The World Three-Cushion Championship is a billiards competition held in the Americas. It was the most prestigious Three-cushion tournament up until the UMB World Three-cushion Championship popularized Three-cushion in Europe. The event was held in United States and from 1928 ran alongside the UMB World Three-cushion Championship, both as World Championship events. By the 1950s, the popularity of three-cushion had declined in the US following the retirement of Willie Hoppe.
History The first three-cushion billiards tournament took place at Mussey’s Billiard Hall in the United States in 1878. The winner was Leon Magnus, who received a cash prize of $75 (equivalent to $2,274 in 2023). However, fans of cue sports were not immediately taken with the new sport of three-cushion billiards. This lack of popularity resulted in a lull in the occurrence of additional tournaments in the United States for several years. In the subsequent decades, the tournament was held only once in 1899 and was won by William Catton.
The popularity of three-cushion billiards increased with the introduction of the Lambert Trophy in 1907. To win this trophy, a player had to defeat others in a knockout-style tournament. Harry Cline was the first winner of the Lambert Trophy. Around this time, less formal tournaments also became popular, especially in the United States. These were designed for both amateur and professional players, with the winner receiving a trophy or cup. Tournaments took place in billiard parlours with proprietors using posters to advertise the tournament events.
Winners In the 1870s, Wayman McCreery invented the game of three-cushion. Sanctioned World Championship events
Year Winner Runner-up 1921 August Kieckhefer Alfredo De Oro 1921 August Kieckhefer Johnny Layton 1922 Johnny Layton Alfredo De Oro 1922 Johnny Layton Charles McCourt 1923 Tilford Denton Otto Reiselt 1924 Robert Cannefax Johnny Layton 1927 August Kieckhefer Otto Reiselt 1927 Otto Reiselt August Kieckhefer 1927 Otto Reiselt Gus Copulos 1927 Otto Reiselt Allen Hall 1928 Otto Reiselt Tilford Denton 1928 Johnny Layton Willie Hoppe 1930 Johnny Layton Otto Reiselt 1931 Arthur Thurnblad Allen Hall 1932 August Kieckhefer Otto Reiselt 1933 Welker Cochran Jay Bozeman 1934 Johnny Layton Allen Hall 1935 Johnny Layton Allen Hall 1935 Welker Cochran Willie Hoppe 1936 Willie Hoppe Welker Cochran 1936 Welker Cochran Kinrey Matsuyama 1938 Roger Conti Welker Cochran 1939 Joe Chamaco Raymond Champanioni 1940 Willie Hoppe Jake Schaefer Jr. 1941 Willie Hoppe Jake Schaefer Jr. 1941 Willie Hoppe Jake Schaefer Jr. 1942 Willie Hoppe Welker Cochran 1944 Willie Hoppe Welker Cochran 1944 Welker Cochran Willie Hoppe 1945 Welker Cochran Willie Hoppe 1946 Willie Hoppe Jake Schaefer Jr. 1947 Willie Hoppe Arthur Rubin 1947 Willie Hoppe Arthur Rubin 1948 Willie Hoppe Enrique Navarra 1949 Willie Hoppe Joe Chamaco 1950 Willie Hoppe Joe Chamaco 1950 Willie Hoppe Joe Chamaco 1951 Willie Hoppe Joe Chamaco 1952 Willie Hoppe Kinrey Matsuyama 1953 Ray Kilgore Jay Bozeman 1954 Harold Worst Enrique Navarra 1957 Harold Worst Joe Chamaco 1960 Harold Worst Joe Chamaco 1961 Harold Worst Masako Katsura
Top performers
Name Nationality Winner Years achampion Willie Hoppe1512 Johnny Layton65 Welker Cochran55 Harold Worst44 Otto Reiselt2 August Kieckhefer3
In the event of identical records, players are sorted in alphabetical order by first name.
References