Nobuaki Kobayashi facts for kids
Nobuaki Kobayashi (小林 伸明, Kobayashi Nobuaki, March 26, 1942 – 25 November 2019) was a famous Japanese professional three-cushion billiards player. He became a world champion two times!
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Becoming a World Champion
Nobuaki Kobayashi was a very skilled billiards player. He often competed against Belgium's Raymond Ceulemans, who was a huge champion at the time. Kobayashi came in second place to Ceulemans three times in the UMB World Three-cushion Championship (in 1970, 1972, and 1973).
Ending a Long Reign
In 1974, Kobayashi finally beat Ceulemans to win the world title! This was a big deal because it ended Ceulemans' amazing 10-year winning streak as champion. Kobayashi later shared a secret: he had recorded Ceulemans' games in a 1969 tournament in Tokyo. He did this to study Ceulemans' playing style and learn his techniques.
Winning Again
Ten years later, Kobayashi won the world championship again! This time, he defeated another great player named Ludo Dielis. He tried to defend his title the next year but lost to Raymond Ceulemans again.
Asian Pioneer in Billiards
For over 30 years, Nobuaki Kobayashi was the only player from Asia to win a World Three-cushion Championship. (Another player, Sang Lee, won, but he represented the United States at that time.) Two other Japanese players came close to winning but weren't lucky enough. This changed in 2007 when Ryuuji Umeda, another Japanese player, won the title.
Family and Legacy
Nobuaki Kobayashi was also a nine-time Japanese Champion. His son, Hideaki Kobayashi, followed in his footsteps and also became a professional three-cushion billiards player. Nobuaki Kobayashi's highest score in a single turn was 15 points. He passed away on November 25, 2019, at the age of 77.
See also
In Spanish: Nobuaki Kobayashi para niños
