Tony “The Snake” Cardillo (center) accepting the traveling PPB Club Champion trophy from PPB President Dick “Pocket Blocker” Dunbar (left) and PPB Tournament Director Phelps “Montana” L’Hommedieu (right)
Joseph F. Giammarino
The Pool Players of the Brooke Billiards Club (PPB) has been in existence as a SaddleBrooke One-sanctioned club since January of 2016, and it has not had an 8-Ball Club Champion until now: Tony “The Snake” Cardillo.
In early 2024, PPB Vice President Phelps “Montana” L’Hommedeiu headed up a small committee to develop the process for accomplishing this objective. The PPB would hold five 8-ball qualifying tournaments on the following Saturdays: Oct. 25, 2024; Nov. 16, 2024; Jan. 25, 2025; Feb. 28, 2025; and March 29, 2025. The PPB would apply a point system during these tournaments where PPB members earned points for participation, wins, and position achieved. Once all the five qualifying tournaments were completed, the eight participants with the highest point totals competed in a two-day tournament to decide the first PPB 8-Ball Club Champion. Thank you to the PPB Board for sponsoring this event, our playoff referee Randy “Nice Try” Smith, and the 80 PPB members who participated in the qualifying tournaments. Now let’s move on to the pool action.
Quarter Finals:
The players with the top eight point totals competed in the quarter finals held on April 23. This was a seeded competition where the highest point total competes against the lowest point total, the second highest point total competes against the second lowest point total, etc. Each match was a race to three, best two out of three sets. The four quarter final participants who moved on to the semi-finals are in bold.
Quarter Final Matches:
(1) Dave Parker vs. (8) Dick Dunbar, N/A
(7) Phelps L’Hommedieu vs. (2) Joe Vidmar, 7 wins, 4 losses
(6) Dominic Borland vs. (3) Jack Hoverter, 6 wins, 3 losses
(4) Bill Webster vs. (5) Tony Cardillo, 6 wins, 3 losses
Semi-Finals:
The semi-finals were held on April 26 at 9:30 a.m. Again, this was a seeded competition. The semi-finals were a race to two, best two out of three sets. The two winners (in bold) of the semi-finals moved on to the finals.
Semi Final Matches:
Dick Dunbar vs. Joe Vidmar, 4 wins, 2 losses
Jack Hoverter vs. Tony Cardillo, 4 wins, 0 losses
Finals:
The finals were a race to five. The winner (in bold) of the final race to five matches is the PPB’s 2025 8-Ball Club Champion.
Final Match:
Joe Vidmar vs. Tony Cardillo, 5 wins, 2 losses
The PPB’s Club Champion Tony “The Snake” Cardillo received the personal traveling trophy. Tony will also be acknowledged by this engraved entry: “Tony Cardillo” above “2025” on a plaque to be mounted on the north wall of the CRC Billiards Room. Congratulations to Tony “The Snake” Cardillo who was obviously the best PPB pool player throughout the Pool Players of the Brooke Billiards Club’s first 8-Ball Club Champion playoff competition, with a combined record of 15 wins and 5 losses!
Rack ‘em up!