Vintage Sigel
Mike Sigel began playing at the age of 13 in his hometown of Rochester, NY and turned Pro when he was 20, winning the first US Open in 1976. He has won 106 professional tournaments, more than any other competitor in the history of the sport. Included in his incredible resume are 4 US Open titles and 10 World Championships. Voted the Greatest Living Player of the 20th century, Mike has earned the distinction of being the youngest member to ever be inducted into the Billiard Hall Of Fame at age 35. In addition, Mr. Sigel has been named player of the year 4 times, and also holds the World record for the quickest 150-and-out run which he accomplished in the 14th Annual US Open Championship.
Known in the pool world as “Captain Hook” Mike Sigel earned his moniker by “hooking” opponents with devastating lock-up safeties. Along with his legendary proficiency at defense, Mike is also known as an offensive powerhouse, often leaving his helpless opponent glued to their chair.
While he has graced the covers and pages of countless billiard publications, Mike Sigel’s celebrity has also achieved much mainstream recognition. He has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, and ABC Wide World of Sports, CBS Sports Cable, Fox Sports, ESPN, Good Morning America, Night Watch, PM Magazine, The Bert Sugars Show, Charlie Rose, The Best Damn Sports Show Period, and FSN. He has been featured in Sports Illustrated, Life, People, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Playboy, Parade, Baltimore Magazine, Orlando Sentinel, Silver Screen, Cigar Aficionado, and numerous other news publications around the globe. In addition, he appeared as himself in the movie Baltimore Bullet and performed many of the trick shots for the opening sequence in that film.
Mike is especially proud of his role in the production of the movie “The Color of Money” staring Paul Newman (who won an Academy Award for Best Actor) and Tom Cruise. Mr. Sigel was the technical advisor, choreographer, and instructor for the movie, and coached both Newman and Cruise to play like a pro.
Mike officially retired from competition in 1994 though he continued to do special appearances, ESPN guest commentating, charity events, exhibitions for major corporations, and private lessons. For the better part of the 11 years proceding his retirement, Mike developed another passion in the industry, cuemaking, and personally handcrafted one of the best hitting pool cues on the market.
Mike briefly came out of retirement in 1998, winning an invitational 9-ball event in Paris, and then the Steve Mizerak Seniors 9-ball Tour event in 2004. In 2005, the International Pool Tour officially reinvigorated Mike’s playing career. He was chosen to promote and play professionally for the IPT, and won the “8-ball Championship of the World” in Las Vegas that year. The historic match featured Mr. Sigel and Hall of Famer Loree Jon Jones (Hasson), and Mike would win handily, bringing home an unprecedented $150,000.00 for the victory. Unfortunately the IPT dissolved a short time later, and with it Mike’s incentive to stay in the competitive scene.
Never one to be away from the action for too long, Mike’s passion for the game has been reignited and he is competing again in select events, much to the delight of old and new fans alike. He recently made history again in the 2010 Predator Empire State 10-ball Championships by winning an amazing 31 games in a row before an opponent finally scored against him. He went on to finish 5th in that star-studded event, and shortly after posted a big local win at the Bob Stock Memorial 9-ball Championship in Sterling, VA. In addition, Mike finished in 9th place in the 2010 World Tournament of 14:1, and posted a respectable 33rd place finish at the 35th annual US Open 9-ball Championships in Chesapeake VA. Mike is a true champion and inspiration to all, proving that his talent, knowledge, experience, and polished mechanics make him a threat to win any event even amongst the top competitors out there today.
Currently, Mike resides in Frederick Maryland where he is the House Pro at Champion Billiards and Sports Cafe.
