Belinda Calhoun
| Personal information | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nickname | The Texas Belle | ||||||||
| Nationality | American | ||||||||
| Born | Belinda Campos March 5, 1953[1] Austin, Texas, U.S.[1] | ||||||||
| Website | |||||||||
| Pool career | |||||||||
| Sport | Pool billiards | ||||||||
| Turned pro | 1977 | ||||||||
Medal record
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Belinda Calhoun (née Belinda Campos; born March 5, 1953) is an American professional pool player. Known as “The Texas Belle,” she was a competitor on the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) tour in the 1980s and 1990s and later served in leadership roles within cue sports organizations. She has been inducted into both the WPBA Hall of Fame (2006) and the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame (2016).[1]
Early life
Belinda Campos was born on March 5, 1953, in Austin, Texas.[1] She first picked up a cue at age 18 in the summer of 1971 while accompanying a boyfriend to a local pool hall, quickly becoming fascinated by the game. She soon entered local tournaments and committed to a professional career in pool.[2]
Professional career
Calhoun turned professional in 1977. The year 1985 was significant for her, winning:
- Women's World 14.1 (Straight Pool) Championship[3]
- WPBA National 9‑Ball Championship[3]
- U.S. Open 9‑Ball Championship[3]
- Texas River City Open[1]
She was named Player of the Year by Billiards Digest in 1985 and featured in Pool & Billiard Magazine's “All-Stars.”[1]
Calhoun also won two BCA National 8‑Ball Championships and became known for her left-handed stroke.[1]
Organizational leadership
Beyond competition, Calhoun contributed to cue sports governance:[1]
- Served on the WPBA Board of Directors for over 20 years, including Vice President and Hall of Fame committee chair
- Served six years on the World Pool Association (WPA) Board
- Billiard Congress of America Board Director
She helped standardize pre-tournament meetings, dress codes, and regional tour structures for women's pool.[4]
Honors and legacy
- 2006 - WPBA Hall of Fame[5]
- 2016 - Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame[6]
- 2024 - Texas Billiards Hall of Fame[1]
Personal life
Calhoun resides in Fork, South Carolina and remains active in organizational work within cue sports.[2][7] According to her LinkedIn profile, she studied physical education at the University of Texas at Austin from 1971 to 1973.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Belinda Calhoun". Texas Billiards Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ a b "The Women's Professional Billiard Association Announces 2006 Hall of Fame Inductee". AZ Billiards. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Morris, Calhoun Elected to Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame" (PDF). Billiard Congress of America. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ Paradise, Keith (October 2016). "Belle of the Ball". Billiards Digest. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "Members of the WPBA Hall of Fame". Women's Professional Billiard Association. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "Morris, Calhoun Elected to Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame". AZ Billiards. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "Rodney Morris & Belinda Calhoun to be Inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame!". AZ Billiards. July 19, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2025.
- ^ "Belinda Calhoun". LinkedIn. Retrieved December 23, 2025.