Jim Hurst

In 1967 he graduated from the Billiard Congress of America Instructors School in Marion, Indiana, and earned a certified instructors certificate. That same year he began tournament play in Rochester and Syracuse. An outstanding honor was bestowed upon Hurst in 1969 when he was invited to play a pair of exhibition matches against several times world champion Willie Mosconi at Ike Brewer's Pool Hall. It was quite an honor and tribute to be considered for a matchup against Mosconi.

The top two events for Hurst were the $50,000 World Straight Pool Championships in New York City in 1983 and the $50,000 World Straight Pool Championships in 1985 at the Niagara Falls Convention Center. Hurst qualified for the 64-man World Championships in the Grand Ballroom of the Roosevelt Hotel, by playing in a 22-week tournament at the Bob-B-Que Pool Hall in Kenmore.

Hurst was invited after 1985 to play in other world championship events but had to turn them down because of family commitments and his job at Niagara Mohawk. He also successfully competed in the Tri-State Open in Erie, the Northcoast Open in Cleveland, the Shamrock Shootout, the Summertime Classic and the Akron Open all in Akron, Ohio.

Hurst additionally performed in many trick shooting exhibitions in such places as schools, clubs, restaurants, the Veterans Hospital in Buffalo and on Channel 29 TV in Grand Island. He had more than 50 trick shots and first performed those at the Second Street Pool Hall in Jamestown in 1967. To give one an idea of Hurst's ability as a trick shooter, he ran two complete racks of balls (30 shots) while making his strokes without looking at the balls. Tom Parker, a renowned pool instructor from Cleveland, said that Hurst's stroke was equal to those of other professionals. It was in the 95 percent perfect range.

Hurst was always willing to help those interested in learning about pool and entertained thousands of spectators free of charge over several years. He also made video and lesson tapes to lend to people that wanted to learn more about the game prior to purchasing pool tables or equipment and to become better players.