▁to ▁have ▁ever ▁been ▁invited ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁any ▁men ' s ▁professional ▁bill i ard ▁championship ▁( the ▁New ▁York ▁State ▁Championship ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 2 ). ▁The ▁def ending ▁champion ▁was ▁the ▁then ▁ 6 4 - year - old ▁intern ation ally ▁ren owned ▁Will ie ▁Ho ppe , ▁who ▁would ▁ret ire ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁with ▁ 5 1 ▁world ▁titles ▁to ▁his ▁name ▁between ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁in ▁three ▁forms ▁of ▁car om ▁bill i ards , ▁three - c ush ion , ▁( four ▁sub - dis cipl ines ▁of ) ▁b alk line ▁and ▁c ush ion ▁car oms . ▁Before ▁the ▁tournament , ▁spec ulation ▁had ▁it ▁that ▁when ▁Ho ppe ▁met ▁K ats ura ▁in ▁the ▁championship ▁in ▁the ▁ ▁to ▁ 5 0 ▁points ▁format , ▁he ▁would ▁defeat ▁her ▁with ▁K ats ura ▁still ▁need ing ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 0 . ▁After ▁seeing ▁her ▁play , ▁Ho ppe ▁said ▁" she ▁has ▁a ▁fine ▁stroke ▁and ▁can ▁make ▁sh ots ▁with ▁either ▁hand . ▁I ▁look ▁forward ▁to ▁playing ▁with ▁her ." ▁The ▁public ▁was ▁fasc in ated ▁by ▁the ▁novel ty ▁of ▁a ▁woman ▁player . ▁Life ▁magazine ▁reported ▁that ▁" San ▁Francis c ans ▁who ▁did ▁not ▁know ▁a ▁c ue ▁from ▁a ▁c uc umber ▁crow ded ▁in ▁to ▁see ▁her ... ▁K aty ▁... ▁st ole ▁the ▁show ." ▁ ▁Tournament ▁ro ster ▁The ▁ 1 0