I Think I did the Right Thing

Long story, short version. In Reno many years ago, Shannon was about to shoot the wrong ball, after getting BIH from Earl. Earl had just run six racks before scratching. Shannon was still in a daze. From his chair, Earl reached out his cue and placed the tip on the table, in Shannon's line of sight. He told Shannon he was shooting the wrong ball. Shannon looked confused but finally caught on. Shannon won the game but Earl won the match anyway.
 
jay helfert said:
Long story, short version. In Reno many years ago, Shannon was about to shoot the wrong ball, after getting BIH from Earl. Earl had just run six racks before scratching. Shannon was still in a daze. From his chair, Earl reached out his cue and placed the tip on the table, in Shannon's line of sight. He told Shannon he was shooting the wrong ball. Shannon looked confused but finally caught on. Shannon won the game but Earl won the match anyway.
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Yea, Earl!! For all the flack he gets, I don't think I would ever question his integrity. Thanks for the story.

Steve
 
9BallMarksman said:
I was playing a match in an 8 ball league last season (just a regular night, not the tourney or anything) in which I ran down to the 8, and had basically a hanger straight into the side for the win. I was cueing off the rail, and someone walked behind me and bumped my cue. My ferrule nudged the cue ball and it rolled all of an inch. I touched nothing else, and the cue ball touched nothing at all.

My opponent said, with a very a-hole tone about him, "Man, that sucks. It's a foul though." He took ball in hand, and with a wide open table, ran his remaining four balls, and the 8, for the win.

Did I foul? Yep, technically I did. I just put myself in his shoes, and every single time, I see myself looking the other way on the foul and allowing my opponent to shoot. Everyone on his team told me they would have let me replace the cue ball and shoot the shot as it was before I was interfered with. I just happened to run into a hard-nosed jerk that day.
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IMO, anybody, and I mean ANYBODY that would take ball-in-hand in that situation is nothing but a sorry-a$$ s.o.b. that takes a league match WA-A-A-AY to seriously.

Maniac
 
Tom In Cincy said:
... why don't you just coach the dumb ass on every shot... not just the ones that make you feel better...
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Missing a ball out of rotation makes a person a dumbass??? Gee, I've been standing in the wrong line for a long time then.

No slack for a simple mistake that happens to all poolplayers at one time or another, eh Tom? Must be a buttload of dumbasses out there ;)!!!

Maniac
 
Neil said:
Around here, it is common not to say anything. In fact, the person that did it would probably be laughed at for not taking the game serious enough to even know what ball to shoot at.
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Hmmmmm....let me see here. The OP Newstroke is in Texas, Neil is in Michigan. Interesting. I'm just sayin.......;)

Maniac
 
TATE said:
The replies you already have are excellent. Obviously there are different views - but the bottom line is it's the shooter's responsibility.

I just want to say that I was proud of Max Eberly in the recent Mezz 10 ball tournament. He kicked at a ball and it was a close spilt hit - too close to call. His opponent shrugged and Max could have easily kept shooting. Instead, he handed the guy the cue ball and smiled. That told me a lot about Max.

Chris
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Newstroke-

Just as TATE's Max Eberle example illustrates-behavior on the table is very telling about a man's character.

You sir, are quite a character -your funnybone is at an odd angle (a good thing), but your 'character' stands straight and tall. This was a Karma builder for sure. Others have to make their own decision in similar situations-your decision was right for you-that's what matters-your personal integrity code.

Side note: I saw that Max Eberle close hit on the stream. I wasn't surprised by Max's actions. I played Max the week prior at HT-he gave me BIH after a double hit on the CB that I watched but didn't see.

Both you guys are straight shooters in the real world sense.

That's good-the other faction is too well represented in the pool room too often.

Newstoke-Thanks for this post and for your off-angle shots on many subjects.

Take care
 
To be quite fair;
This 'missing a ball out of rotation' has happened more in the mid-west (where I am originally from) than out here on the west coast.

I am sure it happens more frequently in Texas now that there are more players from the mid-west living there.

It certainly isn't a 'smart move'.. but 'dumbass' does come to mind.

I've done it myself, and I felt like a dumbass. It is a stupid move and very embarrassing. To me anyway.




Maniac said:
Missing a ball out of rotation makes a person a dumbass??? Gee, I've been standing in the wrong line for a long time then.

No slack for a simple mistake that happens to all poolplayers at one time or another, eh Tom? Must be a buttload of dumbasses out there ;)!!!

Maniac
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Neil said:
I understand your feeling Dan, and, I used to agree with your side of the situation. I now look at it differently. I now look at it the same as not pointing out the lock up safe he has that he didn't see. It's not my job or my place while playing someone to teach them to pay attention to the game. Unless, that is solely why I am playing them, to teach them.

I know there is a lot of controversy on this subject, but, would you also tell them they are using the wrong english, or are about to take the wrong ball when playing 8 ball, that is, the right choice of stripes or solids, but the wrong choice to be able to run out?

I really don't think that this choice belongs in the "honest or not honest" category at all. But, rather, falls in the "pay attention or you lose" category.
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We're on the same page here.This has come up before but is still worth
responding to.
If my opponent helps me win he takes away the honor of winning.
In a gambling match once,a guy told me i was shooting the wrong ball.
I handed him the cue ball and quit when he ran out (one of the rare
times i quit a winner)
I told him we could gamble again the next day but i won't accept
instructions from my opponent.
 
Thanks for all the responses guys, I appreciate seeing the different points of view. I wasn't fishing for compliments but wanted to know how you felt about the call.

I never really questioned my decision to tell my opponent what he was doing, but it did make me question because I lost the match. No biggie though, there will be other matches.

Even though the other player is responsible to know know where every ball is, I find it my duty to make it right if I can. Anything less just isn't fair, IMO.

I know I joke around alot, but when it comes to things like this, it's pretty hard to take it lightly. There is too much other crap to worry about than if my opponent is shooting the wrong ball, especially if I had the possibility of running out.

Thanks again.
 
All joking aside, if the guy I'm playing is a decent sort then I'll give him a heads-up on the shot. If he's a real schmuck, however, you're probably not going to hear a peep out of me.
 
Tom In Cincy said:
To be quite fair;
This 'missing a ball out of rotation' has happened more in the mid-west (where I am originally from) than out here on the west coast.

I am sure it happens more frequently in Texas now that there are more players from the mid-west living there.

It certainly isn't a 'smart move'.. but 'dumbass' does come to mind.

I've done it myself, and I felt like a dumbass. It is a stupid move and very embarrassing. To me anyway.
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On a fresh blue cloth table, the 4 ball is hard to see. I imagine that some colors are difficult for some people, but blue cloth and the 4 ball seem to be difficult for many.

Chris
 
I would have done the same, however it depends on who I was playing there are some that are just A HOLE JERKS and then I would let it go.

Those that I am referring to will try to win on any technicality such as you didn't call the pocket on the 8 or 9 even though it was obvious. Or at the beginning of a rack in 8 ball they are just ready to jump on fact that you didn't call the group of balls that you are choosing. I know these are the rules and the problem is every place and league has different rules and sometimes you get them confused.

One team night our player was about ready to shoot and another player called out saying you know it is BIH. Our player continued to shoot and then after a few balls played a safe. On his next turn he called a time out and the other player said he don't have any left since you used it when you were told it was BIH. The LO agreed.

The other is a lot of times playing 9 ball on a bar table the last six balls will sometimes be used to make another rack and it could be easy play the wrong ball.

I want to beat or be beat by skill and not some technicality. I don't need the win or money that bad.
 
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