Pool players compete for a chance to advance to national tournament

The scent of tobacco lingered in the air, beer was being served and Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" belted from the jukebox.

Not a typical Saturday morning at the Arena Building.

Players young and old alike packed the Cape Girardeau venue on Friday and Saturday for the American Poolplayers Association local team championship eight-ball tournament.

James "Jimbo" Lenderman, who regularly plays and officiates pool games in Paragould, Ark., traveled roughly 130 miles to the tournament. Lenderman said he has made the trip up here for more than 10 years for the fun and a chance at the grand prize -- a paid trip to Las Vegas to compete in the national APA tournament. Four teams go each year, with all expenses being paid by the APA.

Lenderman played in the national tournament in 2002 and has wanted to go back ever since.

He noted that his five-member team was the only one from northeast Arkansas that has ever made it to Vegas. The teams that generally make it are from Southeast Missouri.

"You all have great pool players up here," Lenderman said.

One of those players is Loren Schuette, a 73-year-old Cape Girardeau resident. In 1994, Schuette and his team won the national tournament. When asked about winning the tournament, Schuette grinned slyly and began telling of the differences between this tournament and the national one.

"Everybody gets nervous, especially the first time, and you miss balls because of it," he said. "It's a highly different atmosphere."

Rick Brown started an APA league in the area 18 years ago and has seen the league grow from six teams in Cape Girardeau to 220 five-member teams from Southeast Missouri, Southern Illinois and northeastern Arkansas. The tournament is made up of the best 99 teams from those areas.

"For some of these teams, this is their national tournament," Brown said.

Brown currently operates the local APA league with his daughter and son-in-law, Brandi and Matt Bass. He will pass the reins on to them in two years.

Brown emphasized how professional the APA league and its players are. Besides being noisy sometimes, players have never been in any fights at any of the APA functions, he said.

"It's amazing how well people handle themselves," Brown said. "But it derives from our sportsmanship -- it's real strong."

The professional atmosphere and crowds drew the American Legion and St. Mary's Cathedral to the event, where the two places hold fund-raisers. St. Mary's sells food and soda pop, while the Legion sells beer to help fund its baseball program.

"It's just a great bunch to be working with," John "Doc" Yallaly of the American Legion said. "This is our biggest fund-raiser, and it makes our baseball program possible."

Some of the teams use the tournament opportunity to catch up with old friends and make new ones. Penderman said the urge to win doesn't override the spirit of camaraderie many of the players share.

"I'm going to keep coming back because I enjoy seeing the people I've met over the years," Lenderman said. "We don't come here to fight and argue. We come here to have a good time."

sludwig@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 211