Each year thousands of pool-players travel to Southern Indiana each year for the Derby City Classic. There are many competitions at this annual event, including One-Pocket, 9-Ball Banks and BIGFOOT 10-ball.
In 1998, the Derby City Classic's first event was held. Greg Sullivan, the tournament's creator was a longtime fan of Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree from the 1960s. Sullivan partnered up with the Pantone Company to discover the optimal color for pool cloth. Pantone Company's testing eventually led to Tournament Blue becoming the dominant color in professional tourneys.
2003 was the second year of the event. The World Pool Alliance sponsored the tournament and it featured some of the best players. The tournament began with nine-ball banks, followed by the one-pocket and then the BIGFOOT 10-ball challenge. The tournament was held in the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino in Elizabeth, Indiana. There were many vendors at the event, as well as ring games and cash games. The tournament was held on 53 9-foot Diamond tables.
A few players were making their Derby City Classic debuts in the tournament. Apart from the tournament itself, there were a few special events. One of these was the Diamond Ten Foot Challenge. This challenge is for a small group of pros. The challenge is played on five-foot-by-ten-foot tables. The winner will receive $16,000 while the winner in the nine-ball bank or one-pocket contests will each receive $8,000. BIGFOOT's 10-ball challenge was the first event in the Derby City Classic. It is a small field with professionals competing for the title BIGFOOT champion.
The third event was held on June 6, 2006. A number of players from the first Derby City Classic event were present at this tournament. Corey Deuel (Denn Grabe), and Lee Vann performed well in both the 9-ball banking and one-pocket events. Other players weren't as successful. Darren Appleton did well enough to place third in the One-Pocket. He also utilized his algorithm well for the Derby Cup, earning him a third position finish.
The last event was held in 2015. The tournament featured a number of players who have been in the field for their first Derby City event. Corey Deuel, Darren Appleton, and Lee Vann all played well in their first Derby City Classic event. Joshua Filler was able to secure a third-place finish in the onepocket. Efren and Mika were also there.
The Derby City Classic is an annually held pool tournament at Caesars Southern Indiana Casino Elizabeth. There are many competitions, including one-pocket, nine-ball banks and the BIGFOOT 10-ball challenge. The event is held in January. Tickets will go on sale January 20th. Tickets can be purchased through the Derby City Classic office located at the Caesars Southern Indiana Casino and Hotel. To purchase a ticket, you will need to be able show a valid photo ID.