It’s hard to believe that it’s been ten years since Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes’ surprise victory at the World 9-ball Championships in Cardiff, Wales, in 1999. A whole nation watched spellbound not just with his charmed run in the tournament, but also with his hilarious post-match interviews. “I didn’t see the ball, so I just karambol’d it,” said the Magician as he scratched his head in trademark in one such interview. Between Efren’s English and the Welsh accent of the interviewers, the post-match events were every bit the adventure.
Efren’s victory also marked a resurgence of the sport in the country, if not in popularity then in prestige. Suddenly, it was chic to play and watch pool again, and major sponsors poured money into the sport. Soon enough, ESPN started pouring money for a regional billiard tour, the best local players , who had been toiling in tournaments abroad, came back to compete, and the country became such a hotbed for the game that the world 9-ball championships relocated from Cardiff to Manila.
But the game’s popularity has suffered a slight downturn over the past few years, with the Pinoy audience turning their eyes from Reyes and his buddy Francisco 'Django' Bustamante to the like of Manny Pacquiao and Nonito Donaire. Parity also hurt a little, because the other Filipino pool players had the skill of Reyes, but not nearly his charisma.
Watching Efren team with Django the past few days as they made their winning run in the World Cup of Pool tournament, I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we’re just so glad that Efren is back in our lives. Sure, we missed the magical shots, but we also missed Bata playing to the crowd, scratching his head when thing don’t go his way, and acting surprised when he makes an incredible shot, like he’s astonished by his own magic. Because of the format of the tournament, we were also treated to Efren and Django bickering like an old married couple on the sidelines, and their awkward high-fives are the stuff of legend. Of course, Solar Sports and CS/9 just had to send a Welsh guy to go interview them after their matches. Just like old times.
And just like old times, Bata and Django are again champs, surviving in an epic final against Germany’s Ralf “The Kaiser” Souquet and Thorsten “The Hitman” Hohmann, the conquerors of the other Philippine team composed of Dennis Orcollo and Ronnie Alcano.
Things looked lost when the Philippine team lost the 16th rack, which was marred by eight or nine missed shots as the pressure mounted, before Ralf Souquet came through with a difficult cut on the 9th ball to put the Germans up 9-7. But luck turned for Bata and Django, as they took the next two racks to tie up the game. The duo started playing more loosely which allowed them to hit several magical shots as Efren high-fived the fans in the crowd, and they went on to win the game 11-9. Efren hit the final 9-ball, before dancing raising his stick in the air and dancing in celebration.
And everything was right in the world.
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