The 60 Year Ride Is Over

Many inspirational posts here Johnny. This 66 year old diabetic with several surgeries for other problems creating low stamina hopes you take them to heart.
 
Thank you all for the kind words, inspiration, and pep talk. You've all made me want to re think this again. Thanks all. Johnnyt
 
Go johnny! Hell im 35yrs old and go back and forth about quitting but i know i just make excuses for some reason not to play when i should be playin. I don't even understand it myself. Im a good player not gonna lie but for some reason i make excuses to not play and just stay home. I hope you still keep playin we need more inspiring stories even us young lads.
 
Thanks all for your input. I never said I was going to quit playing pool. I'm just not going to kid myself that I can go out and play an "A" game for more than 30 min...if that. I'm just sticking to the ghost and rest, ghost and rest, and then rest somemore.:) Johnnyt
 
You need to play bar box tournaments. Short races a break in between matches and still fun.
 
Johnnyt said:
When I was a kid I watched Joe Louis try to comeback against Rocky Marciano after years of being retired. It brought tears to my eyes. I was about ten years old then. After watching the fight I made a promise to myself. I promised myself if I ever was good at any sport and came to the point I couldn’t maintain my top game I would pack it in. I was no Joe Louis when I boxed and far from Grady M. when I played my best pool. But watching Grady the other day on the stream I remembered my promise to myself 60 years ago. I was going to try to place high in a decent size bar box tournament one time before I packed it in. I got back to “A” on the box but I probably couldn’t hold up in a match or set anymore.

Two heart attacks, three strokes, COPD, and now the last straw, a back brace tells me it’s time to just play the ghost as long as I can. I’m done, but it was a sweet 60 year ride. Johnnyt
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johnny i dont know you personally but keep your head up. i had this very same conversation with my fiances grandpa abt 4 years ago. on his 78th birthday and after his 3rd shldr surgery he basically conceded age would win. i took my bar box over and set it up and gradually got him playing again. after a year or so he decided to try a league. after some success hes practicing 5 or 6 hrs a day. needless to say mr watson is back in stroke. he may not be the "mutha fn monster" everyone says he was 25 -30 years ago. but ive seen him beat many strong players in many strong bbox tournys around here recently. hes now 82 and he pays daily. dont take that initial feeling as wanting to quit. good luck my friend.. sorry this was so long. darell
 
Testing yourself.

Johnnyt said:
Thanks all for your input. I never said I was going to quit playing pool. I'm just not going to kid myself that I can go out and play an "A" game for more than 30 min...if that. I'm just sticking to the ghost and rest, ghost and rest, and then rest somemore.:) Johnnyt
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I remember your match challenge to me and I was looking to schedule you in somewhere between 2011-2013.

I'm no painter but if I were, I would be more of a Alexander John Drysdale kind of painter. Everything he painted looked blurry. lol Drysdale was born in Marietta, GA which is where I am going next month to play against some of the best rotational players in the country. Nine ball is not my game but I like to challenge myself and there's nothing like testing yourself against the best. It's almost as good as winning.
 
JoeyA said:
I remember your match challenge to me and I was looking to schedule you in somewhere between 2011-2013.

I'm no painter but if I were, I would be more of a Alexander John Drysdale kind of painter. Everything he painted looked blurry. lol Drysdale was born in Marietta, GA which is where I am going next month to play against some of the best rotational players in the country. Nine ball is not my game but I like to challenge myself and there's nothing like testing yourself against the best. It's almost as good as winning.
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Good luck at the Gem Joey. I would think that a house painter would be more apt to play pool well (rainy days) than an artist. Hmmmm, there are a lot of artists in Ybor City, Tampa. Johnnyt
 
JohnnyT

to borrow a phrase from the 60's - 'Keep on keeping on'. Don't ever give up.
Keep your interest going, and keep moving. I am now 62, and I plan to keep it going on.

I used to play a weekly tournament at a room here, and one night an 82 year old man came in and got in the tournament. Well, I had to play him, and it was one of the most enjoyable matches I have ever had. He played about a 6 speed, and I could tell he was a little better probably when he was younger. We had what I refer to as a "Gentlemen's match", thoroughly enjoyable and fun for me because he gave me inspiration for the future.
 
Johnnyt said:
When I was a kid I watched Joe Louis try to comeback against Rocky Marciano after years of being retired. It brought tears to my eyes. I was about ten years old then. After watching the fight I made a promise to myself. I promised myself if I ever was good at any sport and came to the point I couldn’t maintain my top game I would pack it in. I was no Joe Louis when I boxed and far from Grady M. when I played my best pool. But watching Grady the other day on the stream I remembered my promise to myself 60 years ago. I was going to try to place high in a decent size bar box tournament one time before I packed it in. I got back to “A” on the box but I probably couldn’t hold up in a match or set anymore.

Two heart attacks, three strokes, COPD, and now the last straw, a back brace tells me it’s time to just play the ghost as long as I can. I’m done, but it was a sweet 60 year ride. Johnnyt
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Did you get clipped by the landscaper or something!?

You gotta stay with it man, "one ball at a time, have fun see what happens!!" Or you could spend a lot of your time like my little daddy sitting on his front porch watching the cars go by, one at a time:o
 
Johnnyt said:
When I was a kid I watched Joe Louis try to comeback against Rocky Marciano after years of being retired. It brought tears to my eyes. I was about ten years old then. After watching the fight I made a promise to myself. I promised myself if I ever was good at any sport and came to the point I couldn’t maintain my top game I would pack it in. I was no Joe Louis when I boxed and far from Grady M. when I played my best pool. But watching Grady the other day on the stream I remembered my promise to myself 60 years ago. I was going to try to place high in a decent size bar box tournament one time before I packed it in. I got back to “A” on the box but I probably couldn’t hold up in a match or set anymore.

Two heart attacks, three strokes, COPD, and now the last straw, a back brace tells me it’s time to just play the ghost as long as I can. I’m done, but it was a sweet 60 year ride. Johnnyt
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Hi Johnnyt-

I'm guessing playing at some reduced level of your top game still gets it done fairly often.

I hope you get feeling better soon.

Keep hitten em good.

Take care
 
pack it in!!!

Dam i know how you feel johnny t, as i am of age also with COPD -benign tremors [shaking of the hands]. i own a room and watch the young guns play so well and think of the good old days. how well they have it how, as i am sure as a young man you like me had to learn the game the hard way. NO HELP now they have teachers-dvd-tv-books -internt-and many ways to help there game. dont get me wrong i love to see them advance, but have often wondered if i had help with my game and backers if i could have went farther with my game?? june 18 [72] thanks STICK:confused::thumbup:
 
stick8 said:
Dam i know how you feel johnny t, as i am of age also with COPD -benign tremors [shaking of the hands]. i own a room and watch the young guns play so well and think of the good old days. how well they have it how, as i am sure as a young man you like me had to learn the game the hard way. NO HELP now they have teachers-dvd-tv-books -internt-and many ways to help there game. dont get me wrong i love to see them advance, but have often wondered if i had help with my game and backers if i could have went farther with my game?? june 18 [72] thanks STICK:confused::thumbup:
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Yeah, COPD is a B.... But the one thing I no for sure is I'm glad I wasn't good enough to hit the road or tournament trail when I was younger. My wife (GF back in 1966) wanted to give me $5000 to see how far I could go with pool. After some thought (unusual for me back then) I decided I didn't want that life. To this day I agree with that thinking. I was just good enough to have to struggle from day to day, town to town never having anything of my own. I went on the road for about 18 months in the late 1950's. I hit 36 states. I went broke about 5 times and had to work where ever I went broke, (mechanic, dishwasher, short order cook), what ever job I could find. Yes I had many good times on the road, but the pressure of having to score to eat was no fun for me. Johnnyt
 
Johnny, I can tell you're in a bit of a funk, and I usually don't do this, but I'm gonna tell you a little story.
Many years ago my Grandmother lay in a hospital bed, dying of cancer. As I knelt down beside her, I held her hand, and asked her if there was anything she wanted to say before she left us. She looked up at me, and in a soft voice said. "Son, you ain't nothing but bad luck."
Now go out there and play some One Pocket, ya big lug. :grin:
 
Johnny, I can't see anything taking you down. I had an sub arachnoid anuerism 10 years ago and that hasn't slowed me down. I enjoy your stories, keep on livin and playin for as long as you can. I had a back op 12 years ago and theres days when I can hardly walk let alone bend over a table so I know where you're coming from.
Yer only as old as you feel. I have great pain killers.
 
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As celebrities get older it is wise for them to get their agents and family to make sure they stay out of the media so they don't tarnish their legacy.

But in pool you can just play lower level tournaments as you age. However some elderly pool celebs should consider staying out of the media. (forums)
 
Luxury said:
As celebrities get older it is wise for them to get their agents and family to make sure they stay out of the media so they don't tarnish their legacy.

But in pool you can just play lower level tournaments as you age. However some elderly pool celebs should consider staying out of the media. (forums)
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I think you posted in the wrong thread.
 
Blackjack said:
Johnny

7 years ago, a doctor told me that I would be in a wheelchair in possibly 2 years due to the advancement of my Parkinson's Disease. Instead of listening to that nonsense, I waited 2 years - woke up one day - had my feet hit the floor - put one foot in front of the other started walking. Instead of buying a wheelchair, I paid my entry into a UPA event. I didn't fair very well in the tournament, but in my eyes I scored a major victory against this debilitating disease.

2 years after that - and 4 years after they told me that I would completely lose the ability to walk - I went out to Capone's and pocketed 10,020 balls in two 12 hour shifts to raise money for a Brandon Amato, a little boy that has leukemia.

Since then, my disease has progressed - I have been battling Ischemic Heart Disease - I have had major problems with that - yet every day I get up and put one foot in front of the other - sometimes shaking - and sometimes having a good day with my meds - some days my attitude is better than others - but I go back to a quote by Ben Stein - “It is inevitable that some defeat will enter even the most victorious life. The human spirit is never finished when it is defeated...it is finished when it surrenders.”

I've learned that winning and losing is not about getting money or trophies or even recognition - it is about understanding and appreciating everything that you have been through along your journey to get to where you are standing today. If you're like me, you're probably lucky to be standing - and that is a victory all in itself.

I made this video a while back for the Parkinson's Unity Walk -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5OKI3wgI7I

it shows me doing something that people without Parkinson's would have difficulty doing. I don;t post this brag or to show off - I post it show you the power of the human spirit. At the end of the video, I have placed my own personal motto - "It's always too early to quit."

I may not ever win a big tournament - hell I may not even win a race to 2 8 ball tournament at Joe's Bar - but I won't surrender what I love to do to this disease.

FTR, that video is not a fluke - I did the same thing on my home table yesterday afternoon.

Despite Parkinson's Disease and the raised eyebrows of my Cardiologist, I am planning to do yet another 10,000 ball marathon to raise money for a worthy cause

Yes - this guy is a walking heart attack and should be in wheelchair

- because that's what I love to do - and nothing is going to stop me - and I know that you're made of that same grit and and never-say-die determination.
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David
It is great to hear you in such a positive mood. I thought I had detected a little negativity in you when we exchanged PMs a while back. But happily I must have been mistaken.

Wasn't it some famous American General who said "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going",
Or was that just Billy Ocean.
As a Scotsman I like the old song: Keep Right On 'Til The End Of The Road.

Doug
 
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