# List of world three-cushion billiards champions

The World Three-Cushion Championship is a billiards competition held in the Americas. It was the most prestigious Three-cushion tournament up until the UMB World Three-cushion Championship popularized Three-cushion in Europe. The event was held in United States and from 1928 ran alongside the UMB World Three-cushion Championship, both as World Championship events. By the 1950s, the popularity of three-cushion had declined in the US following the retirement of Willie Hoppe.

## History

The first three-cushion billiards tournament took place at Mussey’s Billiard Hall in the United States in 1878. The winner was Leon Magnus, who received a cash prize of $75 (equivalent to $2,274 in 2023). However, fans of cue sports were not immediately taken with the new sport of three-cushion billiards. This lack of popularity resulted in a lull in the occurrence of additional tournaments in the United States for several years. In the subsequent decades, the tournament was held only once in 1899 and was won by William Catton.
The popularity of three-cushion billiards increased with the introduction of the Lambert Trophy in 1907. To win this trophy, a player had to defeat others in a knockout-style tournament. Harry Cline was the first winner of the Lambert Trophy. Around this time, less formal tournaments also became popular, especially in the United States. These were designed for both amateur and professional players, with the winner receiving a trophy or cup. Tournaments took place in billiard parlours with proprietors using posters to advertise the tournament events.

## Winners

In the 1870s, Wayman McCreery invented the game of three-cushion.

### Sanctioned World Championship events

| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
| 1921 | August Kieckhefer | Alfredo De Oro |
| 1921 | August Kieckhefer | Johnny Layton |
| 1922 | Johnny Layton | Alfredo De Oro |
| 1922 | Johnny Layton | Charles McCourt |
| 1923 | Tilford Denton | Otto Reiselt |
| 1924 | Robert Cannefax | Johnny Layton |
| 1927 | August Kieckhefer | Otto Reiselt |
| 1927 | Otto Reiselt | August Kieckhefer |
| 1927 | Otto Reiselt | Gus Copulos |
| 1927 | Otto Reiselt | Allen Hall |
| 1928 | Otto Reiselt | Tilford Denton |
| 1928 | Johnny Layton | Willie Hoppe |
| 1930 | Johnny Layton | Otto Reiselt |
| 1931 | Arthur Thurnblad | Allen Hall |
| 1932 | August Kieckhefer | Otto Reiselt |
| 1933 | Welker Cochran | Jay Bozeman |
| 1934 | Johnny Layton | Allen Hall |
| 1935 | Johnny Layton | Allen Hall |
| 1935 | Welker Cochran | Willie Hoppe |
| 1936 | Willie Hoppe | Welker Cochran |
| 1936 | Welker Cochran | Kinrey Matsuyama |
| 1939 | Joe Chamaco | Raymond Champanioni |
| 1940 | Willie Hoppe | Jake Schaefer Jr. |
| 1941 | Willie Hoppe | Jake Schaefer Jr. |
| 1941 | Willie Hoppe | Jake Schaefer Jr. |
| 1942 | Willie Hoppe | Welker Cochran |
| 1944 | Willie Hoppe | Welker Cochran |
| 1944 | Welker Cochran | Willie Hoppe |
| 1945 | Welker Cochran | Willie Hoppe |
| 1946 | Willie Hoppe | Jake Schaefer Jr. |
| 1947 | Willie Hoppe | Arthur Rubin |
| 1947 | Willie Hoppe | Arthur Rubin |
| 1948 | Willie Hoppe | Enrique Navarra |
| 1949 | Willie Hoppe | Joe Chamaco |
| 1950 | Willie Hoppe | Joe Chamaco |
| 1950 | Willie Hoppe | Joe Chamaco |
| 1951 | Willie Hoppe | Joe Chamaco |
| 1952 | Willie Hoppe | Kinrey Matsuyama |
| 1953 | Ray Kilgore | Jay Bozeman |
| 1954 | Harold Worst | Enrique Navarra |
| 1957 | Harold Worst | Joe Chamaco |
| 1960 | Harold Worst | Joe Chamaco |
| 1961 | Harold Worst | Masako Katsura |

## Top performers

| Name | Nationality | Winner | Years a champion |
| Willie Hoppe | United States | 15 | 12 |
| Johnny Layton | United States | 6 | 5 |
| Welker Cochran | United States | 5 | 5 |
| Harold Worst | United States | 4 | 4 |
| Otto Reiselt | United States | 4 | 2 |
| August Kieckhefer | United States | 4 | 3 |
* In the event of identical records, players are sorted in alphabetical order by first name.