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Masako Katsura – The First “Billiards Lady”

Masako Katsura, known as “Katsy,” was an extraordinary carom billiards player. Most active during the 1950s, she helped pave the way for women in billiards by competing in the male-dominated world of professional billiards. In fact, Katsura won the World Championship in 1956, becoming the first woman to achieve that feat. In addition to her accomplishments in the game, Katsura also helped break down barriers in society by making it easier for women to play this sport.

Buenos Aires tournament

In 1954, a former world champion from Japan, Masako Katsura, entered the Buenos Aires tournament to play for the title of world champion. The tournament was a first for a woman competing in the traditionally male-dominated sport. Despite being a woman, Katsura was not unbeatable. She came fourth in the 1954 world championships in Buenos Aires. After her win in the championship, Katsura spent the rest of her career playing exhibitions and tournaments.

Katsura won the first match 50-44 in 71 innings. She then lost to the top-ranked player in the tournament, Rubin, in 52 innings. The Argentinean team won the following match, 50-38. Katsura placed seventh in the tournament. Katsura won four out of her five matches. Katsura has the highest career win percentage of any player in this tournament.

Masako Katsura was not orphaned, but she was raised in a wealthy family. When she was 12 years old, she moved in with her elder sister’s husband. At age thirteen, she began spending time in a billiard parlor and later worked as a billiards attendant. Her career as a professional billiard player started at age 15.

Katsura was the only female competitor in the competition. She won a match against Miller, who was a man. She continued to win against various opponents. However, in the final, Katsura was defeated by Ezequiel Navarra, who was her brother. However, she won the tournament, beating him 60-52. She also won the Buenos Aires tournament for women.

The Argentinian competition saw Katsura become the world’s top player. She won the Buenos Aires tournament two years in a row, and she was crowned champion in both 1952 and 1953. The first Buenos Aires tournament was televised by KRON-TV, which included commentary in Spanish. The other event, the Hoppe tilbage, was broadcasted live by NHK.

Buenos Aires exhibition tour

In Buenos Aires, Masako Katsura held a solo exhibition and sold out two shows. She won the title and the tournament, but she was not an orphan. Her father had died when she was only twelve, and she moved in with her elder sister’s husband. At the age of 13, she began working as a billiard attendant. In 1958, she went on to win the competition at the Sheraton Hotel.

Career

A Japanese professional billiards player known as the first “billiard lady” earned a worldwide reputation by competing against men in a male-dominated sport. Born in 1913, Masako Katsura became a world-renowned billiards player after becoming famous for her unique skill set. She is one of the most famous billiards players of all time and even appeared on Google’s home page! The following information about her life is compiled from various sources online. While we cannot guarantee that the information we present is 100% original, it is a good start to learn more about Masako Katsura.

Katsura was born in Tokyo, Japan. He grew up with three sisters and one younger brother and lived with his father until his untimely death at the age of twelve. In 1946, he met Master Sergeant Vernon Greenleaf, a U.S. Army officer stationed in Tokyo. They became friends, and Greenleaf asked Katsura to teach him how to play the game. Katsura obliged, and Greenleaf became his partner.

After retiring from competitive play, Katsura began to appear on television shows and in public events. He wrote two books on billiards. The popularity of billiards in Japan decreased and the World three-cushion championship was no longer held. In 1961, Katsura was asked to defend his title against Harold Worst, the champion since 1954. In this title match, Katsura lost six out of seven bouts, and was not seen in many exhibition matches for the rest of his career.

After the Second World War, Katsura had a difficult time in the beginning of her career, but after the war, she continued to play billiards for American troops and gained international fame. In 1951, she married and moved to California. She was awestruck by the male-dominated billiards scene in the United States, and became the first woman to compete in the 1952 World-Three-Cushion Billiards championship.

The first World Championship she won was the women’s straight rail, which she won at the age of 15. After the World Championship, she played exhibition matches against Cochran and others, and later, toured the northeastern U.S., including Boston and Chicago. Her husband accompanied her to the tour and provided translation services. She lost four of her five matches to the legendary Willie Hoppe, who is now regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Influence on billiards

The influential billiard player from Japan, Masako Katsura, began playing at an early age. She was born in 1913 and grew up in Tokyo. Her father had passed away when she was young and she grew up with her mother and younger sister. Her brother-in-law owned a pool hall and she began to practice every day. At age 15, Katsura won her first billiards championship, beating men who were twice her age. She soon became a professional billiard player, competing against men and women from across the world, including Willie Hoppe, the 51-time World Champion. Her dedication to the sport is contagious, inspiring a new generation to follow in her footsteps.

Katsura’s influence on a sport like billiards is well known. Her early billiards career saw her win several international tournaments. She was a role model for women in a male-dominated sport. Eventually, her winning ways led to her inclusion in men’s billiards tournaments. Her success led to her being named “First Lady of Billiards” in Japan.

Masako Katsura paved the way for women to compete in billiards. Born in Tokyo in 1913, she competed in numerous international tournaments and placed near the top of the leaderboard. Although she lost to Harold Worst in 1961, Katsura’s success made billiards a more inclusive sport for women. She helped make billiards more attractive to women and opened it to all ages and backgrounds.

Before Katsura’s arrival in the United States, the three-cushion game was played in many countries. During the 1930s, the New York Times published three articles about billiards every day. Katsura’s popularity did not last, and billiards suffered a decline. Katsura made billiards more accessible by adding a three-cushion. Katsura’s introduction of the three-cushion made it more appealing to some spectators. She went on to win the U.S. Junior Championship at fifteen.

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