FEATURE DESCRIPTOR JERRY FORSYTH THEGREATEST AfterA 50 Classic Tour wins, it’s time to talk about ’s place among other sports legends. Story by Mason King

T’S TIME we stopped comparing Allison onymous with consistent excellence dia have. And it’s pretty phenomenal. Fisher to Jean Balukas, and started and utter dominance. Solely on the basis of her Classic Tour Icomparing her to Roger Federer. “I can’t believe what I’ve achieved,” titles, Fisher is already in the same ball- And Martina Navratilova. And Tiger Fisher, 39, told BD in September, claim- park as the top active tennis players Fe- Woods. And Annika Sorenstam. ing that she wasn’t keeping track of her derer and Lindsay Davenport, and ’s Fisher has put together a record- titles until recently being prodded by Woods and Sorenstam (see graphic on breaking, opponent-crushing, trophy- the billiard media. page 57). She has surpassed the top hoisting run over 24 years in “I think that is what you’ll fi nd about names in bowling, such as 48-year-old that rivals that of any athlete in any successful people — they don’t live in Walter Ray Williams Jr., who logged his sport. Not that anyone outside of the past,” she said. “It’s being very pres- 42nd pro tour win in 2006. has noticed. ent. You’re only as good as your last While not exactly apples-to-apples, Take Federer, for example. The 26- game. I think staying in the present is the sports of golf, tennis and bowling year-old Swiss steamroller seized his important to do well in anything, and are among the best comparisons to 50th singles tennis title on Aug. 19. It not to dwell on what you’ve done. women’s pool. In all four sports, the received the usual accolades and scruti- “For me, it’s about pride in the per- athletes compete individually on estab- ny — features in all the major newspa- formance, really, and always trying to lished tours with sizable fi elds. pers, a shout-out on SportsCenter. Pun- bring out your best game.” One could argue that the talent pool dits asked, “Is he the greatest ever?” The ability to focus on the quality is shallower in the WPBA than in other Just two weeks earlier on Aug. 5, of the performance, instead of getting sports. Big bucks, after all, tend to bring Fisher had scored her 50th title on the hung up on nerves and trophies, is an more competitors to a sport, and golf WPBA Classic Tour at the U.S. Open essential trait of championship-caliber fi elds, for example, are often at least in Lincoln, R.I. It didn’t exactly make athletes, according to JoAnn Dahlkoet- twice the size of the 64-player roster the newswires, although you’ll eventu- ter Ph.D., a prominent sports psycholo- for a WPBA event. But also consider ally be able to see it on ESPN when the gist and author of the book “Your Per- that most pro tours have much more taped broadcast airs at 4:30 p.m., Oct. forming Edge.” extensive schedules than the WPBA’s 14. “It’s crucial for top athletes, when it seven- to 12-event seasons over the last The national media’s third-class treat- comes down to the fi nal game or few 12 years. ment of pool is a whole other story. The strokes, to have the ability to stay in the Fisher has put up impressive numbers point is that Allison Fisher deserves to moment,” Dahlkoetter said. “It’s being with fewer opportunities. She has com- be in the same conversation as Federer able to say, ‘I’m not going to think about peted in 105 Classic Tour events since and Woods and Navratilova and all the the outcome, but only the process.’” joining the 9-ball tour in late 1995, and other elite champions who have tran- Fisher might not be tracking her re- she has won 50 of them. That’s a win- scended their sports and become syn- cord too closely, but we folks in the me- ning percentage of almost 48 percent, 56 BILLIARDS DIGEST October 2007

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which is competitive with other sports THE ALL-STARS That mindset comes in handy in pres- stars, to say the least. Woods, the most HERE’S HOW Fisher stacks up sure situations. “I pick one thing to dominant men’s golfer of all time, clocks against dominant champions who are focus on. It might be something in my in at about 26 percent for his PGA career still active, and the record-holders in mechanics.” (59 wins in 228 events). Sorenstam won • Internal motivation and self-direc- GREATEST their respective sports. an unprecedented 41.3 percent of her tion. “Champion athletes decide early [(r) Retired; * Record for gender/ events during a torrid period from 2000 on that they are training and competing tour; fi gures as of Sept. 7] to 2005 (43 titles in 104 events). for themselves,” Dahlkoetter said. “It’s And Fisher’s pool career is just half not necessarily for coaches or parents ALLISON FISHER, 39 of the story. The native Brit enjoyed or for the medals. The direction and a commanding 12-year professional WPBA titles: 50* drive needs to come from within. Top career before stepping foot in Pro snooker titles: 90 (approx.) athletes [are doing] exactly what they the United States. Her resume from that GOLF want to be doing.” period includes seven singles world ti- Fisher fi nds motivation and value in • Annika Sorenstam, 37 tles, four world titles in doubles events, her ability to excel. “I love going out LPGA titles: 69 and roughly 80 other titles. (Fisher’s there and giving my best performance,” • Tiger Woods, 31 record-keeping from this era is a bit she said. “I love competing. I love the spotty.) PGA titles: 59 competition. It’s giving your best per- Like most of the big names under con- • Kathy Whitworth, 68 (r) formance under pressure.” sideration here, Fisher also has a passel LPGA titles: 88* Gerda Hofstatter, a longtime friend and of international and invitational titles • Sam Snead (deceased) fellow Classic Tour member, admires to her name, including four WPA world PGA titles: 82* Fisher’s continued competitive fi re in 9-ball crowns. If you just add those four the face of improving competition. TENNIS to the tally, Fisher counts about 140 “She has to fi ght a lot harder to get professional singles titles. • Roger Federer, 26 where she wants to,” Hofstatter said That number puts her near Navrati- Singles titles: 50 during the EnjoyPool.com 9-Ball lova, widely considered to be the most • Lindsay Davenport, 31 Championships in May. “There are new accomplished female athlete of the last Singles titles: 51 players, younger players putting pres- 30 years. The Czech tennis legend won • Jimmy Conners, 55(r) sure on her. And I think she’s feeling it. 167 singles titles out of 380 singles Singles titles: 109* But what I love about Allison is that she tournaments entered — or 44 percent. • Martina Navratilova, 51 (r) rises up to the challenge and loves the That tally of singles titles is a record for Singles titles: 167* challenge.” all of tennis. Her winning percentage in She noted Fisher’s excitement after singles matches was about 87 percent. BOWLING beating 21-year-old Unfortunately, the WPBA doesn’t • Lisa Wagner, 46 (r) in the semifi nal of the EnjoyPool.com have readily available records for all of PWBA titles: 32* event, after the Austrian had beaten her its tournaments, but given the number • Walter Ray Williams Jr., 48 twice previously. of events won by Fisher and the mere PBA titles: 42* “Isn’t it nice to see that after all these handful of times she has fi nished out- years and all these titles, she still gets ex- side the top four, she has likely posted cited about doing well in competition?” a winning percentage of at least 85 per- I really don’t give up. There are times Hofstatter said. “It’s in her blood.” cent. Even in Navratilova’s company, that you will feel a little weak, and oth- Fisher only recently started paying Fisher looks pretty good. ers where you are like, ‘Eh, it’s not my close attention to other top athletes, Aside from sharing similar records day.’ But there is always a chance. … I like Woods and Federer. The experi- with some of the most dominant ath- do have a very strong will.” ence has been inspirational. letes in history, Fisher also shares many • Focusing on process, not outcome. “I think that has been good for me and of the same personal characteristics Dahlkoetter tells a story about Olympic very healthy to see other people who that make champions. triathlete Dan O’Brien, who was leading are at the highest level in their sport. Dahlkoetter has boiled down these an event but got wrapped up in the ex- It has been good to see their reactions traits after more than two decades citement: “It took his focus away from along the way, and their journey in that working with professional and Olympic what he had to do for that fi nal jump, tournament. How they carry them- athletes. They include: and he ended up blowing it.” On the selves, how they do it from the begin- • Dealing with adversity. “Top athletes fl ip side, she points to an Olympic pole ning to the middle to the end. That has know how to deal with a diffi cult situ- vaulter who uses visualization tech- helped me. Like Federer’s comeback at ation,” Dahlkoetter said. “They know niques to break down and focus on the Wimbledon this year. That is real fi ght how to make a comeback when they’re raw mechanics of the jump. and desire. losing. When they know the odds are Fisher is famous for concentrating on “I think they are people who want against them, they embrace the chance stroke fundamentals: “That is defi nitely to bring out their best performance. to explore the limits of their potential.” me. I’ve been working on mechanics They’re like me and what I do. It’s not Fisher concurs: “I think one of my since I was a teenager. It certainly has necessarily in the winning and the los- biggest qualities is that I never give up. given me consistency in performance.” ing. It’s the performance.” October 2007 BILLIARDS DIGEST 57

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