Koji Yamada

Koji Yamada (Japanese: 山田 浩二, Hepburn: Yamada Kouji, January 29, 1887 – September 16, 1941)[1] was a Japanese billiards world champion.

Koji Yamada portrait from a newspaper in 1916.
Koji Yamada in 1912 in the United States

Biography

Born in Tokyo, he moved to Berlin in 1910 at the age of 22, to study billiards, residing there for approximately 2 years.[2] He is known to be in the United States in 1912, beating Ora Morningstar in a balkline tournament[3] and in 1913, participating in the world championship and winning against players like Willie Hoppe[4] (for the championship) and Jean Bruno, whoever is not known if he stayed directly in the United States in these two years, or if he stayed somewhere else between them.

After returning to Japan, he opened a pool club at Marunouchi to spread the game and guide younger generations. At 1934, he published the book "The latest billiards: four-ball, balkline, curved ball".[5] At 1941 he was given the title of "first billiard master", but died suddenly in the same year, at 54 years old.[6]

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References
  1. "山田浩二". www6.plala.or.jp. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
  2. "Yamada Finding His Stroke at Practice -- Contestants Make Good Runs" (PDF). New York Times. November 3, 1912. Retrieved 2009-08-03. The most interesting development of the past week relative to the world's championship at 18.2 balk-line billiards, to begin one week from to-morrow at the Hotel Astor, was the arrival of the Japanese expert Koji Yamada. He came from Berlin, where he resided for two years, and was highly esteemed for his professional ability.
  3. "Yamada Defeats Former Champion Morningstar in 18.2 Tournament" (PDF). New York Times. November 17, 1912. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
  4. "Hoppe To Defend Billiard Title. Champion Will Play Yamada at 18.2 Balkline at the Hotel Astor Ball Room". New York Times. May 25, 1913. Retrieved 2010-08-04. William F. Hoppe of this city and Koji Yamada of Tokio, Japan, will be contestants for the world's championship at 18.2 balkline billiards on Tuesday night in the grand ballroom of the Hotel Astor. Hoppe won the championship in the tournament last November. Last February he successfully defended it in a challenge match against George Sutton of Chicago.
  5. 浩二, 山田 (1934). 最新撞球術 : 四つ球、ボークライン、曲球. 東京: 博文館.
  6. "山田浩二". www6.plala.or.jp. Retrieved 2021-12-01.
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