With over 100 professional tournament victories and over 80 international titles, Filipino pool legend Efren "Bata" Reyes has won the most pool events of any player in history. Possessing uncanny skill and creativity with the cue, Reyes has awed fans and dominated events worldwide for over four decades, far surpassing rivals. He holds the record for the most world championships and is considered by experts, pros, and fans as quite possibly the greatest pool player of all time.
Born in 1954 in the Philippines, Reyes got his start playing 3-cushion billiards in the 1960s but switched to pool in the 1970s. His smooth stroke and nimble finesse with the cue ball earned him the nickname "The Magician." Reyes perfected skills like position play and breaking that made running racks look effortless. By the 1990s, he was winning world championships in various pool disciplines at a stunning pace.
Reyes has claimed multiple World Pool Championship titles in 8-ball and 9-ball pool. Other legends like Americans Willie Mosconi and Ralph Greenleaf dominated straight pool decades ago, with 19 world titles each. But when it comes to variety of skills and longevity, Bata Reyes stands alone. He has continued winning tournaments well into the 2010s, including the 2013 World Cup of Pool with Francisco Bustamante.
According to sports analysts, no player can control cue ball position and perform under pressure as masterfully as Reyes. His breakshots scatter balls for perfect open tables. His kick shots seem to defy physics. Against even top pros, Reyes makes incredibly precise moves look routine. As ESPN commentator Robyn Moncrief said, "I‘ve just never seen anybody with that kind of mastery on the table and the ball and the cue stick…it‘s just wonderful to watch."
Highest Paid Players
The top players in rankings can earn up to $2 million per year or more. But it requires regularly winning tournaments with ever-bigger purses. Here‘s a breakdown of some of the highest paid professional pool players and their estimated career earnings according to major publications:
| Player | Country | Est. Career Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| Efren Reyes | Philippines | $3 million+ |
| Francisco Bustamante | Philippines | $1.5 million+ |
| Shane Van Boening | USA | $1.5 million+ |
| John Schmidt | USA | $1 million+ |
| Darren Appleton | UK | $1 million+ |
The World Pool Championship boasts a $250,000 purse for first place. The Mosconi Cup winning team splits $100,000. And in big-money challenge matches, over $1 million can sometimes go to the winner. Reyes‘ status has allowed him to command the highest appearance fees and take the lion‘s share from his 100+ wins.
All-Time Tournament Titles Leaders
Looking beyond earnings, here are some standout players who have racked up the most tournament titles and are considered all-time greats of competitive pool:
| Player | Country | Titles | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efren Reyes | Philippines | over 100 | 1970s-present |
| Willie Mosconi | USA | over 100 | 1930s-50s |
| Ralph Greenleaf | USA | 82 | 1910s-50s |
| Johnny Archer | USA | over 70 | 1980s-present |
| Francisco Bustamante | Philippines | over 50 | 1980s-present |
| Mike Sigel | USA | over 35 | 1970s-2000s |
Filipinos didn‘t just learn pool from Americans. Cue sports have origins going back centuries to European games like croquet. But pool as we know it today traces back to the late 1800s in the U.S.
American billiards expert Michael Phelan authored the first illustrated pool guide in 1850 and helped formalize pool table dimensions and equipment standards. Thanks to Phelan, the sport saw a billiards craze take over American saloons and parlors in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Technological innovations like heated buildings, electric lighting, and rail transport enabled pool halls and tournaments to thrive through the winter and spread across the country. Champions like Willie Hoppe became household names. Mosconi then dominated as pool‘s first true superstar in the post-WWII era, showcasing his skills on film and TV.
However, pool‘s popularity in the U.S. declined from the 1960s through the ‘80s as table sports like bowling also waned. But enthusiast organizations like the BCA and APA have helped spur a modest resurgence in pool leagues and interest today.
Meanwhile, pool exploded in Asia in the postwar years. American GIs stationed in places like the Philippines played pool with locals and unwittingly sparked a fervor for cue sports. The Philippines quickly emerged as a pool powerhouse, producing legends like Reyes, Bustamante, Jose Parica, and others. Players from Taiwan and China have also risen fast in the past 20 years.
Will Anyone Dethrone Reyes?
So can anyone challenge Efren Reyes as pool‘s G.O.A.T? American Shane Van Boening and Brit Jayson Shaw have looked closest in recent years. Young guns like 20-year-old Ko Pin Yi and Joshua Filler could continue improving for a decade and someday overtake Reyes‘ marks…if he ever retires, that is!
At 68 years old in 2022, Reyes still competes and wins tournaments, though he has passed his absolute peak years. What keeps him motivated is his joy in playing pool for Filipino fans who treat him like a national hero. As long as he keeps sinking miracle shots, Bata Reyes could very well be the Greatest Of All Time forever.
