1971 World Straight Pool Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Ray Martin
2	Joe Balsis

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

The 1971 World Straight Pool Championship took place in California during an earthquake. Ray "Cool Cat" Martin won his first world title at this event, remaining composed during the natural disaster.

Martin defeated Joe Balsis in the final. The 36-year-old from Paterson, New Jersey, won three World Straight Pool Championship titles (1971, 1974, and 1978). Martin was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1994.

The final matched Balsis, a veteran with decades of experience in straight pool, against Martin. Martin's performance in the championship and his composure during the earthquake became notable moments in pool history.

This championship victory established Martin among pool's elite players during an era when straight pool was the sport's most prestigious discipline. The 1971 championship remains memorable for occurring during a natural disaster and for Martin's successful performance under those circumstances.

Sources: Ray Martin (pool player) – Wikipedia World Straight Pool Championship – Wikipedia

This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.