&content_reyes=Efren "Bata" Reyes won all of these tournaments: 2007 Derby City Classic Master of the Table 2007 Derby City Classic One-Pocket 2007 Pool and Billiard Magazine Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players, #2 2006 Asian 9-ball Tour (Jakarta Leg) 2006 IPT World 8-ball Open Championship 2006 World Cup of Pool (with Django Bustamante) 2006 Asian 9-ball Tour (Vietnam Leg) 2006 Derby City Classic One-Pocket 2005 IPT King of the Hill 8-ball Shootout 2005 Derby City Nine-ball Championship 2005 IPT King of the Hill Eight-ball Championship 2005 Asian 9-ball Tour (Jakarta Leg) 2005 Japan Open 2005 Derby City Classic Master of the Table 2005 Derby City Classic 9-ball 2005 Derby City Classic One-Pocket 2004 World 8-ball Championship 2004 On Cue 3: Intercontinental Conquest 2004 Asian 9-ball Tour (Singapore Leg) 2004 Asian 9-ball Tour (Vietnam Leg) 2004 Asian 9-ball Tour (Taiwan Leg) 2004 Derby City Classic Master of the Table 2004 Derby City Classic One-Pocket 2003 World Classic Billiards Tournament 2003 Las Vegas 9-ball Open 2003 Asian 9-ball Tour (Manila Leg) 2003 Mid-Atlantic 9-ball Championship 2003 All Japan Championship 2002 World Pool League 2002 Asian Eight-ball Tournament 2002 Cafe Puro Challenge of the Masters 2002 Shooters Labor Day Weekend Open 9-ball 2002 International Challenge of Champions 2001 World Pool League 2001 Tokyo 9-ball Event 2001 US Masters 9-ball 2001 International Billiard Tournament 2001 Accu-Stats 8-ball Invitational 2001 Color of Money II Challenge Match (vs Earl Strickland) 2000 US Open One-Pocket Championship 2000 Camel Pro 8-ball Championship 2000 Pennsylvania State 9-ball Championship 2000 USA Billards Challenger Event 2 1999 ESPN Ultimate 9-ball Challenge 1999 ESPN Ultimate Shootout 1999 Sands Regency Open 29 Nine-ball Championship 1999 World 9-ball Championship (Cardiff) 1999 Derby City Classic Master of the Table 1999 Derby City Classic One-Pocket 1998 World 8-Ball Championship 1998 Camel South Jersey 10-Ball Open 1997 PCA Shooters Challenge 1997 PCA Treasure Island Resort Event 1996 The Color of Money (vs Earl Strickland) 1996 PBT World 8-ball Championship 1996 PBT Legends of 9-ball Championship 1996 Camel World 9-ball Championship 1996 PBT Western Open 1996 PBT Florida Flare Up III 1995 Sands Regency Open 21 Nine-ball Championship 1995 PBT World 8 Ball Championship 1995 Pro Tour 9-ball Championship 1995 Maine 14.1 Event 1995 Bicycle Club VII 1994 US Open 9-ball Championship 1994 PBT Bicycle Club Invitational 1992 International 9-ball Classic 1992 World 9-ball Open (Tokyo) 1990 World Cup (Taipei) 1988 PBA McDermott Masters 9-ball 1986 Sands Regency 9-ball Championship 1985 Sands Regency 9-ball Championship 1985 Red's 9-ball Open 1985 Tar Heel Open 1985 Willard's Open 1985 Chicago Billiard Cafe Open He is a recepient of the following awards: Philippine Legion of Honor Philippine Order of Lakandula -Champion for Life Award Outstanding Filipino Awardee of the Jaycees Philippine Sportswriters Association-Sportsman of the Year, 1999, 2001 and 2006 Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame, 2003 One Pocket Hall of Fame,2004 &content_popup=Are you familiar with the sport of billiards? Maybe you have heard the name Efren "Bata" Reyes on the streets of your community, or on radio and television. You might even have watched him play the game on TV. Who is this person fondly called "Bata"? Efren Reyes was born on August 26, 1954 in Mexico, Pampanga. He is the middle son among nine children-five boys and four girls. Did you know that Efren Reyes came from a poor family? His father worked as a barber. When he was five years old, his family sent him to his uncle who owned the lucky 134 pool hall in Avenida, Manila. There he worked as a billiard attendant. He didn't play until he was eight. He learned from watching hustlers the, movie stars and the celebrities who frequented his uncle's billiard hall. Efren also learned in his dreams, as he slept on the billiard table. When he started playing billiards he stacked three cases of coke and stood on them so he could play the game. After making a shot, he would move the cases around the table to make another shot. At the age of 12, his rich Chinese friends took him to different places like Bulacan, Olongapo and Angeles for vacations. There, they would play billiards. He once beat the number two guy in the Philippines at that time. At age 16, he became the best player in the Philippines. Efren Reyes played billiard to support his family since he dropped out of second year high school. There came a moment in his life when he had no one to compete with in the country. Everyone who played billiard knew that he was the best. But his first few international competitions were very unfortunate for him since his sponsors tricked him. They never gave him his share of his prize. In 1998, he was financed by an American named Archibald Mitchell, and he finally made money. Then in 1999, Efren became famous internationally through the financial support of Jose Puyat, who owns the AMF-Puyat billiard and bowling centers in Manila. Mr. Jose Puyat paid for the expenses of Efren and other members of the Philippine team which was formed to compete in tournaments in the United States. Let us take a look at "Bata" Reyes' accomplishments in the sport of billiards. They include the following: In 1995, while in the United States for 6 months, he won an incredible six tournaments and pocketed over $80,000. These six tournaments were: the Sand Reagent 9-Ball in Reno, Nevada The Prestigious Bicycle club 9-Ball invitational in Los Angeles The World 8-Ball Championships in Las Vegas The World Straight Pool Championship in Bangor, Maine The Pro-Tour Championship 9-Ball in Owensboro, Kentucky The Legend 9-Ball in Los Angeles He placed fifth in the World Championships of 9-Ball in Norfolk, Virginia (1995) He became the International Player of the Year (1995), World Number 1 Player of the Year (1999),World 9-Ball Tournament Champion (1999, Cardiff, Wales) Do you know why Efren Reyes is called "the Magician"? He earned the nickname from other know billiard players in the world, who were very impressed by the incredible shots he was able to make during his tournaments. Some of these shots often made him the winner of such tournaments. Efren Reyes will be truly remembered as the man who has bested all in the game of billiards. He has proven to the world that being poor is no barrier to success. For he become the number one player in the world despite his poverty.