He may have shot his way to fame and pocketed practically every pool title across the world, but Filipino's legendary pool player Efren Reyes insists he is not a hero.
For him, the real heroes are the scores of his kabayan (Tagalog for countrymen) – particularly those who are left with little option but to leave their homeland to work and support their families – who are the true stalwarts.
The UAE has become a popular place for expat Filipinos to set up shop and the ever cheerful Reyes paid them a fitting tribute. “I am thankful to all the overseas workers for all their support,'' Reyes told XPRESS in an exclusive interview during the recent World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah.
“But I'm not the one who is a hero. They are the heroes as they make sacrifices in order to support their families.''
In spite of having travelled the globe, for Reyes, popularly known as Bata (kid), there is no place like home. “The Philippines is my only home,'' he said. “Anywhere I go, I just go to play the tournament, if there is no tournament, I don't travel.''
Apart from the UAE, Reyes is also much loved by Americans, who handed him a nickname of their own – The Magician. Reyes explained: “Every time they see me, they see a lot of different shots – that's why they call me the magician.
'' When he first went to the US to compete, Reyes did not play under his real name but went by the alias of Cesar Morales.
“They knew my name, but had not seen me before and I was going there to play tournaments which involved a lot of money. So I changed my name because nobody would bring me if I had said: ‘I'm Efren Reyes'. They found out my name when the tournament finished,'' he said, flashing a wry smile.
For someone with a list of titles that would be the envy of most sportsmen, it's hard to imagine what keeps him hungry for more. But to Reyes pool is more than just sport, “pool is my profession… it is my job''.
Things you didn't know about Reyes
- After a bath prior to the opening game in a tournament, Reyes will not take another until the tournament has ended. “I take a bath first and after that I win my game and then no more,'' he said.
- Reyes played for years with a locally-made cue which cost him $10 (Dh36). He refused an offer to sell it for $10,000 (Dh36,700). He parted with it in 1999. “I could no longer use it because it broke.''
- He wears dentures, which he removes only during competitions.
