In the final chapter of our seven-part conversation with WPBA Hall of Famer Mary Kenniston, the story comes full circle. Mary reflects on the closing years of her competitive career, the health battle that changed everything, and the determination that carried her back to the table playing better, in some ways, than ever before.

With candor, wit, and hard-earned perspective, Mary shares how she rebuilt her game after serious illness, teaching herself how to swing her arm again, refining her fundamentals, and discovering new ways to aim that she wishes she’d known from the beginning. She looks back on the stamina demands of tournament pool, the painful decision to retire, and the one shot from the 1989 U.S. Open she would take back if given a single career mulligan.

But this episode is about more than competition. It’s about legacy.

Mary tells the remarkable story of how a few forgotten boxes of photographs became an extraordinary accidental archive of pool history. What began as a personal trip down memory lane turned into a passion project that has preserved thousands upon thousands of images of players, tournaments, and moments that might otherwise have been lost. In doing so, Mary has become the game’s unofficial historian, reconnecting generations of fans and players with the sport’s rich past.

She also opens up about life after touring professionally, from dealing poker and caring for family to writing, commentary, and chronicling the people and personalities who built the game she loves.

Asked how she hopes to be remembered, Mary’s answer says it all: as both a survivor and a steward of pool’s history.

This moving and memorable finale is a fitting close to the life story of a woman whose impact on the game extends far beyond the titles she won.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”