In Part 1 of our conversation with Mike Panozzo, longtime Owner and Publisher of Billiards Digest Magazine, Legends of the Cue goes back to the beginning of one of cue sports’ most important storytellers.

Mike grew up on the South Side of Chicago in a close-knit Italian-American family, surrounded by relatives, neighborhood traditions, Catholic school discipline and the unmistakable rhythm of Chicago sports culture. Long before he became one of pool’s most trusted voices, Mike was a kid racing his brothers to the morning sports page, reading every word of Sports Illustrated, and dreaming of becoming a sportswriter.

In this episode, Mike reflects on his early love of writing, the fifth-grade teacher who encouraged him, his boarding school years in Wisconsin, and his path to Marquette University’s journalism program. He shares how his father’s work ethic, his family’s values and his own curiosity about people shaped the journalist he would become.

The story then turns toward the unexpected opportunity that changed his life: a job interview with Mort Luby Jr. at Luby Publishing, home of Bowlers Journal and the young billiards publication that would become Mike’s professional home for more than four decades — Billiards Digest.

Listeners will hear how Mike entered the pool world without being a player, how he learned the billiard industry from the inside out, and how Mort Luby became a mentor not through lectures, but through example. This opening chapter sets the stage for a larger story about pool, journalism, magazines, players, promoters, and the evolution of cue sports in America.

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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 Cue.”