Jose Parica

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Jose Parica
Jose "Amang" Parica
Born	(1949-04-18) April 18, 1949 (age 72) La Puente, California, U.S.
Occupation	Professional pool player

Jose Parica (born April 18, 1949 in La Puente, California, U.S.)^[1] is a Filipino professional pool player from Manila, nicknamed "Amang" (Tagalog for "uncle") and "the Giant Killer." As a Philippine Hall of Famer, he was a part of the "Filipino invasion" in the United States in the late 70s, especially in the game of nine-ball. Also known as "the King" and "the Legend" in Philippine pool, Parica was one of the most devastating offensive weapons in billiards. He became the World Player of the Year in 1997. He was the first player to shoot a perfect game of 1,000 points, which was a World Record in 9-Ball race to 11 format. He was the only Filipino to win all major final titles against his Filipino counterparts.

Early Years[]

Jose “Amang” Parica had to pull a stool every time it was his turn to make a shot when he first played billiards at his father’s billiard hall in Blumentritt back in the Philippines. He was just seven years old when he first struck a cue ball with a cue that was much longer than he was, on a billiard table that was just as high as he was. Parica literally grew up with a cue in his hands. Parica sharpened his skills in the billiard halls his father owned in Blumentritt and in Sta. Cruz in Manila. Soon, he was beating much older people. He had won all the tournaments that had to be won in the Philippines, but he felt he still did not earn the recognition he felt he deserve. Finally, in 1975, he got his break.

Japan Sojourn[]

A Japanese billiard player and promoter was looking for a Filipino player to compete in a tournament in Japan, and went looking for a guy known only as “Amang.” Word got around fast, and soon Parica was on his way to Japan for his first major tournament outside the Philippines. By then, Parica was already 25. He bagged fourth place in the Tokyo International Open that year, and got invited to the tournament every year.

1976-1994[]

In 1976, Parica, hoping to get a better deal for Filipino billiard players, organized the Philippine Pocket Billiards Association and he became its first president.

In 1978, he got enough sponsors to compete in his first-ever tournament in the United States, the World Open Straight Pool Championship. He was the only Filipino in the tournament, and got the attention of the billiard world by placing in a tie for 9th to 12th places.

Parica competed under the Men’s Professional Billiards Association for years, but did not win a U.S. title until 1986, when he won the World Open 9 Ball Clyde Childress in Lexington. He followed it up with a victory in the World Classic Cup title in Aurora, Illinois.

In 1987, Parica went back to the Philippines to display new skills he had learned from the world’s best players, and to encourage Filipino players to compete in the prestigious and financially-rewarding U.S. billiard circuit. Parica had blazed the trail, and had actually paved the way with gold by gaining respect from the Filipino players. He wanted other Filipinos to follow his trail to world success.

Soon, Filipino players Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante joined Parica in lording over the American circuit. Without realizing it, Parica had led what American billiard aficionados call the “Filipino Invasion.”

Parica had won close to 100 tournaments in the U.S., 13 in Japan, and three in the Philippines (all Philippine Open in 1980, 1989 and 1992). In 1988, Parica dominated the Japanese circuit, winning the championship in eight of nine tournaments he competed in, and placing second in the only tournament he did not win. That same year, he won the World Pro Tournament, the biggest and richest tournament in that time, by beating arch-rival Efren “Bata” Reyes 9-3 in the finals. The tournament was played in Tokyo and had 900 players. Parica earned the first prize of ¥5,000,000 (approximately US$41,000). That year, Parica had total winnings of US$289,000.

Parica owned one of the most revered records in billiards. He was the only player to win a perfect a game of 9-ball under race-to-11 format without misses, scratches or anything considered a flaw.

He won three more tournaments in 1989, but the star of “Bata” Reyes was beginning to shine brighter than his. As Reyes began to shine, Parica began to fade. In 1994, Parica married Aurora and retired from active competition. He had a lot of savings from his billiard earnings, and he decided he did not want to travel constantly anymore.

His Comeback[]

Parica was content with playing billiards privately and wading in the pool of his 5-bedroom house in West Covina, until one day, while they were in Las Vegas, Aurora overheard a Filipino say Efren “Bata” Reyes is the best Filipino player ever, and that Reyes could beat any Filipino, including Parica. Reyes had been named Player of the Year in 1995. Aurora told Parica what she heard, and convinced him to play competitively again, just to prove that he is not yet over the hill. Parica took it as a challenge and as a go-signal from his wife to resume his suspended billiards career.

In late 1996, Parica resumed playing in the U.S. circuit. He lost twice to Reyes that year, and also lost to American ace Johnny Archer, who emerged Player of the Year in 1996. But Parica still managed to win four tournaments that year, against Reyes’ three.

Parica showed his fighting heart by coming back in 1997 to beat Reyes six in a row, and Archer seven times. Parica won five tournaments that year and emerged No. 1 in world ratings. Parica even won the Camel Overall Bonus of $50,000. He proved he was still among the best in the world by being chosen Player of the Year in 1997 by three award-giving bodies — Billiards magazine, Billiards Digest magazine, and the Camel Pro Billiards Series (the richest and most prestigious circuit in the US at that time).

Parica and Reyes faded again in 1998, as the rising Francisco “Django” Bustamante dominated the circuit, by winning three of the Camel Circuit’s eight legs, and placing second in two. Bustamante won the Player of the Year honors that year.

After three tournaments in the Camel Circuit, Parica is running ninth with 130 points, while Bustamante is sixth with 170 points. Reyes, who missed one tournament when he represented the Philippines in Brunei, was way below with 80 points. Reyes, however, was expected to come back strong after winning the World 9-Ball Open in London in early August.

Parica finished in a tie for 7th and 8th in the first leg in Kansas, 13th in Atlanta, and 32nd in Las Vegas, which Reyes missed.

With his convincing victory in the Compton event, where six of the seven Filipinos who competed finished in the money list, Parica was one of the players to watch in the next leg at Nashville, Tennessee starting Sept. 14, and later at the prestigious U.S. Open in Houston, Texas on Sept. 25-26.

Forty-three years and more than 100 championships later, Parica was still literally living in the world of billiards, still slugging it out with the best of them. Less than a week ago, Parica proved once and for all that he was still one of the best players in the world, in a sport he had dominated in the Philippines in decades, and in the world for more than a decade. He won the $40,000 First Western Open 9-Ball Championship at the Crystal Park Casino and Hotel in Compton, beating Francisco Bustamante in the finals, 15-12.

At 50, Parica should have been playing in the seniors tour, if there was one, but he continues to dominate much younger players from the Philippines, the United States and the world.

In 2006, Parica participated in the IPT North American Open 8-Ball Championship held at Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was eliminated right at the first round. He won US$2,000.00 for his effort. He faired better at the IPT World Open 8-Ball Championship that took place at Reno, Nevada, where he reached the 4th round and won US$22,322.00.

Years before, Parica has been known to have bested Efren Reyes countless times, especially in money matches. During his prime, from the 1970s to the mid-1990s, Parica wasn't just a dominant player but a well-admired figure of the Philippine public.

Allegations of Crime[]

In the early 1990s, Parica attacked a man who he said was troubling his wife. The battered man had a different story, stating that Parica robbed him of his belongings. Parica was imprisoned for one day. After paying fines and testifying in court, Parica won the case and was released.^[2]

Heightened rivalry towards Reyes[]

After Reyes won the World 9-ball Championship in 1999 and numerous event later, Reyes was enshrined to the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 2003. This appeared to be too much to Parica's dismay. He felt that his great achievements in past have been forgotten because of Reyes. He also believed that he should also be in the hall of fame. With this, he did whatever he could to regain the limelight. Due to this in 2014 Parica was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 2014, at the age of 64.

Titles[]

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jose Parica.

• Industry profile of Parica
• Another industry profile of parica
• Fansite profile of Parica
• Another fansite profile of Parica