Queen Jean FINALLY on Youtube...

I guess I missed whatever you are referring too. How do you know that the balls weren't Centennials? I think that the event was sponsored by Brunswick so is is fair to assume that they had the best available ball sets at the time on the tables?

I think Charlie Ursitti was the tournament director wasn't he?

THe looked like the Premier balls to me.
Gary Brennan I guess was the td.
She went to Jean when she started whining over a slop.
 
Thanks Dave.....awesome work!!!!....kinda like watching the old time cliff-hanger serials...can't wait for the next parts!!!:eek:....only thing that could top it would be her playing in the Open and as Jay said in another Thread "If Jeannie comes they'll be hanging from the rafters!"...

Jackson:thumbup:
 
Jean was fined for her remarks but note that Bell remarked "no class" and was not fined by the WPBA. Bell lodged a protest that she was "sharked" so the story goes.

I think Robin handled herself perfectly. All she said was "no class", and I think it's because she felt she had to defend her dignity in response to Jean's berating comments.
 
I wasn't there, but heard the story more than once from Robin. After seeing this, I have to say that her version of the story is 100% accurate. It's a shame that this caused Jean to step away from pool because she still may be the best female player the game has ever seen. However, she did act up, and it was more than just one "beat me with skill, not luck" comment. She also mocked Robin with the "some world champion" comment after Robin lucked a ball in. Some people think pool players should have thicker skin and just be able to deal with stuff like that, but why should they have to? Why should players be subjected to that kind of BS simply because they want to compete in a pool tournament?

The tour chose to fine her ($200, as the story goes), and they had every right to do so. I wish sportsmanship rules would be enforced more often because, sadly, they are not enforced nearly enough.
 
I have the video of Jean playing Ewa Mataya in the finals of the Classic Cup in 1987. It is two long sets, both Races To Nine. I co-produced this show, with Metro Vision in Chicago. It is by far the best look you will ever get of Jean Balukas in her prime. She lost the first set to Ewa and had to win the second set for the title.

You can get a copy at jayhelfert.com. I also have the men's final, Mike Sigel vs. Mark Jarvis. Vintage Sigel at his best! If you buy both you get a 20% discount.

i have this DVD u talkin about Jay its a must have i promis u whont be Disapointed like Jay said she was in her prime
 
A lot of the women on the tour back then were on the road in pool rooms and bars hustling pool back then, including some of the ones on the board that voted for the fine on Jean. All of them had heard a lot worse than what Jean said to Robin. IMO, A) the players wanted to get rid of Jean because she won almost every tournament on the tour (so they couldn't beat her with skill). B) They tried the same thing with Allison Fisher changing the rules to alt. break, moving the rack, and going to single elim. for the final 16 because they couldn't beat her either. C) Jean was fed up with the women's tour and pool in general so used the little fine as an excuse to pack it in.

I'm not saying that the women involved in Jean's finally quiting are anything but ladies, but none of them were made of sugar either. They were all around the block before. Johnnyt
 
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I wasn't there, but heard the story more than once from Robin. After seeing this, I have to say that her version of the story is 100% accurate. It's a shame that this caused Jean to step away from pool because she still may be the best female player the game has ever seen. However, she did act up, and it was more than just one "beat me with skill, not luck" comment. She also mocked Robin with the "some world champion" comment after Robin lucked a ball in. Some people think pool players should have thicker skin and just be able to deal with stuff like that, but why should they have to? Why should players be subjected to that kind of BS simply because they want to compete in a pool tournament?

The tour chose to fine her ($200, as the story goes), and they had every right to do so. I wish sportsmanship rules would be enforced more often because, sadly, they are not enforced nearly enough.

This was the "World Open 9-Ball Championships" and I think the comment by Jean was "some World Championship(s)" - more so a remark against the whole event (and perhaps game), not Robin personally.

Also, I wanted to comment on this: granted the equipment today (Simonis cloth) is different than back then (Stevens or Mali), but if you pay attention to how Jean moves the cue ball vs. the majority of modern day ladies player, she does not roll or lag the ball, she strokes it. I think is a great deal the difference in her game vs. the rest of the field - she commands the balls to do her bidding, not simply waiting to see where they end up. I also love her aggressive style of play and "big break."

Last note; having played Robin several times, and never beating her as I can recall - as it was some time ago, she possesses a set of the most solid fundamentals I've seen - really a solid competitor!
 
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I guess I missed whatever you are referring too. How do you know that the balls weren't Centennials? I think that the event was sponsored by Brunswick so is is fair to assume that they had the best available ball sets at the time on the tables?

I think Charlie Ursitti was the tournament director wasn't he?

Jay Helfert, Pat Fleming and Joe Kerr ran that tournament. I was in the TV truck when the match between Robin and Jean was played. In there, you couldn't really hear the comments being made. Later on, Joe Kerr told me what went down.

By the way, this tournament was NUMBER 16 in a row for Jean! Yes she ended her career on a sixteen tourney winning streak. You think the other women were sad to see her go? ;)
 
Jay has Balukas ever played Allison Fisher in a match? I know that Fisher did not start is the US until 1995 so they would not have competed in a tournament but thought the two might have matched up at some point. The outcome would be interesting.
 
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I guess I missed whatever you are referring too. How do you know that the balls weren't Centennials? I think that the event was sponsored by Brunswick so is is fair to assume that they had the best available ball sets at the time on the tables?

I think Charlie Ursitti was the tournament director wasn't he?

JB
If you watch the video you'll see they aren't Centennials.
They look like cheap 'club' balls.They were used a lot back
then...Earl says he won 70 tournaments with them so he
can't complain.

The other women were getting better then.Robin's stroke
looks as smooth as Mizerak's and she could break with the
men.

I love Queen Jean's game but i don't think she conducted
herself well here.And what's with her kicking at a 2-ball
when she could have pushed?
I think Jean was used to being the 5-ball better than the
field but the women were catching up.
 
16 straight tournament wins. They weren't catching up any time soon. Not many over the years got too much better. The skill level didn't rise much until Allison, Karen, Gerta, and others from out of the US started on tour. Johnnyt
 
Thank you for posting this video. This is the first time that I've seen this video of this infamous happening.

After watching the video several times, my opinion is that Jean was frustrated and got a little out of line. I don't think the sharking was intentional. She looked like she may have been talking to the ref who was racking the balls, not Robin.

So perhaps Jean was wrong for venting so loudly.
 
Jay has Balukas ever played Allison Fisher in a match? I know that Fisher did not start is the US until 1995 so they would not have competed in a tournament but thought the two might have matched up at some point. The outcome would be interesting.

I think they may have hit them around in her poolroom on an occasion or two. That's about all. No matches of any kind to the best of my knowledge. They're good friends. Two classy ladies!
 
Thanks for posting these videos. I recorded it myself from ESPN, but somehow over the years I either recorded over it by mistake or it just disappeared. Now some of the younger players can see Jean play on Youtube thanks to your videos.

James
 
The referee was a young and dapper Gary "The Driller" Drennan from Oklahoma. They showed a very big Joe Kerr on the screen one time after he said something to Jean. But the funny thing was they listed his name as Gary Drennan. Gary is a little guy, about my size. He played in the men's division of the tourney.

Some of the people I noticed in the stands - Billy Incardona, Leonard Bludworth (sitting by Robin), New York Blackie (with the ball cap), Buddy, Sigel, Jimmy Mataya, Ernie (Ginacue), Peg Ledman and Barry Dubow.

Nothing Jeannie said was that bad, and it was over in seconds. I hear and see worse in every tournament I direct. I saw Jeannie as a fiery competitor here. Hey, she's from New York, what do you expect? "Eh, what's up with all the lucky rolls! You wanna double the bet!"

The overall quality of play wasn't bad, with good shooting by both players. Jeannie missed a nine ball when she was still steaming and Robin made a couple of mental blunders. By the way, Robin's nine balls on the break weren't all luck. She had her break working good.
 
i have awakys wanted her to start playing again in the big leagues-long as I can remember, However i have the highest resoect for her and support her decision and admire her ability to stick to her beliefs, which are mre important than pool.
 
A lot of the women on the tour back then were on the road in pool rooms and bars hustling pool back then, including some of the ones on the board that voted for the fine on Jean. All of them had heard a lot worse than what Jean said to Robin. IMO, A) the players wanted to get rid of Jean because she won almost every tournament on the tour (so they couldn't beat her with skill). B) They tried the same thing with Allison Fisher changing the rules to alt. break, moving the rack, and going to single elim. for the final 16 because they couldn't beat her either. C) Jean was fed up with the women's tour and pool in general so used the little fine as an excuse to pack it in.

I'm not saying that the women involved in Jean's finally quiting are anything but ladies, but none of them were made of sugar either. They were all around the block before. Johnnyt

Good post I agree
 
By the way, this tournament was NUMBER 16 in a row for Jean! Yes she ended her career on a sixteen tourney winning streak. You think the other women were sad to see her go? ;)

During part 3 of the video they said that Jean was #2 in the world and that LJJ was #1. How did that happen given Jean winning 16 tournaments in a row? Did Jean take some time off? Did LJJ play more tournaments? Was the ranking system not taking something into account, such as Jean playing in Men's tournaments?
 
During part 3 of the video they said that Jean was #2 in the world and that LJJ was #1. How did that happen given Jean winning 16 tournaments in a row? Did Jean take some time off? Did LJJ play more tournaments? Was the ranking system not taking something into account, such as Jean playing in Men's tournaments?

I have no idea who said that. I didn't hear it. I think Loree Jon did win a Straight Pool event that Jean did not play in. That's about the only thing I can think of. Jean was far and away the number one women player during her career. She rarely lost more than one match in any calendar year. She may have lost a handful of matches in her entire career. I think Robin did beat her once, as did Ewa (in Chicago) and Lori Shampo in a 9-Ball tourney. That's about all I can remember.
 
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