Results

ILLINI OPEN
JB's House - Dimondale, MI
June 30, 2006

The ILLINI Open was the first ever sanctioned event played under the lights. It pitted the #3 man in the World, Jim Blair, versus seven hungry up-and-coming rookies. Pool Play was filled with phenomenal rivalries as brother and sister and husband and wife went back and forth before Debbie Lou and Bruce “Left-handed” Blair came out on top. 

However, when it counted Jim Blair and Chrissy beat their rivals in epic battles to move on.  Running through the entire tournament was the #1 seeded Gary Lane.  Some say that Gary could be a sleeper to win the World Championships in August, but Jim wasn’t scared going into the finals. 

After an embarrassing 15-6 loss in the first game of the championship match Jim decided to take things into his own hands and took control early in the 2nd game and went on to win 15-7.  The rubber game saw a little bit of everything as Jim was on fire and got out to an early 4-0 lead.  Then things suddenly went wrong as he ran into a tree while retrieving the monkeyballs.  He wouldn’t be fazed though and took command with a 9-0 lead.  Gary came storming back though and took a 12-11 lead in his attempt to crack the World Rankings.  Yet, Jim said “I WILL NOT BE DENIED” as he went on to prove himself worthy of the #3 ranking and win the ILLINI Open, 15-12.