Villarreal's grandmother, Amalia Huerta, was the owner of Mollie's Lounge, a restaurant and bar with a pool table, in San Antonio. Villarreal sometimes helped with cleaning and became interested in pool. She started to play at the age of 8, and by the time she was 11, had accumulated 161 trophies.[2][3]
She gave up playing pool for about 10 years from the age of 14 to focus on her studies. Villarreal graduated from Lee High School, and went on to study computer science, book-keeping and accounting at San Antonio College.[1]
Villarreal started playing again, and participated in the Women's Professional Billiard Association circuit in 1992, winning her first title at the Wahine Open in Hilo, Hawaii her first year.[4] She won several more titles over the following years and in 1996 won the ESPN World Open 9-Ball Championship.[2]
She adopted a child in 1992, but the child was taken away by her biological mother in 1997 following a court-approved visitation. Villarreal spent some eight years searching for the child, who was finally discovered to be in Arkansas. Villarreal subsequently agreed that the child could choose where to stay, and the child continued to live with her biological mother whilst maintaining contact with Villarreal.[7][5]
Villareal is the founder of The Tornado Foundation, which has a broad mission to help "any child, animal or victim in need of assistance"[8] and organises a pool event called The Tornado Open[9] to benefit the Foundation.
^ abRodriguez, Ihosvani (30 January 2000). "Billiard star racks up wins despite personal losses". San Antonio Express-News. 1H – via NewsBank. Retrieved 31 July 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^ abHorn, Barry (18 July 2004). "Setting the Bar High – Grandma started San Antonio pro on her way to billiard stardom". The Dallas Morning News. 1C – via NewsBank. Retrieved 31 July 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^Dominguez Jr., Raul (1 October 1992). "Pool.Shark. It's no myth: Villarreal is one of world's best". San Antonio Express-News. 1E – via NewsBank. Retrieved 31 July 2019.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
^ ab"Learn History of the Women's Professional Billiards Association". Women’s Professional Billiard Association. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
^ abSortal, Nick (29 September 2016). ""Texas Tornado" Leads Storm of Pool Players Blowing into South Florida". Broward-Palm Beach New Times – via NewsBank. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
^10 Questions with Vivian Villarreal 31 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine PoolDawg. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
^"Twelve-year-old girl abducted by mother found in Arkansas". Texarkana Gazette. 25 November 2005 – via NewsBank. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
^The Tornado Foundation 1 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 July 2019.
^The Tornado Open 31 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 July 2019.
External linksedit
Vivian Villarreal at azbilliards.com
April 13, 2024
vivian, villarreal, born, january, 1965, american, former, professional, pool, player, world, pool, billiard, association, world, number, women, player, five, years, twice, been, runner, world, nine, ball, championship, born, 1965, january, 1965, antonio, texa. Vivian Villarreal born 30 January 1965 is an American former professional pool player She was the World Pool Billiard Association world number one women s player for five years and has twice been runner up in the WPA World Nine ball Championship Vivian VillarrealBorn 1965 01 30 30 January 1965 age 59 1 San Antonio Texas United StatesSport country United StatesNicknameThe Texas TornadoProfessional1987Pool games8 Ball Nine Ball Ten ball Contents 1 Career 2 Personal life and charitable work 3 Titles won 4 References 5 External linksCareer editVillarreal s grandmother Amalia Huerta was the owner of Mollie s Lounge a restaurant and bar with a pool table in San Antonio Villarreal sometimes helped with cleaning and became interested in pool She started to play at the age of 8 and by the time she was 11 had accumulated 161 trophies 2 3 She gave up playing pool for about 10 years from the age of 14 to focus on her studies Villarreal graduated from Lee High School and went on to study computer science book keeping and accounting at San Antonio College 1 Villarreal started playing again and participated in the Women s Professional Billiard Association circuit in 1992 winning her first title at the Wahine Open in Hilo Hawaii her first year 4 She won several more titles over the following years and in 1996 won the ESPN World Open 9 Ball Championship 2 In 1992 she was runner up in WPA World Nine ball championship losing to Franziska Stark and in 1996 was beaten in the final of the competition by Gerda Hofstatter She is known as The Texas Tornado for her rapid and demonstrative style of play 5 6 The Women s Professional Billiard Association inducted Villarreal to its Hall of Fame in 2015 4 Personal life and charitable work editShe adopted a child in 1992 but the child was taken away by her biological mother in 1997 following a court approved visitation Villarreal spent some eight years searching for the child who was finally discovered to be in Arkansas Villarreal subsequently agreed that the child could choose where to stay and the child continued to live with her biological mother whilst maintaining contact with Villarreal 7 5 Villareal is the founder of The Tornado Foundation which has a broad mission to help any child animal or victim in need of assistance 8 and organises a pool event called The Tornado Open 9 to benefit the Foundation Titles won edit1988 McDermott 8 Ball Championship 1990 Summertime Classic 9 Ball 1991 Wahine Classic 9 Ball 1991 Alamo City 9 Ball Open 1992 International 9 Ball Classic 1992 McDermont 9 Ball Championship 1992 WPBA National Championship 1993 Kasson Chicago Classic 1992 Champs Billiards 9 Ball Open 1992 Rum Runner 9 Ball Open 1993 McDermott National 9 Ball Tour 1993 WPA World Tour Championship 1993 Bicycle Club 9 Ball Classic 1994 WPBA Baltimore Classic 1994 San Antonio Rose 9 Ball Open 1994 Huebler Cues Seattle Classic 1994 Cuetec Cues Charlotte Classic 1994 Viking Cues Milwaukee Classic 1994 McDermontt Heritage Classic 1994 Connelly Billiards Denver Classic 1994 Mosconi Cup 1995 Viking Cues Charlotte Classic 1996 ESPN Open 9 Ball Championship 1996 Connelly Philadelphia Players Classic 1996 Pool amp Billiard Magazine Detroit Classic 1996 Gordon s Boston 9 Ball 1998 Brunswick Billiards New York Classic 2000 Texas 9 Ball Open 2001 Houston 9 ball Open 2002 Florida 9 Ball Open 2003 Texas Open 9 Ball Championship 2003 Fast Eddie s Tour 2005 Ladies Spirit Tour 2010 Fast Eddie s Tour 2011 CSI US Bar Table 8 Ball Championship 2011 CSI US Bar Table 9 Ball Championship 2011 CSI US Bar Table 10 Ball Championship 2011 CSI US Bar Table All Around Title 2012 Texas Open 9 Ball Championship 2012 Space City 9 Ball Championship 2013 Texas Open 9 Ball Championship 2013 Big Tyme Classic 9 Ball 2013 CSI US Bar Table All Around Title 2014 Texas Open 9 Ball Championship 2014 Big Tyme Classic 9 Ball 2014 Texas Tornado Championship 2014 Houston 9 Ball Open 2015 WPBA Hall of Fame 2015 Chinook Winds Open 8 Ball 2015 Texas Open 9 Ball Championship 2015 Big Tyme Classic 9 Ball 2017 Texas Open 9 Ball Championship 2018 WPBA Signature Tour Stop 2018 Ashton Twins ClassicReferences edit a b Rodriguez Ihosvani 30 January 2000 Billiard star racks up wins despite personal losses San Antonio Express News 1H via NewsBank Retrieved 31 July 2019 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint location link a b Horn Barry 18 July 2004 Setting the Bar High Grandma started San Antonio pro on her way to billiard stardom The Dallas Morning News 1C via NewsBank Retrieved 31 July 2019 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint location link Dominguez Jr Raul 1 October 1992 Pool Shark It s no myth Villarreal is one of world s best San Antonio Express News 1E via NewsBank Retrieved 31 July 2019 a href Template Cite news html title Template Cite news cite news a CS1 maint location link a b Learn History of the Women s Professional Billiards Association Women s Professional Billiard Association Retrieved 5 January 2021 a b Sortal Nick 29 September 2016 Texas Tornado Leads Storm of Pool Players Blowing into South Florida Broward Palm Beach New Times via NewsBank Retrieved 31 July 2019 10 Questions with Vivian Villarreal Archived 31 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine PoolDawg Retrieved 31 July 2019 Twelve year old girl abducted by mother found in Arkansas Texarkana Gazette 25 November 2005 via NewsBank Retrieved 31 July 2019 The Tornado Foundation Archived 1 January 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 July 2019 The Tornado Open Archived 31 July 2019 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 31 July 2019 External links editVivian Villarreal at azbilliards com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Vivian Villarreal amp oldid 1186592687, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
