About Dave Bollman

Born February 14, 1942, in Sheldon, Iowa, Dave attended Iowa State University before serving in the United States Navy.

His athletic ability extended well beyond the pool table. Dave was an accomplished golfer and was recognized as the All-Navy Golf Champion in both 1970 and 1971.

Published accounts of his life also note that he competed on the PGA Tour before establishing himself as a professional pool player.

Dave began playing pool professionally in the 1970s and became one of the country's highly regarded players during an era filled with some of the biggest names the sport has ever produced.

In 1981, he was ranked as the third-highest professional American pool player, and AZBilliards records document tournament results spanning more than three decades, from 1980 through 2012.

Among his notable performances was a second-place finish at the 1986 Classic Cup V in Aurora, Illinois.

Dave Bollman competing against Earl Strickland during his professional pool career.

Competing in an 85-player field that included many of the era's elite players, Dave posted an exceptional .882 tournament performance average and finished behind Jose Parica.

The field included Allen Hopkins, Efren Reyes, Buddy Hall, Steve Mizerak, Earl Strickland, and Grady Mathews.

His competitive career continued for decades. In 1997, Dave finished seventh at the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in another field filled with many of the sport's top players.

Dave's influence on pool in Hampton Roads went far beyond tournament results.

He became the House Pro at Q-Master Billiards in the early 1970s and remained closely associated with Q-Master for more than 30 years.

Q-Master founder Barry Behrman recalled that Dave became the room's House Pro in 1972 and participated in exhibitions there with legends including Luther “Wimpy” Lassiter in 1972 and Willie Mosconi in 1973.

That relationship continued for the rest of Dave's life. Even in October 2013, shortly before his passing, he was still competing at the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship as Q-Master's longtime house professional.

For many local players, Dave Bollman was just as well known for what he did off the table.

He built and operated the pro shop at Q-Master Billiards, where he repaired cues and built his own custom cues by hand. Players traveled considerable distances to have Dave work on their equipment.

Barry Behrman remembered him as a craftsman who approached his work with extraordinary care and precision.

His reputation extended beyond his ability as a player or craftsman. Contemporary accounts repeatedly describe him as a mentor, gentleman, and sportsman.

His obituary remembered his honesty, kindness, and wisdom, qualities that made him respected throughout the local billiards community.

Dave passed away on December 10, 2013, at the age of 71.

His celebration of life was fittingly held at Q-Master Billiards, in the room and community that had been such a large part of his life.