Q-Tip Magazine's Pool Hall of Fame

Through the annals of time the green baize of the pool table has acted as a battle ground as warriors young and old have locked both cues and wits in combat. We at Q-Tip magazine, pool's number one periodical, are proud to announce that we are inaugurating the official Pool Hall of Fame, which will see those great warriors remembered and honoured for their achievements.

These inductees will be selected on a number of criteria, ranging from their on-table success, to their impact on the sport, and taking into account each aspect of what makes a great pool player.
A new inductee will be announced every few weeks, along with a brief biography of their career, and an abridged version of the induction.

It is only fitting that the first Hall of Famer be a true legend in every sense of the word. From his humble beginnings on the pub circuit, to his show-stealing performances on pay-per-view, this superstar has left a legacy on the business which will never be forgotten. Called my many the greatest player never to win the world title, wherever this man went controversy was sure to follow, and in his wake he left bitter former friends and broken dreams.

The first inductee into the Q-Tip Magazine Hall of Fame is the former Eastern Asian champion and Dream Team member, 'The Rock' Andy Appleby.

Appleby first came to the attention of pool fans as the mystery doubles partner of Martin Kirkley in a match against The Dream Team. While they lost the match, it was clear that Appleby had a lot of potential, and it didn't take the fans long to get behind the team known as The Kirkles. The Kirkles were instated as the number one contenders for the doubles titles and were set to receive their title match at Zero Remorse. However, no-one could have predicted that behind the scenes the friendship between Kirkley and Appleby had turned to a deep hatred. Who better to capitalise on this turn of events than The Dream Team. In a shocking move, just 3 days before the pay-per-view Appleby turned on his partner, the man who had got him his job, and joined the DTB. Now known as the people's champion, and with his newly won Eastern Asian title, Appleby was suddenly thrust centre-stage as the Dream Team juggernaut went about taking over the pool world. Fans saw a different side of the man they once idolised; he was brash, cocky, and no stranger to controversy.

Appleby first got into trouble with the board of directors with a profanity-laced promo, directed at The King's Court, on live television. This cost him a week's wages, but that didn't seem to bother Appleby. Run-ins with chairman of the board Nick Billinge were a weekly occurrence back then, but Appleby cranked it up a notch one unforgettable New Year's Eve. While out on the town with his Dream Team partners Appleby had a chance encounter with developmental pool player, Dan Hudson. The two got into a war of words which resulted in Appleby DXing the youngster, quite literally, to fuck. Billinge had to take action. He suspended Appleby for 2 months, and made him foot the bill for Hudson's therapy sessions.

When Appleby returned he was noticeably different. He became disillusioned with pool, and many observers said he was becoming more and more reliant on alcohol. He had taken to spending time away from the table with jobber and King's Court member El Jester, who just months earlier Appleby had ripped to shreds in that famous interview. Content to live on the popularity he had built-up in the previous years, Appleby's pool career slowly burnt out and he now scrapes a living on the pub circuit, back where it all began.

Andy Appleby inducted into the Hall of Fame by Adam Russell, Darren Hibbert, and Phil Wallis

AR: To be honoured by the fans, as you're honouring me now by chanting my name, is one thing, but to be honoured by your peers is something truly special. And that's why we're here today, because a real legend has been recognised for his achievements in the world of pool.

PW: You can make a mark in this industry by winning titles, winning fans, and winning matches, and God knows this man did all that, but more than that he made his mark by taking out his penis, flopping it onto a pool table, and saying to everybody 'if you think you can tell me how to go about my business, you can just suck on this'.

DH: Simply put, he was one of the best players I ever saw, and he could entertain a crowd like nobody else. Ladies and gentlemen, the first inductee into the Q-Tip magazine Hall of Fame, and deservedly so, Andy Appleby.

AA: Fucking hell. What an honour. When you start out in this business you have a pretty modest idea of what success is. For me, success was quitting my job as a postie, and being able to support myself just from pool playing. Success was winning my first 50p tournament. I never dreamed I'd be packing arenas, travelling the world, dining out in fancy restaurants. Some fucker asked me the other day 'Andy, why'd you piss all that away?', I said 'mum, for the last time, that wasn't pissing it all away, that was living the dream'. I don't regret a single thing I did in my career. I fucked a lot of girls, DXed a lot of important people, we didn't give a shit. But I owe this as much to these guys here, the DTB, as anyone. We were a proper family back then, and if I miss anything about those old days, it's that.

What the stars say:

Martin Kirkley: There's no hard feelings. I don't hold grudges. Andy was a guy who always lived on the edge, and there was really no telling what he was going to do. It's unfortunate what happened between us but we've shared a pint since, and I don't begrudge him this honour.

Adam Russell: People say I'm a fast player, but Andy is the one guy who can go toe to toe with me in that department. He was a force of nature, a potting machine.

Darren Hibbert: What he did is he raised the bar for us. He was an awesome player, but he had that edge. He just loved controversy, and those days of raising hell will never be replicated.

El Jester: He was my idol, and my mentor. When the drink took hold of him it hit me hard. I chalked his cue for him, tied his shoelaces. He was a mess towards the end.

Phil Wallis: We teamed hundreds of times. More often than not he'd get us disqualified. He'd DX the ref or something. Or tell him to fuck off. He was a foul-mouthed bastard.

Nick Billinge: Martin would hassle me two or three times a week to check out this friend of his on the pub circuit. I've been conned by pub players before so I was hesitant but finally I agreed to give him a look. I knew straight-away he had the potential to be a big star. His manner around the table was so confident, so striking. I knew I was onto a winner.

Dan Hudson: He ruined my life.

Andy Appleby: I guess it's easy to take things for granted. I never did that. I knew it was gonna end badly. Don't ask me how. I just knew. So I savoured every second. Every three course meal, every first class flight, every threesome. Nobody will ever take those memories away from me. Would I do the fucker all over again? With one difference. I never thought I DXed Dan Hudson hard enough. But, y'know, nobody's perfect.

There will be a new inductee shortly.