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Preparations underway for of this weekend’s, ‘Andy Mercer’ 9-Ball!

March 22nd, 23rd & 24th

Las Vegas, Nevada

The Rum Runner Lounge
1801 E. Tropicana Ave.
Paradise, NV 89119
702-736-6366
 
www.rumrunnervegas.com
 Streamed on: ustream.tv/channel/povpool.com
 

Andy Poster

Always a packed house! Always a cast of characters! 

One of the most prestigious independent events for any professional player to chalk up, is the ‘Andy Mercer Memorial 9-Ball Tournament’. Aptly named, “The Rum Runner”, which takes in the southeast corner of Las Vegas at the Rum Runner Lounge on Tropicana Ave, this 64 player field is an event which consistently hosts a tapestry of the best pool players in recorded history. Past winner’s include, the late Danny Medina (’93 & 2000), Jose Parica (’98), Warren Kiamko, Jim Blakeman (’94, ’04 & ’05), Ismael ‘Morro’ Paez (’99, ’06 & ’07), Joe Alvarez (’94), Ernesto Dominguez (’10) and some of the younger greats of our time like Shane VanBoening (’09, ’11 & ’12) and Brian Parks (’08).  

 

Jim Blakeman: The finishing touches on Rum Runner tables.

Jim Blakeman: The finishing touches on Rum Runner tables.

 Since 1991, Andy Mercer’s memory has been celebrated by what seems to be an ‘inner circle’ of top players who visit year after year.  “The Rum Runner has been attended by almost half of its field since it began 23 years ago.”, says 3 time Rum Runner winner, Jim Blakeman. “It has become a reunion of players and friends… A truly special event.” 

Free Live Stream! 

This year, the venue’s owner Geno Hill has given permission to allow the event to be live-streamed by Daniel Busch and Point Of View Pool, which will be made available for the public to view for free on www.povpool.com. It will be a 3 day stream, which could possibly run 24 hours a day from POV Pool’s Ustream Channel and includes a ‘chat’ function for viewers to interact with commentators. 

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Sponsored by Kamui Tips and The Orange County American Pool Player’s Association, the live stream will provide coverage of all matches on Table #1 of the Rum Runner’s four tournament tables and start everyday at 12pm.

Real-time player statistics and performance analysis will also be provided by Pool-Trax and it’s owner, Donn Espinoza.  

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We Miss You, Andy Mercer!

Andy Mercer was a longtime pool player and enthusiast, who emerged in the public eye in the early 70’s after forming the ‘South Nevada 9-Ball Tavern’s Association’, which then came under control by Jim Blakeman and wife Lorraine, shortly after Andy’s passing from a heart attack at the age of 59. His longtime friend and Rum Runner owner, Geno Hill, started the Andy Mercer Memorial 9-Ball Tournament in 1991.

This Year’s Official Field 

  1. Debra Aarens
  2. Ron Allen
  3. Darren Appleton
  4. Ken ‘Sarge’ Aylesworth
  5. Ramin Bakhtiari
  6. Butch Barba
  7. Jeff Bartola
  8. Jim Blakeman
  9. Freddy Boggs
  10. Roger Bordley
  11. Don Branson
  12. Lee Brett
  13. Ace Brown
  14. Sal Butera
  15. Thomas Butler
  16. Jim Carmona
  17. Bernardo ‘King Kong’ Chavez
  18. Joey Chin
  19. James Ray Davis, Jr. 
  20. Ernesto Dominguez
  21. Oscar Dominguez
  22. Max Eberle
  23. Josh Edgars
  24. Mitch Ellerman
  25. Mark Estes
  26. Tyler Fleishman
  27. Jose Garcia
  28. Walter Glass
  29. Dave Gomez 
  30. Greg Harada
  31. James Harling
  32. Jay Hlavacheck
  33. Brad Huffman
  34. Dave Hughes
  35. Ernie Jacinto
  36. Edgar Jackson
  37. Curtis Johnson
  38. Tres Kane
  39. Johnny Kang
  40. Randy Kulkla
  41. John Kutcher
  42. John Lalo
  43. Sean Lane
  44. Al Lawrence
  45. Don McClelland
  46. Brian Miller
  47. Stevie Moore
  48. Rodney Morris
  49. Terry Osborne
  50. Ismael ‘Morro’ Paez
  51. Brian Parks
  52. Alex Pernas
  53. Rocky Phipps
  54. Dick Rice
  55. Troy Ridder
  56. Adam Roberts
  57. Jayson Shaw
  58. Ray Skenandore
  59. Phil Tatum
  60. Chris Thomas
  61. Josh Ulrich
  62. Shane VanBoening
  63. Carl Wilson

Previous Winner’s Include

1991 – Dave Nottingham
1992 – Joe Alvarez
1993 – Danny Medina
1994 – Jim Blakeman
1995 – Warren Kiamko
1996 – Roger Griffis
1997 – Roger Griffis
1998 – Jose Parica
1999 – Ismael Paez
2000 – Danny Medina
2001 – Jeff Heath
2002 – Jeff Heath
2003 – Nicholas Kruger
2004 – Jim Blakeman
2005 – Jim Blakeman
2006 – Ismael Paez
2007 – Ismael Paez
2008 – Brian Parks
2009 – Shane Van Boening
2010 – Ernesto Dominguez
2011 – Shane Van Boening
2012 – Shane VanBoening

For more information and forums on this:

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POV Pool would like to thank, Geno Hill and Rum Runner Staff, Kamui Tips, The Orange County APA, GoPlayPool, Max Eberle’s Pro Pool Academy, Pool-Trax, The Live Stream News Group, Inside Pool Magazine, AZ Billiards and Amy Encinias of Vegas Billiards Buzz!

 

 

 

 

Winner’s History

 

 

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