2024 CueSports Hall of Fame

Barry Behrman wins!
In a very close contest, Barry Behrman emerged as the 2024 CueSports Hall of Fame "Industry Titan." His banner will be displayed at the CueSports International Expo for years to come; keeping his memory and accomplishments alive. See below for the full vote results.
PUBLIC VOTE
Barry Behrman: 52.33%
Gary Benson: 28.02%
Pat Fleming: 16.18%
​Matt Braun: 3.47%
MEDIA COMMITTEE VOTE
Pat Fleming: 57.14%
​Barry Behrman: 42.86%
Gary Benson: 0.00%
​Matt Braun: 0.00%
CSI STAFF VOTE
Gary Benson: 42.86%
Pat Fleming: 21.43%
​Matt Braun: 21.43%
​Barry Behrman: 14.29%

About the Nominees

BARRY BEHRMAN, of Virginia, was a prominent figure in the world of billiards and dedicated his life to promoting and advancing the sport. Berhman gained widespread recognition as the founder of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, a prestigious event that became a cornerstone in the billiards community. The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship is now under the control of Matchroom Pool and remains the most coveted 9-ball title in the U.S.

Behrman was also the founder of the legendary pool room, Q-Master Billiards, in Virginia Beach, VA. Having an astounding 72 pool tables, it remains one of the largest pool rooms in the United States. He personally operated Q-Master Billiards for more than 40 years and it continues to thrive today.

His passion for the game and commitment to its growth left a lasting impact, solidifying his legacy as a key contributor to the billiards industry. Behrman passed away on April 23, 2016, but his contributions to the sport continue.
GARY BENSON, of Colorado, had a long and successful career as a pool table vendor, league operator, tavern proprietor, trucking company owner, and tournament director. While living in MN Gary worked for D&R Star Vending, which eventually led him into the world of billiards. He was one of the first league coordinators for D&R Star and later helped in the creation of the Valley National Eight Ball Association (VNEA) pool leagues.

In the early 80's, Gary moved to Fort Collins, Colorado and started the pool table vending route and trucking business, High Country Promotions, which became the go-to company to setup large pool events in the U.S. With a fleet of semi-trailers, it would transport hundreds of tables, set them up in event venues, and even manage the tournaments for various promoters and organizations. Today, the company continues to promote and run billiard tournaments and is owned and operated by his son, Shannon Benson.

Benson also owned and operated successful taverns in Minnesota, Colorado and Nevada.

He passed away peacefully with his sons by his side, on December 6, 2019.
MATT BRAUN, of Oklahoma, became a household name in the pool world in the 1990s, creating made-for-TV events including the Challenge of Champions, Tournament of Champions and Trick Shot Challenge. The small, invitational fields, short races, and winner-take-all purses, were fan favorites on ESPN, the world's leading multi-platform sports entertainment brand, owned by The Walt Disney Company.

Braun was a renowned author of over 50 western fiction novels. One of his novels was adapted into a six-hour miniseries by TV giant Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS). Another was adapted into a two-hour movie by Turner Network Television (TNT), a cable network owned by Warner Bros. Pool was also a passion for Braun and his success as an author gave him unique connections in the broadcasting world.

From 1991 to the year of his death in 2016, Braun was responsible for most of the pool events on ESPN. By using his influence and connections to showcase these events on ESPN, Braun exposed the sport to millions of new fans. 

​He passed away on March 21, 2016 at the age of 84 and the coverage of pool on ESPN since his passing has been very limited.
PAT FLEMING, of New Jersey, is renowned for his involvement in organizing and promoting professional pool events and creating Accu-Stats Video Productions, a company that played a pivotal role in bringing high-quality pool matches to a global audience through video recordings and live streaming. Since the mid-1980s, Accu-Stats has videotaped more than 1,000 tournament matches and preserved performances by the world’s greatest pool and billiards players. Fleming began offering videotapes for sale to players and fans, and today the recordings in multiple formats are invaluable as entertainment and training tools, as well as the most complete video record of two generations of pool stars. Fleming sold Accu-Stats to Mike Howerton in 2022.

In 2016, Fleming also took over promotion and management of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship from founder, Barry Behrman, until 2019 when it was sold to Matchroom Pool. In 2019, Fleming created the International Open, which remains one of the most prestigious professional events in the U.S.

His dedication to showcasing the skill and excitement of professional pool has earned him respect within the billiards community. As a promoter and entrepreneur, Pat Fleming has left an indelible mark on the world of competitive billiards.