The Billiards Master of Canton: Meet Ernie

National Billiards and Pool Day is August 9, but it doesn’t have to be a special time of the year to enjoy the game with Ernie Silvester.

Silvester, a retired plumber and 49-year resident of Canton, would tell you to give it a try. As an athlete who has enjoyed many other sports throughout his life, Ernie learned how to play billiards in 2011. While he mainly learned by observing, he became an avid player at both Canton’s Club 55+ and other tournaments such as the Michigan Senior Olympics.

Since learning to play pool, he has continued to hone his game and now teaches both beginner and experienced players. Ernie says that concentrating on proper stance (where a player places themself to visually align for the stroke), stroke (the movement made by your arm as it is in motion to connect with the ball), and bridge (the position of the hand that remains on the pool table and balances the pool cue) are the most important elements of a successful game. He can help a beginner player learn these skills or an experienced player improve their game.

If you’re interested in joining Ernie for a game of pool or you’d like a lesson on how to play, contact the Club 55+ coordinator at 734-394-5485. Also, be sure to look for announcements for the semi-annual billiards tournament, held in September and April each year.

If a game of pool isn’t your activity of choice, there are many other opportunities at Club 55+ including euchre, pinochle, shuffleboard and mahjong as well as crafts and other hobbies. Be sure to cue up and get involved!