Calderone, president of the National Wheelchair Poolplayers Association, was the first ever wheelchair player to participate in the able-bodied WPA Championships. He qualified for the event by winning the gold in the World Wheelchair Games World 9-Ball Championship in Christchurch, New Zealand in Mid-October. The games were a precursor to the Wheelchair Olympics, and Calderone's win entitled him to take one of the wild-card positions for the WPA Championships.

"This is the first time they have done something like this," Caldrone said. "It's all for the Olympic movement. We are all trying to get into the games for 2004. We're all trying to work together for it."

Not only does Calderone feel his appearance in the WPA Championships is good for the Olympic relations, he feels it is also good for wheelchair athletes world-wide. Since Calderone is the first wheelchair player in the event, many of the international fans and audiences will get a glimpse of the athletes he represents for the first time.

"The fans have been supportive," he said. "Once they see we can play a little bit, they get behind us. That's the thing about public awareness. A lot of people don't thing we can do the same things as everyone else. This helps us prove to them that we can."

Calderone kept up with his first opponent, Germany's Peter, pulling out three games ahead. Haidinger responded by stalling Calderone at five games. Haidinger finished the game 11-5. In his next match Thursday night, Calderone faced Martin Correia from Great Britain. Calderone kept Correia on his feet literally, forcing the player to trade games. Tied at six games, Calderone lost his way, and Correia won the match. The loss knocked Calderone out of the tournament. "I didn't expect to win," he said. "There are a lot of great players out here. Johnny Archer, all the players from Japan. I came here to make a statement more than less."

Calderone has played pool since his childhood, and when he was injured in Vietnam 30 years ago, he started playing more competitively. He said he's seen a lot more interest in the game from other wheelchair athletes with the more exposure they get.

"I've been talking with a lot of the lady pros, and they told me how much they struggled when they came here. Now they're almost better off than the men. I feel we can do this."