Dr. Cue to visit Nevada

* Trick shooting star of the billiards world to present exhibition at YMCA.

By Eric Wade

Herald-Tribune

NEVADA, Mo. -- Tom Rossman, also known in the world of billiards as Dr. Cue, has been an innovator in the world of artistic pool and trick shooting for decades. Throughout his career, Rossman has won 30 artistic pool discipline titles with wins in all eight disciplines.

Rossman has become widely known for his appearances in ESPN's Trick Shot Magic Championship as well as the World Cup of Trick Shots, WPA World Artistic Pool Championships and many other events. Rossman is considered a founding father of the modern day artistic pool movement and has also written a training book along with producing a number of videos and DVDs.

Rossman has also become one of the greates showmen in the world of artistic pool, performing more than 200 exhibitions every year. Thanks to Frank Briscoe of Frank's Center in Nevada, one of those exhibitions will be coming to the Osage Prairie YMCA.

Frank's Center is a leader in the sale of billiard/pool equipment, but Briscoe and his wife, Vickie, have also devoted their lives to service of others. That devotion to service was a major part of the motivation for bringing Dr. Cue to Nevada.

"We're about helping folks learn and use the right equipment for better enjoyment of the game," Briscoe said. "This has been a motivating factor for us to share having Dr. Cue's exhibition open to the entire community. At the same time, we felt this would be a great opportunity to help a local organization, too."

The Osage Prairie YMCA was at the top of the list of possible sites for the exhibition, Briscoe said, and after approaching Executive Director Matt Schneringer, looked no further. The YMCA provides both an adequately sized venue for the performance as well as a worthy candidate for receipt of the funds that the exhibition is expected to raise.

"We look forward to accomplishing our two primary goals with Dr. Cue's Exhibition; Community service and raising funds for a worthy local organization," Briscoe said.

Rossman's exhibition, which is set for March 2 at 6:30 p.m., is expected to bring in a large crowd of spectators from around the region. Briscoe said he has already received inquiries about the exhibition from people in Chanute, Kan., Belton, Mo., Neosho, Mound City and Fort Scott.

The exhibition will come at an advanced cost of $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12, with prices increasing to $12 for adults and $7 for children at the door. Anyone interested in attending may purchase tickets at the Osage Prairie YMCA or call Frank's Center at (417) 667-9190.

All fans in attendance will have a lot more to look forward to than simply the outstanding trick shooting ability that Rossman brings, but also a strong measure of comic relief. Rossman has become known throughout his career as a comedian as a trick shooter, engaging his audiences with light-hearted humor between shots.

"Over the years, I've seen Dr. Cue's exhibitions maybe 25-30 times and never fail to get a belly laugh watching his antics on the table. He's a great showman and loves to share his love of pool with an audience," Briscoe said. "He just thrives on seeing the smiles on people's faces."

Along with Dr. Cue's exhibition, Briscoe has been working to promote the local pool leagues that exist around Nevada. There are several local pool leagues organized by small groups of individuals around the area, the most popular of which are the Jeremy Hayes Thursday Night League and The Tuesday Night League.

For more information on these leagues, or any other questions relating to the game of pool, call or stop by Frank's Center, Inc. at 11174 E. Nebo Hill Road, Nevada.