I was at Gentlemen's that night as well. I had met Sigel at The Texas Cue Lounge and heard about the match so I went with a couple of friends. Great night.
Years later I remember seeing Cigar Tom in a big money match with Mark Ford. CT was a stud.
Mike Sigel
- Thread starter stolz2
- Start date
I was at Gentlemen's that night as well. I had met Sigel at The Texas Cue Lounge and heard about the match so I went with a couple of friends. Great night.
Years later I remember seeing Cigar Tom in a big money match with Mark Ford. CT was a stud.
Sigel told me this hustling story:
At a very early age (I think in his teens), Mike was "95 pounds soaking wet" when he went to a town where Mizerack was stationed.
He walks into the pool hall, puts his 5 piece pool cue together, and flashes a wad of $100 bill around, asking if anyone wants to play. He gets into some cheap games and finally declares he will play anybody they put up. So they go get Mizerack and Mike gets the 8 ball. After Mizerack takes a beating, he demands to play Mike even. After it was over Mike walked around with $5,000. Steve never did care for Mike much after this event.
I asked Sigel if he ever played Cole Dickson, and he told me no, but at one point very early in his career, Cole turns to him and says in a loud voice: You! You get the 8 ball for $300 a game. Mike, said he was too young at the time, turned the offer down. He and Cole are now very good friends supposedly.
At a very early age (I think in his teens), Mike was "95 pounds soaking wet" when he went to a town where Mizerack was stationed.
He walks into the pool hall, puts his 5 piece pool cue together, and flashes a wad of $100 bill around, asking if anyone wants to play. He gets into some cheap games and finally declares he will play anybody they put up. So they go get Mizerack and Mike gets the 8 ball. After Mizerack takes a beating, he demands to play Mike even. After it was over Mike walked around with $5,000. Steve never did care for Mike much after this event.
I asked Sigel if he ever played Cole Dickson, and he told me no, but at one point very early in his career, Cole turns to him and says in a loud voice: You! You get the 8 ball for $300 a game. Mike, said he was too young at the time, turned the offer down. He and Cole are now very good friends supposedly.
Yes Man
Bingo....
And Mike was always able to find that ''hammerhead'' in the crowd to talk to, no other player ever did that, with the head shakin' and the great body language. He was Very unique and he was always Captain Hook, and predictable in his actions whether you like it or not.
Hammerhead....definiton comes from the producer/director of a show wanting pics of the audience for filler and background.
Buddy Hall named that person, the ''YES MAN''....
Bingo....
And Mike was always able to find that ''hammerhead'' in the crowd to talk to, no other player ever did that, with the head shakin' and the great body language. He was Very unique and he was always Captain Hook, and predictable in his actions whether you like it or not.
Hammerhead....definiton comes from the producer/director of a show wanting pics of the audience for filler and background.
Buddy Hall named that person, the ''YES MAN''....
Once upon a time.....
You're saying Toby Sweet not only offered BUDDY HALL a ball, he also beat him??? And you added "when "both were in their prime"???
I don't believe it.
You're saying Toby Sweet not only offered BUDDY HALL a ball, he also beat him??? And you added "when "both were in their prime"???
I don't believe it.
The "designated" yes man! :grin:
Toby did beat Buddy, but it was back in the 60's a few years before Buddy became the dominant player he was to become. In his prime Toby wouldn't play Buddy!
Mike Sigel Today
Mike is the House Pro at Champion Billiards in Frederick, Maryland...my home room. He also has a small Pro Shop there we sells cues and cases and does minor cue repairs...mostly shafts, ferrules and tips.
Mike gives quite a few lessons to local players when he is in town at very reasonable rates. I have been on the next table a few times during those lessons and he is a very patient instructor and is genuinely pleased when a student does well during the lesson.
Mike also shows up frequently during APA League nights...particularly Masters and watches the matches and talks to all the players and the crowd. Is he a bit arrogant...perhaps...but on the other hand he is in no way standoffish!
Mike is still an avid fisherman...as I am...and Largemouth Bass fishes in Florida, Smallmouth Bass fishes on Lake Erie near Buffalo and Pike fishes in remote Canada once a year. He brings his two young sons to the room once in a while and they practice on another table while Mike is practicing or giving lessons.
Having said all that Mike has been a welcome addition to Champion Billiards and still plays at a Top Pro level. He can consistently run a hundred balls and works quite a bit on his 10 Ball game.
All in all my opinion is that Mike is a good guy...Nuffi said!
Mike is the House Pro at Champion Billiards in Frederick, Maryland...my home room. He also has a small Pro Shop there we sells cues and cases and does minor cue repairs...mostly shafts, ferrules and tips.
Mike gives quite a few lessons to local players when he is in town at very reasonable rates. I have been on the next table a few times during those lessons and he is a very patient instructor and is genuinely pleased when a student does well during the lesson.
Mike also shows up frequently during APA League nights...particularly Masters and watches the matches and talks to all the players and the crowd. Is he a bit arrogant...perhaps...but on the other hand he is in no way standoffish!
Mike is still an avid fisherman...as I am...and Largemouth Bass fishes in Florida, Smallmouth Bass fishes on Lake Erie near Buffalo and Pike fishes in remote Canada once a year. He brings his two young sons to the room once in a while and they practice on another table while Mike is practicing or giving lessons.
Having said all that Mike has been a welcome addition to Champion Billiards and still plays at a Top Pro level. He can consistently run a hundred balls and works quite a bit on his 10 Ball game.
All in all my opinion is that Mike is a good guy...Nuffi said!
I agree that Mike is a good guy. Misunderstood maybe too. He has always been nice to me when we have chatted.
I stand corrected....:banghead:
Good to hear you were there. There aren't too many of us around anymore, and Gentlemens Cue was not that large. In terms of a touring pro being challengd by a local player, it was probably the match of the century.
If you were at Texas Cue Club, you probably also remember the two exhibtions between Mike Sigel and Jim Rempe at Texas Cue Club in the Sping of 1984, straight pool and nine ball. Those were great matches too.
Wasn't correcting you Bill. I was adding to what you said by quoting how Grady took the phrase to the next level. Anytime he noticed Sigel or Strickland chirping at a railbird, he would reference that person as "the designated yes man."
That was one of his funny catch phrases.
Yes an local player as in Cigar Tom Vanover,had everything that a touring pro had and then some,if Tom wasnt so much of a dedicated family man and chose the road and big tournaments over being a great supporting working family man,with out a doubt, he would of been right up there with the best of them,NOWS THAT JUST NOT MY WORDS, THATS WHAT BUDDY HALL TOLD TOM AT THE LAST US OPEN TOM HAD PLAYED IN!
Hi wild, the race was to 3 in the 1pocket,Tom was winning 2-1,banks a long rail bank leaves it in the jaws of the pocket(while needing 1 to win)Sigel needs 7,Sigel runs 7 to tie it up at 2-2,then Mike breaks and runs out to win the 1pocket plus the set, Tom and i talk about this the other day and this is how we both remembering it happening, but it was very long time ago,take care bud!
It's all Good....
I know, just funning, it's the common 'head bangning' icon I picked up from Brumback on the one pkt forum (John always seems to enjoy banging round objects against somthing else, go figure
... it's all in fun, and I can can hear Grady's nostril/vocal additive of ''designated'' yes man with his signture giggle. ))
Last edited:
I also remember Vanover, doing a break and run out session of 9 w/o letting his opponet to the table, could of been 7 but kinda remember the 9 in match play.
That would be Toms older brother BOB Vanover,they were and still are the best brothers ever to play pool!
Absolutely... I still stop up to see John Carter from time to time. I saw his Balabushka recently too.