Kunihiko Takahashi
Encyclopedia
is a Japanese
professional pool
player and a former world champion. Nicknamed "The Sniper."
He began practicing pool at 17 and turned professional in 1996. In 1998, he won the WPA World Nine-ball Championship by defeating the reigning champion, Johnny Archer
, in the final match. He became the second WPA World Nine-ball Champion from Japan
after Takeshi Okumura
who won it in 1994. In that same year, he won the ESPN Ultimate Shootout, earning him $40,000.
Four years later, Takahashi was only 3 stages away from a second world title. Unfortunately, he was defeated Earl Strickland
who would later win it. With regards to Strickland's unpleasant ways in the match, Takahashi ranted "I lost up here. Strickland shows no sportmanship. He played very well. But no sportmanship." But Strickland denied the allgations.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
professional pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
player and a former world champion. Nicknamed "The Sniper."
He began practicing pool at 17 and turned professional in 1996. In 1998, he won the WPA World Nine-ball Championship by defeating the reigning champion, Johnny Archer
Johnny Archer
Johnny Archer is an American professional pool player. He is nicknamed "the Scorpion" ....
, in the final match. He became the second WPA World Nine-ball Champion from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
after Takeshi Okumura
Takeshi Okumura
is a Japanese professional pool player.-Professional career:He started playing pool at 16 and turned professional ten years later....
who won it in 1994. In that same year, he won the ESPN Ultimate Shootout, earning him $40,000.
Four years later, Takahashi was only 3 stages away from a second world title. Unfortunately, he was defeated Earl Strickland
Earl Strickland
Earl "The Pearl" Strickland is an American professional pool player and was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 2006...
who would later win it. With regards to Strickland's unpleasant ways in the match, Takahashi ranted "I lost up here. Strickland shows no sportmanship. He played very well. But no sportmanship." But Strickland denied the allgations.
Achievements
- 19981998 in sports1998 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:...
WPA World Nine-ball ChampionWPA World Nine-ball ChampionshipThe WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual, international, professional nine-ball pool tournament, founded in 1990, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association , and principally sponsored and organised by Matchroom Sport... - 2002 WPA World Nine-ball ChampionshipWPA World Nine-ball ChampionshipThe WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual, international, professional nine-ball pool tournament, founded in 1990, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association , and principally sponsored and organised by Matchroom Sport...
, quarter-finalist