Earlier this month, ESPN devoted a “30 for 30” episode to chronicling Jeannette Lee, also known as “The Black Widow.”
Jeanette Lee, a Korean-American, was born in Brooklyn, New York. Growing up, she played a lot of pool with her family. Then, in 1989, she started playing games with her friends and beat them all. Lee’s nickname, “Black Widow,” comes from her playing attire; she always plays in black, head to toe.
By the 1990s, Lee rocketed to the #1-world ranking among female pro pool players. By the decade’s end, she was named Sportsperson of the Year by the Women’s Professional Billiard Association (WPBA). Later, she won the gold medal for the United States at the 2001 World Games in Akita, Japan. In 2013, Lee was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.
Lee has also had to overcome health challenges. She has scoliosis and serves as the national spokesperson for the Scoliosis Association, and Lee was diagnosed with Stage 4 ovarian cancer about a year ago. I’m glad to report that she is feeling better following chemo treatment.
I love this article. I used to watch her compete many years ago. I played pool in those days and really enjoyed the game as well as watching her. Great article Matthew Paris and thank you for sharing this.