Tres Kane
Cut his teeth at the Golden 8 Ball in the mid-1980s, introduced to a higher level of play on 9-foot tables. Later inducted into the Arizona Billiard Hall of Fame.
People
The people who built it, played it, and remember it.
A pool room is its people. The Golden 8 Ball was shaped by the ones who built the tables, ran the action, and kept coming back night after night.
Founder & Builder
David Lee
David Lee founded the Golden 8 Ball at age 27 and, together with Danny DiLiberto, built it into the largest pool hall in the United States. The 1986 expansion brought the room to 16,800 square feet with 40 tables — a scale that matched Lee's ambition for what a billiards room could be.
Lee created more than a business. Tuxedo-shirt staff, immaculate conditions, and 24/7 access set a standard that players still reference when they describe what a serious room should feel like.
After the Golden 8 Ball closed, Lee eventually returned to billiards as General Manager of Metro Sportz Bar & Billiards, where he continues to run the room today. He was inducted into the Arizona Billiard Hall of Fame in 2024.
Much of Lee's personal memorabilia collection — photos, tournament records, ephemera — was lost after being lent to someone who never returned it. That loss is part of why this preservation project exists.
In his words
"Many a road player came through the Golden 8 Ball, but they became residents because they couldn't afford to leave."
Co-Builder & House Pro
Danny DiLiberto
Danny DiLiberto was not hired talent. He was instrumental in building what the Golden 8 Ball became, working alongside David Lee to create the room's identity and competitive culture. Weekly clinics, challenge matches, and an approachable manner that made beginners feel welcome and champions feel tested — that was Danny D.
He nurtured local talent, always offering tips to anyone willing to listen. His presence drew action and attention from across the country.
"Danny D. was one of the house pros. Constant action in there."
Born February 19, 1935, in Buffalo. Died February 11, 2025, at age 89. Inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame in 2011.
The Regulars
The players who made the room what it was, night after night.
Doug "Dapper" Hale
Known for taking on any challenger who walked through the door.
Roger Griffis
Went on to become a touring professional.
Lefty
Silent one-pocket master who dominated for years. If you walked in with a roll of cash and a bit of confidence, Lefty would walk out with both.
Eddie Brown
Popular bartender and a fixture of the room's social world.
Terry Osborne
Regular presence in the room's competitive culture.
Jay Reeve
Part of the core group that defined the room's identity.
Eric Young
Went on to run Stardust Billiards in Scottsdale.
Dana Hallet
One of the faces people remember when they remember the room.
The Visitors
Road players, champions, and characters who passed through.
A great pool room is defined not only by who stays but by who stops in. The Golden 8 Ball drew names from the national circuit and the road-player underground alike.
"What's a great pool room without a bit of depravity? That's right, a boring one." — CJ Wiley
Ronnie Allen
One-pocket guru. Played a famous 1988 match against Danny DiLiberto at the Golden 8 Ball, later released on DVD by Jay Helfert.
Keith "Earthquake" McCready
Trick-shot artist and legendary road player.
Nick Varner
Won the 1989 Golden 8-Ball Invitational. BCA Hall of Famer.
Dennis Hatch
Rising star who made his mark passing through.
CJ Wiley
Future world champion.
Bill "Beenie Weenie" Incardona
Road player and personality who added color to every room he entered.