Part 2 picks up as Ewa Mataya Laurance—“The Striking Viking”—plants her feet in America with one goal: play pool, and nothing else. From home in Michigan to road trips with her friend Vicky Frechen (Paski), Ewa relives the hustle behind the highlight reels: waitressing shifts, a brief—and doomed—stint in an insurance office (“How did you get here?”), and even landing a job at a Playboy Club, learning the bunny dip while trying to run racks on a bumper-pool table in costume.

But the real story is the turning points. Ewa opens up about becoming a young mother, the fear and responsibility that reshaped her life, and how that pressure changed her relationship with the game. Then comes the breakthrough: the gritty, smoke-thick Maverick Club scene, a title match versus Lori Shampo, and the moment 20 FBI agents storm the room mid-finals—forcing Ewa to fight not only for the trophy, but for the scoreline itself.

Along the way, Ewa, Allison Fisher, and Mark Wilson revisit the stars and influencers of the era—Belinda Bearden, LoreeJon, Gloria Walker, Vivian Villarreal, Billie Billing, Palmer Byrd, and more—painting a vivid picture of women’s pro pool before it went mainstream. Ewa also shares a surprising partnership with “Mr. Humble” Mike Sigel in a pioneering live doubles event, plus what it felt like to watch trailblazer Jean Balukas carry the weight of attention, controversy, and expectation on national TV on ESPN—right up to the $200 fine that became her exit line.

Outside the arena, a Brunswick sponsorship arrives just as Ewa’s marriage fractures—raising the stakes on every rack as she chases big wins like her U.S. Open titles of the late ’80s. And in a fascinating behind-the-scenes chapter, she details the ambitious (and messy) attempt to unite men and women under one tour umbrella—the early blueprint that foreshadowed modern professional pool.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this first chapter of our four-part life-story series, we welcome one of the most captivating figures ever to pick up a cue: Pool Hall of Famer Ewa Mataya Laurance—the iconic “Striking Viking.” From her earliest days in Sweden, Ewa takes us back to a childhood defined by energy, independence, and a love of sport. She was a goalkeeper in soccer, a force on the basketball court, and—by her own admission—a “control freak” who quickly realized team sports couldn’t match her appetite for precision, responsibility, and self-determination.

Then came the moment that changed everything: a curious teenage visit to a local pool hall. What began as tagging along because of a crush soon turned into genuine fascination—especially after someone explained why the best players chose certain shots and patterns in straight pool. That doorway into the chess-like strategy of cue sports lit a fire in Ewa that never went out.

Ewa shares vivid memories of Sweden’s vibrant club scene—Sunday tournaments that were equal parts competition and community, packed Jack-and-Jill events, and long bus trips to challenge rival clubs across the country. She reflects on the mentors who shaped her early understanding of pattern play and the hunger to “open the next door” of knowledge in a game with endless layers.

But the heart of Part 1 is the boldest decision of all: at just 17 years old, after competing in New York City at the World Championship in the storied Roosevelt Hotel, Ewa falls headlong into the electric world of American pool—legends, late nights, and possibilities she’d only seen in magazine pages. Then she makes the call that stunned her parents: she isn’t coming home… at least not yet.

This is where the legend truly begins.

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Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In the powerful final chapter of our four-part Legends of the Cue conversation with Jerry Briesath, we arrive at the heart of a life devoted not just to playing pool—but to teaching it, elevating it, and preserving its future.

Widely regarded as the most influential instructor in billiards history, Jerry reflects on how the modern game has evolved—from the decline of nine-foot tables and the rise of technology, to the dramatic sophistication of safety play and break mechanics at the professional level. With the clarity that has defined his teaching career, he explains why stroke mechanics—not aiming systems or English—remain the foundation of all great play, and why so many players are still taught the game backwards.

Jerry shares timeless teaching insights: the power of repetition, the importance of “shots you must make,” and why respecting so-called “easy shots” separates good players from great ones. These aren’t theories—they’re hard-earned lessons refined over six decades on the table, in poolrooms, academies, and classrooms around the world.

The episode also turns deeply personal. In a moving moment, Jerry answers the question of what he would do differently if he could start again—an honest reflection that reveals the man behind the mentor. He revisits a missed straight-pool shot against a reigning world champion that still lingers in memory, and he defines how he ultimately hopes to be remembered: as someone who loved teaching as much as his students loved learning.

Joined by Allison Fisher and longtime protégé Mark Wilson, this closing episode is both a masterclass and a farewell—an intimate portrait of a teacher whose influence will outlive generations of players. Jerry Briesath didn’t just teach pool. He taught people how to learn.

A fitting final word from one of the game’s true giants.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”