Yang Ching-shun

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Yang Ching-shun ({{zh|t=楊清順}}; 3 April 1978 – 6 December 2023) was a Taiwanese professional pool player, nicknamed "the Son of Pool".

Biography

Yang won the nine-ball event of the 1998 Asian Games against then World Pool champion Kunihiko Takahashi. He defended it in 2002 against Warren Kiamco.{{Cite web |url=http://sports123.com/poo/masg-9.html |title=Sports 123: Pool: Asian Games: Men: 9-Ball |publisher=Sports 123 |access-date=2008-08-07}} In an unsuccessful attempt to defend that title for the second time, Yang settled for third place as he was bested in the semi-finals by Jeff de Luna who then finished second to Antonio Gabica.{{Cite web |url=http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?id=4006 |title=Gabica Edges De Luna, Wins Gold In 9-Ball |publisher=AZ Billiards |access-date=2008-08-07}}

Even though he never won a world championship in any discipline of pool as his fellow Taiwanese player Chao Fong-pang did, Yang was often regarded as a potential world champion.

His best finish in the World Pool Championship is third where he reached the semi-finals in 2002. However, he was bested by Francisco Bustamante who eventually lost to Earl Strickland in the finals.

When his father died while he was still a child, Yang was left to fend for himself along with his mother. He expressed no interest in his studies and chose to work in a local billiard hall near his home, where he met Chao Fong-pang. He first started playing pool at the age of 14 and by the time he was 16, he was Japan Open champion beating Francisco Bustamante. His hobbies included golf and fishing.

Yang Ching-shun died on 6 December 2023, at the age of 45.[https://tw.news.yahoo.com/%E5%BF%AB%E8%A8%8A-%E6%92%9E%E7%90%83%E4%B9%8B%E5%AD%90-%E6%A5%8A%E6%B8%85%E9%A0%86%E9%9B%A2%E4%B8%96-%E4%BA%AB%E5%B9%B445%E6%AD%B2-062516291.html 快訊／「撞球之子」楊清順離世！享年45歲] {{in lang|zh}} Billiards coach and commentator Chang Ming-hsiung stated that Yang died of cancer.{{cite news |last1=Yeh |first1=Joseph |title=Legendary Taiwanese pool player Yang Ching-shun dies at 45 |url=https://focustaiwan.tw/sports/202312060014 |access-date=6 December 2023 |agency=Central News Agency |date=6 December 2023 |quote=In a Facebook post, the Chinese Taipei Billiards Federation made public the news and expressed its sadness over the passing of Yang, one of Taiwan's top pool players internationally and a gold medalist at the 1998 and 2002 Asian Games in men's individual events. He is regarded as one of the most talented pool players of his generation covering the late 1990s and early 2000s, and he earned the nickname "Son of Pool" for his overall excellence with a cuestick. In a message remembering Yang, the federation wrote "To the legend, 'the Son of Pool' Yang Ching-shun (1978.04.03-2023.12.06)" and thanked him for his contributions to Taiwan's billiards development. The post was later deleted at the request of the family. Billiards coach/commentator Chang Ming-hsiung (張明雄) told local media that Yang died of cancer. He was cited by the United Daily News as saying that Yang was diagnosed with an unidentified cancer about a year ago and had undergone chemotherapy. "He chose to keep his fight against cancer a secret and did not want us to make it public," Chang told the newspaper.}}