In Part 2 of our in-depth Legends of the Cue conversation with Hall of Famer and Accu-Stats founder Pat Fleming, we dive deeper into the ideas, inventions, and relentless curiosity that forever altered how the game of pool is played, studied, and preserved.

Pat takes us behind the scenes of Accu-Stats’ evolution—from single, stationary cameras and silent VHS tapes to groundbreaking commentary, moving cameras, and a production standard that reshaped the sport. He shares the unlikely story of how legendary voices like Billy Incardona, Grady Mathews and Danny DiLiberto helped create an entirely new viewing experience, turning raw match footage into something educational, entertaining, and timeless.

This episode also showcases Pat the inventor. Long before jump cues became commonplace, Pat was experimenting with short cues, counterweights, racks, and training aids—many of which laid the foundation for equipment players now take for granted. His philosophy is simple and profound: most ideas fail, but the few that stand the test of time can change the game.

A central theme of this episode is Pat’s lifelong devotion to statistics. Fleming explains why Total Performance Average (TPA) reveals far more about a player’s true skill than the final score ever could—and why understanding numbers is one of the fastest paths to improvement. As Mark Wilson and Allison Fisher note, Accu-Stats didn’t just record history; it taught generations of players how to think differently about winning pool.

The episode closes with a remarkable behind-the-scenes story involving the U.S. Open, Barry Behrman, and Matchroom—an example of Pat’s integrity, foresight, and commitment to the long-term health of the sport.

This is a masterclass in innovation, integrity, and passion—from one of pool’s true architects.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this opening chapter of a multi-part Legends of the Cue conversation, we sit down with Pat Fleming—the meticulous mind whose lifelong obsession with numbers would ultimately reshape how the game of pool is measured, understood, and preserved.

Pat’s story begins far from television lights and world championships, in Paterson, New Jersey, where a young boy spent his days counting cars from a fire hydrant, tracking patterns, and recording results simply for the joy of understanding them. That instinct—to observe, measure, and learn—never left him. From Catholic school classrooms ruled by strict discipline, to a handmade toy pool table restored by his father, Pat’s early life forged both the discipline and curiosity that would later define his legacy.

Long before Accu-Stats, there was baseball—lots of it. Pat was a feared Little League slugger, an accomplished catcher, and a natural competitor who thrived against older, tougher opponents. But everything changed when a real cue tip entered his life. That small detail opened the door to pool rooms, straight pool marathons, and a fateful encounter with a seasoned professional that revealed both his raw talent—and the strategic depth of the game still waiting to be learned.

As Pat matured as a player, life accelerated. Marriage at 18, the unwavering support of his wife Diane, state titles, and deep runs against the very best in the world all followed. Yet the turning point came not with a victory—but with a loss. A third-place finish at the 1981 World Straight Pool Championship led Pat to buy a humble Radio Shack computer, unknowingly planting the seed for Accu-Stats.

This episode captures the foundations of a remarkable life: the habits, sacrifices, insights, and pivotal moments that turned a gifted player into the game’s greatest historian. It’s the beginning of a story that changed pool forever—and it starts here.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this third installment of our multi-part conversation with Hall of Famer Mike Sigel, we dive deeper into the mind of one of the most electrifying champions in cue sports history. With characteristic candor, humor, and razor-sharp recall, Sigel leads us through the gritty realities of the pool circuit—from the early ’70s through his era of dominance—while revealing why only a select few ever truly separated themselves from the pack.

Sigel unpacks how conditions, equipment, and formats have reshaped the modern game, explaining why today’s environment compresses the skill gap and makes sustained dominance nearly impossible. He contrasts that with the wide-open, high-pressure world he thrived in—long races, slow cloths, unpredictable breaks, and an atmosphere where the strongest mental game always won out.

The stories flow as freely as Sigel’s legendary stroke. He recalls tournaments where winning was the easy part and getting paid was the real challenge, the strategies behind numerical racking, the inside realities of gambling matches, and being “incognito” on the road with Larry Hubbard. He talks rivalries—Buddy Hall, Nick Varner, Earl Strickland—and the rare few who could push him to the edge. And he shares why he earned the nickname “Mr. Finals,” describing the mindset that allowed him to win 107 career titles and deliver under pressure time after time.

Sigel also offers a fascinating comparison between pool and golf, drawing parallels to icons like Trevino and Tiger Woods, and revealing how he managed his adrenaline, nerves, and focus during the biggest moments of his career.

This episode is pure cue-sport gold—raw, insightful, funny, and filled with the unmistakable voice of a legend who lived the game at its highest level. Whether you’re a student of pool history or simply love a great story well told, this chapter of Mike Sigel’s life is not to be missed.

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Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In the second installment of our multi-part conversation with Billiard Congress of America Hall of Famer Mike “Captain Hook” Sigel, we dive deeper into the wild early years that shaped one of the greatest champions the sport has ever known. This chapter of Mike’s story unfolds on America’s back roads—dusty poolrooms, high-stakes action, rough-and-tumble characters, and the moments of luck, danger, and instinct that forged his competitive edge.

Mike takes us inside his six-year run traveling with standout player Larry Hubbard, whose booming personality often became Mike’s shield and springboard in smoky gambling rooms where reputations spread faster than truth. From Beckley to Detroit, Mike recounts near hold-ups, unbelievable scores, and the unspoken hierarchy of pool’s underground economy—where bookies, hustlers, and even mob-connected backers circled the action.

We revisit the legendary Rack in Detroit, where Sigel, barely 17, was whisked from high school in a stretch Cadillac to face icons like Cornbread Red, Pittsburgh John, and Richie Florence—scenes straight from a movie, yet entirely real. Interwoven through these stories is Mike’s awakening: realizing the road could teach you everything about pressure but couldn’t sustain a lifetime.

This episode also traces the dawn of his professional career. Mike reflects on his breakthrough wins at the U.S. Classic—later renamed the U.S. Open—and why those early titles still spark debate. He explains how straight pool shaped his unmatched nine-ball instincts, how he revolutionized the concept of the break cue and cue cases, and how his relationship with billionaire Kevin Trudeau opened his eyes to a world far beyond the pool hall.

Candid, funny, and brimming with first-person history, this episode captures a pivotal stage in Mike Sigel’s remarkable journey from precocious road player to sport-defining champion.

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Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

When a true giant of the game speaks, the pool world listens. In this episode of Legends of the Cue, Hall of Fame icon Mike Sigel joins us to unveil the most ambitious billiards initiative in decades—the launch of America’s Billiard League (ABL), coming January 5, 2026. After more than 13 years of development, setbacks, reinvestment, and relentless belief, Sigel pulls back the curtain on a league poised to reshape both amateur and professional pool.

Sigel reveals how the ABL was engineered from the ground up to solve the problems that have long plagued competitive leagues—unfair handicaps, intimidation of casual players, inconsistent structures, and stagnant prize pools. What emerges is a revolutionary system built for inclusivity, integrity, and massive upside. From a handicap model that truly allows weaker players to beat stronger ones, to an app that automates scoring, scheduling, and financials, the ABL removes barriers and opens doors for millions of everyday players.

And the money? Sigel doesn’t hold back. Early sessions will feature prize funds dwarfing anything in the amateur space—$25,000 per session, six-figure grand finales, and long-term projections climbing into the tens of millions. His bold prediction: within seven years, the ABL will crown a $50 million champion. Yes—fifty million.

But this isn’t just an amateur dream. Sigel outlines plans to elevate the professional game as well, from guaranteed appearance fees to entertainment-driven televised events that could bring celebrities, influencers, and top pros together in never-before-seen formats.

This is pool’s next era, and Mike Sigel is building it—big, bold, and unapologetically disruptive. If you love cue sports, buckle up. The ABL is coming, and it might just change everything.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this captivating first chapter of our multi-part conversation with Billiard Congress of America Hall of Famer “Captain Hook” Mike Sigel, we step into the origins of one of the greatest cue artists the sport has ever known. Named Billiards Digest’s Greatest Living Player of the 20th Century, Sigel joins Allison Fisher, Mark Wilson, and Mike Gonzalez to trace the earliest threads of a life that seemed destined for the game—even before he knew the game would define him.

Sigel takes us back to Rochester, New York, where a childhood built around tennis, schoolyard walls, and a hand-me-down pool table suddenly collided with fate. The moment he first picked up a cue—left-handed, inexplicably, despite living his life right-handed—everything changed. With eye-hand coordination sharpened by tennis and a natural, almost mystic feel for the cue, he surged ahead of his brothers within weeks and discovered the passion that would shape his future.

Listeners will hear vivid memories of the old Ridge Billiards poolroom—20 Brunswick Gold Crowns, no alcohol, no frills, just pure pool—and meet the mentors and characters who shaped him. Foremost among them is straight-pool great Irving “The Deacon” Crane, whose quiet brilliance and disciplined philosophy (“Make them earn it”) laid the foundation for Sigel’s dominance in straight pool and his later mastery of nine-ball strategy.

Sigel also recounts his early days on the road, the culture of gambling in the 1970s, and his unforgettable first encounter with a young Earl Strickland—complete with barns, insects, and high-stakes drama.

This opening episode offers an intimate portrait of a prodigy discovering his gift, his voice, and the competitive fire that would make him a legend. Join us as the story begins.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In the inspiring finale of our six-part “Legends of the Cue” series with Kelly Fisher, MBE, we catch up with one of cue sports’ most decorated champions at the height of her enduring career. Still collecting titles more than three decades after first bursting onto the scene, Kelly reflects on what continues to drive her competitive fire — and when she might finally hang up the cue (spoiler: not anytime soon!).

Joined by fellow Hall of Famer Allison Fisher and hosts Mike Gonzalez and Mark Wilson, Kelly offers a candid look into her evolving role as both player and leader. She shares how her work on the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) Board and the British Pool Federation is shaping the sport’s future, including the dream of cue sports joining the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane. Kelly discusses the fast-rising global standard of play, the new generation of “young guns,” and her belief that the women’s game now stands strong enough to thrive entirely on its own.

Listeners will also hear personal insights into Kelly’s journey toward balance and well-being — from cutting back on alcohol and embracing “wall Pilates” to learning how to slow down amidst a whirlwind schedule. With warmth and humor, she answers fan questions, revisits career-defining shots she’d love to take again, and shares how she hopes to be remembered: as an honest, fair, and passionate ambassador for the game she loves.

This final chapter celebrates Kelly Fisher not only as a world champion but as a thoughtful leader and trailblazer ensuring the next generation inherits a stronger, more inclusive cue sport world.

“Legends of the Cue” — preserving the voices and stories that define our game.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In Part 5 of Legends of the Cue, Kelly Fisher, MBE, opens up about some of the most defining — and deeply personal — chapters of her remarkable journey through the world of professional cue sports. From the thrill of championship glory to life-altering challenges off the table, this episode reveals the resilience, humor, and heart that have shaped one of the game’s great champions.

Kelly and her longtime friend and rival, Allison Fisher, revisit the drama of Kelly’s multiple Tournament of Champions victories and her unforgettable World Championship triumphs — including the 2011 10-Ball in the Philippines and the 2012 9-Ball in China, where she didn’t even realize she’d won until moments after the final ball dropped. The laughter continues as the two recall strange venues, lucky rolls, and sisterly banter from decades of shared competition.

But the conversation turns powerfully human when Kelly recounts her battle with health issues — from a congenital heart defect that led to open-heart surgery, to later preventive surgeries after testing positive for the BRCA2 gene. Through it all, her strength and optimism shine, inspiring others facing similar trials.

With her trademark candor and wit, Kelly shares how these experiences changed her outlook, both in life and at the table, and how she found new purpose through advocacy and awareness for women’s health.

This installment captures the very essence of Kelly Fisher — world champion, survivor, and ambassador for the sport she loves. Join us for another unforgettable chapter in this six-part series celebrating a true legend of the cue.

Listen, laugh, and be inspired by a story that proves greatness isn’t just about titles — it’s about heart.

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Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this fourth installment of our Legends of the Cue conversation with Hall of Famer Kelly Fisher, MBE, we follow Kelly’s remarkable leap of faith—leaving behind the world of English snooker to chase a new dream across the Atlantic. With just £400 between her and partner Val, she arrived in America in 2004 armed with little more than determination and a borrowed cue. Within days, she was learning the rules of nine-ball on the fly—and astonishing everyone by finishing runner-up in her very first event.

Kelly recounts those early, lean years with her trademark humor and grit: playing for rent money, learning to break, bank, and jump from scratch, and adapting to a fast-moving, often unpredictable pool circuit. With guidance from several early mentors, she rose quickly through the WPBA ranks—culminating in her breakthrough 2005 West Coast Classic victory.

Listeners will also hear about Kelly’s emotional journey off the table: her friendship and fierce rivalry with Allison Fisher, the bittersweet memory of winning while her mother battled illness, and the powerful “red feather” moment that reminded her she was never alone.

As the conversation turns to the evolution of nine-ball, Kelly and Allison share fascinating insight into how technology, table conditions, and break formats have reshaped the modern game—from wooden racks and Sardo contraptions to today’s precision magic racks and power breaks.

With warmth, wit, and hard-won wisdom, Kelly reflects on how a young snooker champion from Yorkshire became one of the most respected and resilient champions in women’s pool.

🎙️ Legends of the Cue — celebrating the stories behind the greats who shaped our game.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this third installment of Legends of the Cue, hosts Mike Gonzalez, Allison Fisher and Mark Wilson continue their captivating conversation with Pool and Snooker Hall of Famer Kelly Fisher, MBE, diving into the fascinating — and often funny — years that bridged her snooker stardom and her bold leap into the world of professional pool.

Kelly reflects with trademark honesty and humor on her early dominance in women’s snooker — recounting her world titles, the quirky English billiards events that barely drew a handful of entrants, and her love of playing for beautiful trophies rather than prize money. The laughter flows as Kelly and Allison reminisce about their days on tour, friendly rivalries, and a few unforgettable (and at times unbelievable) stories from the road — including one infamous match Kelly literally can’t remember playing!

But beneath the laughter lies a deeper turning point. Kelly opens up about the challenges facing women’s snooker in the early 2000s — the collapse of tobacco sponsorships, the struggle for recognition, and the harsh reality of world titles that paid little more than rent money. Listeners will hear how the former world champion found herself working in a vegetable factory and a seatbelt assembly line, searching for her next chapter before making the life-changing decision to move to America with little more than determination, a few suitcases, and £400 to her name.

It’s a candid, inspiring, and often hilarious look at a champion’s resilience — how Kelly Fisher reinvented herself and set the stage for one of the most successful second acts in cue sports history.

🎙️ “Legends of the Cue” – celebrating the players, passion, and stories that shaped the game.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”