Todd Clausen

@ToddJClausen

Former pool pro returns to Irondequoit to give a boost to new East Ridge Billiards owner.

Mike Sigel was once called the greatest living pool player in the world.

Before Mike Sigel was known as the greatest living pool player in the world, he was an Irondequoit resident learning all about bank shots and draws at his parent's house.

A few years later, he started to sneak into East Ridge Billiards. He was 15, although the age to get in without a parent was 16.

Maybe it was his talent on their tables that had the owners looking past his age. Maybe it was a willingness to clean the tables after school and on weekends for a couple of free games.

Sigel was back in town recently to help the newest owner of the 56-year-old pool hall in Irondequoit promote the business. Sigel was lured to place with a Facebook post by Christopher Braiman, who bought the place back in October.

Certainly a unique opportunity to draw some eyes to the venue during the slower summer months.

"This pool hall has survived as long as it has because of where it is located," said Braiman, 44, who worked at ADT for several years. "We're located in Irondequoit, but we are also on the city border. We get every walk of life that comes in here. It is a very diverse place."

The venue has 22 tables, some of the bar-size variety and other larger tables. All have been refurbished. There is a kitchen and photos of famous pool players such as Livonia's Irving Crane, Sigel and many others hang on the walls.

Jumping into the billiards industry isn't without some risk for Braiman.

The number of local pool halls have been on the decline over the years as bar leagues and other forms of entertainment are gobbling up a larger cut of dollars these days. Also, overall participation has dropped across the country by roughly 16 million people from 2007 to 2013, according to online research firm Statista.

RocJocks: Mike Sigel was named greatest living pool player

"In a lot of towns pool rooms have closed," Sigel said. "It's getting to the point where there are like one or two big places (in an area). It's a shame, too. It's a great game. A lot of people love it. The president plays for goodness sake."

Still, Braiman sees a strong demand in the Rochester area with roughly 1,000 people signed up to participate in leagues run by the American Poolplayers Association, the Billiards Congress of American or other organizations.

Some of those leagues provide trips to Las Vegas to the winners. Many of those leagues are in local bars. East Ridge Billiards also hosts a few of its own.

Sigel visited the Irondequoit establishment on Thursday and Friday to show off some of his skills and share stories on his travels in the hopes of drumming up more business.

He turned out to be one of the most popular pool players of all time, winning 107 professional tournaments, six U.S. Opens and 10 World Championships. He was named player of the year four times, and in 1987 — when he was just 35 — was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.

National publications dubbed him the greatest living player in the world.

It led to some unique opportunities.

Sigel played himself in the movie Baltimore Bullet, and served as a technical adviser in the 1986 Academy Award-winning film The Color of Money, featuring Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. He made many of the close-up shots in the movie, and taught a thing or two to Cruise about the game.

The 62-year-old now lives in Orlando, Florida, but often visits the area to meet with old Irondequoit High School friends during summer trips to the Thousand Islands.

Sigel retired in 1994, but still remembers playing at East Ridge Billiards.

"I can't even believe that I’m saying that I was here 50 years ago," Sigel said. "I lived in here. It brings back memories because this is where I first started to play."

TCLAUSEN@Gannett.com

East Ridge Billiards

Address: 529 E. Ridge Road, Irondequoit.

Hours: Noon to midnight, Monday through Thursday; noon to 2 a.m., Friday and Saturday; noon to 11 p.m., Sunday.

Cost: $10 per person all day.

For more: (585) 270-8215 or http://eastridgebilliards.com.