About
Earl “The Pearl” Strickland
Earl started playing pool at the age of nine. After intensive practice, he entered his first professional tournament aged fifteen.
He was born June 8, 1961, in Roseboro, North Carolina and is an American professional pool player considered one of the best nine-ball players of all time. Earl winner of numerous championship titles and, in 2006, was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame. Earl is a multiple winner of the prestigious Player of the Year Award, and his career highlights include 5 wins at the U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships (more than any other professional pool player worldwide), and 6 WPA World Nine-ball Championships. Strickland is the only WPA World Nine-ball Champion ever to win the event in consecutive years. He was also an ever-present player for the American team in the annual Mosconi Cup tournament, from its inauguration in 1994, up until 2015.Strickland once ran 11 consecutive racks against Nick Mannino during the first PCA tournament in 1996 where there was a stipulation that anyone who could break and run 10 racks would win US$1,000,000. Jimmy Mataya, who was present at the event, witnessed Strickland's last shot, a tough nine-ball combination in which Earl showed no fear and "fired it in with authority" to win the prize.
Career Wins!!
2014 Battle of Legends
2013 Turning Stone XXI 9-Ball Championship
2012 Empire State 10-Ball Championship
2012 Ginky Memorial Open Division
2010 Steve Mizerak Championship
2010 US Bar Table 8-Ball Championship
2007 Pool & Billiard Magazine Fans' Top 20
2007 Carolinas Open One Pocket Division
2006 induction Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame
2003 Viking National Nine-ball Championship
2002 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
2000 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1999 Camel Shooters Nine-ball Open
1999 Camel Riviera Hotel Pro 8-Ball Open
1997 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1997 World Pool Masters
1996 Professional Cuesports Association - Runs ten 9-Ball racks to win $1,000,000
1995 PBT Eastern States Memorial 9-Ball Championship
1994 PBT Glass City Open Nine-ball
1994 PBT World Nine-ball Championship1993 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1993 PBT Florida Flare Up
1993 PBT Western Open
1992 MPBA Los Angeles Open
1992 MPBA Sands Regency XVI Nine-ball
1991 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
1991 MPBA McDermott Masters Nine-ball
1990 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
1990 MPBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball
1990 MPBA Sands Regent XI Nine-ball
1990 WPA World Pool Champion
1988 Billiards Digest Player of the Year
1988 PBA Tara Open
1988 PBA Brunswick World Open
1988 PBA Shoals Classic
1988 PBA Lexington All-Star Nine-ball
1988 PBA Augusta Classic
1988 PBA Greater Greenville Open
1987 Billiards Digest Player of the Year
1987 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1987 PBA Bowling Green Open
1987 PBA Tara Open
1987 PBA Sands Regency Nine-ball
1987 PBA Charlotte Open
1987 PBA Fall Classic
1986 Bowling Green Open
1986 Citrus Open
1985 Billiards Digest Player of the Year
1985 Ohio State Open
1985 Clyde Childress Open
1985 Charlotte Open
1985 Akron Open
1985 West Virginia Open
1984 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1984 Red's Nine-ball Open
1984 McDermott Masters
1984 Caesar's Palace Classic
1983 Caesar's Tahoe Nine-ball
6 World Championships
2002 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
1997 World Pool Masters
1994 PBT World Nine-ball Championship
1991 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
1990 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
1990 WPA World Pool Champion
5 US Open Nine Ball Championships
2000 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1997 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1993 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1987 US Open Nine-ball Championship
1984 US Open Nine-ball Championship
World Pool-Billiard Association
The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is the international governing body for pocket billiards. The group formed in Germany in November of 1987, because of the efforts of the European Pocket Billiard Federation. The Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) formed shortly after and became the second member of the WPA. North America became the third member in 1990 and Oceania joined in 1992. The Australasian Pool Association represented Oceania in the WPA until 1999 until it was replaced by the Oceania Pocket Billiard Association (OPBA). It was also in 1999 that the Confederation Pan-American de Billiard (CPB) and the All-African Pool Association (AAPA) joined the WPA and based upon this the WPA truly represents all corners of the world. The current WPA president is Ian Anderson of Australia.
Million Dollar Match
The infamous & controversial "Dallas Million Dollar Challenge" was an event where Earl ran the 11 racks in a row to win a million dollars. On Thursday, April 11, 1996, Earl did just that. John McChesney, Robin Adair and Jay Helfert were the tournament directors for the event at the Billiard Palace in Dallas, Texas. Earl played on triple shimmed new black Gold Crown table with new Championship Tournament grade cloth. Earl was playing Nick Mannino in the match and the final score was 15-1. You can get the exclusive undisclosed story on Road Stories 2 DVD.
US Open 9-Ball
Championships
Founded in 1976 by Barry Behrman and held at Q-Master Billiards in Norfolk, VA. 15 of the greatest players registered to compete for the first ever US Open event. Barry was hoping for full field of sixteen and at the last minute the 16th player entered and the US Open was born. Now the US Open is the longest running and most prestigious 9-ball event in the world. The field limited to 128 players. The US Open 9-Ball Championships is the most sought-after title in Professional Pool and the toughest event to win on the planet and Earl holds five of these titles.