Jimmy Mataya

Jimmy Mataya is an American professional pool player, nicknamed "Pretty Boy Floyd".

Jimmy "Pretty Boy Floyd" Mataya

"Pretty Boy Floyd", as he loves to be called, started shooting pool at age 11. Within a few years was playing exhibitions with Willie Mosconi. He then won three consecutive Michigan State Championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968. At 21, he won the 1971 World 9-Ball Championships and went on in 1972 to win the World All Championship, becoming the youngest player in the history of the game to win back to back world titles. A member of the Michigan State Sports Hall of Fame. [1]

In 1982, Jimmy Mataya, 31, wed Ewa Svensson, 17, of Sweden (who was later inducted into Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame as Ewa Mataya Laurance in 2004), forming pool's first "power couple". Their daughter Nikki was born in 1985. Jimmy and Ewa later divorced.[2]

Mataya enjoys other games of stake. In 1991, he was seen leaving Las Vegas in a brand-new Cadillac, courtesy of the Sahara Casino.[3] In that same year Snap Magazine published an "...in-depth interview with Mataya, who offered many tips for young players and talked about his vision for the future of the sport."[4]

Professional career
  • 1977 Dayton Open Eight-ball Championship
  • 1982 Port Angeles Open

Former world champion with over 30 major titles.[5]

Filmography

When Mataya left the professional pool tournament trail, he was chosen to be a commentator for pool matches because of his knowledge of the game and his comedic style that entertains the audience. "To add more color to an already colorful show, Mataya was selected as a co-commentator with Danny Diliberto at the 2004 Derby City Classic Nine-ball Ring Game in Louisville, Kentucky, the first ring game produced for broadcast.[6]

  • "McDermott Masters VII Finals in Las Vegas," Accu-Stats, Earl Strickland vs. Jimmy Mataya, May 23, 1991
  • Secrets of Pool Hustling (video, 1989), as himself
  • Pool the Master's Way (video, 1989), as himself, with Steve Mizerak and Ewa Mataya
  • The Color of Money (1986), as Julian's friend in the green room
  • The Baltimore Bullet (1980), as himself
  • Vega$: "The Usurper" Sept. 26, 1979, as himself

References
  2. Geffner, Mike. "Everybody Loves Ewa", Billiards Digest, page 52, April 2004
  3. "Billy's Briefs", The Snap Magazine, page 7, September/October 1991, published by OTS Publications, a division of Billiard Enterprises of Florida
  4. July/August, 1991 issue of The Snap.
  5. Pool and Billiard Magazine, December 1987
  6. Billiards Club Network, 2004 Derby City Classic Nine-ball Ring Game, Louisville, Kentucky
  • Mataya, Jimmy; Medina, Danny. The Hustle
  • King, Mason. "Three-Ring Circus", Billiards Digest, March 2004
  • "Ewa Mataya Laurance: BCA 2004 Hall of Fame Inductee", On the Break News, 2004
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