Gerda Hofstatter-Gregerson - Part 4 (Hall of Fame, Family, and Life Beyond the Table)

Allison Fisher 0:15

I will say that she's the best mother that a child could wish for. Anything you've done the best in your life at, I would say it's being a mother.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 0:25

You're very sweet.

Allison Fisher 0:26

She's she takes them to school and picks them out, entertains them, makes sure they get outside, you know, make sure making sure they eat right, making sure they exercise, everything, every part, every aspect is uh very sweet, thank you.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 0:40

Now they're teenagers and they got a mind of their own, so I've lost control, I'm afraid.

Allison Fisher 0:45

But no, you've given them the best of you and Dan to go forth and be great adults, is what you've done. Because they're excellent at sports, they're accomplished pianists. They do everything they do, they do well too. Everything they do well too, yeah. Yeah, the problem though very kind natured is the other part.

Mike Gonzalez 1:10

They get to a certain age and then you start losing brain cells, you start becoming very stupid. You don't know anything, they know everything. At some point, you'll start regrowing those brain cells, and then at some point they reach an age where they just think you're brilliant again.

Allison Fisher 1:26

I'm waiting for that time.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 1:27

I'm in the middle phase right now, yeah.

Allison Fisher 1:31

Waiting for that time. But it's a lovely time in life. Our kids have grown up together, and they what they um they sort of they grow up in ages. Well, I've got Pearson's 16.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 1:41

Pearson just turned 16, Sophie will be well, so Lily's next, right? Lily is right after and then Sophie will be 15 in May, so she's 14, and Maddie's 13, so we got them all covered.

Allison Fisher 1:54

Yeah.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 1:54

And they've had a wonderful time growing up together.

Allison Fisher 1:57

Yeah, it's been sweet. And and they can ski too, by the way, all of them.

Mike Gonzalez 2:01

Ah, okay.

Allison Fisher 2:02

Yeah, swim, ski, do everything.

Mike Gonzalez 2:04

Yeah. Well, let's talk about a few more wins that you had uh going back to 2001 again. European Pool Championship eight ball. In 2004, my notes say you began competing a little bit in Japan. Is that correct? Was there a tour over there or something? Or did I get that wrong with my research?

Allison Fisher 2:24

I don't think what you're referring to is that thing that you did with Paul Potier, maybe.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 2:29

Maybe that. My little my little exhibition tour with Paul.

Allison Fisher 2:32

Yeah.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 2:33

Or we played a couple of Japan opens, but I never played on a Japanese tour. We only played a Japan open.

Allison Fisher 2:40

I've just remembered what there was. The UCT World Event. Do you remember when we wore those tops? They made us wear those silky tops. I've got pictures of it, Gerda, don't worry. We've got these short sleeved tops on. They made us wear every every player from international and national. It's these silky black tops, and and Karen Korr came out with a t-shirt underneath her. We're all dressed, you know, looking like a couple. Yeah. Karen came out with a t-shirt on underneath. Do you not remember that? Do you use T. It was a World Cup. It was I won I won the event. I won an Adam Q with some little bit of gold and diamonds in it for $36,000. It was a really big event. Can't beat Karen in the final.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 3:28

Having to have won that, I probably suppressed that memory because I don't like the thought of it. Whatever.

Mike Gonzalez 3:38

Well, you had one more European. This would have been your 17th, probably. Uh European. Or no, that was Austria, was it? Your Austrian 17 Austrian.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 3:46

Austrian, 17 Austrian, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 3:48

How many European?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 3:51

10 or 11, yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 3:53

A bunch.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 3:54

I was 10 or 11.

Mike Gonzalez 3:57

Yeah. So you won it to in straight pool again in in in 2009. I mean, looking back now, I mean, in this time frame, 2009, you probably didn't get a chance to play straight pool very often, did you?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 4:10

Yeah, way way too little, unfortunately. I feel like that's what everybody should have focused their time a lot more on, but I I didn't. And I hate to say it to this day, I I never ran a hundred balls. I got really close. Yeah, it was always my head. I got into the 90s several times and I never ran a hundred balls, which is kind of embarrassing for a player of my stature. Joking. But yeah, that's a regret I have that I, you know, can't say I did that. Good too. And I just I just I just blame not playing it enough on that because I know I have the skills to do it. I just, you know, didn't spend enough time playing it.

Mike Gonzalez 4:55

I would guess Mark, if you spent a day with John Schmidt, she'd probably be at 100 by the end of the day.

Allison Fisher 5:00

Yeah.

Mark Wilson 5:01

Well, one thing, you know, she grew she came on board right as straight pool was phased out.

Mike Gonzalez 5:08

Right.

Mark Wilson 5:08

So she missed out. It's a s a sad you know commentary on our sport. And then every rule we change is always going back to straight pool. So we we switched the nine ball to appeal to the attention span of the American spectator, and then you know, put the nine on the spot or push out after the break and call shot, and all these things always harken back to straight pool. But nevertheless, there's no doubt that Gerda would have been able to do it. If you do it one time, you're a life master. So uh but a day with John would definitely help.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 5:43

Oh wow, okay. Yeah, chance.

Mike Gonzalez 5:45

I mean, yeah, yeah. So you had one more tour win left in you in 2010. You won the San Diego Classics.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 5:53

Oh, right. I remember that. Uh-huh. Yeah, I don't she was she didn't play on tour very long or very often, right? But she reached the finals. But there were a few other players leading up to the finals that I was proud of beating. Um such as Yeah, it was a lady called David's in the first round, and then it was Angel Paglia, then it was Kyoko Sone, Monica Webb, Gai Yang Kim, Karen Korr, and then Chang in the finals.

Allison Fisher 6:29

But you were practicing meditation, weren't you, at that time? Yes. And that was a big part. She'd sit in her chair and levitate once her eyes were closed. Well, that was practicing meditation.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 6:41

There's Dan influence. Dan was traveling with me then. I'd already been with Dan for a couple years, and that's his big thing is you know meditation mastery or getting your mind out of the way, you're getting your thoughts out of the way. So he helped me tremendously with that. So that one probably belongs to Dan, that win.

Allison Fisher 7:02

And then, you know, being so happy, being to not have won in so long, and then it was like Ava's win, you know, in the Masters to come back and win years later is a big deal. Very big deal. Yes, thank you. And then what? Then you went drop the mic, and that was it, was it?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 7:23

I'm not sure what happened after that. Well, I must have gotten pregnant shortly after that, because Sophie was born in May of 2011. So and then I was and then it was all about that being a mom. So I didn't absolutely I know we tried in the beginning, I tried to, you know, we traveled with the babies because you know, at the US Open I was pregnant with Maddie for six months, and we had Sophie with us. We tried the whole family traveled, and I remember we put Sophie in that little daycare at the in the casino so Dan could watch my matches. It didn't last maybe 30 minutes, and they called us, please pick her up. All she does is crying. You know, she went so that didn't work out, and I felt bad that you know, doing that to them anyway. That's not a life for babies. And I didn't want to go without them either, you know, traveling without him. I'm like, I can't imagine being away from my babies for several days. So it just one had to give, and I think I made the right decision. Yes, you did.

Mike Gonzalez 8:27

I think that's something that a lot of fans don't realize, and we've talked about it before, which is that life goes on outside of the pool hall. And part of that is you know, you've got to be clear and present and of the right mind to compete at the highest levels, right? So now you're worrying about your poor kid at daycare, you don't know these people from Adam, and you don't know how she's gonna be. And you just got too much going on up here to be as focused as you need to be, right?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 8:53

Right. Exactly.

Allison Fisher 8:54

Very difficult separating them.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 8:57

You're extremely good at that, Ellie. It's just shutting off whatever bothers you and still focusing on the game.

Allison Fisher 9:03

Yeah, not so much as I've got older, but definitely when I was younger, it's a lot easier, I will say. I remember playing Jennifer Baretta in a f in a tournament once, it was a US Open, and she had her son Max that she was traveling with as a baby, and I could hear the baby in the background screaming out, and I thought it must be so difficult of your mum, you know, looking over and not being able to get to your child, but you know, you're in a match. So you are torn and it is difficult, and you do have to make those big decisions, and you've definitely made the right decision.

Mark Wilson 9:37

One of the other points here is that uh the meditation part of it uh just describes how mental pool is, and if you were to dedicate training in that direction, you would be able to you know establish a new standard. It's always kind of like you're yeah, artificially uh a sign is your top thing. But uh you know, Louis Roberts one time he had a uh audio tape that he used to listen to, and it would recite over and over, Louie, you are the greatest. Uh no one can beat you. The longer you play, the stronger you play. And this would go on in his head, and those were his peak years when he had that audio. And so you know, there's other times in other sports where you hear people visualizing and spending time just dedicating to it that can train themselves up beyond what you know what they thought humanly was possible.

Allison Fisher 10:25

Right. That's definitely true. You can train yourself, and it's obvious it's uh looked over a lot, but nowadays that's becoming more of a thing, isn't it, to have a mental coach.

Mike Gonzalez 10:37

Yeah, it sure is in golf. There's no question about it. That's become very, very prevalent. We're back in the 70s that didn't exist.

Allison Fisher 10:43

Yes.

Mike Gonzalez 10:44

Yeah, yeah. Gerda, what do you remember about the decision process you ultimately made to sort of just wind down your playing career?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 10:52

Well, well, I think the the thing I remember that there isn't much to remember. It wasn't like a decision one day to the next, okay, I'm not playing anymore. I think it just involved evolved that way because I after having my babies, I couldn't imagine spending time away from them. And I didn't think it was a good thing to bring them to the tournaments. And so it just sort of turned out that way, that I was super happy being back home with the babies and watching pool from afar for a little bit and then sort of losing touch a little bit, and that was okay too. Ellie kept me in the loop, you know, if anything interesting was happening, and I honestly was so thrilled to have a family life, which I never thought would happen to me. And then all of a sudden, having a wonderful husband and two daughters, I was fulfilled in a way that I never imagined possible. So I didn't really miss pool, to be honest. As much as I love it, it was couldn't compete with my family life. So that's how that happened. It wasn't a conscious decision, it just happened. And I never stopped loving pool, you know, because like I don't know how many years into it when I did come back for a short time. I don't know if you want me to go there, but I I did try to come back when I was inducted into the Hall of Fame and had to travel to a tournament to accept the honors. I figured, well, if I'm going to the tournament, I might as well enter, right? And and I ended up doing pretty well. I after not having competed for several years, I finished fifth in that tournament and it sparked an interest. I'm like, oh, maybe I still got it. And I did try to come back. You know, at that point the girls were already big enough where I could travel without them, without feeling too guilty. And but it didn't work out. I I my heart wasn't in it, plus my tremor in my arm made me not play that as well as I would have liked to. Maybe that was an excuse, I don't know, but it wasn't enjoyable and my comeback didn't last very long, in other words.

Mike Gonzalez 13:04

Well, so here we are in 2026, and and you're looking at these ladies now playing on tour from all over the world. What do you think of the talent that's you playing these days?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 13:14

Oh, absolutely incredible. And you know, that might be the reason in that why, you know, I say it's my tremor and it's this and it's that, but in reality, it might be that I would have no chance competing nowadays. There's so many amazing young players who have taken it to a completely different level. And every once in a while, when I watch them, they hardly ever miss, and they're like it's just incredible. So I don't know if I would at this stage in my life would have the discipline to put in the hours it would take to compete with that level of play. So I'm very happy with being a former. So and so, and I has been, you know, I don't have to come back. I enjoy playing with my husband at home here and there. We have a beautiful setup at our house, and we enjoy playing short races with each other. Every once in a while, Eddie comes over when she prepares for a tournament and you know, I play with her, but it's it's good the way it is.

Mike Gonzalez 14:12

Yeah, yeah. Well, you alluded to the Hall of Fame. Of course, uh, you were inducted into both the WPBA and the BCA Hall of Fame. I think that both those both happened in 2018, correct?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 14:23

Yeah, same year, exactly. Yeah, that is probably the biggest honor of my career, too. Because always traveling to all the tournaments, there was one tournament a year where they had the banquet, and I was always attending it, and I was always, you know, in awe with the players who were inducted in the Hall of Fame. Um, as much as a competitor, I was always a huge fan of the game and was amazed by all the people that were up there. And I honestly did not expect to ever be part of those ranks. So when I got the phone call that I was being inducted, I was very, very honored and humbled and love it. I still to this day, you know, this is funny. My daughter was already six years old, and I and I traveled to this tournament by myself, and she said, Why are you going? I said, Well, I'm going in the Hall of Fame, right? And she goes, Well, what are you doing in there? You're like, I don't know. And I'm like, Well, that's a really good question, you know. It was so cute. It was so cute. What are you doing there? So, anyway, it's a huge honor, and I'm humbled and uh very happy to be part of that group that's in the history books. It's pool has been an amazing part of my life. Everything I have is because of Pool. Everywhere I went is because of Pool, all the wonderful people I met is because of this sport, and yeah, just love it.

Allison Fisher 15:57

Do you I have a I have a question? Do you would you like to mention the people who did your speech to introduce you into the Hall of Fame?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 16:06

Oh, uh the people who made it all possible. Thank you. Yes, no, no, no.

Allison Fisher 16:11

The introductory speech. You know, you know, the introduction into the Hall of Fame. The BCA one came up. You mean my friend Ali? Hold on. The BCA one came up first and Right.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 16:26

And it was supposed to be it was supposed to be Ava to it was supposed to invite. I did it. Ava did the BCA one. She did the BCA one, but she was supposed to do the WBBA one. Right. And then but then she is the travel queen from hell and had something coming up, couldn't make it to the tournament, and somebody was nice enough to jump in last minute to do the So what happened?

Allison Fisher 16:51

So this is what happened. So I was pushed aside, right? Ava was going to introduce Goethe into the WPBA Hall of Fame. The morning we arrived at the hotel, uh I got there and then Goethe came in late in the afternoon, I think, and called me and said, Allie, Ava can't make it, she's caught in the snow, she's not coming to the tournament. Can you introduce me in the Hall of Fame? Well, I had a sleepless night. I was thinking, what do I what am I gonna say? I mean, I know some things, but that's a big deal when you're introducing somebody in front of your peers into the Hall of Fame. So I had a sleepless night, right, thinking about what I'm gonna do. Right. So then we did, yeah, it's that the he's playing the violin. Not very well, but he's trying. And anyway, I introduced her, it went well. We had the dinner, and then guess what? I get to play Gerda in the tournament, and she beats me first round. Oh, that's right. Oh, that's right. That's what happened. My mum's watching, my mum comes up, loves Gerda, puts her arms around her, says, Oh, that's brilliant. Good good luck for the rest of it. And then we're about to leave to go off to play the machine to my mother. And I said, By the way, mum, I'm still in the tournament in case you're interested. I still have another go. Anyway, that was so funny. It was fun. That was funny. And then she kicked my butt.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 18:26

You did an amazing job, but that's just you know, your nature. You're a very good speaker, and you know how to engage a crowd. So I think you did an amazing fun. Not sure I ever thanked you enough.

Allison Fisher 18:38

I'm yeah, I'm not sure. I melt a bit about you being a fencer. I said anyone wants a fence built, she's really great.

Mike Gonzalez 18:47

Oh, that's great. So, Gerda, tell our listeners what you're up to these days.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 18:53

So I I'm in real estate now. I was a full full-time stay-at-home mom for several years, and uh, six years ago I got my real estate license, and I did real estate part-time for several years, and it's starting like this year, my second daughter will go into high school. I'm going full-time with real estate and absolutely love it.

Mike Gonzalez 19:20

So you're using that business degree?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 19:22

Yeah, I g well, I don't know. I'm I'm not sure. Real estate is one of those amazing jobs where you can do really well without a degree. And believe it or not, it's another career that's very mental. I don't I know m people might not think that, but it it's all about mindset and you know having the confidence to reach out to people and uh knowing, you know, being convinced that you can help them. And because I getting into real estate, I didn't realize how much it is selling yourself and reaching out and talking to strangers. And that is pretty much how you build your business is you know, bothering people. Not easy, not easy. Yeah, it's not, it's nowhere near as easy as it looks, but it's an amazing, fulfilling career, and I I love it.

Mike Gonzalez 20:15

Well, good. Uh well listen, before we wrap up your life story, uh probably always good to sort of reflect back on what we've covered and think about some of the people who have been most influential in your lives and perhaps gave you some of the breaks when you needed them, some of the support when you needed it. Who are some of those folks?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 20:33

Yeah, chronologically the lineup probably would be my sister Ingrid, who got me into the sport to begin with. And, you know, because without her would have never been there. Then the people in Klagenfurt, Jassi's dead and Kurtie Schaus. And then from there, my boyfriend and mentor in Sweden, Jörgen Sandman, and he is the one who introduced me to America and gave me the break to come over here, and we wouldn't have been possible, nothing would have been possible if it wasn't for Ui, Eva, you know, who was so gracious to be my first host. And that lasted for several years. We became really, really amazing friends. I consider Ava and Mitch family, you know, we get together for Thanksgiving and several times a year, every year. So she's been absolutely amazing. And and obviously my time uh in that I spent in New York from 2000 to 2006, the support I received from the Balucas family was just incredible, and uh nothing would have been possible without them doing those years. So I want to thank them also. It's amazing. And then so many friends on tour. Allison has been incredible. You know, we were traveling together and helping each other and became great competitors and friends. And she's my I guess oldest, longest friend. I would yeah, going on thirty.

Allison Fisher 22:00

Yeah.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 22:01

Way over 30 years. So yeah, you've been amazing. I consider you like a sister, Ali. Yeah. You've been so we've been through a lot of things together, you know, not just career-wise, even privately. And it was it was just amazing. And then along the tour, you know, there's always somebody, Mark. You you might not know it, but you your nature and you have always been so supportive. And I know you're like that with all players, pretty much, I would assume, but it it it's you probably don't know what an impact it has to have somebody who is so encouraging all the time. And so I consider you one of those people who played a role in my career.

Allison Fisher 22:41

Thank you.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 22:42

Absolutely. And then, you know, competitors and friends, I'm sure I'm forgetting a ton of people. I definitely want to thank Dan, my husband, who's been so supportive and a huge influence in my life. And uh and the people who are my two favorite people in the world after Dan is my girls. So I yeah, I just I can't think I can't put in words how much they mean to me and how they have impacted my life. They're they're my everything. So and I think that hopefully wraps it up. Whoever I forgot, I'm so sorry, and just know I am thankful anyway, even though I didn't mention you right now, because there must be other people I'm forgetting.

Mike Gonzalez 23:25

You know who you forgot?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 23:27

Who?

Mike Gonzalez 23:28

The marching band.

Allison Fisher 23:31

Yeah.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 23:32

The marching band. The marching band. Yes, with yeah, people in my hometown. That was in 1995 when I won the world championship. That reception was the marching band. That was incredible.

Mike Gonzalez 23:45

All right. Well, listen, we've got, as you may not know, but we have three final questions that we've become accustomed to asking to each of our guests. Interesting to compare the responses we get across each of these. All right, Gerda, first question. You're 20 years old again. But you know at 20 what you know now. What would you have done differently?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 24:14

Wow. At twenty. Wow, I I think the biggest advice I would give myself is not take yourself so seriously and realize that people don't care nearly as much as what you think. You know, this goes as far as like playing a sport where you're watched by lots of people and you when you're young, you think you know it matters so much, but that's your ego talking. And I think the biggest advice I have is you know, don't take yourself so seriously. It's not nearly as important.

Mike Gonzalez 24:56

Fair enough. Mark Wilson, second question.

Mark Wilson 24:59

If you had one career mulligan, a shot that you would do over in your time, where would you take it?

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 25:09

One shot that would require for me to remember lots of shots. Oh boy.

Mike Gonzalez 25:18

Um that might have made a difference.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 25:24

Wow, you should have given me a warning to think about that long and hard.

Allison Fisher 25:30

Think of all the finals you might have been in where one shot turned it around.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 25:38

I honestly can't think of a single shot, but I know I'm guilty of being way too aggressive on many shots and thinking back, I would have done better playing a safe. You know, where I took a chance. So I'm sure it was one of those where I went for a shot that had low odds and I had a way better defensive option. So I'm gonna make that my answer.

Mike Gonzalez 26:02

You could phone a friend if you'd like.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 26:04

I'm here.

Mike Gonzalez 26:07

There may be somebody here that remembers one, but uh that's do you remember one?

Allison Fisher 26:12

Do you know what I would think about? And I'm not sure of a particular I'm sure there was a shot in there, but when we played the US Open final when you were pregnant. Do you remember a situation happened with Steve Tipton and he called a foul on you and I said no, let's look at the video. We redid it, and you were right, right? But that was a close match. I'm sure there probably was a shot in there that probably could have turned it around. That and maybe you're probably more aggressive than defensive. Right.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 26:44

That was the way you played. It must be one of those. Yeah, I was always way too aggressive.

Mike Gonzalez 26:49

Hey, it got you to the Hall of Fame.

Allison Fisher 26:52

Yeah, you got to be lucky. Normally it'd be the other way around, wouldn't it? That you wish you were more aggressive sometimes.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 26:59

Oh, I see. Play it too safe, yeah. That would be Karen's.

Allison Fisher 27:03

Yeah.

Mike Gonzalez 27:04

All right, Allie, final question.

Allison Fisher 27:08

The final question, Gerda, is how would you like to be remembered? Oh.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 27:18

In pool and in general, I like to be remembered as a good sport, a good kind person. That's all that matters.

Mike Gonzalez 27:31

Fair enough. Fair enough.

Mark Wilson 27:44

It's so refreshing to hear somebody enthusiastic and positive about the sport that they weren't doing it in pursuit of money, but just out of sheer love. And if the money came, that was good. And uh, you have all my respect.

Allison Fisher 27:57

Oh, thank you, Mark. And you've smiled the whole way through this interview. So your per your positivity, as Mark would say, relentless positivity. It's been a pleasure to have you on the broadcast. You're a great friend of mine, and I'm very happy to have you in my life. So thank you for joining us.

Gerda Hofstatter Gregerson 28:14

Likewise, thank you guys so much. It's been a huge honor. I really loved it.

Allison Fisher 28:20

Thank you for listening to another episode of Legends of the Cube. If you like what you hear, wherever you listen to your podcast, including Apple and Spotify, please follow, subscribe, and spread the word. Give our podcast a five-star rating and share your thoughts. Visit our website and support our Paul History project. Until our next golden break with more Legends of the Cube, so long everybody have an end of uh