12th Annual Derby City Classic Kicks Off
The 12th Annual Derby City Classic presented by the Horseshoe Casino kicked off Friday, January 22, 2009. The highly publicized professional billiards event is a combination of three events with an all-around winner being crowned on Saturday, January 30, 2009.
The three tournaments making up the Derby City Classic are bank pool, one pocket and nine ball. The bank pool, which traditionally kick starts the event, did so this year with 353 players entering the bank pool event. With the other tournements, the total entries are expected to surpass 1000 players.
The main show in the festivities on Friday evening was a bank pool ring game that featured champions like Truman Hogue, Jet Johnson, Brian Gregg and Shannon Daulton. When the smoke cleared and the last ball was banked in, Jet Johnson of Chicago, IL walked away with the top prize. A humble and gracious champion, Johnson credited Freddie “the Bear” Bentivegna for coaching and teaching him.