The More Things Change

Lee did the bulk of her work in the Horseshoe Casino's action room. (Photo by Mike Fieldhammer)

ONE OF the most surprising victories at the 2010 DCC wasn't some Joe Schmoe from Sandusky beating Johnny Archer in 9-ball or Efren Reyes in one-pocket. Rather it was Jeanette Lee, the most widely known pool player on the planet, winning an award for playing a bunch of less than household names.

Finding a money game (or two) just about every night, Lee was the dominant presence in the four-table action room upstairs from the main arena. Her efforts led to her being voted winner of the Louie Roberts Action & Entertainment Award.

The honor was first given in 2003 as a cooperative effort between DCC organizers and Internet forum members, whose voting determines the winner. Open to anyone - player, backer or railbird - the Louie Roberts Award is a way of recognizing the "other side" of the DCC, the near-24-hour money games that are a big part of Derby City.

The memories of a certain year or certain night are linked to referencing a big-money match as often as a tournament final. And from the start of the 2010 event, Lee began to search out money games with the help of her appropriately named action agent "Strong Arm" John. Night after night, she'd be tucked away in the action room, battling road veterans such as Larry Price and Richie Richeson. Lee jumped into the action to sharpen her game, a means of putting herself up against competition she might not otherwise face.

"I wanted to go up against the big boys and battle," she said. "I won some and I lost some, so you know I'm not a lock-up artist. It was just about the excitement and about pushing myself to improve."

But her healthy thirst for action had the unintended consequence of opening up the action room - somewhat of an old-boys club by reputation - to a much broader audience.

"My stock in her as a player went up," Sullivan said. "Her picture being up there [on the banner of past winners], I think it says that the action is not all that bad. That's what pool is about."

While Lee said she's received a huge majority of positive feedback from her starring role in the action room, detractors, many of whom may have viewed Lee as an outsider in society with an established order, were still present. "There are always going to be people who just don't like me," she said. "But there's always talk of 'how would she do against the guys?' Well, now they got to see it."

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