Between the City of Milton’s proclamation and a trick shot show and clinic, this weekend was one of billiards. The Escarosa NAPA (North American Poolshooters Association) hosted a billiard trick shot show at Oops Alley in Pace. Professional pool player and retired Marine, Nate “Okinawa Slim” Bryant spent Saturday and Sunday demonstrating for his show attendees his vast array of trick shots and held a clinic for the youth Sunday.
It all began Friday when members of the Escarosa NAPA, Okinawa Slim, and Mayor Wesley Meiss met at MiltonCity Hall for the mayor’s proclamation. Meiss declared the month of February as Billiards Awareness Month “to focus on the historic, recreational and educational aspects of cue sports,” according to the proclamation. According to Slim, no other city in the world has recognized pool in this manner.
Saturday’s show was geared toward the adults, but NAPA league owner, Cynde Watson, said Slim also went with them Saturday evening for tournament play at Rack & Cue II in Pensacola. He played with league member, Kim Wales, according to Watson and the two came in third. Sunday, Slim donated the winnings to the league’s youth.
Watson asked, “What professional anyone would go into a place and do that? The shooters kept saying ‘He's really gonna (sic) shoot with us.’”
Slim’s trick shots included rapid jump shots, sending a row of balls, one after the other, into corner pockets; massive combination shots, pocketing a whole group; and prop shots, like his take on the “boot shot” where he jumped the cue ball off the table and into a small, wooden box.
Sunday, roughly 12 youth not only watched Slim make several of these incredible trick shots, but received one-on-one instruction as well. He played roughly two to three games with each youth there. To accomplish all this, the show and clinic took more time than expected. NAPA league owner, Cynde Watson, said, “It went longer but it was worth it.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: City of Milton welcomes billiards champ