In this first installment of our conversation with WPBA Hall of Famer Mary Kenniston, we begin at the beginning—Long Island roots, a fiercely competitive childhood, and the natural athletic gifts that made her a standout long before she ever picked up a cue.

Mary takes us back to growing up in Suffolk County, where sports came as naturally as breathing. A tall, fearless tomboy with a sharp mind and a gift for competition, she excelled in nearly everything she tried—basketball, softball, field hockey, track, and more. She earned a basketball scholarship at a time when opportunities for women were rare, only to see that dream derailed by devastating knee injuries. But as Mary tells it, one closed door has a funny way of opening another.

That next door turned out to be a barroom pool table in Nebraska.

What began as boredom while tagging along with her boyfriend quickly became revelation. Within a remarkably short time, Mary was beating everyone in sight, winning bar tournaments, and realizing that pool offered something no other sport had: a challenge deep enough to keep humbling her. From there, the story only gets better. After moving back East, she discovered the legendary Guys and Dolls billiard room in New Jersey, where a chance meeting with an older mentor named Bob changed everything. He introduced her not only to the finer points of the game, but to the wider world of serious pool.

Along the way, Mary shares stories that are funny, candid, and unmistakably her own—from beating the boys in high school basketball to discovering, unexpectedly, that her own father had once been a player himself.

It’s the origin story of one of pool’s most distinctive voices—frank, fearless, gifted, and impossible to forget.

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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 WPBA 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.”