▁championship ▁multiple ▁times . ▁M ats uy ama ▁was ▁also ▁U . S . ▁national ▁champion ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 4 , ▁runner - up ▁three ▁other ▁times ▁and ▁had ▁four ▁second - place ▁finish es ▁in ▁world ▁competition ▁at ▁ 1 8 . 2 ▁b alk line ▁prior ▁to ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁M ats uy ama ▁was ▁im pressed ▁with ▁K ats ura ▁and ▁began ▁teaching ▁her ▁top ▁level ▁play . ▁By ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁K ats ura ▁was ▁a ▁long - est ab lished ▁bill i ard ▁star ▁in ▁Japan — the ▁country ' s ▁only ▁female ▁professional ▁player . ▁ ▁Mar riage ▁and ▁titles ▁in ▁Japan ▁During ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁K ats ura ▁caught ▁the ▁eye ▁of ▁American ▁serv ic eman ▁Vern on ▁Green leaf ▁( no ▁relation ▁to ▁the ▁pool ▁and ▁car om ▁bill i ards ▁champion ▁Ralph ▁Green leaf ), ▁a ▁master ▁ser ge ant ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Army ' s ▁Qu arter master ▁Corps ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁in ▁the ▁armed ▁services ▁for ▁ 2 2 ▁years . ▁K ats ura ▁and ▁Green leaf ▁first ▁met ▁in ▁a ▁Tokyo ▁service ▁club ▁where ▁she ▁was ▁giving ▁bill i ard ▁exhib itions . ▁Green leaf ▁began ▁taking ▁less ons ▁from ▁K ats ura ▁and ▁was ▁quickly ▁sm itten ▁with ▁her . ▁They ▁were ▁married ▁on ▁November ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁but ▁never ▁had ▁any ▁children . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁their ▁marriage ▁K