You’re not very young but people call you “The Kid.” Others call you “The Magician.” How do you get these names?
When I was ten, many patrons in my uncle’s billiard hall took me to other halls to play games for money against older players. There was one older player also named Efren Reyes, so to make the distinction, people began calling me Efren “Bata” Reyes, with “Bata” meaning “The Kid.” “Magician” was the name given to me by billiard commentators during my early campaign days in the US in the ’70s. Whenever I pocketed difficult shots, they often described them as magical; hence, the label “The Magician.”
Well, if you were to name your cue, what would it be?
I would like to name it Efren “Bata” Reyes. This is the name I carry wherever I play and I would want it to also be the label of my cue.
Are there any rituals that you do for luck before you compete?
I do not have any rituals. I have some lucky shirts though, like the white dress shirt given by my sponsor when we played the US team and won the World Team Championship in the late ’80s. I have worn that in many events. It has turned brownish now. My sponsor said it does not look good anymore and gave me a couple of others.
You were featured in TV ads. Think you have the makings of a star?
I have appeared in commercials and most of the time, I execute shots to thrill the viewers. I’m surprised at the many takes and the amount of preparation needed to shoot a scene that will only be shown for about 30 seconds. I have been invited to many TV shows but I will never be a TV star. I appeared in a movie with out the late Fernando Poe Jr. and the movie centered on a billiard championship event where we played as Scotch Double partners.
