History of the APCA

The history of The American Pool Checker Association can be traced to Detroit, Michigan where two men, John Otis and Dr. Nathaniel Leach visualized organizing players into a strong single body.  These two had witnessed checkers being played on street comers, alleys, barber shops and anywhere that two or more people could .congregate in a challenging, atmosphere to out-wit, out-think, out-move and out-talk each other. 

The game was called "Spanish Pool" Checkers and it was played predominately by Blacks throughout the United States.  Straight Checkers was too slow and not exciting in.moving or jumping so it was not as appealing as the former.  There were no written rules to govern play nor were there any recorded accounts of games or players·. The players agreed on local rules or those endorsed by the majority. There were no tournaments no divisions and no instructions.  The streets or the barbershops gave the group its name.  What was happening in Detroit was also occurring in other major cities where there was a checkerboard.

Dr. Leach and Mr. John Otis were quite disturbed with the lack of organization that existed.  These men of vision proceeded to start a checkers club in the Young men's Christian Association (YMCA) in the early 1930's there in Detroit.  The idea of unorganized play in the Spanish Pool Checkers tradition didn't set well with these two men of vision and in 1960 they presented the idea to Mr. Newell Banks, a grandmaster and a blindfold expert in Straight Checkers.  His guidance proved to be invaluable in the formation of an organization designed to teach its members the fine point of play and to keep individual records.

In 1961, the American Pool Checker Association was registered in the city-county building of Detroit to transact business or operate an office using the above name.  Efforts were being made to organize players in the United States.  The first big event was the Midwest Open Tournament held in 1965 along with the publication of Point Manual and Rules based on the American Pool Checker Association (A.P.C.A.) philosophy.  Then in 1966, the dream began to become a reality as the Association sponsored its first national tournament in Detroit, bringing together checker players from all parts of the country.

Today, the American Pool Checker Association holds annual national tournaments across the country in efforts to further achieve its mission.  These tournaments are hosted by local affiliated clubs.

In the past the APCA boasted of having as many as fifteen affiliated clubs.  In recent years these numbers have dwindled due to attrition.

One can find numerous non-affiliated clubs throughout the country.  Special efforts are being made to identify them and solicit each to become affiliated with the national organization