OldHasBeen
Tom Ferry
And I Think.........
And I think he should have stayed with that line of thinking!
TY & GL
macguy said:
And I think he should have stayed with that line of thinking!
TY & GL
Mike Sigel
- Thread starter stolz2
- Start date
I was there. I worked for Stigall back then. I collected $2 at the door from who ever wanted to sweat the action. I was by the door standing on a chair, so I had an ESPN view of the match. The only thing I remember different was the bet. I thought it was seven ahead for $1000. Earl did put a six pack on Mike, and in the seventh game played safe. Earl had left the nine ball on the foot rail about a diamond from the left corner pocket ant the cue ball was almost in the jaws of left hand pocket at the head of the table. Mike's back was to me and he fired the ball right back to the pocket nearest the cueball. I swear I saw the nine ball bend. It looked like it was heading right towards the center diamond on the long rail between the center pocket and the pocket where the cue ball was shot from, and it looked like it curved into the corner pocket.
The match had stared a little after 1 AM, and it was about three or four in the morning when Sigel got to even. I also think it was Mike who had the early match. Cool story dude.....
First I ever hear of Sigel having substance issues...I would figuratively bet his pee is clean today, so what is the harm in saying what drugs you heard he was on?
'Road Runners' photograph of Jim Rempe, Danny DiLiberto, Larry Lisciotti & Mike Sigel
Mike Sigel - The Best Ever
Alot of people say Efren Reyes was the best ever, but thats just not true. If you asked Efren who the toughest player he ever played, he would say, and has said in the past, Mike Sigel. The first time they ever played, Efren beat Mike out of $ 10,000 gambling, but Mike was ready after that. All in all, they have played about 15 times, and Mike won 12 of those times. Just ask Efren. The problem is that young people today only think about the one time when Efren beat Mike in the IPT-- after Mike had been retired for more than 8 years and tried to make a comeback. Steve Mizerak, was quoted as saying that "Mike Sigel is the greatest living pool player." Ed "CueBall" Kelley, a great referee once told Mike Sigel, " I have seen all of the greatest players from Greenleaf to Mosconi and others, and you, Mike, would rob all of them blind!" In 6 years of gambling on the road, Mike only lost money twice. In 20 years, he won 106 professional tournaments. No one comes close.
Mike Sigel - The Best Ever
Alot of people say Efren Reyes was the best ever, but thats just not true. If you asked Efren who the toughest player he ever played, he would say, and has said in the past, Mike Sigel. The first time they ever played, Efren beat Mike out of $ 10,000 gambling, but Mike was ready after that. All in all, they have played about 15 times, and Mike won 12 of those times. Just ask Efren. The problem is that young people today only think about the one time when Efren beat Mike in the IPT-- after Mike had been retired for more than 8 years and tried to make a comeback. Steve Mizerak, was quoted as saying that "Mike Sigel is the greatest living pool player." Ed "CueBall" Kelley, a great referee once told Mike Sigel, " I have seen all of the greatest players from Greenleaf to Mosconi and others, and you, Mike, would rob all of them blind!" In 6 years of gambling on the road, Mike only lost money twice. In 20 years, he won 106 professional tournaments. No one comes close.
Attachments
Was this the Ron Gisel (sp?) that was in the Air Force, stationed in Germany?
Pretty sure Jim(jhendri2) is no longer with us; read his last few posts.
To answer your question, (sort of), did you ever see MS sleep?
Everyone knows Sigel had a huge Coke problem back then,but it didnt affect his game,he was the best ever!
Hmmmm...I'd have left the bag part out..but yeah he can be that way....
Yes he could play his ass off,an I enjoyed watching him play.
Holy cow this is an old thread !
If it still matters , I know him reasonably well. He plays at my local room fairly often still.
If it still matters , I know him reasonably well. He plays at my local room fairly often still.
i thought mike was playing out of MD and a stick man there?
Hes not down as often as he used to be but he travels around still quite a bit.
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The most exciting play I've ever seen from Mike, over three decades, was not a televised or tounament match, but rather, against "Cigar Tom Vanover" at Gentlemen's Cue, in Reisterstown, Maryland in 1982. Mike was at the top of his game, and arguably so was Tom. Tom was, and is, a local player, who was probably the best in the Mid-Atlantic, if not the top five. They played straight pool, nine ball, and one-pocket in case of a tie. Mike got a little cocky in the straight pool to open and left Tom with an opportunity to shoot, to get the game going. Tom actually beat him in straight pool, which he admitted later he wasn't supposed to do. Mike beared down, beat him in nine ball, and one-pocket was left, two out of three to win. Tom had a long table bank shot to win three to two, and hung his game ball in the pocket. Mike proceeded to win the match, with people hanging off of tables, chairs, the stairwell, and everywhere else to get a look.
They played a rematch the following year, and Mike wasn't having any jollyness this time, quickly dispatching Tom the first two sets.
It went to prove that as good a player as Cigar Tom was, he was not a match for Mike, when Mike beared down. And Tom won just about everything in sight in that area at that time. I'll bet there are a few members that may have been there and remembered these encounters.
They played a rematch the following year, and Mike wasn't having any jollyness this time, quickly dispatching Tom the first two sets.
It went to prove that as good a player as Cigar Tom was, he was not a match for Mike, when Mike beared down. And Tom won just about everything in sight in that area at that time. I'll bet there are a few members that may have been there and remembered these encounters.
What pool room is that? Is he still in Orlando?
Boy i was there,i rode there with Tom and his wife,remember walking down those stairs,that was a awesom match,Tom had Sigel crying like a baby,Tom beat almost every player that ever came down to dundalks pool hall,broke even playing Rempe and STrickland,Tom and Earl played almost 2days even 9ball to a draw,only players ever to come there and beat Tom was ANDAM,ARCHER,Tom beat Polo,the fuscos,crazy Jerry from buffalo,he beat em all,Tom best finish ever in the us open was 17th a few times,but he did win 10straight maryland all arounds championships in the 70s threw the 80s,he still is playing today and still working in the poolhall in dundalk at 72 years old.Iwas only 15years old at that time,in maryland then u had to b 18or older to get in a poolhall,so i walk in with Tom and his lovely wife Pat,like i was their son,so the counter man wouldnt ask me for my id and it worked,then i was treated to an awesom match!
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Cigar Tom vanover backers tried to get Sigels crew to give Tom the wild 8 down in dundalk, after the smoke cleared from this match,but Sigel crew gently declined that offer!
I had a feeling if anyone was there at that match other than me, it would have been you. The first match was exactly as you described, crazy as hell, with Sigel moaning and groaning at everything. But Sigel didn't really have any backers at that match that I'm aware of. He only had Mike Sidel, a local Reisterstown player there, and I don't think Seidel would have hesitated to back Mike up against Tom again. Not to take anything away from Tom, he was incredible against all players in the area. But the next year's match showed that he was no match or Sigel in his prime. Anyhow, I'm glad someone else was there at that match, as it was possbly the best of all time.
Jam was there also,with her side kick at that time,Geese,i havent seen much of Jam here lately,just maybe she will chime in and tell her story about that great tournament,as i beleive she helped run those maryland state tournaments back then,her and i have talked about that nite here before,so i know she was there!
ricardoford
Registered
Buddy Hall may have gambled, but Toby Sweet cleaned his backers out in a few hours during the only time they played each other. This was when they were both in their prime. Toby also offered Buddy Hall the 8-ball and he turned it down.