Tony Ellin

{{Short description|American pool player}}

{{Infobox person

| name = "Hurricane" Tony Ellin

| image = Tony Ellin.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Tony Ellin in competition

| birth_name =

| birth_date = July 19, 1965

| birth_place = New Jersey

| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|6|14|1965|7|19|mf=yes}}

| death_place = Ladson, South Carolina

}}

Tony Ellin (July 19, 1965{{cite journal|url=http://digital.turn-page.com/issue/12762/73|journal=Pool & Billiard Magazine|title=Cool Pool Calendar|page=74|volume=28|issue=27|date=July 2010|location=Bloomingdale, Ill.|publisher=Sports Publications|oclc=21193717}} – June 14, 2000{{Cite news|url=https://newspaperarchive.com/PdfViewerTags.aspx?img=103888123|format=fee required|title=Obituaries: Tony Ellin, Pro Pool Player|work=Aiken Standard|agency=Associated Press|location=Aiken, S.C|date=June 15, 2000|page=4}}) was a top-ranked American professional pool player nicknamed "Hurricane," who specialized in the game of nine-ball.{{Cite news|url=http://archives.postandcourier.com/archive/arch94/1294/arc122695425.shtml|first=Wood|last=Marchant|title=Ellin Shines on Billiards Tour|work=The Post and Courier|location=Charleston, S.C.|date=December 26, 1994}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Born in New Jersey, Ellin resided in Ladson, South Carolina, near Charleston, and was a touring professional player in the 1990s. He was killed on June 14, 2000, at age 34, when his 1999 Cadillac collided with a locomotive less than a block from his home. Ellin was alone in his car when the accident occurred. Lt. Mike Benton, a Charleston County sheriff, said Ellin was "apparently trying to beat the train to the crossing." Ellin had played in the Sand Regency Open just days before his death.{{cite web|url=http://www.azbilliards.com/thepros/2000showtourney2000.php?eventnum=116|title=Sands Reno Open June 6–11, 2000|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613190810/http://www.azbilliards.com/thepros/2000showtourney2000.php?eventnum=116|archivedate=June 13, 2011|url-status=dead|publisher=AzBilliards.com|accessdate=July 23, 2010}} He was survived by wife Shelby, and daughter Ashley Annette who was just 3 years old at the time of his death.{{cite web|url=http://www.tedharris.com/articles_36_memorial.htm|title=Tony Ellin Memorial|last=Harris|first=Ted|date=June 15, 2000|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813171446/http://www.tedharris.com/articles_36_memorial.htm|archivedate=August 13, 2009|url-status=dead|accessdate=July 23, 2010}} Later that year a Tony Ellin memorial tournament was held at Brass Tap and Billiards in Raleigh, North Carolina, with receipts to benefit the Ashley Ellin Scholarship Fund, which was formed to benefit Ellin's daughter after his death.{{cite web|url=http://www.usashopper.com/search/search.cgi?bz=114&s=|format=Google cache|title=9) Tony Ellin Memorial Tournament Brass Tap and Billiards, Raleigh NC|publisher=USWW|access-date=July 23, 2010}}

Ellin was well known for his powerhouse {{Cuegloss|Break shot|break shot}} and, according to Ellin, that earned him his nickname: "My strength is my break. The guys on tour call me "Hurricane Tony" after Hugo, because of the powerful breaks I have." A competitor stated in a 1998 interview that "Tony has one of the best breaks in the world... he's got so much power it just explodes the balls."{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=VkIVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=KQgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5215,1432191|title=Rack 'em Up: Pool Pros Flock to Local Open Tournament|work=Ocala Star-Banner|last=Rizzo|first=Marian|date=January 4, 1998|location=Ocala, Fl.|page=1B}} At the tournament where the interview was conducted, Ellin pocketed six balls on the break at the beginning of one game, proving the point.

When asked what the secret was to aiming, Ellin responded: "I would say that aim is basically trial and error and instinct, using your judgment. I may look at the path from the pocket through the object ball, but I hardly do that anymore. You develop an instinct for aiming from playing all the time".{{cite journal|url=http://www.sfbilliards.com/PnB_aiming.pdf|journal=Pool & Billiard Magazine|first=Shari J.|last=Stauch|title=Aiming -- Secret of the Pros? Or Just Basic Instinct...: Dozens of Top Pros Give Up Their Aiming Secrets|page=120|date=July 1995|location=Bloomingdale, Ill.|publisher=Sports Publications|oclc=21193717}}