BD’s George Fels Dead At 75
According to Fels’ son, Adam, George collapsed at home Dec, 27. He was rushed to Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, but never regained consciousness. Per his wishes, George was removed from life support after neurologists confirmed extensive brain damage from the heart attack. He died late in evening in New Years Eve.
Born and raised in Chicago, Fels love of pool began early in life. An award-winning creative writer for some of the city’s biggest advertising agencies, Fels slipped away many afternoons to shoot pool at downtown Chicago’s famed Bensingers, about which he wrote on numerous occasions.
After publishing the book, “Mastering Pool,” in the late ’70s, Fels began contributing monthly columns to Billiards Digest in 1981. Over the next 33 years, Fels penned nearly 300 columns for the magazine. His columns were entertaining recollections of the game and its characters. His style was crisp, precise and hilariously descriptive. As billiard historian Mike Shamos of the Billiard Archive noted, “George said more in one page than most writers could in an entire book.”
Mr. Fels is survived by sons Adam and Sam.
Pool Documentary Now Airing
The Physics of Billiards, the documentary featuring Billiards Digest columnist Mike Shamos and WPBA star Jeanette Lee, will be on the air starting this week. The show, produced for National Geographic TV (www.ngs.org), will air on the following dates on the National Geographic channel at 9 pm EST: Tuesday July 16, Wednesday July 17, and Sunday July 21. The previously announced August 9th air date has been changed. Please note that the National Geographic TV episode listing is entitled “Ancient Poison, Modern Cure,” which is the cover story. The Physics of Billiards segment is in the second half of the show.