Andy Segal

Andy Segal (born April 14, 1968) is a Trick Shot Champion from Huntington, NY. He began as a professional 9-Ball player in the 1990s, playing out of Amsterdam Billiards in New York City, and learning from top professionals like Tony Robles and George "Ginky" San Souci. He was a regular on the Camel Pro Billiard Series, and during these competitions, he would often perform Trick Shot shows for both players and spectators.

A number of years earlier, he met the great Trick Shot artist Mike Massey and by the early 2000s, he was concentrating more on Trick Shots than 9-Ball. In 2002, he was asked to compete in a professional Trick Shot competition, The North American Championship, and after a 4th-place finish, he stayed in that discipline. Best known for his television appearances on ESPN, he has won many televised competitions such as Trick Shot Magic (2009, 2010 & 2014), The World Cup of Trick Shots (2006, 2008 & 2009), The WPA World Artistic Pool Championship (2007, 2011 & 2012) and The Masters Championship (2005, 2007 & 2009).^[1][2]

In addition to performing Trick Shot exhibitions all over the world, he is also a sleight of hand magician, and trains weekly at mixed martial arts.

Early life

Andy Segal was born and raised in Queens, NY. He attended Elementary School PS 196 and Halsey Junior High School before going to Stuyvesant High School in New York City. He was an active member of the Debating Team, and towards the end of his high school years, became interested in pool.

After high school, he attended Carnegie Mellon University, where he studied math and computer science. While there, he spent some time teaching at the University of Pittsburgh Billiards Club, where he met his girlfriend Kimberly Segal. On September 2, 1995, the two were married and less than four years later had their daughter Jessica Segal. They moved to Huntington, NY where they currently reside.

Career

Computer Programmer

In 1991, Andy Segal graduated from college and went on to work in Wall Street in the IT department of Merrill Lynch. After about a year and a half, he started working for Sony Music, but then moved back into the financial world only one year later. Eventually he found himself back in Wall Street, working for Standard & Poor's. Segal was currently working there when the September 11 attacks occurred.

In 2005, Andy Segal switched to a company closer to his home in Long Island, and started working for Adecco. He spent about 2 years there before he decided to go into pool full-time.

Professional Pool Player

While working full-time in the computer field, Segal spend his evenings and weekends playing pool at Amsterdam Billiards in New York City. A few of the top players were from that area, and he worked with and learned from two of them, Tony Robles and George "Ginky" San Souci.^[3] He was an active player on the Camel Pro Billiard Tour, playing both 8-Ball, 9-Ball and 10-Ball. He was also a player on the Tri-State Tour and the Joss Tour. During these tournaments, he would often perform for players and spectators, doing Trick Shot exhibitions and magic. Segal also performed at private parties around the New York City area, and while working with Blatt Billiards, performed an exhibition at Grand Central Terminal.

In 2002, Andy Segal was approached and asked if he would be interested in playing in a trick shot competition. The North American Artistic Pool Championship was held at Hippo's Billiards in Utica, NY, and Segal finished 4th.^[4] That got him invited to the 2003 WPA World Artistic Pool Championships in Kiev, Ukraine. During that competition, Andy Segal finished 5th and won 2 gold medals in both the Bank/Kick and Jump disciplines.^[5]

In September 2003, a trick shot artist by the name of Bogdan Wolkowski (Poland) injured his arm and had to drop out of the ESPN Trick Shot Magic competition. 6 days before the event, Matt Braun,^[6] promoter and producer of that event, called Segal and asked if he could fill the open spot. He agreed and spent those 6 days coming up with trick shots to use against the veterans like the then 2x champion Mike Massey. He travelled to Baltimore, MD and played his first round match against Italian trick shot artist Stefano Pelinga. After that win, he moved on to 2001 World Champion Charles Darling from Missouri. That match, which ended in a tie breaker which requires both players to shoot the cue ball 8 rails and land on a $100 bill. The closest player to the bill wins, and Segal landed the cue ball about an inch away. In the finals, he ran up against the former champion Mike Massey, who handed him his only defeat and a second-place finish in his first televised event.^[7]

Andy Segal's first major win came in 2004 at the Northeast Championship,^[8] held at Shooter's Billiards in Southington, Connecticut. Later that year, he won another in Las Vegas (2004 Las Vegas Open).^[9] He also won the 2005,^[10] 2007^[11] & 2009^[12] Masters Championship, held at the Super Billiards Expo, and three World Titles (2007, 2011 & 2012).^[13][14] His first World Title in 2007 was in St. Petersburg, Russia at The Lider Club. He beat Poland champion Luke Szywala in the semi-finals and Argentina champion Sebastian Giumelli in the finals.^[15] In 2011, the World Championship was held in Valley Forge, PA where he beat Romanian Gabi Visoiu in the semi-finals and fellow American Jamey Gray in the finals.^[16] He successfully defended his title in 2012 when he beat Canadian Nick Nikolaidis for his third World Title.^[17][18]

Throughout his trick shot career, the one title that eluded him was ESPN's Trick Shot Magic. In 2009, at the ESPN Zone at New York New York Casino in Las Vegas, NV,^[19] Andy Segal captured that one as well, defeating Sebastian Giumelli from Argentina, a repeat of the 2007 World Championships.^[20] He then went on to defend his title in 2010 at the Green Valley Ranch Casino in Henderson, NV against former World Champion Jamey Gray.^[21]

In 2006, he was invited to play in the first World Cup of Trick Shots, which matched up the best from America with the best from Europe. Segal is now the captain of Team USA. This event films every year in October at Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut.

Television & Film

Throughout his pool/billiard career, Andy Segal worked in the television and film industry. He did trick shots for various commercials, including AT&T, All Detergent and a 12-week teaser series on Spike TV called Bikini Pool Shark.^[22][23] He also worked as technical advisor for the Woody Allen film Sweet and Lowdown, starring Sean Penn and Uma Thurman.^[24][25] A number of years later, he booked a spot on Good Morning America with Chris Cuomo,^[26] and was also featured in National Geographic's 'Amazing' and two 3D shows by Comcast called 'Spin Doctors' and 'The Wondrous World of Artistic Pool'.^[27]

In 2011, Andy Segal joined The Screen Actors Guild (now SAG-AFTRA), and appeared in one film (The Dictator), and some television shows (Pan Am, Person of Interest, Damages and Boardwalk Empire).

Titles & Achievements

2012 WPA World Artistic Pool Champion^[28]

2011 WPA World Artistic Pool Champion^[29]

2011 Duel of Champions^[30]

2011 Las Vegas Ultimate Trick Shot Tour Champion^[31]

2010 Southeast Classic Champion^[32]

2010 Trick Shot Magic Champion^[33]

2009 World Cup of Trick Shots Champion^[34]

2009 Trick Shot Magic Champion^[35]

2009 Las Vegas Ultimate Trick Shot Tour Champion^[36]

2009 Masters Champion^[37]

2008 World Cup of Trick Shots Champion^[38]

2008 Dr. Cue Artistic Cup Champion^[39]

2007 WPA World Artistic Pool Champion^[40]

2007 Masters Champion^[41]

2006 World Cup of Trick Shots Champion^[42]

2005 Comet Classic Champion^[43]

2005 Masters Champion^[44]

2004 Las Vegas Open Champion^[45]

2004 Northeastern Open Champion^[46]

World Record Holder^[47]

Most Trick Shot Tournament Wins^[48]

Most Discipline Medal Wins^[49]

Technical Advisor for Sweet and Lowdown|"Sweet & Lowdown" (1999)]] -- A film starring Woody Allen & Sean Penn.

Appeared on Good Morning America—December 2007 ^[50]

Filmed a 12-week series called Bikini Pool Shark for Spike TV.^[51][52]

Filmed 60 pool and trick shot instructional videos for HowCast.com ^[53]

Filmed 30 trick shot instructional videos for MonkeySee.com ^[54]

References