Every year, thousands travel to Southern Indiana to play in the Derby City Classic. This annual event hosts a number of disciplines, including One-Pocket (9-Ball Banks), 9-Ball Banks, and the BIGFOOT 10-ball challenge (10-ball).
1998 was the year that the Derby City Classic began. The tournament's creator, Greg Sullivan, was a lifelong fan of the Johnston City Hustler's Jamboree of the 1960s. Sullivan contracted with the Pantone Company to research the optimum color for pool cloth, and the Pantone Company's testing resulted in Tournament Blue becoming the prevalent color in professional tournaments today.
2003 was the second year of the event. The tournament was sponsored by the World Pool Alliance, and featured a number of top players. The tournament began with nine-ball banks, followed by the one-pocket and then the BIGFOOT 10-ball challenge. The tournament took place at the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, Indiana. The event included a number of vendors, ring games, and cash games. The tournament took place on 53 9-foot Diamond tables.
The tournament featured a number of players who were in the field for their first Derby City Classic appearance. The tournament was not the only event. There were also special events such as the Diamond Ten-Foot Challenge, which featured a small field with pros. The challenge is played on five-foot-by-ten-foot tables. The winner is awarded $16,000 and the winners of the nine-ball banking and one-pocket contests each get $8,000. BIGFOOT's 10-ball challenge was the first event in the Derby City Classic. It is a small field with professionals competing for the title BIGFOOT champion.
The third event was held in 2006. The tournament featured many players who had played in their first Derby City Classic event. Corey Deuel, Dennis Grabe, and Lee Vann all played well in the 9-ball bank and one-pocket events. Other players were not as successful. Darren Appleton performed well enough in the One-Pocket to take third place. Appleton was also able to use his algorithm well in Derby Cup, where he earned a third place finish.
Last year's event was held in 2015. Many players were in the tournament for their first Derby City Classic event. Corey Deuel, Darren Appleton, Lee Vann, and Joshua Filler all did well in the Derby City Classic. In the one-pocket, Darren Appleton and Joshua Filler played well enough to earn a third place finishing. They were joined by the likes of Efren Reyes, Mika, and Shane VanBoening.
The annual pool tournament, the Derby City Classic, is held at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino Elizabeth, IN. There are many disciplines to the competition, including nine-ball bank, one-pocket and BIGFOOT 10-ball. The event is held in January. Tickets will be available beginning January 20th. Tickets can be purchased through the Derby City Classic office located at the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino and Hotel. To purchase tickets, you must have a valid photo identification.