Every year, thousands of pool players travel from all over the country to Southern Indiana for the Derby City Classic. This annual event features different disciplines of competition, including 9-Ball Banks, One-Pocket, and the BIGFOOT 10-ball challenge.
1998 was the year that the Derby City Classic began. Greg Sullivan, who created the tournament, was a lifetime fan of Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree. Sullivan partnered with the Pantone Company in order to find the perfect color for poolcloth. The Pantone Company's testing led to Tournament Blue becoming the predominant color in professional tournaments.
The second event took place in 2003. The tournament was sponsored by the World Pool Alliance, and featured a number of top players. The tournament began with nine-ball banks, followed by the one-pocket and then the BIGFOOT 10-ball challenge. The tournament took place in Elizabeth, Indiana at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino. The event included a number of vendors, ring games, and cash games. The tournament took places on 53 9-foot Diamond table.
The tournament featured a number of players who were in the field for their first Derby City Classic appearance. Apart from the tournament itself, there were a few special events. One of these was the Diamond Ten Foot Challenge. This challenge is for a small group of pros. The challenge is played on five-foot-by-ten-foot tables. The winner is awarded $16,000 and the winners of the nine-ball banking and one-pocket contests each get $8,000. BIGFOOT 10-ball challenges was also the inaugural event of Derby City Classic. There are a few professionals in this field who are competing to win the title BIGFOOT champion.
In 2006, the third event took place. The tournament featured many players who had played in their first Derby City Classic event. Corey Deuel Dennis Grabe and Lee Vann were all successful in the one-pocket event and 9-ball banks. However, the other players were less successful. Darren Appleton was able to finish third in the One-Pocket. He also used his algorithm well in the Derby Cup, earning a third place finish.
The 2015 event was the last. A number of players participated in the tournament, many of whom had been playing for their first Derby City event. Corey Deuel was a good player, as were Darren Appleton and Lee Vann. Joshua Filler, Darren Appleton, and Joshua Filler did well enough to take third place in the one pocket. They were joined by the likes of Efren Reyes, Mika, and Shane VanBoening.
The annual pool tournament, the Derby City Classic, is held at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino Elizabeth, IN. It offers a variety of competitions including nine-ball banking, one-pocket and the BIGFOOT-10-ball challenge. The event will take place in January. Tickets will go on sale January 20th. Tickets may be purchased at Derby City Classic's office located at Caesars Southern Indiana casino and hotel. You must be able to provide a valid photo ID to purchase a ticket.