Pat Fleming - Part 3 (The Library, the Booth, and the Moments That Made Pool History)
In Part III of our in-depth conversation with Pat Fleming, the Hall of Famer and founder of Accu-Stats pulls back the curtain on the pivotal chapter that reshaped both his life and the future of recorded pool history.
Pat walks us through the emotional and practical decision to separate Accu-Stats’ legendary video library from its production arm—a move born from personal loss, hard-earned perspective, and a desire to focus on what mattered most. The result? One of the great win-win stories in cue-sports history: nearly four decades of priceless matches preserved, monetized, and shared with fans worldwide, while Pat refocused his energy on producing world-class events like the International Open.
From there, the conversation shifts into the mechanics—and madness—of tournament production. Cameras, commentary booths, lighting rigs, graphics, audio teams, and a 40-person staff all come into play as Pat explains how Accu-Stats evolved from a single stationary camera into a full-scale broadcast operation, learned in real time, one necessity at a time.
This episode is also packed with unforgettable stories from the booth and beyond: capturing Efren Reyes’ iconic Z-Shot, perfectly timing the camera on Mike Sigel’s infamous cue-snap, and witnessing moments of brilliance, frustration, humor, and humanity that only live tournament coverage can deliver. Pat reflects on the commentators who brought matches to life, the unique chemistry of legendary broadcast pairings, and why sometimes the most controversial voices are also the most insightful.
Throughout it all, Pat’s perspective is clear-eyed and generous—an archivist’s respect for history paired with a promoter’s understanding of entertainment. It’s a masterclass in legacy, storytelling, and why preserving the game’s greatest moments matters just as much as creating new ones.
This is Pat Fleming at full stride: historian, innovator, and lifelong steward of the sport.
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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.”
Pool Professional and Promoter
Pat Fleming is a Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Famer and one of the most influential behind-the-scenes figures in modern pocket billiards. A former professional player, Fleming is best known as the founder of Accu-Stats Video Productions, the pioneering company that helped preserve and elevate professional pool through high-quality match coverage and detailed performance tracking.
Blending a lifelong love of numbers with a passion for the sport, Fleming created the Total Performance Average (TPA)—a statistical measurement system introduced in the early 1980s that became a standard way to evaluate elite-level play.
Beyond metrics, Fleming’s legacy is deeply tied to pool’s historical record. Through Accu-Stats, he documented generations of great players and built one of the most important archives in cue sports—footage that has served as both entertainment and a training library for players worldwide.
Fleming has also played a major role as a promoter and steward of marquee events. He assumed promotion and management of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in the late 2010s and later created the International Open, now considered one of the premier professional events in the United States.
In 2022, Fleming sold Accu-Stats to Mike Howerton, while continuing involvement with major productions and streams that keep top-level pool visible and accessible to fans.