In American billiards, Johnny Archer is a living legend. With a multitude of accomplishments in nearly all disciplines of the game, there is very little that I can add to the story of his legend. That is the reason I accepted this assignment, not only would I have to listen to my heart, but I would also have to find a story that defines Johnny Archer, not as the Scorpion, but as the man who is making his way through this life, as we all do. I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed the interview.
Johnny Archer was born to George Archer and Mary Lee Hester November 12, 1968 in Waycross, Georgia. One of five children, Johnny had two brothers and two sisters. His father was a hard working man and worked as an auto mechanic, he didn't recall what his mother did for a living.Their lives would change forever, when at the age of 6 years old, Johnny's mother passed away from breast cancer. As a youth growing up in the south, there were many opportunities for Johnny to get into trouble, but Johnny had a different idea and began playing pool at 12 years old. He is grateful for his mentor Chester Flynt. Johnny told me that Chester "kept me out of trouble, kept my nose forward." When not playing, Johnny watched the older players, whom he idolized: Buddy Hall, Nick Varner, and Mike Sigel were mentioned.
Johnny decided to make his professional debut at the ripe old age of 17 years. He would play straight pool for practice, but his true love was for rotation, especially 9 ball. To this day, he has won more titles in 9 ball than any other discipline. His performance throughout the 90s resulted in being named the Billiards Digest Player of the Decade. During that period, he won two WPA World 9 Ball Championships, in 1992 and 1997, and the US Open 9 Ball Championship in 1999. Not only did Johnny perform exceptionally well in singles, he has been a Mosconi Cup team member for a record, 16 years, since the events inception in 1994. (Earl Strickland is in second with 13 years.) Of those, the USA won the Cup in 94, 96, 97, 98, 99, 01, 03, 04, 05, 06, and 09, with Johnny being a critical part of those teams in every year that he had participated. This last year (2012), Johnny did not lose a single match that he played, however, Team Europe edged out the win 11-9 to retain the coveted Mosconi Cup. There is no doubt in anyone's mind that Johnny would have been named team MVP if the USA would have won. When speaking of the MVP award, Johnny spoke softly and graciously. "It would be an amazing honor, but it would mean that the USA had won, and that is what the Mosconi Cup is all about. It is the team, not the individual, that wins..."
In 2001, Johnny's life would change forever again because of a woman, this time it was young Melanie Wynne. Melanie was the niece of Brass Tap Billiards owner in Raleigh, North Carolina. Johnny was competing at a memorial tournament there and Melanie held him up at the door for the $10 spectators entry fee. Johnny told her he was one of the players competing and she let him through, but Johnny lingered longer as the attraction was immediate and all consuming. They made arrangements for their first date, it was dinner at Vincents Italian Cafe and a movie. Johnny and Melanie were married in 2002 and welcomed Johnny Jr into the world in 2004 and little miss Mary LeeAnne made the family complete a few years later. Johnny, Melanie, and the kids make their home in Acworth, GA.
In Johnny's words: "Melanie and the kids completed my life. I used to always be out on my own, no one to be accountable to or for. If I wanted to get up and play golf or eat a McDonalds cheeseburger, that is what I would do. I was like a dog chasing his tail, same thing different day. Now, everything matters. When I do make a serious decision, I choose what is best for all of us." Johnny's family and faith are what keep him strong and motivated to do well in all his endeavours. Real life stresses about finances and health care, loss of loved ones, and raising a family the best way that he can are all in the back of his mind at the end of the day.
Away from family and competition, Johnny is a coowner of the Marrieta Billiards Club with life long friend Kim Davenport. I have never been to the room, but from what I hear it is spectacular: onsite cue repair, forty 9 foot Brunswick, Olhausen, Diamond Pro, and Triple Shimmed Brunswicks, weekly pool and poker tournaments, APA, BCA, and Tap Leagues, the Scorpion Room is available for private parties, and Golden Tee, plus many more video games available. Top it off with a fantastic menu of down home grub and you really have no need to go anywhere else. It is on the top of my pool room bucket list, for sure!
In addition to family, competition, and running a business, Johnny is very involved in organizations within the professional billiards community. He is the president of the Association of Billiard Professionals (ABP) and is the captain of the Atlanta Scorpions Bonus Ball team with Shannon Daulton and Dennis Hatch as his teammates. Johnny and I discussed both organizations at length and he feels very strongly that the ABP is a critical component to unifying the players in a sport that has been well known for its divisiveness. The ABPs primary goals are to unify the sport with one voice and to make sure that the players are getting paid. By sanctioning events through the ABP, criteria and contracts can be established in advance to ensure funds are available for payouts.
The creation of Bonus Ball has been discussed, at length, in multiple forums and medias. When Johnny and I spoke of the game, it wasn't so much the format that he was promoting, it was more the idea that professional pool players could make a living at the sport that they love without being on the road for 48 weeks out of the year. Tournaments and traveling take a lot out of a player, especially those who are interested in having a family and other obligations. Bonus Ball is designed to get those players paychecks, get large corporate sponsorship of pool, and extend the careers of players by taking out the fast paced break and increasing strategic play. Although on a short term hiatus currently, I am hopeful that all of Johnnys' hopes for Bonus Ball success come true. Pool needs more players that want to improve the image of the sport, taking it more mainstream. These players have so much talent, it really is a shame that they have to struggle at all.
In closing, I asked Johnny if there were any sponsors he would like to thank for their support. He wanted to thank:
Scorpion Cues (20+ year sponsor, designed a line in Johnny's name)
Triangle Tips
Cuesticks International
Championship Billiard Fabric
My thanks to Sneaky Pete Mafia for providing me with the the opportunity to conduct such a complete and personal interview with one of the most iconic pool players in American history. I will be conducting more interviews with the magazine in the future, so please email me any questions or recommendations for future interviews at editor@sneakypetemafia.com
WPBA San Diego Classic 2009, Photo by Anne Craig
