The Amazing Masako Katsura: The First Lady of Billiards

Masako Katsura is a legendary figure in the world of billiards. As the first woman to become an international professional billiards player, she has left an indelible mark on the sport. Known as the “First Lady of Billiards”, Masako Katsura has dedicated her life to mastering the game and has been a source of inspiration to other aspiring billiards players. Her career has spanned decades, and her remarkable accomplishments make her an excellent role model for anyone looking to succeed in the game of billiards.

Early Life and Career

Masako Katsura was born in Aomori Prefecture, Japan in 1932. She developed a passion for billiards at an early age, starting her career at the tender age of 15. Her amazing talent soon began to be recognized and she quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the first female professional billiards player in Japan at the age of 22.

Throughout her career, she managed to break several records and win numerous tournaments, including the All Japan Women’s Billiards Championship, which she won an incredible 18 times. Masako was so successful that she earned the title of “First Lady of Billiards” and was inducted into the Billiards Hall of Fame in 1995.

Masako was also known for her incredible skill in the field of carom billiards, which is a three-cushion version of billiards played on a six-pocket table. She was a master at this particular version of the game, earning the title of “Carom Queen” and often competing with men and winning against them as well. Her impressive accomplishments led to her being featured in multiple publications such as Newsweek and People Magazine.

In her later years, Masako retired from professional billiards but continued to remain active in the world of billiards as an instructor and coach. She also founded the Katsura International Billiards Institute in Tokyo which aimed to teach people about the sport and promote it around the world. Through her dedication to the game, she became a true inspiration and role model for aspiring billiard players everywhere.

World Championship Titles

Masako Katsura was a billiards champion who achieved tremendous success in her career. She was the first woman to win multiple world championships, winning five total. In 1970, Katsura won the All Japan Women’s 3-Cushion Billiards Championship and then followed up with victories in 1971, 1972, 1976 and 1979.

In addition to her world championship titles, Katsura also held two world records for consecutive points scored. In 1969, she scored 890 points over a 100 inning game, and in 1971, she broke her own record with 936 consecutive points. Her records stood for many years until they were finally surpassed in 2005 by Japanese prodigy Yoshimi Kumamaru.

Katsura was also a formidable force in women’s 8-ball pool, where she won the Japan Women’s 8-Ball Championship in 1975 and 1977. With all of these victories, Katsura proved to be an inspiration to female billiards players everywhere.

Record-Breaking Feats

Masako Katsura, affectionately known as “the First Lady of Billiards”, is a Japanese billiards player who has achieved many incredible feats throughout her career. She has broken world records and won numerous tournaments around the world, making her a household name in the sport. In this blog post, we will explore some of Masako’s record-breaking feats and her accomplishments in the sport of billiards.

Later Years and Legacy

Masako Katsura continued to dominate the billiard scene in the latter part of her career, becoming a household name and the first lady of billiards. She won her final World Billiard Championship in 1961 and soon after retired.

In spite of her retirement from competition, she remained an active member of the billiard community, teaching the sport and helping to promote it. She also acted as a representative for international billiard events, attending tournaments and appearing on television shows.

Her legacy is undisputed. She was the first woman to become a world champion in three-cushion billiards and held the world record for the longest match for over 30 years. Her career accomplishments are unmatched and her contribution to billiards has been recognized by numerous organizations and individuals.

Masako Katsura was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1999, and in 2010 she was awarded the World Billiard Federation’s Medal of Honor in recognition of her lifetime achievement in billiards.

The Masako Katsura Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 in her honor, providing financial assistance to aspiring female pool players to help them pursue their dreams.

Masako Katsura’s immense impact on the world of billiards lives on today and her name is still revered by players of all levels. Her legend will no doubt be remembered for many years to come.