Who's the best you ever played for the cash???

Tyler Edey, 9-ball for $100, he spotted me 2 games in a race to 9 and I won 9-3.

That was the last time I beat the bloody guy, I play great against him in tournaments since running alot of racks and he simply outplays me and makes crazy good outs. One of the few guys I have played close to my best against and still lost.
 
In the early 90's I had the pleasure of playing Artie Martinez at the pirates cavern bar in Anaheim, ca. Also played Bobby West there. Lost horribly but the best players I had ever seen at the time.
 
I played Antonio Lining back in either 1998 or 1999. We played three races to seven for $20 each set. Back then I was 18 or 19, and 20 bucks was a significant amount of money to me.

We played with no handicap, with the exception of him playing right handed (he's a lefty). The catch was that I had NO CLUE who he was at the time, and didn't know he was a lefty. An acquaintance of mine told me to play him, it would be a good game.

He kept the sets pretty close, but I did see some signs that he could really play, even though he was shooting with his off-hand. Either way I kept playing, and lost all three sets.

Not too long after that there was a tournament at one of the casinos here in SoCal, might have been the Bicycle Club, and I saw him competing in the tournament, playing left handed, and running out from everywhere.

Needless to say, the first words that came out of my mouth when I noticed this were "WHAT THE F***!!!!!!!????"

:D
 
best player

Back in the 70's I payed Louie Roberts at Afton Billiards in St Louis with the 6 and 8 playing 9 ball. He could talk and shoot and win from anywhere. I had seen hem in a tourny in Columbia Mo. a month before and he shot great. We played for 10 a rack and after a 100.00 I thought I had got my money's worth watching him. I was in the Military at the time and 100.00 was a lot of money.
A year later I am stationed in Shreveport La. of course Buddies home then. I watch Buddy a lot in the tourny room at Guys and Dolls. We played banks on a bar table up front by the register for 5.00 a game 12 to 5 andhe banks out from everywhere I lost 50.00 and knew I got my monies worth. In 1980 Played Earl Strickland in Houston, I was around him everyday and he played lights out. I told him one afternoon at Slick Willies that I would play him some like I played Louie in the 70's,he ask how that and I said with the 6 and 8. We played for 20 a rack after 7 racks he ran he ask when I was gonna quit and I told him when I get to shoot. Well there was this good looking girl there and Earl was telling her he was the best pool player in the world and he wanted to sit and talk with her so I got to win the next game. He went ot the mens room and the girl ask me if he was the best and I told her he was and would be for a while.
Hope he had a good time with her.
Played others like John Hager in Austin in the late 70's and Danny Medina in Denver in the 70's.
Jack White came to Whiteman AFB in 75 giving a demo and he was great best player I had ever seen at that time. After the exibition he said he would play someone and if they won he would be everyone Pizza. The crowd picked me and I bet Jack White and it was my proudest moment ever still in Pool. I only had a 35.00 dollar cue I had bought from a guy from New Jersey. Jack sent me a model L Palmer with my name on it. What a guy. My old cue I now find out is a Frank Paradise that I have had all of those years. It is being refinished now to hang on the wall.
I have typed too much and still could go on those were the days my friend when pool was at the greatest for me.
Percy
 
knifemaker said:
Back in the 70's I payed Louie Roberts at Afton Billiards in St Louis with the 6 and 8 playing 9 ball. He could talk and shoot and win from anywhere. I had seen hem in a tourny in Columbia Mo. a month before and he shot great. We played for 10 a rack and after a 100.00 I thought I had got my money's worth watching him. I was in the Military at the time and 100.00 was a lot of money.
A year later I am stationed in Shreveport La. of course Buddies home then. I watch Buddy a lot in the tourny room at Guys and Dolls. We played banks on a bar table up front by the register for 5.00 a game 12 to 5 andhe banks out from everywhere I lost 50.00 and knew I got my monies worth. In 1980 Played Earl Strickland in Houston, I was around him everyday and he played lights out. I told him one afternoon at Slick Willies that I would play him some like I played Louie in the 70's,he ask how that and I said with the 6 and 8. We played for 20 a rack after 7 racks he ran he ask when I was gonna quit and I told him when I get to shoot. Well there was this good looking girl there and Earl was telling her he was the best pool player in the world and he wanted to sit and talk with her so I got to win the next game. He went ot the mens room and the girl ask me if he was the best and I told her he was and would be for a while.
Hope he had a good time with her.
Played others like John Hager in Austin in the late 70's and Danny Medina in Denver in the 70's.
Jack White came to Whiteman AFB in 75 giving a demo and he was great best player I had ever seen at that time. After the exibition he said he would play someone and if they won he would be everyone Pizza. The crowd picked me and I bet Jack White and it was my proudest moment ever still in Pool. I only had a 35.00 dollar cue I had bought from a guy from New Jersey. Jack sent me a model L Palmer with my name on it. What a guy. My old cue I now find out is a Frank Paradise that I have had all of those years. It is being refinished now to hang on the wall.
I have typed too much and still could go on those were the days my friend when pool was at the greatest for me.
Percy
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knifemaker, were you from around that area? i live 30 miles north of columbia in moberly.
 
No I was stationed at Whiteman AFB it was over by Warrensburg. A friend of mine who really got me to playing and I would go all around to play and see games and tournaments. We had a friend in the Air Force who was Stan Musials nephew and we would go to St Louis and stay at Stans Hilton hotel and hit all the rooms up there. We played a lot at Ragtown Recreation in Raytown over by Kansas City. It was owned by Don Brinks who was a great billiard player. Lot of action too. I played Ronnie Allen there once he played 1 handed and walked over me for 20.00 a game golf on the snooker table. I watched him play a one armed guy there some golf both shooting 1 handed and it lasted for hours both played great golf.
Lots of action in and around central MO. in those days. Played Steve Cook and Dick Lane in Kansas City also back then. Played Fats in a little place in Illinois but don't remember the name. I was learning and willing to loose my money because I could eat for free and had a place to stay. Those were good times, sometimes I wish I had not quit playing but I would have ended in jail or worse if I had not. My mouth was always getting me into trouble. I got beat up more times than most punching bags. HA!
 
I've gambled with a lot of the top players.

The one who played the best was Ko Pin Yi.
 
knifemaker said:
No I was stationed at Whiteman AFB it was over by Warrensburg. A friend of mine who really got me to playing and I would go all around to play and see games and tournaments. We had a friend in the Air Force who was Stan Musials nephew and we would go to St Louis and stay at Stans Hilton hotel and hit all the rooms up there. We played a lot at Ragtown Recreation in Raytown over by Kansas City. It was owned by Don Brinks who was a great billiard player. Lot of action too. I played Ronnie Allen there once he played 1 handed and walked over me for 20.00 a game golf on the snooker table. I watched him play a one armed guy there some golf both shooting 1 handed and it lasted for hours both played great golf.
Lots of action in and around central MO. in those days. Played Steve Cook and Dick Lane in Kansas City also back then. Played Fats in a little place in Illinois but don't remember the name. I was learning and willing to loose my money because I could eat for free and had a place to stay. Those were good times, sometimes I wish I had not quit playing but I would have ended in jail or worse if I had not. My mouth was always getting me into trouble. I got beat up more times than most punching bags. HA!
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lol. great stories. im only 38 years old and the difference from when i started playin til now is sick. i know what you mean tho, great times
 
I played corey bout when he was 14 also he drilled me no prob. I played "ginky" 10 dollar nine ball did'nt know who he was and beat him for a hundy turns out you know the stories where the champ dumps to some guy to get a game with another guy well i was the guy ginky was dumping to! And he did a great job because i did'nt know him and i thought i was actually beating him legit lol!
 
Back in the early 90's I worked in a great little room here in PA and many good players came in. I would try to get them to play as cheap as I could, BUT....I NEVER asked for weight. That was how I would test the level of my game.

I mostly lost, but my game jumped up quickly.

I played guys like.....

Andy Toth who is also my teacher.

Dave "Pineapple" Marks

Little Joe DiPietro

I played Jimmy Matts for 2 hours at $5 a game before I found out who he was :).......Allen Hopkins called him the best unknown player of all time.

When the Junior events were in town I played a very young Corey Deuel, Chan Whitt, and a bunch of young dudes from the Carolinas that had more gamble then you would ever want!

My best day happened while playing at Concord Billiards near Delaware. I won $900 there the night before in the weekly 9ball. A guy I didn't know asked me to play straight pool the next day.....I showed up and we played 125 points for $50....I lost and never broke 30, he ran 60 some. Next game I up'd the bet to a buck a ball, I broke, took 2 scratches, then found a dead one and went 127 and out!......my first ever 100 ball run.

The guy quit me.....I only knew his first name was Tony.


We are lucky in this area.....there are a ton of great players.
 
I was at the VNEA quite a few years ago and I struck up a gambling match with some random stranger but it actually started with some other guy woofing at two guys playing beside me about playing him and his buddy scotch doubles for cheap, obviously trying to fleece some suckers. They kept saying no but he just wouldn't give it up, finally I was getting irritated by his non-stop chatter and said "I don't wanna play you scotch but you and I can play some 8 ball if you want." He said no and walked away but came back 5 minutes later with his "friend" who was willing to play. I said sure and he asked what I wanted to do, I replied with "I don't care but the more we bet the longer the race is." We agreed on races to 5 8-ball for $200 a set. I went to flip the coin and he called it, I caught the coin and before I could show it, he started to ***** about knowing guys who could feel the coin and fix that kinda toss. I must have caught him off guard because I responded with "Really? If you wanna break that badly go ahead." He seemed shocked but said no and told me to flip again and I won the toss. I came out of the gate running 4 racks and before I knew it I had pounded him 5-0 and 5-1 and he pulled up to find other action.

A short while afterwards a friend asked me how I made out with "Troy", I had been gambling quite a bit and didn't remember the name. He described the guy I had beaten and I mentioned that I snapped him off for $400, to which he seemed surprised. Little did I know that the guy was Troy Frank and he had not long before that won the Derby City 9 ball event.
 
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Best I ever played for the cash

The Best I ever played was Moms Mabley in the late 1950s , she gave me 11 to 7 playing 1 Pocket and crushed me. I might try gambling again though if someone gave me a big enough spot .
 
Best players I ever played for money: Shooting Arts (Hu) sent me a negative rep and said I didn't include the months and years. The insinuation I guess is that I am exaggerating with this list. Well, unlike him I can provide dates and times and prove my stories.

Lunch money:

Buddy Hall - Las Vegas 2002 - 12 Squared watched the game.
Cliff Joyner - Shooters Olathe Kansas - 12 Squared was there as well
Francisco Bustamante - Germany, Tournament in Koblenz 1992
Keith McCready - Las Vegas 1994 or 1995 - One pocket
Gerry Watson - J.O.Bs in Nashville ca. 1998ish
Danny Medina - Table Steaks in Denver 2001
Warren Kiamco - 2008 in Manila at One Side during the World 9 Ball
Tracy Joe Salazar - Las Vegas Cue Club - 2003
Johnny Ervolino - 1998 - place in Ocala FL (forgot the name)

Oh before I forget - I was in a Bank Pool Ring Game for a few minutes with Jay Helfert and Ike Runnels and one other person and I won a game!!!
- For Shooting Arts - this was Derby City 2003 I think.

and a host of lesser stars.

For Motel Money:

Ronnie Wiseman - Las Vegas Cue Club 1998 $300 against a cue case.
Jessie Bowman - Chicago, 2004ish, $200 a set getting the last 4.
Mark Gregory - Ocala Florida same time and place as Johny Ervolino
Adam Smith - Super Billiards Expo 2002ish

For Good Time at the Club Money:

Jessie Bowman - Las Vegas 2006 - $600 a game one pocket getting 9:6
Scott Lewis - Charlotte 2005 - $300 a game one pocket even

Tournaments/Fun:

Bustamante - Germany 1992
Souquet - Germany 1991
Ortmann - Germany 1991
Medina - J.O.B. Nashville 1998
Tony Piazza - Denver 2002
David Matlock - Denver 2001
Kelly Fisher - Charlotte 2004
Illona Berhardt - Germany 1990
Jeanette Lee - Chicago 2003
Earl Strickland - Orlando 2005
Shane Van Boening - Orlando 2005
Rodney Morris - Las Vegas 2005
Jose Parica - Las Vegas 2005
Rafael Martinez - Germany 1996

And more - will remember more later.

As I was compiling this list it occurred to me how very lucky I have been in my pool life to have been able to travel the world and play pool in so many countries and with so many pros.

I am a low A - high B player these days. It's really cool to write a list like this and count my blessings knowing that most people won't get this many chances to hang out with the elite players. And I don't really "hang out" with them but I have been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.

Regrets? Not having ever played one pocket with Grady despite having been around him many times.
 
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genomachino said:
Strong arm john,

john came to chippewa falls, wi and i had never heard of him. He talked me into giving him the called 6 ball. I won 600 that day. Race to something for 300.

We were supposed to play the next day. I was at my poolroom only to find out he was in the next town playing one of my buddies so 10 nine ball.

I talked to him on the phone and told him he should have called. His answer was we could play some $100.00 nine ball if he gets the wild 6 ball. Never thought about it too much and just said yes.

I saw a different guy play that day. He not only won the 600 back but had me stuck another 1200 i think. Maybe only 1000.

I told myself i had 3 more bullits and i had enough.

I started breaking and running out. I don't know how many i ran but when i didn't run out i locked him out.

Finally john looked at me and i think he said____this.

I think i won about 900. I shot my way out of what i think was the worst trap of my life.

I felt like the poker player that only had one card to hit to win it all.and hit it.

About 4 days later i got a call from one of the guys up in minneapolis and wanted to know the line on john. He asked me if it was true that i gave this guy the wild 6 and beat him out of 900. My answer was yes.

About a month later i was up in minneapolis and i heard about this guy with big arms that busted everyone. I don't know how much he won but i know it was alot. Thousands.

I knew then that i really did outrun the nuts.

I'VE PLAYED BETTER PLAYERS BEFORE BUT I NEVER MET ANYONE THAT LAID IT DOWN BETTER THAN JOHN DID. BY ALL RIGHTS HE HAD ME RIGHT BY THE BALLS. I SHOT MYSELF OUT OF THE TRAP. MY FRIENDS IN MINNEAPOLIS WERE NOT SO FORTUANATE.

BEST MOVES I EVER SAW. I HAVE NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR THIS GUY..........................
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GENE - I don"t know who john beat. He lost to jerry johnson at jerry's poolroom. I was around mpls. in the days when john was coming thru and never heard that he beat anyone. He was going to arm wrestle and instead brought someone else in and they LOST.
 
ironman said:
I was gonna tell one that happened in South Padre island a few years ago, but thought better of it! lewis

Years ago still living in Denver I had intrest inthis bar out in Aurora. My partner and I were into all sorts of activities and life seemed pretty good as the cash was rolling in.

There were 2 bar table in there and iwould take a shot at most anyone.

one day this real clean cut looking guy comes in and finally asks me to pplay some. I say"sure" and we play some %$50 9 ball. I played well enough to keep it somewhat close with some and on this dy I was holding my own pretty well, but just culdn't get rid of the feeling tha tthe worst was to come.

I pushed out on a 7 ball and this jacked up and fired a 7 ball on me that remainsthe best shot evr hit on me. My cue made noise coming apart as if someone had unscrewed it with an air wrench!

I walked the parking lot and saw a car with nebraska plate on it and as I walked back in, I was told I had a call and the person {won't mention any names} was kent taylor warning me John Shuput, Omaha John was in town and described him as I was string at him. I thanked Kent and said I would keep an eye out. Hanging up I was all smile realizing I had escaped the bullit!

I walkedover to Hohn and asked him where he was from and and he replied, Grand Island nebaraska. I said, "oh, you ever get over and play that Omaha John?" He says I have and hea gave me the 8 and beat me! I replied, a"int that huy a real *****?? John absolutley lost it as he jhust cracked up laughing!

John was a great guy and a great talent. health reason forced him to give the game up far too young.
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John Shupit (spelling) back in the days of the big rock I ran across omaha john in minneapolis. He was with a young kid with a cue case that read THE IOWA KID who was playing the son of a local bar owner some 20-3o dollar nine ball. I put my quarter up and asked if they wanted some new blood they quickly accepted and I proceeded to make first the iowa kid pull up and asked JOHN if he wanted to play some last pocket eight ball and raise the bet.W played for aboutsix or seven hours first for 50 dollars then raised to 100 then 200 and 300 we see sawed bake and forth without anyone getting more than3 games winner. before the bar closed I asked to raise the bet to 500 anmd John said no. I ended up three games winner. played pretty good that day.
 
JB Cases said:
Best players I ever played for money: Shooting Arts (Hu) sent me a negative rep and said I didn't include the months and years. The insinuation I guess is that I am exaggerating with this list. Well, unlike him I can provide dates and times and prove my stories.

Lunch money:

Buddy Hall - Las Vegas 2002 - 12 Squared watched the game.
Cliff Joyner - Shooters Olathe Kansas - 12 Squared was there as well
Francisco Bustamante - Germany, Tournament in Koblenz 1992
Keith McCready - Las Vegas 1994 or 1995 - One pocket
Gerry Watson - J.O.Bs in Nashville ca. 1998ish
Danny Medina - Table Steaks in Denver 2001
Warren Kiamco - 2008 in Manila at One Side during the World 9 Ball
Tracy Joe Salazar - Las Vegas Cue Club - 2003
Johnny Ervolino - 1998 - place in Ocala FL (forgot the name)

Oh before I forget - I was in a Bank Pool Ring Game for a few minutes with Jay Helfert and Ike Runnels and one other person and I won a game!!!
- For Shooting Arts - this was Derby City 2003 I think.

and a host of lesser stars.

For Motel Money:

Ronnie Wiseman - Las Vegas Cue Club 1998 $300 against a cue case.
Jessie Bowman - Chicago, 2004ish, $200 a set getting the last 4.
Mark Gregory - Ocala Florida same time and place as Johny Ervolino
Adam Smith - Super Billiards Expo 2002ish

For Good Time at the Club Money:

Jessie Bowman - Las Vegas 2006 - $600 a game one pocket getting 9:6
Scott Lewis - Charlotte 2005 - $300 a game one pocket even

Tournaments/Fun:

Bustamante - Germany 1992
Souquet - Germany 1991
Ortmann - Germany 1991
Medina - J.O.B. Nashville 1998
Tony Piazza - Denver 2002
David Matlock - Denver 2001
Kelly Fisher - Charlotte 2004
Illona Berhardt - Germany 1990
Jeanette Lee - Chicago 2003
Earl Strickland - Orlando 2005
Shane Van Boening - Orlando 2005
Rodney Morris - Las Vegas 2005
Jose Parica - Las Vegas 2005
Rafael Martinez - Germany 1996

And more - will remember more later.
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Thanks for proving the falseness of your attacks once again. Your claim when you were attacking me over not being able to give the dates of gambling matches that took place while you were still wearing diapers was that you could name every date you played anyone of note down to the month. We now see how vague your claims are. If you didn't play someone at a major event you don't have a clue what month you played them unless you look up a flyer or schedule for a smaller event. For that matter you often don't know what year you played someone at major events and most of your claims are less than a decade old.

Here is the proof for everyone to see that you were dishonest when you claimed you could name the month you played matches with "names". Always nice to trap you in your own BS. I usually let it slide when you behave so foolishly but since you like posting my name everywhere I'm sure you are expecting me to reply.

Hu
 
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