LoreeJon Ogonowski-Brown - Part 2 (Teenage World Champion and the Rise of a Legend)
In part two of our four-part series with BCA Hall of Famer LoreeJon Ogonowski-Brown, we journey back to the early 1980s, when a 15-year-old prodigy from New Jersey stunned the billiards world by capturing the World Straight Pool Championship. That historic win not only earned her a Guinness World Record as the youngest world champion in the sport’s history but also set the stage for an extraordinary career that continues to inspire players today.
LoreeJon reflects on the whirlwind of attention that followed—television appearances on shows like That’s Incredible and Big Blue Marble, magazine features, and a flood of opportunities that transformed her from a local phenom into a household name in the world of cue sports. She also shares the deep bond she had with her father, whose guidance and belief fueled her early success, and how his encouragement helped shape her competitive mindset.
The conversation moves from her teenage triumphs to the challenges of sustaining greatness, including her rivalry with legendary Jean Balukas and her unforgettable nine-ball world championship victory at just 19. Along the way, LoreeJon offers candid insight into the mental side of the game—how focus, nerves, and even her self-described “squirrel moments” have influenced her journey on and off the table.
Listeners will also hear touching stories of resilience and inspiration, including how her husband Terry helped her rediscover joy in competition, and how her presence at tournaments continues to impact fans in powerful, unexpected ways.
From the discipline of straight pool to the evolving equipment and style of today’s game, LoreeJon offers a rare perspective on how eras of play compare—and what the future holds for the sport’s rising stars.
Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.
Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:
Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1
Music by Lyrium.
About
"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”
Ogonowski-Brown, LoreeJon
LoreeJon Ogonowski-Brown (formerly LoreeJon Jones, LoreeJon Hasson, sometimes known mononymically as LoreeJon; born November 6, 1965 is a professional pool player.
A child prodigy who began playing at the age of 4 at her home in Garwood, New Jersey, she picked up the game from her father, John Ogonowski.
Recognizing her talent, her father built wooden boxes around the table so she would be the correct height for him to teach her the sport. Her father was her instructor, and her mother became her daily practice partner. She ran her first rack of balls at age 5. She performed her first three trick shots at age 6 in Chicago at a men's World Straight Pool tournament. At age 11, she became a pro player with the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA) and came to be known as "Queen of the Hill".
Aged 15, she won the World Straight Pool Championship, becoming the youngest player, male or female, ever to win a world championship. From 1981 to 1996, she won many tournaments, three WPBA National Championships, BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship, WPBA U.S. Open 9-ball Championship, and the All Japan Championship. When she won the WPA World Nine-ball Championship, she had held every title possible in women's professional pool. At the time of her 2002 induction into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame, and 2008 Women's Professional Billiard Association Hall of Fame, she held over 50 major titles, and over the course of her career was recognized five times as "Player of the Year" by Pool & Bi… Read More