In this opening episode of a special four-part series, Legends of the Cue begins the remarkable life story of Jerry Briesath, widely regarded as the father of modern pool instruction and the longtime Dean of the BCA’s Master Instructor program.Born in 1937 in Winona, Minnesota, Jerry’s story starts far from championship tables and teaching platforms. He grew up working at his father’s one-man gas station, pumping fuel for 23 cents a gallon, checking oil by hand, and learning the values of disci...
In this opening episode of a special four-part series, Legends of the Cue begins the remarkable life story of Jerry Briesath, widely regarded as the father of modern pool instruction and the longtime Dean of the BCA’s Master Instructor program.
Born in 1937 in Winona, Minnesota, Jerry’s story starts far from championship tables and teaching platforms. He grew up working at his father’s one-man gas station, pumping fuel for 23 cents a gallon, checking oil by hand, and learning the values of discipline, service, and hard work. As a youngster, his first athletic passion was golf—good enough to play high-school varsity as the number one player—before a move to Milwaukee and a chance visit to a small billiard room forever changed his path.
With no formal instruction available in those days, Jerry learned the game the old-fashioned way: watching great players, asking questions, and running balls late into the night. Under the influence of straight-pool runners like Willis Covington, Jerry fell in love with the game’s precision and patterns. Yet even then, he noticed something missing—there was no true understanding of mechanics, no structured way to teach how to control the cue stick.
That realization would ultimately reshape the sport.
In this episode, Jerry reflects on his earliest memories, the post-war years, discovering pool in Milwaukee, and the environment that shaped his thinking long before he ever taught a lesson. You’ll hear how his analytical mind, combined with a deep respect for fundamentals, laid the groundwork for an instructional philosophy that would influence generations of players—including Mosconi Cup player and Captain Mark Wilson and countless champions worldwide.
Part one sets the stage for an extraordinary journey—from small-town beginnings to the foundation of modern pool education—told in Jerry Briesath’s own thoughtful, humorous, and insightful voice.
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Music by Lyrium.
About
"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”
