Phelps L’Hommedieu, gold medalist
Joe Giammarino
Tucson Parks and Recreation and Pain Institute of Southern Arizona presents the 39th Annual Senior Olympic Festival. This festival is a celebration to promote fitness, health, and an active lifestyle among adults 50 years of age and older. Events include volleyball, billiards, bowling, bridge, racquetball, basketball shoot, pickleball, archery, golf, tennis, horseshoes, badminton, and so much more.
On Jan. 23 the 8-ball competition took place at Pockets Billiards in Tucson. The Pool Players of The Brooke (PPB) Billiards Club had four participants competing: Tony “The Snake” Cardillo, Joe “Ball Breaker” Vidmar, Dick “The Visor” Titus, and Phelps “Montana” L’Hommedieu.
Phelps, who was placed in the 80- to 84-year-old bracket with 15 other competitors, was ready to play! He cruised through the winner’s bracket all the way to the hill where he waited for someone to come through the loser’s bracket. After a three-and-a-half-hour wait, with Phelps never touching his cue stick, an opponent emerged from the loser’s bracket to challenge him. The opponent would have to defeat Phelps twice to take the gold away from him. Phelps, feeling a little rusty after the long wait, finally had his opponent, who was in stroke after playing match after match to get through the loser’s bracket. In their first match, Phelps was beaten, to force a final match for the gold. In the final match, Phelps was back in stroke and sent his opponent home with the silver medal, and Phelps proudly walked out of Pockets Billiards wearing his gold medal.
Congrats to all our PPB participants, and especially our gold medal winner Phelps “Montana” L’Hommedieu!