Pictured #1 Guys from the pool league, including Mike Meismer. #2 Paul Douglas, Patrick Elliott, Jeff Maloney, Meismer. Photos by Ross Forman
They come from all walks of life. There are professionals, entrepreneurs, bartenders, company vice-presidents, students and government workers. They are gay, lesbian, straight, Black, white, Asian and just about everything imaginable. They range in age from 21 to 55.
Many have egos, but, those are quickly put aside, or run over, as the saying goes.
This is the Boystown Pool League, a Tuesday night tradition for about 10 weeks in the fall and 10 more in the spring.
'A lot of guys brag how good they are. Well, we keep score, so that's putting your money where your mouth is,' said Mike Meismer, 44, a Lakeview resident who serves as the league's director, a post he's held on and off since the league started back in 1996.
This fall, there are 36 players, competing on nine teams at North End, where play starts at about 8 p.m., and last up to three hours. They drink beer, munch free pizza and aim for the corner pocket, or wherever they're confident the ball will end. In this league, you see, they play 'bar rules,' which means players must call their shots.
Sorry, it isn't just a luck game for this group of Minnesota Fats wanna-be's.
'This is a competitive game,' said Meismer, who's spent 16 years away from the pool table as a real-life recruiter. 'Pool is a lot like chess; it's a matching of wits. For instance, a player may have to hide the cue-ball behind one of his own balls to not allow his or her opponent a clear shot.
'Pool is a sport that is universal; anyone can play because it doesn't involve running or being in excellent shape physically. Anyone can play; however, it's not easy to knock seven balls into a specific hole. And those who can run the table—meaning, sink all eight of their balls before their opponent even gets a chance to shoot—isn't that easy to do.'
There is a $25 entry fee per player, which includes a team shirt among other items. Prize money is limited, Meismer said. 'It's not about money; it's about bragging rights,' he added.
A small trophy has been given to the winning team in the past.
Each team plays three players aside. Statistics are kept for team scores and individual scores, and Meismer keeps regular statistics. They play eight-ball, so teams must deposit all of their stripes or solids ( depending on the break ) and then the eight-ball.
Tuesday night action includes 11 games: nine singles and two doubles matches.
'It's a lot of work, but I really enjoy the unity that it brings,' said Meismer, who played and coached softball for about nine years, and also served as the Windy City Athletic Association's assistant commissioner.
'We're pool enthusiasts. Back in the fall of 1996, a group of us started playing at Roscoe's. It was just something we liked to do, something to do in the winter.'
The Boystown Pool League has expanded since its early days, much the way darts, bowling and, most recently, poker have exploded as a 'non-traditional sporting craze.' There were as many as 56 players in the league.
'People who come here generally have an understanding of the game,' Meismer said. 'However, there also have been several people who didn't really know anything about pool when they started in the league. And today, they can hold their own against just about anyone.'
Jeff Maloney, Brian Reams and Steve Striblen are three of the league's best, along with Greg Wolf, Mike Aupuda, Reeve Lazar, Carl Sharp and Rho Reyes, among others.
'The best way to learn is to play in a league because, as the saying goes, practice makes perfect,' said Meismer, who serves as the captain for the billiards division of the Gay Games. Competitors from around the world will invade Chicago next summer, said Meismer, who's spear-heading the Gay Games' billiards along with Diane Gomez.
There could be up to 250 Gay Games competitors for billiards, he said, with the vast majority coming from North America, particularly, the West Coast. There is, though, a woman from China already registered.
The Games will include separate male and female divisions, with recreation and competitive groupings. They will play both eight-ball and nine-ball ( where players are required to sink the balls in numeric sequence after the break ) in the Games.
The billiards venue for the Games has not yet been announced, Meismer said. They are considering several area pool halls or perhaps a host hotel.
