Masako Katsura was a famous billiards player in the 1950s. She was very good at the game and was known as the “First Lady of billiards.” However, Masako was more than just a skilled billiards player. She was a kind and caring person and her talents went far beyond the game of billiards.
| Name | Masako Katsura |
| Nick Name | The First Lady of billiards / Katsy |
| Born | 7 March 1913 |
| Age | 82 years 1913–1995 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Place of birth | Tokyo |
| Date of death | 1995 |
| Occupation | carom billiards player |
| Sport | cue sports |
| Hometown | Tokyo, Japan |
Masako Katsura’s early years
Masako Katsura was born on March 7, 1913, in Tokyo, Japan. She was the second-born child in a family of four sisters and one brother. She was very good at playing billiards and even played professionally alongside her sisters.
There isn’t much known about Katsura’s parents, but she told an interview that her mother was the one who taught her how to play billiards. At first, she was a weak child, and her mother wanted her to use billiards as an exercise to make her stronger.
Katsura’s childhood wasn’t very happy. Her father died when she was only 12 years old, so she was sent away to live with her elder sister. However, luckily, her sister was married to Tomio Kobashi, who owned a billiards hall.
Masako spent a lot of time in the hall, and also started taking lessons from her brother-in-law, who was a decent enough player. She also practiced independently.
Starting of Katsura’s career
Katsura became better at playing pool over time, and eventually started competing against male Japanese players. Eventually, at 15 years old, she became a professional pool player and won the Japanese Women’s straight rail championship. After that, she started touring Japan, China, and Formosa (present-day Taiwan) with one of her sisters, competing in billiards competitions.
Katsura became a professional billiards player in 1937, thanks to the help of her coach Kinrey Matsunya. Matsunya was a champion in both Japan and the United States, and he taught Katsura all about the sport’s most competitive levels.
Matsuya taught Katsuya how to play pool, and her skills soon grew very quickly. By 1947, she had become one of the best pool players in Japan, and she was the only female professional player at the time. In 1948, she finished second in the national three-cushion championship, and she won the second-place finish for two more years.
Public pool tournaments
Katsuya started doing interviews and open billiards competitions and it started to get her more attention. In the late 1940s, she scored 10,000 points in a straight rail game that lasted more than four and a half hours.
After World War II, Katsura found ways to improve her career. One of these methods was giving performances for American soldiers. This helped her gain a reputation in other countries, which then helped her to have a successful career Worldwide.
Katsura relocated to California in the United States in 1951, where she began to play pool. Unfortunately, the American billiards culture was overwhelmingly male-dominated, with hardly any women participating in or working in the establishments. So, when she accepted an invitation to play in the 1952 World Three Cushion Billiards event, she made history by doing so as the first female competitor.
Husband and kids of Masako Katsura :
Katsura met a Master Sergeant in 1947 while playing exhibition matches for American troops in Japan. The Sergeant was very impressed by her skills, and begged her to teach him how to play.
Greenleaf fell in love with Elizabeth after spending time getting to know her. He proposed to her after feeling very strongly about her, and they got married on November 18, 1950. Shortly after their wedding, he was transferred back to the United States, and Elizabeth accompanied him. After moving to America, they remained together until his death in 1967. Elizabeth never remarried and their marriage was not blessed with any children.
Masako Katsura’s earnings
Katsura is a very famous pool player who is known all over the world. She has competed in exhibition matches and professional events in Japan, and her fans have come to see her play. She has also written books and made guest appearances on television programmes.
Katsura made a lot of money from playing pool. Masako Katsura is thought to have had a net worth of about $1 million in today’s money.
Old age and death
Katsura retired from pool about 20 years ago and then moved back to Japan. Until her sister passed away in 1995, she lived with her. Before that, she lived in the United States for a while.
FAQ- Masako Katsura’s
Is Masako still alive and well?
Masako died in 1995, so it’s clear she’s not alive right now. There are a lot of stories about her age, all of which are not true because she died a long time ago. Her life experiences showed us what would happen in the future.
How did she begin in the first place?
Masako Katsura didn’t have an orphaned background like Beth Harmon. Her father died when she was just 12 years old, but she didn’t have to go through the struggles that Beth did. Instead, she moved in with her older sister’s husband, who ran a billiards parlor. She started working there as a billiard attendant, and he taught her the basics. Eventually, he got her a table of her own, because she was so interested in the game.
What does it matter if she didn’t win the world title?
Katsura was a great woman who helped make it acceptable for women to play cue sports. She was loved and admired by her followers, and she is loved and admired by us today. She was a trailblazer, and her accomplishments are essential to our lives today.