Reading the Thread on Scott Townsend got me thinking that their has to be good stories out there about Mr. Dave Matlock The King of the Bar Box. Usually when your on the top people challenge ya to get your spot. Any good stories about him is appreciated.
How Good Is / Was Dave Matlock?????
- Thread starter Hustler85
- Start date
gOOD DOESN'T BEGIN TO DESCRIBE THE ASS-WHOOPINS HE UNLEASHED.
tHAT SAID, A DAY'S PLAY MIGHT BE A TOSS-UP.
tHAT SAID, A DAY'S PLAY MIGHT BE A TOSS-UP.
Sorry if that rubbed you the wrong way RandyG. I am just going off what few people have seen him on is all. But I still like hearing stories about his playing and possible gambling. Probably at the beginning of next year am planning on getting private lessons from him. Thanks in advance.
No, he actually wasn't the best period. He couldn't handle me on a snooker table and there were plenty of people that could give him a very good game on the pool tables. David was a very strong player and probably earned that title at one time, but there are lots of other players I would say were just as good... and some better.
No offense meant to David at all, just the way I see it. I first played David when he was still a teen in Rolla (I was just starting college which I finished in 6 days :grin: ). Played him again some 20+ years later when he was in his prime. Never deluded myself into thinking I could beat him at pool (although I could give him a strong game on the 9 footers). He came to Butch's in Springfield along with a couple of backers and actually offered me a small spot on the snooker table. I think it was 8 points. They pulled up after only ONE game and we couldn't get a bet out of them afterward, even or otherwise.
No offense meant to David at all, just the way I see it. I first played David when he was still a teen in Rolla (I was just starting college which I finished in 6 days :grin: ). Played him again some 20+ years later when he was in his prime. Never deluded myself into thinking I could beat him at pool (although I could give him a strong game on the 9 footers). He came to Butch's in Springfield along with a couple of backers and actually offered me a small spot on the snooker table. I think it was 8 points. They pulled up after only ONE game and we couldn't get a bet out of them afterward, even or otherwise.
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Let's just say, David with the Big Ball was as creative and deadly as efren in his prime on a 9' playing 9 ball. His run out patterns with the Big Ball were different than his opponents also, creating a lesser chance of hooking himself.
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You do play a mean game of snooker Rich. I loved that snooker table at Butch's, it really played nice. I wish I'd of got to see you guys play.
I'm sure if you use the "search" for Dave Matlock, you will find some good stories. He was always known best as a bar box player. I never saw him play but I heard yo had to be a top player to try and beat him.
But the real question should be, is/was he better than Travis Trotter?
matlock or bowman?
I had the privilege of playing david at a tourney not too long ago. Unfortunatly he is suffering from arthritis in his foot and could barely stand up. I 've played jesse on a number of occasions, and he is an absolute monster. I think david in his prime was a better player than jesse (Imo). davids knowledge of 3 cushion makes him the best kicker I've ever seen on the bartable. I think offensively they are equal. but safties and kicking give david the edge.
I had the privilege of playing david at a tourney not too long ago. Unfortunatly he is suffering from arthritis in his foot and could barely stand up. I 've played jesse on a number of occasions, and he is an absolute monster. I think david in his prime was a better player than jesse (Imo). davids knowledge of 3 cushion makes him the best kicker I've ever seen on the bartable. I think offensively they are equal. but safties and kicking give david the edge.
Who is Jesse Bowlman?
All the accolades that David gets for his bar box talent are surely well deserved and if I said anything to indicate otherwise, it wasn't intended. I've not seen him now for about 20 years and certainly sympathize with his developing physical problems.
When any of you see David, tell him Rich Tefertiller sends him a hello and best wishes.
When any of you see David, tell him Rich Tefertiller sends him a hello and best wishes.
Sounds like my first marriage. Sorry, back to the thread at hand.:smile:
I don't know what David's high run on a bar table was with the big cue ball, but I do know that we used to go to the Blue Note in Ponca City and play a monthly rated tournament in the late 80's/early 90's. The ratings were 4 to 9 with David being an 11. I was fortunate enough to witness him run 11 and out a couple of times.
I was a 7 and I played him the first match one time. I won the flip and ran two and made the 9 on the break. While David was racking I went over to my buddy and said "looks like Mr. Matlock is going down early today". I dry broke and proceeded to rack ten games in a row and watched him smooth run out 11 in a row.
When he ran the last rack, I could hear my buddy from across the room saying, "looks like Mr. Coats went down early today":grin::grin::grin:. It was an honor and pleasure to watch him do his magic with that big cue ball on those small tables.
It literally breaks me heart to see him struggle to get around the table now:frown::frown:
-don coats
I was a 7 and I played him the first match one time. I won the flip and ran two and made the 9 on the break. While David was racking I went over to my buddy and said "looks like Mr. Matlock is going down early today"
. I dry broke and proceeded to rack ten games in a row and watched him smooth run out 11 in a row. When he ran the last rack, I could hear my buddy from across the room saying, "looks like Mr. Coats went down early today":grin::grin::grin:. It was an honor and pleasure to watch him do his magic with that big cue ball on those small tables.
It literally breaks me heart to see him struggle to get around the table now:frown::frown:
-don coats
David had the best cueball control of anyone i've ever seen play in his prime. He played super defense,super break and stayed on the right side of the ball almost everytime, and ducked no one including Buddy Hall. He offered Johnny the 8 when Johnny was playing mainly on barboxes and Johnny wanted the 7. He told Johnny to come to Ok and he had the 7 and could bet what he wanted to. The only one that had the nerve that i can recall to try him in Ok was Keith, and he checked up short. I've watched him play almost perfect pool for hours. CJ did beat him at a tournament in Al with Billy Johnson breaking for him. For the one that said he wasn't the top barbox player in his prime, name the players that could beat him?
Heres one
Heres a story about Matlock I heard from someone who was there when it happened. I will make this as short as I can.
A few years back when David was in his prime, He and a few others incuding his backer went to a small town ( don`t remember the name) to play some nineball.
Well David was playing a 12 ahead set of 9ball for quite a large some, ( I mean very large some) as David had a huge backer. I can`t remember if it was on bar table or 9ft , but im guessing barbox. Well after playing for what seemed like hours david found himself down 11 games, (Can`t remember who he was playing). Well his backer frustrated and should I say pissed, got up and said to David he was going across the street to get some breakfast as now it was about 6.30 in the morning.
Well on his way out with a few of the fellas he walked over to David and told him to get his head out of his A$$ and get in the game. Well david himself got mad at this interruption and got up and kicked the trash can and walked out of the room.
Well about 45 to 60 minutes later the Backer and the rest of the fellas came walking in from eating breakfast and The backer sees everyone packing up to leave so he walks over to Davids opponent and his backer to payoff the bet .
Well to his suprise the opponents backer sees him and walks over to him and hands him a large wad of cash and Davids backer ask what happened.
To which he is told that David won! David had walked back in after his backer had left to eat and proceded to put a beating on his opponent. David had run 23 racks, 11 to bring it even and 12 more to win.
Hows that for a day in Matlocks life!:smile:
H.P.
Heres a story about Matlock I heard from someone who was there when it happened. I will make this as short as I can.
A few years back when David was in his prime, He and a few others incuding his backer went to a small town ( don`t remember the name) to play some nineball.
Well David was playing a 12 ahead set of 9ball for quite a large some, ( I mean very large some) as David had a huge backer. I can`t remember if it was on bar table or 9ft , but im guessing barbox. Well after playing for what seemed like hours david found himself down 11 games, (Can`t remember who he was playing). Well his backer frustrated and should I say pissed, got up and said to David he was going across the street to get some breakfast as now it was about 6.30 in the morning.
Well on his way out with a few of the fellas he walked over to David and told him to get his head out of his A$$ and get in the game. Well david himself got mad at this interruption and got up and kicked the trash can and walked out of the room.
Well about 45 to 60 minutes later the Backer and the rest of the fellas came walking in from eating breakfast and The backer sees everyone packing up to leave so he walks over to Davids opponent and his backer to payoff the bet .
Well to his suprise the opponents backer sees him and walks over to him and hands him a large wad of cash and Davids backer ask what happened.
To which he is told that David won! David had walked back in after his backer had left to eat and proceded to put a beating on his opponent. David had run 23 racks, 11 to bring it even and 12 more to win.
Hows that for a day in Matlocks life!:smile:
H.P.
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