LoreeJon Ogonowski-Brown (formerly LoreeJon Jones, LoreeJon Hasson, sometimes known

mononym A mononym is a name composed of only one word. An individual who is known and addressed by a mononym is a mononymous person. A mononym may be the person's only name, given to them at birth. This was routine in most ancient societies, and remains ...

ically as LoreeJon; born November 6, 1965) is a professional

pool Pool may refer to: Bodies of water * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a roc ...

player. A child prodigy who began playing at the age of 4 at her home in

Garwood, New Jersey Garwood is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 4,454, an increase of 228 (+5.4%) from the 2010 United State ...

, she picked up the game from her father, John Ogonowski.Berkow, Ira
"Billiards: A Top Player Survives That Sinking Feeling"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', August 12, 1995. Accessed October 23, 2007. "LoreeJon had been a child prodigy, picking up the game at 4 from her pool-loving father, John Ogonowski, in Garwood, N.J." Recognizing her talent, her father built wooden boxes around the table so she would be the correct height for him to teach her the sport. Her father was her instructor, and her mother became her daily practice partner. She ran her first

rack Rack or racks may refer to: Storage, support and transportation * Amp rack, a piece of furniture in which amplifiers are mounted * Autorack or auto carrier, for transporting vehicles in freight trains * Baker's rack, for bread and other bake ...

of balls at age 5. She performed her first three trick shots at age 6 in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

at a men's World Straight Pool tournament. At age 11, she became a pro player with the

Women's Professional Billiard Association The Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) is a professional women's pool tour based in the United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in No ...

(WPBA) and came to be known as "Queen of the Hill". Aged 15, she won the

World Straight Pool Championship The World Straight Pool Championship is a top-level competition for straight pool, also known as "14.1 continuous". History In 1910, Jerome Keough invented straight pool as a way to increase the challenge over previous continuous games. Soon afte ...

, becoming the youngest player, male or female, ever to win a world championship. From 1981 to 1996, she won many tournaments, three WPBA National Championships, BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship, WPBA U.S. Open 9-ball Championship, and the All Japan Championship. When she won the

WPA World Nine-ball Championship The WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual professional nine-ball pool tournament contested since 1990. The championship is sanctioned by the World Pool Association (WPA) and principally sponsored and organized by Matchroom Sport, who pro ...

, she had held every title possible in women's professional pool. At the time of her 2002 induction into the

Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame This is the list of people inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's hall of fame to honor outstanding people who, through their competitive skills and dedication, have enriched the sport and industry. Two categories have been established in ...

, and 2008 Women's Professional Billiard Association Hall of Fame, she held over 50 major titles, and over the course of her career was recognized five times as "Player of the Year" by ''Pool & Billiards Magazine'' and ''Billiards Digest''. Coming out of retirement and making a comeback, Ogonowski-Brown won the 2017 Super Billiards Expo Players Championship. She was inducted into the

National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame The National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in 1973. The mission of the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame is to recognize and preserve outstanding achievement by individuals of Polish heritage in the field o ...

in June 2022.

Titles and achievements

* 1981 WPBA World Straight Pool Championship * 1981 New Jersey State 9-ball Championship * 1981

Ruth McGinnis Ruth McGinnis (1910 – May 16, 1974) was an American straight pool player, who is considered one of the greatest female pool players of all time. Early life Ruth McGinnis was born in 1910 in Honesdale, Pennsylvania to Thomas and Margaret McGi ...

Challenge Cup * 1981 ''Billiards Digest'' Player of the Year * 1983 New Jersey State 9-ball Championship * 1984 WPBA World 9-ball Championship * 1985 Houston Red's 9-ball Open * 1985 Motor City 9-ball Open * 1986 WPBA World Straight Pool Championship * 1987 B.C. Open 9-ball Championship * 1987 Carolina's Cup * 1988 King of the Rings 9-ball * 1988 King of the Rings Mixed Doubles – with (

Mike Sigel Michael Sigel (born July 11, 1953) is an American professional pool player nicknamed "Captain Hook." He earned the nickname from his ability to hook his opponents with safety plays. Sigel was dominant during the 1980s in 9-Ball and Straight P ...

) * 1988 Cleveland Spring 9-ball Open * 1988 B.C. Open 9-ball Championship * 1988 WPBA National Championship * 1988 ''Billiards Digest'' Player of the Year * 1989 BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship * 1989 WPBA U.S. Open 9-ball Championship * 1989 B.C. Open 9-ball Championship * 1989 Coors Valley Forge 9-ball Open * 1989 ''Billiards Digest'' Player of the Year * 1990 All Japan Championship 9-ball * 1990 B.C. Open 9-ball Championship * 1990 WPBA National Championship * 1991 McDermott Masters 9-ball Championship * 1992 BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship * 1993 WPA World 9-ball Championship * 1993 WPBA National Championship * 1993 McDermott Milwaukee Classic * 1993 BCA Charlotte Classic * 1993 Detroit Classic * 1993 Sacramento Classic * 1993 ''Billiards Digest'' Player of the Year * 1994 Connelly Billiards 9-Ball Championship * 1995 Baltimore Billiard Classic * 1995 St. Croix Press Twin Cities Classic * 1995 Gordon's Nashville 9-ball * 1995 Gordon's Chicago 9-ball * 1995 Gordon's San Francisco 9-ball * 1995 Billiards Digest Player of the Year * 1996 Gordon's Los Angeles 9-ball Championship * 2002

* 2008 WPBA Hall of Fame * 2017 Super Billiards Expo Players Championship * 2022

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ogonowski-Brown, LoreeJon American pool players World champions in pool Female pool players Living people 1965 births People from Garwood, New Jersey