GENT/TORHOUT - How many well-known professional billiard players would have made a run over 20 in their career in three-cushion? Raymond Ceulemans of course, Frédéric Caudron, co-holders of the world record (28). But Peter Mostrey..., 47 years old, who has ever heard of this billiard player? Modest player from Torhout, Belgium, bachelor, knife sharpener by profession, never made more than 12 caroms in one inning. But suddenly, last week in the billiard hall of a swimming pool in Ghent, where De Gouden Sleutel plays its home matches, a small miracle unrolled on the match table. Peter Mostrey, scoring 21....
The Belgian billiard player, starting the match rather sick, stepped to the billiard table in the small room with about 14 billiard players and fans present, opened at a score of 9-9 with a lucky ball and politely apologized to Pascal Claus, a former World Cup player from the colorful Ghent billiard scene. So, that was one...
What preceded that day? Peter Mostrey: ’’When I drove here, I got slightly sick. And when I arrived, I could hardly stand on my feet. We couldn't get another player so soon, so I had to play anyway. And what happens? I make the run of my life, unbelievable, a miracle, 21 caroms.''
Frits Bakker/Kozoom: But a player around 1 average, who is even sick, who has been playing billiards for 33 years and rarely makes a run of ten. Did people really believe that? Was there a referee at the billiard, Peter?
Peter Mostrey: Yeah, yeah, it was all very real and honest. We played with the Ostend Billiard Academy, my team, against the Gouden Sleutel in the second division, an official match with a real referee. With players like Tom Bracke, Marc Dellaert, Jean-Marie Bolle, who all were witnesses.
Frits Bakker: So, there is no doubt at all, all shots were a true hit, a flawless but still incredible run for a billiard player of your class.
Peter Mostrey: How could it happen, I know, still don't know myself. The balls were running well all the time, everything was hitting. At first I thought, after 15, not bad…, but what's going on here... And when there were 20 on the scoreboard: this can’t be true will it? Nice build-up, made everything, but then I missed on 21. An unmakeable position, one ball stuck on the long-rail, one stuck on the short and my play ball stuck in the corner.
FB/Kozoom: Was the room silently looking in admiration? And did you have a fantastic feeling for days afterwards? Because imagine, even in a whole season of World Cups, a run over 20 is rarely made.
Peter Mostrey: Yes, it's a very special feeling. And everyone was supporting me at the end.
FB/Kozoom: The news got a bit snowed under on social media.
Peter Mostrey: But once it was known, I got a lot of messages. This is also very special for myself, a sign that I am on the right track. I played 5 pins at the top of Belgium, but I've stopped that now. It's all on three-cushion now.
FB/Kozoom: The play-on-words are not off, because of your profession and the swinging pool in which the match was played. 'Peter Mostrey sharpens the knives', 'Peter Mostrey thrown into the deep.'
Peter Mostrey: I'm just enjoying it, a miracle in billiards, the match of my life.
Thanks for the special moment and great interview, Peter.
Peter Mostrey, a miracle man in Belgium