Worldwide billiards legend "Mister 100"

Raymond Ceulemans is without a doubt one of the best known names in the billiard world. Not only in Belgium and the Netherlands, but worldwide!

Biography of Raymond Ceulemans

Soccer player or billiard player?

At the age of seven Raymond Ceulemans, born 1937, already played billiards at his father's cafe-table. He also liked to play soccer at the local club Nijlen. On the 19th of February 1961, at the age of 23, Ceulemans won his first Belgian 3-cushion title. At that point he already had forgotten his football dreams: he was a good midfield player and in 1958 he was discovered bij Beerschot, but a transfer was never made. Ceulemans stopped playing football and began to concentrate on billiards. And that worked out much better: in the sixties, seventies and eighties he won game after game, especially 3-cushion, and also internationally he was doing well.

Mister 100

In 1962 he won his first European Championship 3-Cushion, and then a year later his first Wolrd championship, with averages of 1.159 and 1.307. In the mean time he has won so much, that no other player will ever reach the same. 'Mister 100'- the nickname he recieved after winning his 100th game- is the only billiard player who achieved the title "Sportsman of the Year." He is the first 3-cushion player who reached levels of 1.500 and 2.000. The Mister 100 book, written by Raymond was published in five languages. On the 8th of November 1986 he won his first World Cup tournament in Paris.

Back injury

Ceulemans discovered that he could do so much more in competition sports besides winning cups. He was elected to take control of the professional club BWA of which he was and still is a great fan. In 1992 it seemed all over: the legend laid in the hospital for three weeks with a heavy injury to his back. 'For three days I was scared to death that I would never play billiards again' says Ceulemans about this period.

In 1995 he won his last tournament in the World Cup, but still he is able to handle himself among all those new, younger top-players, forty years after his first success. In 1997 he finished a game scoring forty points in only 8 innings. A year, later he averages 2.307. On the 14th of March 1998 he equalled the world record of the Japanese Komori, by scoring a serie of 28 for his Dutch club Crystal Kelly. In 2000 he conquered the cup with the same team. He's also happy with the three cars that he's won during his distinguished career, the last one just recently, on the 13th of December, 1999 after playing 'a hole-in-one'.

Knighthood and offspring

Raymond Ceulemans was elected to the BCA Hall of Fame in Las Vegas in 2001. King Albert of Belgium has honoured several people to the ranks of nobility. Raymond Ceulemans has been given a knighthood. The official ceremony will take place in October, 2003. The name Ceulemans won't disappear from the lists: his two sons Kurt and Koen, and his grandchildren too, also play very well. The most hopeful player is grandson Peter, who seems to have inherited his grandfather's billiard genes.

Raymond Ceulemans Billiard Products

In 2003 Raymond Ceulemans, together with sponsor Van Ooy Billiard Supplies of the Netherlands, signed a unique contract. The Master gave permission for his name "Raymond Ceulemans Billiard Products" to be used as the official trademark. This was submitted together with the well known logo and became, therefore, a protected brand. Raymond Ceulemans said that he is proud to be associated.

Raymond Ceulemans Billiard Products ®, the new official registered trademark is now available. With a completely new style and a recognisable logo, this brand will set itself apart from the rest.