Sang Lee

Sang Chun Lee (Korean: Lee Sang- chun, born January 15, 1954 in South Korea, † 19 October 2004 in South Korea) was one of the world's best billiard players in the carom ( three-band ).

He began his career in Korea at a young age and in 1978 was the first time Korean champions in three-cushion. Until 1986 he remained the undisputed number 1 in Korea and he won the Korean title 10 times in a row. During this time he began to make the tri-band sports in Korea popular not only as players but as owners of billiard halls. His position as a top player in Korea was undisputed, but he remained internationally unknown. In 1987 he decided to emigrate to the United States and there to realize his dream: "making billiards beautiful in America! "

In 1989 he met his wife, they married and had a daughter ( Olivia ). With the help of his family and friends, he founded his first billiard hall ( Sang Lee Billiards ) in Queens. In 1990 he received his eligibility to play for national and international championships and immediately won the U.S. three-band title he successfully defended in the following 11 years. It was 1994, three-band world champion of the 2003 season ( the final tournament took place in 2004 ). He used his rising popularity and his tournament winnings to continue to work on his dream and initiated several tournament series ( Sang Lee International tournaments ). He often spent more time with the organization of tournaments and the promotion of sport, as with his own game - yet he remained one of the world's best three-band player and missed the world title in 1999 only wafer thin. In 2000, he opened with his friend Michael Kang the Carom Cafe Billiards in New York, which is one of the largest pure carom billiard halls in the world with around 2,700 m². Here he spent his time with the organization of national and international tournaments.

In 2003 he returned to his native country and used his popularity to give his sport in his native new impetus. He organized tournaments, founded a players' union and won sponsors to promote young players better. In 2004 he was elected president of the Korean Billiards Association and was able to promote the sport even more politically. At this time, stomach cancer was found with him in which he then passed away in October 2004.

Sang Lee was a three-band, which was played as the opening act 2 points earned, as perhaps the best opening band players in the world due to his experiences in the Korean three-band, in which 80 over the years.

Since 2005, the Sang Lee International Open will be held in his memory.

For his contributions to the three-band sport in the U.S. and Korea, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Billiard Congress of America in 2007.

His greatest successes:

  • BWA three-band world champion 1993 ( final tournament was played until 2004 )
  • Vice World Champion Three band in 1999
  • 10x Korean three-band master in a row ( 1978-1987 )
  • 12x American three-band master in a row ( 1990-2001 )
  • Highest Streak: 28
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