What was your first experience like playing a pro?

m79a

m79a

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Last night I was playing a tourney in Clarksville Tn. Don't play too many tourneys away from my local room. But I may start after last night. Fist I see Karen Corr in there playing and what do you know my first match is against her. Before I started playing I watched this woman play a lot of pool on ESPN. I tried not to worry to much about who I was playing, Tried to get it my head that was gonna beat her just like she was anyone else. Then she promptly whipped my ass 5-0. A very nice woman and a great pool player. I went on and finished one match out of the money. A lot of people would piss and moan about someone like that playing in a tourney like this, but I enjoyed it. I left when I got put out, but I'm sure she probably won it.

What were some of your experiences? Did you let your self get star struck or just not worry about who it was?
 
Well mine was a one game exhibition against Nick Varner during a group lesson. We all got to play nine ball one game for fun against a hall of famer.

I broke, made a nice shape shot from the one to the two, easy two ball then a fairly tough three-nine combo which was definitely the shot. It felt great and as Nick shook my hand he said, "Thanks for the lesson."
 
My first match against a pro was also against Karen Corr. I had been playing about two years and drew her in the one pocket at the derby. She ended up winning 3-2 but it was a fun match.

I think considering the circumstances I played pretty well. I had a little more confidence than I would have if we played 9 ball, as she was just learning how to play one pocket.
 
Not well

I have played and lost to: John Schmidt, Max Eberle, Rafael Martinez, Ismael Paez(Morro!), Ernesto Dominguez, Tang Hoa..

I'm getting used to it..it's becoming more like a regular loss.

They all have been gracious winners. Note-Rafael doesn't talk much.
 
I was in a 9 ball tournament and played Marlon Manalo when all was said and done he won 9 5 I shook his hand and said It was a pleasure to watch you shoot
He shook my hand and said you bank great my buddies heard it and I was
the man
Truth is I was so nervous and out of position I had to bank great to not lose 9 0 lmao
 
I was hustling pool games around California in the 60's and some guy came in talking a lot of crap about how much money he had and how much he liked to gamble. Usually I found guys like this to be all mouth and no game. Pretty soon I had him down for a $200 set of One Pocket, a very big game back then. He let loose on me and I got buried. I never won a game and he shut me out, either 4-0 or 5-0. Turns out this nice looking young man was none other than Larry Lisciotti, already the Connecticut State Champ at 19. The hustler got hustled! :confused:
 
Never been lucky enough to play/watch a pro. I'd even enjoy racking up and watching them put a 6 pack on me, lol.
 
I had just returned home from Germany where I was stationed with the Army for 3 years. I had won numerous tournaments over there and brought back quite a few trophies.

My mom and step-dad (who were both competent players) asked me if I wanted to go with them to Vegas to try my luck in a tournament out there.

The tournament was played at the Cue Club and my first match was some Asian guy who killed me 11-2. My next match was against some other guy I didn't know either...and he killed me 11-1.

Come to find out months later the two people I played were Jose Parica and Danny Medina respectively...That was my formal education into the higher ranks of pool...

I've played numerous pros since then. I enjoy playing them, because I like to watch how they play up close...how they move around the table...how they escape my safe play...

It never fails though...any tournament I play in I always draw some former world champion...Gabe Owen, Jeremy Jones, Dave Matlock. Gabe and Dave were back to back matches too!

I just donate my money now, because I'm sure to draw a pro at every tournament! :)
 
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For me it was lil different,

I was playing in a room called the cue-stick back around 90 or 91 it was my regular practice place not near as much action as a couple other rooms in town but bigger than the rest at the time so you could always grab the 9 footers without the getting in the way of the action

A road player I knew named Smokey came in one night with a lady looking for a game for her I figured she could play if she was running with Smokey .

They were Looking for Tom Parker the room owner as tom was a strong money player when he took the time and if the game was right.

Well too make a long story short Tom wasnt avaiable and I was the only Player there who stood a chance of not getting embarrassed so Smokey hollers " Red you interested in a lil Action with Viv Here she will give you the breaks and the last two " So I took it and played a couple of sets lost 9-7 and 9-5 and she pocketed 400 dollars of my money lol

The Next Time I saw her was couple years later on ESPN and I laughed Viv turned out to be Vivien Villareal . but was well worth the money and the time and you know I would do it again great palyer and great personality , Besides a pretty handy beating she gave me one of my best memories of Pool and a story to tell. So Viv thanks
 
m79a said:
Last night I was playing a tourney in Clarksville Tn. Don't play too many tourneys away from my local room. But I may start after last night. Fist I see Karen Corr in there playing and what do you know my first match is against her. Before I started playing I watched this woman play a lot of pool on ESPN. I tried not to worry to much about who I was playing, Tried to get it my head that was gonna beat her just like she was anyone else. Then she promptly whipped my ass 5-0. A very nice woman and a great pool player. I went on and finished one match out of the money. A lot of people would piss and moan about someone like that playing in a tourney like this, but I enjoyed it. I left when I got put out, but I'm sure she probably won it.

What were some of your experiences? Did you let your self get star struck or just not worry about who it was?
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My first match against a pro was against Wade Crane. I was definately star struck. I jumped out to a 3-0 lead, but ended up losing the set 9-6. His safety play destroyed me. I had never been hooked like that before and it certainly rattled me.

Fortunately, I learned from the experience. Although it was clear he was a better player, I learned I was no slouch. I also learned that controlling your nerves regardless of the score or the situation is the key to being able to hang with the better players. If you can't master controlling your nerves, controlling the cue ball becomes an impossibility.
 
I drew Jeff Carter in a weekly handicap tournament at Chris' Billiards.

He broke and ran a couple right off the bat, and I said "Are you ready to start?" He looked at me in shock, not sure if I was serious or joking. Thats some funny stuff, there.

So anyway, his handicap was 9 and I was a 4 and I was able to beat him.
 
My only game against a pro was a one game match against Earl Strickland. I knew I was going to play him, so I spent all day practicing my shooting so I would be ready. When the time came I racked the balls, Earl broke and ran the table. I lost,never got a shot. I guess I should have spent the day practicing my Racking. Oh well, lesson learned.
 
playing my 1st pro......(funny)

when i was younger in my teens. (late 60's) I thought i played pretty sporty. I went into the navy and after boot camp i was transferred to the Kennedy in Norfolk. While in downtown Norfolk 1 day i say this sign that said Saint Elmos Pool room. So i go in looking for a game. After hitting the balls for about 15 minutes the house man asked me if i was looking for some action. I said sure as long as it was not to high. A nice dressed older man asked me if i wanted to play some $5.00 9ball.(remember this was the late 60's). So anyway, after losing $200.00 to this man. I had no qualms about it at all. He turns to me and says here, take back this $190.00. He told me that i was 1 of the few people he had met that never argued or got mad when I was losing. by now you all have probably guessed who this man was. If not, it was none other than Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter. A true gentleman in every sense of the word in my opinion. :bow-down:............mike
 
My first match with a pro was in 3-cushion, during a tournament in the early 70's. We kept score using beads above the table that you had to reach with your stick. I won the lag, made the break shot and ran 4. I didn't feel nervous but when I went to move the beads w/my stick, I notice my stick was shaking badly. I added my second hand to hopefully reduce the shaking, but it was just as bad. I was nervous as hell, and once I saw how nervous I was I couldn't hit the end rail.

What made it worse was this was my home room and all my friends were watching me. I was playing Paul Melnichuk, a top national player from the Boston area - I had heard plenty about him before hand, which didn't help.

Thanks for bringing up these memories :) :eek:.

Ouch!

Dave
 
cue fix said:
My only game against a pro was a one game match against Earl Strickland. I knew I was going to play him, so I spent all day practicing my shooting so I would be ready. When the time came I racked the balls, Earl broke and ran the table. I lost,never got a shot. I guess I should have spent the day practicing my Racking. Oh well, lesson learned.
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Your story reminded me of one that I will have to tell second hand. The person in the story is no longer in the pool scene.

I practically lived in my local pool hall from '88-'91 or so and I had read an article about the owner having gotten to play Mosconi. So one day I ask him about it and sure enough, they had played each other. So he goes on to tell me that he had won a collegiate tournament where the top prize included an exhibition match against Mosconi in 14.1 to 150. To say he was excited was an understatement and he practiced and planned out how he was going to make a name for himself with this match as the kid who beat Mosconi.

Day of the exhibition comes. Owner gets the break and says he broke it about as perfectly as you could leaving nothing to hit outside the rack. Mosconi gets up, looks at the rack, calls out a ball in the rack, breaks rack open, called ball goes in, runs 150 and out. All the excitement and build up and he never got to shoot after the break.
 
i cant remember, :confused::confused:


i never play in tournaments so I didnt play anyone notable there, i dont have a clue, huh?? I must be getting senile, i've played lots of top players in the past few years, or in partner games. But I cant remember the first. One thing I do know is I play the same or perhaps a little better than normal when I am playing a pro, i'm not intimidated. Shannon was my 1P partner and I played horrible because my back was real bad that time, man I was pisssed about that-of all the days for it to go out, it had been good for a while back then, right now i'm a done deal and cant play at all cause of the pain.:frown:
 
i got star struck at first when i played this guy tony crobsy in his tournament, which i didn't know played in his tournament but i had watched a match between him and efren and he beat efren on a fluke cause efren missed a dead 9 ball, none the less he beat him...so i go to the tournament i get knocked to the loser side by luis viera and that mofo was fenominal, i think he masse better than mike mike massy...and i than i win a few and here comes crobsy...he was such a nice guy before and after the match but during the match he taught me how to be a ruthless killer on the table, and ever since than thats my attitude on the table with anyone especially a pro...i play balls to the wall, physical and mental, and ever since than i have to star struck problems, just another guy whom i'm gonna make it point they never forget my name, and make sure i make there blood pressure go up when they know i'm up against them...
 
My first pro battle was after I'd been playing for a few years. I entered a short race nine ball tourney that always drew a strong crowd. I played Dallas West and even won a couple of games to tie things up. He caught a gear and never looked back.

I made a friend that day and picked up a lot of good advice especially about straights. He was a great guy to play with and learn the game. After that I had no problem matching up with anybody. Lost my fear of heights. :wink:

Best,
Mike
 
My 1st "experience" playing a Pro

1961, at a Brunswick Bowling and Billiards house in Portland, Oregon...I was hired to organize and teach pool. As the "house man", I played Willie Mosconi (then traveling for the Brunswick Advisory Staff promoting pool). In a 14.1 race to 150 exhibition (I lost !). Later that year, I played World Champion Jimmie Caras 14.1 to 150, (I lost !). Next year Mosconi again.....yeh, I lost !
The fun thing was...years after 1st losing to Willie, I learned that our match was his 1st public appearance after consulting in the movie, "The Hustler" ! Kind of cool!
 
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