2025 CueSports Hall of Fame

The CueSports Hall of Fame celebrates individuals who have made significant, positive contributions to the industry through means other than professional play. Each year, an "Industry Titan" is inducted, with their banner proudly displayed at the CueSports International Expo for years to come.

This year, there are seven candidates that will be narrowed down to four final nominees through an initial voting round. The four final nominees will then undergo a second final vote to determine the "2025 Industry Titan."

After reading about the candidates, please cast your vote, no later than Thursday, Jan 16, 5:00 PM PST.

About the Candidates

DR. DAVE ALCIATORE, is a distinguished PBIA Master Instructor, author, and leading authority in the world of billiards education. Renowned for his innovative teaching methods, he authored The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards and co-produced the acclaimed “Video Encyclopedia” series. His instructional resources, including private lessons and intensive courses, are available through Dr. Dave’s Pool School and Billiard University (BU), which he co-founded. Dr. Dave also serves as the webmaster for billiards.colostate.edu, a widely respected online resource for billiards enthusiasts.

A retired mechanical engineering professor from Colorado State University (1991–2020), Dr. Dave combines his academic expertise with his passion for billiards to present complex concepts in clear, engaging ways. He has been a monthly instructional columnist for Billiards Digest magazine and is an active contributor to online forums and social media. In 2021, he appeared on StarTalk Sports Edition with Neil deGrasse Tyson, a renowned American astrophysicist, author, and science communicator, to discuss the physics of pool, reaching a global audience as part of a podcast that garners approximately 1.3 million downloads per month.

As a promoter, innovator, and educator, he continues to inspire players and instructors worldwide.

TERRY BELL is a co-founder of the American Poolplayers Association (APA), currently the largest amateur pool league in the world. Alongside his late partner, Larry Hubbart, Bell launched the APA in 1979 with a vision to bring amateur players together through a nationwide league system. Leveraging their professional expertise, Bell and Hubbart developed The Equalizer® handicap system that helped entice beginning players into the sport.

Through their dedication, the APA grew rapidly, supported by major sponsors like Busch Beer, and expanded internationally to include leagues in Canada, Japan, and Singapore. Today, the APA has approximately 240,000 members, and hosts large-scale tournaments such as the APA Poolplayer Championships and the APA World Pool Championships which was certified by Guinness World Records as the largest pool tournament in the world.

Bell’s contributions to the sport were recognized in 2010 when he and Hubbart were inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame for Meritorious Service. Bell still remains highly active in overseeing the APA, continuing to foster the growth of amateur billiards worldwide.

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 Minnesota, he 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 80s, Benson 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 set up 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.

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

He passed away peacefully on December 6, 2019.

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.

MIKE HOWERTON is a visionary in the billiards world and the founder of AZBilliards.com, a premier online destination for pool enthusiasts worldwide. Originally launched in 1998 to cover the Arizona pool scene, AZBilliards quickly gained traction, transitioning from a local website to a national platform, and become an international hub for the sport. Howerton’s innovative approach brought pool news into the digital age, offering the largest online database of players, tournament results, and stories in the industry.

Under his leadership, AZBilliards has also integrated the historic library of Accu-Stats Video Productions, creating a comprehensive archive of matches spanning five decades.

Beyond AZBilliards, Howerton’s contributions to the billiards community are extensive. He has served as a WPBA Board Member, NAPT Board Member, and Arizona representative for the Billiard Education Foundation. He also created and hosted billiards podcasts such as Runout Radio and American Billiard Radio and published the Arizona Billiards & Dart News. Inducted into the Arizona Billiards Hall of Fame, Howerton’s enduring legacy lies in his dedication to connecting and growing the global pool community.

MIKE PAGE is a prominent figure in the billiards world, renowned for co-founding FargoRate, the most trusted and universally accepted rating system for pool players globally. FargoRate has transformed the sport by providing a fair and accurate method to measure skill levels, earning its place as the gold standard among players, league managers, and tournament directors.

As a former owner of Fargo Billiards & Gastropub in North Dakota, Page created a vibrant hub for pool enthusiasts by blending competitive play with a welcoming social atmosphere. His experience extends to serving as a League Operator and Tournament Director, further solidifying his expertise in the sport.

Page is also a founding professor of Billiard University (BU), where he collaborates with esteemed colleagues to maintain the institution's high standards and reputation for excellence in billiard education. Additionally, he has created instructional videos aimed at helping players of all levels improve their skills and deepen their enjoyment of the game.

Known for his ability to explain complex concepts with clarity and a friendly, disarming demeanor, Page combines intellect and a gentle demeanor to inspire others. His contributions continue to elevate billiards, fostering growth and innovation within the sport.

MIKE PANOZZO is a distinguished figure in billiards media, having dedicated his career to promoting the sport. After graduating with a journalism degree from Marquette University, Panozzo joined Billiards Digest in 1980, eventually becoming its publisher in 1994. Under his leadership, the magazine expanded from a 48-page bi-monthly to a 100-page monthly publication, reaching subscribers in over 40 countries.

Panozzo’s influence extends beyond publishing. He has served on the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Board of Directors and chaired its Hall of Fame Committee, working tirelessly to preserve and promote the sport’s history. In 2007, he founded the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA), which now oversees the BCA Hall of Fame and ensures the continued recognition of the game’s legends.

As president of the Billiard & Bowling Institute of America (BBIA), Panozzo played a key role in advancing the industry. His efforts were recognized with the BCA President’s Award in 2005 and the BBIA Industry Service Award in 2017. He is a regular co-host on popular billiards podcasts and hosts a show called Billiards Digest Live. In 2023, he was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame, a humbling acknowledgment of his lifelong dedication to billiards.

VOTE NOW