Joe Balsis

Joseph Balsis, nicknamed the Meatman, lived from 1921 to January 2, 1995, and was an American professional pool player who was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1982. He grew up playing in the billiard room of his father John, whose business was selling meat, and by age eleven he was good enough to play exhibition matches against professionals including Andrew Ponzi and Erwin Rudolph. In his teens he won four consecutive annual junior titles, then left the game to serve in the Coast Guard as a boat machinist, and in 1944 he returned to competition by winning the Armed Services Champion title. He began competing professionally in 1964 and won the Johnston City All-Around Championship in 1966.