In this sixth episode of our interview, Hall of Fame pool legend Jeanette “The Black Widow” Lee takes us inside one of the most important turning points of her career: the moment she arrived on the professional scene and changed women’s pool forever. Jeanette reflects on the early years of the WPBA, the tensions she felt as a rising star, and the unforgettable “Yertle the Turtle” story that revealed just how unwelcome she sometimes felt among her peers.

But if the reception was cold, her game was anything but. Jeanette walks us through her remarkable 1994 season, when she broke through in spectacular fashion with a string of major wins that established her as one of the most dynamic and recognizable players in the sport. She shares what it felt like to go from climbing the rankings to suddenly becoming the player everyone was chasing.

The conversation also explores the inaugural Mosconi Cup, where Jeanette represented Team USA in one of pool’s most historic events. She recalls the trip to England, the unusual format, the atmosphere, the personalities involved, and the significance of women being part of that first edition. Along the way, she offers honest insight into confidence, competitiveness, and the sacrifices required to succeed at the highest level.

This is a revealing, funny, and deeply candid chapter in Jeanette Lee’s story — one that captures the grit, talent, and determination that powered her rise from breakout contender to global star. For fans of pool history, the WPBA, and the early Mosconi Cup years, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In the fifth installment of our conversation with Jeanette Lee, the legend begins to take shape. This is the chapter where the player becomes the persona, and Jeanette explains how “The Black Widow” was born — not as a carefully engineered brand at first, but as an image, an impression, and eventually an identity that captured the imagination of fans far beyond the pool world. Her reaction to the nickname is as funny as it is revealing, and the story behind it is pure Jeanette: skeptical, sharp, and unforgettable.

Jeanette also talks about trying to bring more women into the game, offering free instruction during ladies’ nights, and doing what she could to make pool more welcoming and visible. She recounts memorable moments around Gabe’s room, Willie Mosconi, promotional photos, and the strange experience of seeing herself presented to the public in a new way. Bit by bit, the image grew — and so did the opportunity.

But as this episode makes clear, the fame was built on far more than image. Underneath the nickname was enormous sacrifice, pain, determination, and work. By the end of this fifth chapter of her life story, what comes through most powerfully is not just why Jeanette Lee became famous, but why she mattered. She changed how people saw pool, she changed who they imagined could represent it, and she did it with style, grit, honesty, and heart.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

Part 4 is where talent meets discipline. Jeanette takes us inside the all-consuming years when pool became her life and improvement became an obsession. She talks about the players, rooms, and routines that shaped her game, including the influence of Gene Nagy, whose relentless straight-pool sessions helped sharpen her ability, discipline, and mental toughness. Day after day, Jeanette showed up and put in the work. Open to close, then more of the same. This was not glamour. This was the grind.

What makes this chapter so compelling is the detail. Jeanette explains how she climbed from smaller tournaments into stronger fields, how missed shots stayed with her, and how she turned frustration into training. Rather than just patching weaknesses, she tried to transform them into strengths. That mindset — intense, analytical, stubborn, and deeply competitive — becomes one of the defining themes of the episode.

She also reflects on the generosity of poolroom owners and communities who saw her dedication and helped fuel her development, whether through table time, support, or opportunity. By now, Jeanette is no longer simply in love with the game. She is building herself inside it. This episode is a portrait of apprenticeship, hunger, and repetition — the unseen years that create champions long before the spotlight arrives.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a cue sports history podcast featuring interviews with Hall of Fame members, world champions, and influential figures from across the world of cue sports—including pocket billiards, snooker, and carom disciplines such as three-cushion billiards. We highlight the people, places, and moments that have shaped the game—celebrating iconic players, memorable events, historic venues, and the brands that helped define generations of play. With a focus on the positive spirit of the sport, our goal is to create a rich, engaging, and timeless archive of stories that fans can enjoy now and for years to come.

Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher and Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, Legends of the Cue brings these stories to life—told in the voices of the game’s greatest figures.

Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”