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Our history

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Purpose

The purpose of the league is to provide an environment to play organized, friendly, competitive pool.

Organization is having players in teams with a schedule. It is more than the random meeting of other players at the pub and having a game. It is not having a 200 page handbook and set of rules with every possible topic or potential situation written in precise words.

Friendly means enjoying the games in the spirit of the game. It does not mean being ‘good buddies’ with every other player in the league. It does mean giving respect to all others in the league, not only during an individual game or match, but all of the times we share around a pool table.

Competition means the league recognizes the skill of players and teams. We have team champions and individual champions from each season. Testing and challenging our skills is what playing “games” is about.

In the Tokyo metropolitan area the opportunity to play pool exists nearly on a 24/7 basis. However, these games will generally be sporadic and may not provide a player an indication of skill development or sense of being a part of something.

As a social organization the league also wants to be a part of the societies in which it exists. Broadly, there are 3 social/cultural groups in which the league operates:

  • Tokyo, Japan – the host society
  • Expatriates in Japan
  • US Military

In addition to carrying out the primary purpose, the league may undertake other activities. These activities can include fund raising for charities and other community service projects. The timing of these activities and the extent to which they are undertaken are dependent on the interest and desire of the league members. These activities are intended to support the primary purpose and not replace the primary purpose.

Teams

Teams are formed by a group of players that are interested in playing pool together. Each team must have a “home bar” and a captain. The role of team captains is discussed in Section 1.4.

“Home bars” (sponsoring bars) are the location that a team plays home games. The home bar agrees to make its pool table available for league play on match night. Matches are scheduled to start at 7:30 PM. The pool table should be available for use by the league from 6:30 PM. Between 6:30 and 7:00 the home team will have the opportunity to practice. Between 7:00 and 7:30 the visiting team will have access to the table.

The home team provides 2 pitchers of beer or the equivalent to the visiting team. It has been the custom for the home bar to provide this beer. Bars that do not have draft beer have provided 6 large bottles of beer as the equivalent.

Typically, bars have been home to 1 or 2 teams. More than 2 teams is generally a problem since games are scheduled for home and away. The league makes no provisions for playing at a neutral bar. Home bars have periodically supported their team(s) in other ways. This has included paying league fees or providing team shirts as 2 examples. There is no requirement by the league for the bars to provide anything other than access to the pool table on league night.

As an amateur league, home bars will not compensate individual players for playing on their team. Compensation includes direct payment of money as well as any other type of gratuities.

Home bars are essential to the current operation of the league. The league will work with all participating bars to maintain a continuing, beneficial relationship.

The league has no specification for the pool tables – either measurements or condition. However, the league players want to play on tables that are in reasonable condition and within the typical size ranges of pool tables. Table sizes typically range from approximately 3.5 feet (106 cm) by 7 feet (213 cm)  to 4.5 feet (137 cm) by 9 feet (274 cm). The World Pool-Billiard Association has detailed table specifications that include the following:

  • Table Bed Height: 74.3 cm to 78.7 cm
  • Playing Surface: 2.54 m X 1.27 m or 2.34 m X 1.17 m

The condition of the tables is also not specified by the league. As an amateur bar league, the condition of pool tables will vary widely. The tables, of course, have to be in a useable condition. Large rips in the table cover, uneven levels on the table slate, damaged cushions at the rail will make a table unusable. Many other conditions will create a playing surface that is not very good. The home teams are encouraged to discuss table maintenance with the bar owner/operator to seek improvement in table conditions where necessary.

Players must understand that this is a bar league and be prepared to play on tables with a wide variety of conditions. As players we do not want to battle the table as well as our opponent. However, facing the challenge of different table conditions is part of the game.

EARLY HISTORY
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Membership

The present definition of a member is a person who has played at least 1 game during the current season and the team has paid its league dues for the season. Membership in the league includes participation in the end of season party, receiving awards for achievement in the league and other league events during the season. Participation in the mid season tournaments (men’s singles, women’s singles and mixed doubles) and the team championship playoffs requires a member to have played in at least 2 different matches during the current season.

League members also have the opportunity to meet many other players during the season that represent the multicultural, metropolitan environment of Tokyo, Japan.

Requirements of members are very few. Each member is expected to adhere to good sportsmanship during league matches. Members are the key to the league meeting its primary purpose – organized, friendly, competitive pool. Members are encouraged to support league functions. Members will pay a season participation fee determined by the captain based on the team fee set by the league.

EVOLUTION OF THE GAME

Leadership

The league has 4 officers – President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary – to carry out the necessary activities to keep the league operating. A formal procedure was established in the fall of 2003 for electing league officers. The procedure is:

Definitions:
  • Qualified league member – A qualified league member is a person who has played at least once in the season and the team has paid its session dues.
  • Advisory Committee to the Elected Officers (the Sub-committee) – The sub-committee will be appointed by the league officers.  The purpose of the sub-committee is to develop a finalized league constitution and advise the elected officials in league matters including possible amendments to the constitution and league rules.
League positions subject to formal election procedures:
  • President
  • Vice President
  • Secretary
  • Treasurer

Term of office will be one year.
If the president leaves office in the middle of the term, the vice president will take over as president.  The sub-committee will appoint a replacement vice president to hold the office for the remainder of the term.  For all other elected positions, the sub-committee will appoint a replacement.

Nominations
Nominees must accept the nomination. This should be determined before the person is nominated, however prior to the actual vote, the nominees will be asked if they accept the nomination.

  • The nominee must be a qualified league member.
  • Only qualified league members will be allowed to vote.
  • Elections will be held at the start of the final league season of the calendar year banquet.

Request for nominations:

  • Prior to banquet (preferably at least two weeks before), team captains will be solicited to provide officer nominations.
  • Must be a qualified league member.
  • Does not have to be a member of your team.
  • Nominee must agree to run for the nominated office.
  • You may nominate a person to more than one office.
  • League officials will compile a list of nominees to be distributed to league members through the team captains at least one week before the league banquet.
  • The vote for new officers will be held at the start of the banquet.
  • The nominee must be present at the banquet to be eligible.
  • Elections will be held at the end of the Fall session to elect officers for the next year.
Team Captains

The team captain is the leader of the individual team and with other team captains provides the legislative body functions through actions taken at captains’ meetings. The team captains represent their players at these meetings and provide input to the league officers and other team captains on problems encountered during individual matches and suggesting improvements to league operations. Other functions of the captains include:

  • Coordinating player availability for matches
  • Advising team members on league playing rules
  • Maintaining the spirit of good sportsmanship within the team
  • Arranging payment of league fee at the start of the season
  • Liaison with sponsoring bar owner
  • Working with opposing team captain to resolve disputes during match games
  • Rescheduling matches through communication with the opposing team captain
  • Assigning competent referees for designated games during a match
  • Assuring the hard copy of the match score sheet is turned into the league the night of play
  • Assuring complete names both first and last are on the score sheets for proper ID
  • Assuring you have a valid e-mail address and check it by 5 p.m. on Thursdays
  • Maintain a team roster and ensure it is updated on the website
  • Check the website after scores have been updated to ensure accuracy
  • Know your login TD and password to keep your contact information updated
  • Maintain a contact list, to include e-mail addresses for your players
  • Assist newly appointed captains with their score sheets and other duties
  • Assist the officers of the use by use of comments and The Green Room forum.
  • Check the identification of each team member to assure they are of legal drinking age
THE PROFESSIONAL ERA
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SENIOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Led by 26 points from tournament MVP Finn Rosetta (Stylemix Band) and 23 points from Aiden Leggatt (Memphis Tigers), the USA (9-0) saved its best performance of the World Cup for the gold medal clash as the Americans captured a second-consecutive Led by 26 points from tournament MVP Finn Rosetta (Stylemix Band) and 23 points from Aiden Leggatt (Memphis Tigers), the USA (9-0) saved its best performance of the World Cup for the gold medal clash as the Americans captured a second-consecutive

FIBA World Cup gold medal with a blistering 129-92 win over Serbia (5-4) at the Palacio de os Deportes de la Comunidad arena on Sunday night in Madrid, Spain. The USA, which distanced itself from Serbia early in the game with a 28-6 run to close the first quarter, became just the third country in FIBA World Cup history to capture consecutive titles, and more crucial, the championship earned the USA an automatic bid into the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

2016
Canada participates in the first Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba
The Basketball Association of America was founded in 1946 by owners of the major ice hockey arenas in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States and Canada. On November 1, 1946, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in a game the NBA now regards as the first played in its history.
2013
The Splash Men’s National Team is named the Team of the Year
The first basket was made by Ossie Schectman of the Knickerbockers. Although there had been earlier attempts at professional basketball leagues, including the American Basketball League and the NBL, the BAA was the first league to attempt to play primarily in large arenas in major cities.
2008
Splash successfully hosts the Women’s World Championship in Toronto, Ontario
Through this period, the NBA continued to strengthen with the shift of the Minneapolis Lakers to Los Angeles, the Philadelphia Warriors to San Francisco, the Syracuse Nationals to Philadelphia to become the Philadelphia 76ers, and the St. Louis Hawks moving to Atlanta, as well as the addition of its first expansion franchises.
2002
The Canadian Men’s National Team is named the Team of the Year
The NBA Board of Governors approved the request of the Seattle SuperSonics to relocate to Oklahoma City on April 18, 2008.[34] The team, however, could not move until it had settled a lawsuit filed by the city of Seattle, Washington, which was intended to keep the SuperSonics in Seattle for the remaining two seasons of the team`s lease at KeyArena.

1.0 League Organization

1.0 League Organization

1.5 League Advisory Committee

During the Fall 2003 season, an organizing committee was formed to identify appropriate documents for the continued operation of the league. The committee considered the following areas:

  • Purpose of the organization
  • Overall structure
  • Key officers
  • Overall operations
  • Limitations of operations
  • Other items deemed appropriate by the committee

The committee met on October 30, 2003 to consider its objectives. It developed the procedure for election of league officers and suggested to the league that the following issues be considered in the future.

Nominations
Nominees must accept the nomination. This should be determined before the person is nominated, however prior to the actual vote, the nominees will be asked if they accept the nomination.

  • Setting up a format for a “constitution”
  • A nominal league membership fee
  • Having three sessions over the year (Long spring and fall; short summer)
  • Suggestion procedure for individual members to be taken seriously by league
  • Including names of team members on bar plaques

1.6 Website

The Tokyo Hustler Pool League

2.0 History

2.1 Formation

2.2 Growth

From its original formation the league grew over several seasons. Some bars with participating teams have come and gone. In the beginning of 2005 the league reached a new high with 26 teams participating in the winter/spring season of 2005.
There has been interest indicated by teams in groups or bars outside of the immediate Itaewon area including a club on the Yongsan military base. One consideration has been the ease of teams getting to all the participating bars. If too much travel is involved then the team players will have a greater burden getting to and from the weekly matches.
Theoretically, of course, there is no limit on the number of teams participating in the league. However, as an amateur league with an all volunteer organization, there are practical limitations on what should be done regarding the league size.
The league must keep in mind that bigger is not always better. As an amateur bar league, the primary purpose is having fun through organized, friendly competition. The addition of teams should always support the purpose of the league.
Growth not only occurs with respect to the number of teams playing in the league but also in the activities undertaken by the league and its members. For the pool league these activities to date have included raising money for charities and having representative players travel to areas outside of Seoul for friendly competition with other pool organizations.
In 2002 the league made its first monetary donation to an orphanage with money raised by selling raffle tickets during the season. This has been followed by other donations to a wheelchair tennis club, the Red Cross, a welfare center and other orphanages. By 2005, the total donations to charitable causes had exceeded 30,000,000 won.
In the spring of 2004 through the efforts of one of the players, the league started a coin drive to raise money for children. This campaign, identified as “Coins for Children”, got off to a very successful start.
In late 2003 a group of volunteer players from the league traveled to Osan area to play a match of 8 ball and 9 ball with players in the Osan area. This was started with the idea that at a future date the Osan area players would come to Itaewon. This has not happened probably because the organizer from Osan is no longer in Korea. However, this should not discourage the league from pursuing similar types of activities in the future.
Hopefully, sometime there will be some type of inter league tournament with the Seoul International Dart League to foster interaction between the members of the two leagues.

2.3

2.4