ONE OF the architects of the World Pool Association and the European Pocket Billiard Federation chairman for 23 years, Horst Vondenhoff was not as universally known among players and industry leaders as other more visible leaders of the day, but his work and impact on the development of a worldwide umbrella organization for the sport can never be questioned. Vondenhoff passed away Nov. 15 in Germany. He was 82.
With the sport’s growth in the late ’80s, opportunities to compete internationally grew and the EPBF, of which Vondenhorst also co-founded, argued that creating a unified world organization would benefit and accelerate international cooperation and growth. In 1987, the EPBF chartered the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), with Vondenhoff as its first president and former WPA President and current WPA Sports Director Jorgen Sandman as Vice President and Sports Director. The newly formed Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) joined as the second continental federation member a year later. North America, through the Billiard Congress of America, joined in 1990, and the first WPA-sanctioned World 9-Ball Championships were held in Bergheim, Germany.
