Did Tom ever tangle with Jimmy Fusco? They are practically neighbors, musta got together, I'd think.
And there is a Pete Fusco too...do I hear a scotch double game being made?:wink:
Mike Sigel
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And there is a Pete Fusco too...do I hear a scotch double game being made?:wink:
I'm sure you're right; I thought the one-pocket was tied at two apiece when Tom jawed the long bank, but it could easily have been two to one Tom's favor when that happened. I came prety close to remembering it. I think you're also right in that if Tom had toured, he would have won as much as anyone, but as you say he was taking care of his family. To this date I think Tom was one of the absolute best in the entire mid Atlantic area.
Nice post, thanks for the info.
Mike and I are very good friends, and yes he is a pretty good guy and clearly one of the best players that ever lived, imo. Mike always talked when he played, it was a way for him to stay relaxed but he only talked when he was at the table not when his opponent was at the table. For those that think that mike was a douchbag are mistaken, he may of been to some a little hard to take, but far from being a douchbag. Mike was one of our greatest players and i'm proud to have him as a friend, and to me he may have been the greatest american player in the last 50 years. I wasn't around to watch players play before that, at least not around enough to offer my opinion.
Billy Incardona
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Aren't Pete and Jimmy cousins (not brothers)?
Then again, in some parts of the country, cousins and brothers are one and the same....
Eric
I also believe they are cousins...
I also believe that as far as pool playing goes:
Fusco: Jimmy> Pete
Vanover: Bob> Tom
'Cardone? Can you set the record straight, please? :bow-down:
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played a bit in a masters league at Champions one session and would second what Wedge said. Growing up, Sigel was my absolute favorite player to watch. When I first saw him at Champions, I'll confess to being somewhat star struck. But he came across as a genuinely decent guy. A buddy of mine took lessons from him and had nothing but good things to say about the experience.
They are cousins.
I agree w/ Billy.
Although I haven't spent anywhere NEAR the amount of time with Mike as someone like Mr. Incardona, my experiences with Mike have been totally pleasurable and entertaining.
Mike has a very high opinion of his game and doesn't mind to share his thoughts on it; however, that certainly doesn't mean he's a bad guy. Most pros I know (in multiple sports) have very high egos when it comes to their craft because in order to execute at a super-human level, you have to BELIEVE the hype yourself.
Not only is he a great story teller, he's a super player and an all-around great guy. Regardless of what anyone says, he's a great teacher as well and helped me tremendously.
His lessons are SUPER affordable and well-worth the investment. You can ask Mike anything on any topic and you're guaranteed to get an answer with conviction.
Our names are spelled similarly, just a few letters off: Sigel vs Segal
He left a vm saying, "Hey, this is the better "Sigel" calling..." I thought that was funny.
Although I haven't spent anywhere NEAR the amount of time with Mike as someone like Mr. Incardona, my experiences with Mike have been totally pleasurable and entertaining.
Mike has a very high opinion of his game and doesn't mind to share his thoughts on it; however, that certainly doesn't mean he's a bad guy. Most pros I know (in multiple sports) have very high egos when it comes to their craft because in order to execute at a super-human level, you have to BELIEVE the hype yourself.
Not only is he a great story teller, he's a super player and an all-around great guy. Regardless of what anyone says, he's a great teacher as well and helped me tremendously.
His lessons are SUPER affordable and well-worth the investment. You can ask Mike anything on any topic and you're guaranteed to get an answer with conviction.
Our names are spelled similarly, just a few letters off: Sigel vs Segal
He left a vm saying, "Hey, this is the better "Sigel" calling..." I thought that was funny.
Here's the way it went back in the 70's and 80's. First there was the Miz, the best all around player at that time and second was Sigel. Buddy was noted as the best 9-Ball player and gambler of all, and then along came Earl, who quickly became the best tournament 9-Ball player, along with Sigel. Mizerak and Sigel still ruled the world of Straight Pool and even One Pocket, except for gambling where Ronnie was the king. In the late 80's Efren took over the One Pocket world, but still was a dog against Earl or Mike in tournament 9-Ball. In gambling Efren ruled One Pocket, but Parica was numero uno at 9-Ball or Ten Ball. Buddy was considered his equal but they somehow avoided each other, except in tournaments, where they may have been about even, but still a notch under Earl and Sigel.
Does all this make any sense? I sure hope so. Sigel was considered the best player in the world by most people in the 80's and early 90's because of his all around skills. Only Earl and Buddy were his equal in tournament 9-Ball and Varner, Hopkins and Rempe were his closest competitors in 14.1. Even in One Pocket tourneys, Sigel was the favorite. Back then Efren had trouble beating Sigel or Mizerak in a One Pocket tourney. Shannon Daulton may have been the best gambler at One Pocket, along with Efren at that time.
So there you have it, overall Mike Sigel may have well been the greatest player of his era. He was fun to watch play, entertaining the crowd with his banter and could pull off hellacious shots when necessary to win a match (the mark of a true champion in my book). He did not whine or complain when playing, just got up there and shot your nuts off. He may have made a few demands of tournament directors, as to table assignments, match scheduling etc. But in the end he showed up on time and played great! I can't remember ever having a problem with Mike during a match. He was a competitor and a sportsman.
Mike was also an excellent commentator on pool. Too bad he didn't spend more time in the box with Accu-Stats or whoever. He's as knowledgeable as anyone I ever met in pool and very capable of sharing that knowledge. I suspect he's an excellent instructor. He is also blessed with a wry sense of humor that takes a little getting used to. He can be funny in a wicked kind of way. Yes he had (has) a big ego, but I think that goes with the territory. You want to be the best, you better believe that you are the best. And he was!
P.S. One other little thing that most people didn't know was that Sigel played top speed Bank Pool as well, right there with Jimmy Fusco, Truman and Tony Fargo, maybe a ball under Bugs and Donny Anderson. Wade Crane was also right in the mix at Banks and when Gary Spaeth emerged he may have been the best of the bunch. Shannon was also a monster Bank Pool player and Mark Jarvis was sneaky good! :wink:
Does all this make any sense? I sure hope so. Sigel was considered the best player in the world by most people in the 80's and early 90's because of his all around skills. Only Earl and Buddy were his equal in tournament 9-Ball and Varner, Hopkins and Rempe were his closest competitors in 14.1. Even in One Pocket tourneys, Sigel was the favorite. Back then Efren had trouble beating Sigel or Mizerak in a One Pocket tourney. Shannon Daulton may have been the best gambler at One Pocket, along with Efren at that time.
So there you have it, overall Mike Sigel may have well been the greatest player of his era. He was fun to watch play, entertaining the crowd with his banter and could pull off hellacious shots when necessary to win a match (the mark of a true champion in my book). He did not whine or complain when playing, just got up there and shot your nuts off. He may have made a few demands of tournament directors, as to table assignments, match scheduling etc. But in the end he showed up on time and played great! I can't remember ever having a problem with Mike during a match. He was a competitor and a sportsman.
Mike was also an excellent commentator on pool. Too bad he didn't spend more time in the box with Accu-Stats or whoever. He's as knowledgeable as anyone I ever met in pool and very capable of sharing that knowledge. I suspect he's an excellent instructor. He is also blessed with a wry sense of humor that takes a little getting used to. He can be funny in a wicked kind of way. Yes he had (has) a big ego, but I think that goes with the territory. You want to be the best, you better believe that you are the best. And he was!
P.S. One other little thing that most people didn't know was that Sigel played top speed Bank Pool as well, right there with Jimmy Fusco, Truman and Tony Fargo, maybe a ball under Bugs and Donny Anderson. Wade Crane was also right in the mix at Banks and when Gary Spaeth emerged he may have been the best of the bunch. Shannon was also a monster Bank Pool player and Mark Jarvis was sneaky good! :wink:
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Tom played both of them,Pete had no chance playing 9ball, Tom beat him easy a few times,now Jimmy was for sure the better player,Tom Vanover beat Jimmy also the few times they played 9ball,but Jimmy was slick,he got all his money back when he introduced Vanover to back pocket 9ball,Jimmy Fusco mite had been the best in the world at that game!Now when they played give the Fuscos tons of credit , they came to Toms room to play and then old bill n billies in glen burnie(BIGGEST ACTION SPOT AROUND IN THE 80S)!
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If Sigel wasnt the best ever, he was dam near close to it,you dont win over 100 tournaments not being the very best,he won playing all games,Lets look what Mikes did in the last few tournaments that he has played in, and this is 30 years later,this man has to be the best ever!
Why doesn't Sigel ever get mentioned for the One Pocket or Banks Hall of Fame?
I agree, he should be in there too! He probably could beat many of the guys who are in both of those HOF's.
Mike sigel
Having been born in upstate New York - Rochester to be exact and having gone to college in Syracuse I witnessed Mike "coming up" . . . by 1972 he was SO good that at tournaments players who drew Mike in the first round would go look at the losers side to see who the might play next - and they hadn't even chalked up yet. Mike knew no fear and his record is witness to his greatness . . . and this was in an era when Irving Crane, Babe Cranfield, Larry Hubbard, and Larry Liscotti, among others, were top ranked players in the immediate area.
Having been born in upstate New York - Rochester to be exact and having gone to college in Syracuse I witnessed Mike "coming up" . . . by 1972 he was SO good that at tournaments players who drew Mike in the first round would go look at the losers side to see who the might play next - and they hadn't even chalked up yet. Mike knew no fear and his record is witness to his greatness . . . and this was in an era when Irving Crane, Babe Cranfield, Larry Hubbard, and Larry Liscotti, among others, were top ranked players in the immediate area.
Jay, you are correct. The Miz ruled 14.1 and 9-Ball tournament play during the 1970's. Yes, he was beaten on occasion, but when he entered a tournament he was the favorite. Because of Steve's weight problem and his heavy exhibition/personal appearance schedule, his reign as the #1 player in the world was short-lived. Sigel, Strickland, Buddy Hall, Nick Varner, and later, Efren, took over as the top players in the 1980's. Sigel was the most feared in tournament play during that time. Then came Johnny Archer in the 1990's. It is amazing to me that these guys (with the exception of Buddy) can still play at an extremely high level after all these years. Especially Johnny and Earl, who at 43 and 52 years old respectively, still finish in the money at big events worldwide. Both keep themselves in excellent physical condition, which I think is an important element in their longevity. Especially Earl....how many athletes remain world-class competitive for over 30 years?
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This is a real good point to ponder, one that I really don't think much about. If Steve Mizerak didn't become the Miller Lite sensation, would he have been the dominant tournament player rather than Sigel? Would he have been the greatest all around player of his generation?
A fine, fine theread...and such an innocuous title!
Helfert- you should write a book. Seriously...as in now. Go!
Helfert- you should write a book. Seriously...as in now. Go!
And don't forget, there were many Great player around their age that made em work for the dough and kept them sharp....Rempe.....Hopkins....Reid....Margo and a few others, with Varner going to the Phillipines and beating effie in his prime.
I believe the answer is absolutely yes, Steve would have been dominant for much longer if he hadn't had the commercial success with Miller. Take a good look at that commercial, and he was pretty normal sized. Afterwards, he put on incredible weight and the other players mentioned above took center stage. I think Steve would have dominated long after if not for an affection for, shall we say, the good life. Before that, as documented by Grady Matthews in Accu-Stats, he had a higher ball-per-inning average than anyone in straight pool, ever. Steve's success was actually cut a bit short by - guess what - a little too much success.