BCA Hall of Fame 2009
53rd Inductee (Greatest Player Category): JOHNNY ARCHER
54th Inductee (Greatest Player Category): ALLISON FISHER
Johnny Archer and Allison Fisher, the most dominant male and female pool players of the past 15 years, have been elected for induction into the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame in voting conducted by the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA). Archer, 40, and Fisher, 41, were honored at the BCA International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo in Las Vegas, June 23, and will be formally inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame on Oct. 22 during ceremonies at the Chesapeake Marriott in Chesapeake, Va.
Archer is a four-time world 9-ball champion and winner of 25 pro tour titles, while Fisher is a three-time world 9-ball champion and winner of 53 Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) Classic Tour titles.
Born in tiny Twin City, Ga., Nov. 12, 1968, Archer was drawn to the game by a small coin-op table in the arcade of a local Minute Mart. He began playing more frequently at a small room called "Chester's" in nearby Matter, and it was Chester, himself, who took Archer under his wing and eventually introduced him to tournament play in 1984 at the Tennessee State Open in Chattanooga. Archer, 15 at the time, never looked back. "My parents tried to keep me in school, but they couldn't change my mind," Archer said in a 1992 interview in Billiards Digest.
Archer joined the pro tour full-time in 1986, but it was six years before he won his first tour title, the 1991 Sands Regency Open. The following year, Archer won five titles, including the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 9-Ball Championship, and was named Billiards Digest Player of the Year (POY), the first of such POY titles Archer would garner. Archer would go on to win 12 Professional Billiard Tour (PBT) titles over the next four years, including two of his four world crowns (back-to-back PBT World 9-Ball championships in 1993 and 1994). Archer once again won the WPA World 9-Ball Championship in 1996. In all, Archer has won more than 60 tournaments. He has also been a member of Team USA in the Mosconi Cup 12 times.
"This is really a great honor," said Archer. "The Hall of Fame has the greatest players in the world, and to be in the same group with them is a blessing.
"The biggest thrill will be having my father there in October when I get inducted," Archer added.
Fisher was born Feb. 24, 1968, in Peacehaven, Sussex, England. She began playing snooker at age seven and won her first title at 15. In a dozen years playing professional snooker, Fisher won 18 titles, including 12 world championships (four of those in doubles competition). She moved to the U.S. in September 1995 to try her hand on the WPBA Classic Tour, and promptly won two 9-ball titles in three months. Fisher won an astounding 20 Classic Tour titles in the next four years. She also won the WPA World 9-Ball Championship in 1996, 2001 and 2002. During Fisher's reign, she earned POY honors from both Billiards Digest and Pool & Billiard Magazine 11 times in 12 years.
"I was worried that I was still a little too young to be elected," said Fisher, who learned of her election while competing in the World 10-Ball Championship in Manila, Philippines.
"It's wonderful to be recognized like this," Fisher said. "I had a great career in snooker as well, but was never recognized for it. I've had a great career in 9-ball, and this is the icing on the cake. Being recognized among the greatest players is something that is there forever. It's a great honor."
Voting was conducted by the USBMA Hall of Fame Board, which consists of USBMA members, elected at-large members and living members of the BCA Hall of Fame. Induction is awarded to the player named on the most ballots. A second player is elected if he or she is named on more than 70 percent of the ballots. Archer (82%) and Fisher (75%) both easily topped those requirements. The next closest vote-getters were Filipino stars Jose Parica (25%) and Francisco Bustamante (18%).
To be eligible for consideration in the Greatest Player category, a player: a) must be 40 years old by Jan. 1 of the year of their induction; b) must have a professional playing career of at least 10 years; and c) must have recorded significant achievements in U.S.-based events.
