It is with great sorrow that the APA family announces the passing of Co-Founder Terry Bell on Friday, June 27, 2025 at the age of 81. Bell and fellow Co-Founder Larry Hubbart, who passed away in 2013, were the visionaries behind the creation of the American Poolplayers Association.
Bell was born September 30, 1943, in Carmichael, California.
In 1958, Bell’s family moved to France where he completed high school. Upon graduation, Bell returned to California and later joined the Army. Bell served as a Lieutenant of an artillery unit in South Korea.
Bell was an avid golfer as a young man, and found the game of pool while serving in the military. The geometry and physics of the game of pool appealed to him, and he began spending hours learning how to control the cue ball. Following his military service, Bell spent nearly a decade on the road traveling the country playing golf and pool for money.
Bell spent much of the 60s and 70s living in Texas, where he picked up the nickname “Texas” Terry Bell. By the mid-70s, he was part-owner of a pool room in Texarkana named “the Road Map.” With a half-dozen or so tables, Bell started to envision leagues being played on the tables, similar to how leagues were being played on bowling lanes.
As he continued to travel the country playing pool, Bell met fellow pro-player Larry Hubbart. The two would eventually develop the concept of the American Poolplayers Association (APA), and in 1979, with the backing of sponsorship from Anheuser-Busch, the Busch Pool League was born. The APA would go on to become the world’s largest pool league, with more than 270,000 members today worldwide.
In 2010, both Bell and Hubbart were inducted into the billiard Hall of Fame for their success with APA, and its impact on the billiard industry. APA has received numerous business awards and accolades as an outstanding franchise opportunity.
Even after retiring as President of the APA, Bell continued to be involved in the organization, serving as Chairman of APA’s Board of Directors until the time of his passing.
Bell was beloved by APA staff and League Operators alike. He was not only a successful entrepreneur and Hall of Famer, but a caring and honest man. Bell was a father, grandfather and great-grandfather, and he leaves behind an incredible legacy.
