...
and Warren Kiamco
Warren Kiamco
Warren Kiamco is a Filipino professional pool player from Cebu, Philippines. He is known for his performances in the South East Asian and Asian Games....
and faced Van Boening in the final. Despite Pagulayan leading 4-1, Van Boening recovered to tie the score 5-5 before veteran Pagulayan won the next two games to claim the victory, 7 to 5.
The Billiards Congress of America Pool League owner Mark Griffin recognized his talent and decided in 2007 to sponsor him as he advances his professional career.
On October 20, 2007, he won the 2007 (32nd annual) US Open Nine-ball Championship, defeating Filipino Champion Ronnie Alcano in the finals, 13–10. Van Boening remained undefeated in the double-elimination format of the championship, held in Chesapeake, Virginia.
At the Reno Open Nine-ball Championship, held on December 9, 2007, Van Boening and Johnny Archer were in the double-elimination finals. Archer was up to that point undefeated, and Van Boening had to beat Archer twice; Van Boening won the first set, and 83 minutes later, claimed the championship.
As a capstone to his record year, for 2007 he was declared the male Player of the Year by all three of the major pool publications, Billiards Digest, Pool & Billiard Magazine, and InsidePOOL Magazine (in each case with Allison Fisher
Allison Fisher
Allison Fisher is an English professional pool player.-Biography:Fisher grew up in Hadlow, Kent. She won her first world title at the age of 17. To date, she has won over 80 national titles and 11 world titles in total. She even entered the men's snooker rankings, but never progressed into the...
as his female co-recipient of the honor), and also ranked #11 in the P&B "Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players" poll for that year.
Titles and achievements
- 2007 Reno Open 9-Ball Championship
- 2007 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship
- 2007 Predator World Ten-ball Championship, Jacksonville, Florida
- 2007 Inside POOL Magazine Player of the Year
- 2007 Billiards Digest Player of the Year (male)
- 2007 Pool & Billiard Magazine Player of the Year (male)
- 2007 Pool & Billiard Magazine Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players, #11