In the concluding episode of our four-part Legends of the Cue conversation with Henrik Larsson, we meet a champion who is still winning—but increasingly focused on what he can leave behind.

Fresh from another major victory in Rome, Henrik discusses why integrating wheelchair and Parasport competition alongside major professional pool events matters so deeply to him. His goal is not special treatment. It is normalization: athletes with disabilities working just as seriously at their craft and being judged for the quality of their performance rather than the circumstances of their lives.

That philosophy now drives Henrik’s work helping lead the World Pool Association’s Parasport efforts. He shares his vision for international representation, fair classification systems, a global ranking structure and ultimately the dream of bringing cue sports into the Paralympic Games. Henrik also explains why developing Parasport pool worldwide requires understanding enormous differences in culture, accessibility, resources and attitudes toward disability.

The conversation becomes deeply personal as Henrik reflects on what disability really means, quality of life, parenthood and why—at 54—he continues competing only as long as he believes his game is capable of winning. He revisits the great characters of the pool world he encountered, from Mike Sigel, Nick Varner and Jim Rempe to Earl Strickland and Keith McCready, and explains why putting the sport first remains one of Jörgen Sandman’s most enduring lessons.

Then it’s time for Alli’s Rapid Rack, where Henrik chooses 10-ball, The Hustler, Las Vegas, pizza, Earl Strickland—and, when offered the choice between being a rock star for one night or world champion once more, doesn’t hesitate: world champion.

He still wants that elusive 100-ball straight-pool run. He still wants a seventh world championship. But when asked how Henrik Larsson ultimately hopes to be remembered, the six-time world champion offers a much simpler answer:

As a good person.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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

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

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

What happens after you become the best—and everyone expects you to keep winning?

Part 3 of our Legends of the Cue interview with Swedish wheelchair pool great Henrik Larsson begins with that question and develops into a revealing conversation about championship pressure, rivalries, mental toughness and the changing meaning of success.

Henrik takes us inside his remarkable 2007 WPA World Championship victory, when outside expectations, conflict with an opponent and pressure from his own federation left him wanting almost anything except to play the final. His solution was fascinating: if he didn’t feel like the confident Henrik Larsson who could win the match, he would simply behave like him. It became an important lesson about fear, performance and the mind.

Then comes his great rivalry with Finland’s Jouni Tähti. After painful defeats, Henrik meets Tähti again in the 2012 world final. Facing another deficit, he decides he simply will not lose a third consecutive time—and produces what he calls one of the proudest performances of his career.

Henrik also discusses joining Predator, the growth of Parasport pool, his later world championships, and the 2016 victory that gave him his sixth WPA world title—along with the amusing role a ringing telephone played in that tournament.

But this episode becomes about much more than trophies.

Henrik explains the creation of Malmö’s Wheelchair Academy, a 13-week empowerment program designed to help wheelchair users develop practical independence in virtually every aspect of life—from transportation and employment to caring for a home and family. More than 200 people have participated in a program Henrik believes can improve both quality of life and independence.

We also explore his Swedish Parasport Hall of Fame recognition, a third-place finish against Sweden’s standing players, his pursuit of a 100-ball straight-pool run and the arrival of Heyball.

Part 3 reveals a champion whose greatest challenge eventually became larger than winning matches: how to use everything pool had taught him to empower others.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

In Part 2 of our Legends of the Cue interview with Henrik Larsson, the aspiring Swedish pool player arrives in Stockholm at age 19 with no elaborate career plan. As Henrik puts it, he was simply addicted to shooting pool—playing until the last poolroom closed at five in the morning, sleeping late and starting all over again the next day.

But Henrik quickly realized that becoming a great player also required finding a way to finance the journey.

What follows is a fascinating story of entrepreneurship in professional pool. Henrik teaches juniors and beginners in exchange for free table time, develops corporate pool programs, forms an entertainment business and eventually performs more than 2,000 trick-shot exhibitions. He and his partners go on to own two major Stockholm poolrooms—one built around rock-and-roll and live music, another designed as an upscale, multi-level billiards and corporate-entertainment venue.

Then we turn to the competitive career.

Henrik recalls being at the forefront of wheelchair pool in Europe, competing successfully against Sweden’s standing players and winning an early championship in Berlin in 1993. A year later, he travels to America and takes on formidable American wheelchair star Aaron Aragon, scoring a breakthrough victory that Henrik still considers one of the most important of his career. He explains the physical realities of elite wheelchair pool—the reach, table height, bridge shots and pattern choices—and why straight pool became his favorite discipline.

By 1999, wheelchair competition is being staged alongside the European Championships. Henrik begins an extraordinary run of European titles.

And in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2003, everything changes: Henrik captures both the WPA 8-Ball and 9-Ball World Championships.

From Stockholm poolroom obsessive to double world champion, Part 2 traces the years when Henrik Larsson turned opportunity, creativity and relentless practice into international greatness.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

In Part 1 of our Legends of the Cue conversation with Swedish Parasport pool legend Henrik “Henke” Larsson, we go back long before the world championships and European titles to explore the experiences that shaped one of wheelchair pool’s greatest competitors.

Henrik was just months old when a hemangioma inside his spinal cord resulted in the loss of movement in his legs. Growing up in Sweden in the 1970s, he entered a world with few accommodations for children with disabilities—but also a family determined that Henrik would be treated no differently from his two older sisters. He recalls the freedom, responsibilities and sometimes remarkable adventures his parents allowed him, along with the Swedish Parasport camps that reinforced a lifelong belief that problems existed to be solved. His reflections on childhood disability, self-worth, belonging and the emotional struggles he kept largely hidden provide some of the most revealing moments of the interview.

Before pool, there was music. Henrik fell in love with the guitar, absorbing everyone from Paco de Lucía and Gary Moore to Eddie Van Halen. For a time, becoming a professional musician seemed entirely possible.

Then he walked into a Swedish poolroom owned by Jörgen Sandman.

Sandman had never seen a wheelchair player shoot pool, but he immediately recognized possibility. He offered to train Henrik, beginning a three-year mentorship that changed the course of his life. Henrik recounts working with the demanding Sandman, refereeing world-class players in Las Vegas, developing a stroke and technique adapted to playing from a wheelchair, and eventually leaving home at 19 for Stockholm in pursuit of one thing: becoming a better pool player.

It’s the origin story of a champion—and of a life built around independence, curiosity and an unwavering willingness to try.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

The final chapter of Darren Appleton’s Legends of the Cue interview is a powerful story of versatility, loss, survival and renewed purpose. Part 5 begins with Darren’s late-career fascination with one-pocket, a game he learned after moving to the United States and studying experienced players whose knowledge of movement and strategy could overcome declining shot-making ability.

The conversation moves to Appleton’s 2017 induction into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame and the personal hardships surrounding that period. Darren speaks openly about returning to England, becoming a caregiver for his terminally ill mother, losing her in 2019 and trying to rebuild his professional career as the COVID-19 pandemic brought tournament pool to a halt.

By 2022, Appleton believed his game was approaching its former level. Then, without warning, he suffered a massive cardiac arrest while working in his poolroom. He recounts the moments leading to the emergency, the lifesaving actions of his manager Kinga, the medical fight that followed and the realization that simply being alive was a miracle.

Darren discusses the physical limitations he now faces and his decision to prioritize health, coaching and Dynamite Billiards. He also considers a future return to the United States, the possibilities offered by Ultimate Pool and how he can continue contributing to cue sports without depending on tournament winnings.

The episode closes with gratitude and perspective. Appleton names the family members, mentors and champions who influenced him, reflects on Efren Reyes and the players he most admired, and joins Allison Fisher for “Alli’s Rapid Rack.” Mark Wilson offers a final tribute to Darren’s exemplary stroke mechanics.

More than a comeback story, this is an intimate portrait of a champion redefining success—and understanding that a life in pool is measured not only by titles, but by relationships, resilience and the chance to keep moving forward.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

What does it take to become a world champion across multiple cue sports disciplines? In Part 4 of Darren Appleton’s Legends of the Cue interview, the BCA Hall of Famer revisits the extraordinary championship run that established him as one of the greatest all-around pool players of the modern era.

The story begins with Appleton’s breakthrough at the inaugural 2008 WPA World 10-Ball Championship in the Philippines. He explains how winning his first world title—and a $100,000 first prize—lifted years of pressure, secured his financial footing and gave him the certainty that he could perform when everything was at stake.

From there, Darren takes listeners through the peak of his career: back-to-back U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, the 2012 WPA World 9-Ball title, World Games gold and victory at the inaugural World Chinese 8-Ball Championship. He discusses the opponents, conditions and emotional turning points behind those wins, while Allison Fisher and Mark Wilson explore the tactical intelligence, cue-ball control and competitive discipline that allowed him to succeed on dramatically different equipment.

Appleton also examines the rise of Chinese 8-ball, or Heyball, and explains why adapting to its table, cloth and demanding pockets required more than ordinary shot-making. His ability to move between English 8-ball, American rotation games and hybrid disciplines became a defining feature of his legacy.

The episode then turns to straight pool. Darren recalls winning on his first serious attempt at the Derby City Classic, beating elite 14.1 specialists and later recording a historic 200-and-out against Francisco Bustamante. He explains why straight pool rewards concentration, backward planning and precise cue-ball control, and shares his perspective on the great modern high-run players.

This episode is a masterclass in championship pool—and compelling evidence of why Darren “Dynamite” Appleton belongs among cue sports’ most complete competitors.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

Few players have embodied the emotion of the Mosconi Cup like Darren Appleton. In Part 3 of his Legends of the Cue interview, the European pool icon goes inside the team room, the arena and the pressure cooker that transformed the annual USA-versus-Europe contest into one of cue sports’ greatest spectacles.

Appleton reflects on joining Team Europe in 2009 and bringing a more vocal, fiery presence to a group traditionally known for quiet professionalism. He explains why assembling the highest-ranked players does not automatically create the strongest team—and why character, chemistry and off-table support can matter as much as shot-making.

The conversation revisits Darren’s 2010 Mosconi Cup MVP performance, his memorable battles against American stars and the intensity of playing in front of partisan crowds. He discusses the personalities who defined both sides of the rivalry, including Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, Rodney Morris, Shane Van Boening, Niels Feijen, Ralf Souquet, Mika Immonen, Thorsten Hohmann, Chris Melling and Karl Boyes.

A major focus is legendary European captain Johan Ruijsink. Darren describes Johan’s discipline, emotional intelligence and uncanny ability to tell each player exactly what he needed to hear. One powerful example involves Chris Melling’s struggle after losing his mother and the private conversation that helped him produce an MVP-caliber turnaround.

Mark Wilson adds the American captain’s perspective, including Darren’s support for his appointment and the intimidating atmosphere of the 2014 event at Blackpool’s Tower Circus. Allison Fisher also looks back on the early Mosconi Cup years and how dramatically the competition evolved.

Appleton closes with candid opinions about playing captains, Team USA’s future, the importance of preserving national identity and why Mosconi Cup memories mean more than trophies or prize money.

This episode is essential listening for fans of professional pool, Team Europe, the Mosconi Cup and cue sports history.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...

Darren Appleton’s rise was anything but gradual. In Part 2 of this Legends of the Cue interview, “Dynamite” recalls winning the first professional tournament he entered, developing one of pool’s most admired cue deliveries and making the career-defining decision to leave English 8-ball behind for American pool.

Appleton explains why his compact stroke, timing and cue-ball control were developed through observation rather than formal coaching. He remembers studying Jimmy White, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry, borrowing pieces from great cueists and shaping them into a style built for pressure. The discussion also turns to English stars Chris Melling and Karl Boyes and their early years together.

Darren traces his first exposure to American pool through televised women’s events, the Mosconi Cup and Matchroom’s World 9-Ball Championship. He recalls qualifying for the 2000 world championship, meeting Allison Fisher in Las Vegas and recognizing that the larger-table game offered both a technical challenge and a better financial future.

The road was difficult. Appleton discusses the International Pool Tour, the collapse of its promises and the reality of starting over in a discipline where kicking, jumping, breaking and percentage play demanded a complete education. His determination took him to the Philippines, where he immersed himself in the game, learned from elite players and discovered a pool culture that became a second home.

The gamble paid off spectacularly. In 2008, Darren Appleton became the inaugural WPA World 10-Ball Champion, earned a life-changing $100,000 prize and opened the floodgates to the World Pool Masters, the U.S. Open and the Mosconi Cup.

This is the story of reinvention, risk and a champion rebuilding himself from scratch. Appleton’s account shows how technical humility, total commitment and the willingness to enter unfamiliar territory can turn an established winner in one game into a global force in another.

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 cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cu...