Efren "Bata" Reyes (born August 26, 1954) is a very popular Filipino billiards player, considered to be one of history's greatest practitioners of pocket billiards (pool), especially the games of nine ball and one-pocket.
He is referred to as "The Magician" for having made some of the most spectacular shots seen in tournament play (see nickname discussion, infra). Reyes has won many of the most prestigious nine-ball tournaments, including multiple wins at the Sands Regency Open, the 1994 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, the 1995 Pro Tour Championship, and the 2002 ESPN Challenge of Champions. He is also known for having won a two day winner-take-all marathon nine ball event, known as the Color of Money I and the Color of Money II, edging out in the finals another top nine ball player, Earl Strickland. In 2005, he weathered a round robin to challenge the reigning king (Mike Sigel) of the Kevin Trudeau sponsored IPT, who was personally picked by Trudeau from 'retirement' as the best in the world. Reyes bested him easily. He had been inducted in the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame on July 12, 2003.
Recently, Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante represented their country as Team Philippines and captured the inaugural 2006 World Cup of Pool at Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom.
