How many of the top notch players have a real job?

m79a

m79a

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm talking about the guys who don't hit all the pro tournaments. Maybe like Hennessee or someone along those lines. Are there any guys out there who have playing ability like this who have a 40 hour a week job? Not talking about a pool room job were they can shoot all the time.
 
hahahahahahahaha best post ever ............ i think alot of the pros wouldnt b pros if every1 had to work 40 hours a week......
 
I can name one. Spanish Mike Lebron. The oldest player to win the U.S Open at the age of 54 in 1988. Worked a full time job for 20 years. Maybe there's still hope for one of us working stiffs.....
 
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This partucular situation hits the "nail on the head". We don't have very many "REAL" Professional players. Professional meaning they are paid to do this work for a living.

The professional in the World of Billiards gets up every morning, looking for "a Mark, a match or a pidgeon", so they can sustain their way of life.

I find that to be a shameful situation.

Many a post has asked the question...., "how do we get Pool n Billiards to grow"... we do it together, a piece at a time.
 
In the past - Joe Balsis also worked a full time job. He was a butcher. Irving Crane sold Cadillac's. Bob Vanover sold furniture. I played Vanover more than once, and trust me, having a job never hurt his game.

Today, I don't think anybody works more hours than Charlie Williams, and he's always in the hunt to win any event.
 
I think it's possible. You could work 9-5 and then spend 8 hours at the pool room afterwards. And on weekends even more time.

You wouldn't be able to do much of anything else, but definitely possible if someone wanted to do it.
 
How Many

Blackjack said:
In the past - Joe Balsis also worked a full time job. He was a butcher. Irving Crane sold Cadillac's. Bob Vanover sold furniture. I played Vanover more than once, and trust me, having a job never hurt his game.

Today, I don't think anybody works more hours than Charlie Williams, and he's always in the hunt to win any event.
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I may be mistaken but I think both Joe and Irving were part of a family business and could therefore have more time to prepare for a tournament etc. than Joe Schmuck working for a factory.
Not that I don't think they worked the jobs, just that there was more latitude.
 
Wasn't the Miz a school teacher?

Now a days, it would be much tougher to be a top player and hold a full time job because the big tournaments aren't all in the US. You pretty much have to take a week off or more for every big event and it seems like there is at least one or two a month. I don't think there are too many full time jobs that have that much vacation.
 
The Miz

Pretty sure Steve Mizerak worked till he was 36....taught school.
He quit only when it was costing him money to go to work...
His pool career had become more lucrative.

In his room in Lake Park FL his trophy case had many teaching awards..
He was just as proud of them as his pool trophies.

Maybe Steve jr could enlarge on this
 
Forgot about the Miz.......summers off were probably helpful. What job does Charlie Williams do? If it's not pool related, I'm impressed...he's always in the hunt.
 
m79a said:
I'm talking about the guys who don't hit all the pro tournaments. Maybe like Hennessee or someone along those lines. Are there any guys out there who have playing ability like this who have a 40 hour a week job? Not talking about a pool room job were they can shoot all the time.
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Pursuing one's dreams could at times be considered a job...low paying, but still a job never-the-less. Just like a 40hr a week job...if you don't show up...you don't get paid. I'd consider a player making a living from playing pool....really no different than any self-employed person who owns a business....it's not about how much money is made....it's all about in the pursuit of that really counts....and the willingness to sacrafice in order to get what you want.

Miz was a school teacher, Wimpy was a Cadilac salesman, Hopkin's has owned a few bars as well as a few other businesses. How many kids play baseball for no money...in the hopes that someday...they'll get a contract to play in the Pro's....while their dad is in the background saying...."Get a job son...you're never going to make it to the Pro's"

If every Pro pool player out there HAD a real 40hr a week job....why would there ever be a need for sponsorship of Professionals in this sport...oh I'm sorry....if one didn't make any money from playing pool....would it then be considered....just a game?...hmmmm....I bet most all pool players that make a living from this sport....put in about double the hours that anyone does....working for someone else....40hrs a week...so, I think I'd consider that to be a job....but yes....a low paying job...that's called....dealers choice:grin:

Glen
 
javi2 said:
Forgot about the Miz.......summers off were probably helpful. What job does Charlie Williams do? If it's not pool related, I'm impressed...he's always in the hunt.
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Charlie's job is pool related, and trust me, he puts in a lot of hours of work doing what he does.
 
I think a person could be a pro and work a full time job if they were not big on family and a relationship. You can devote time to a couple things in your life and everything else is secondary. So it would depend on what that person felt was important. With that said it probably is not practical.
 
realkingcobra said:
Pursuing one's dreams could at times be considered a job...low paying, but still a job never-the-less. Just like a 40hr a week job...if you don't show up...you don't get paid. I'd consider a player making a living from playing pool....really no different than any self-employed person who owns a business....it's not about how much money is made....it's all about in the pursuit of that really counts....and the willingness to sacrafice in order to get what you want.

Miz was a school teacher, Wimpy was a Cadilac salesman, Hopkin's has owned a few bars as well as a few other businesses. How many kids play baseball for no money...in the hopes that someday...they'll get a contract to play in the Pro's....while their dad is in the background saying...."Get a job son...you're never going to make it to the Pro's"

If every Pro pool player out there HAD a real 40hr a week job....why would there ever be a need for sponsorship of Professionals in this sport...oh I'm sorry....if one didn't make any money from playing pool....would it then be considered....just a game?...hmmmm....I bet most all pool players that make a living from this sport....put in about double the hours that anyone does....working for someone else....40hrs a week...so, I think I'd consider that to be a job....but yes....a low paying job...that's called....dealers choice:grin:

Glen
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I think the point of this thread was not to say that the players who only play pool don't work hard, it was to figure out if its possible to maintain the highest level of play while having a steady income from a normal job.
 
Masayoshi said:
I think the point of this thread was not to say that the players who only play pool don't work hard, it was to figure out if its possible to maintain the highest level of play while having a steady income from a normal job.
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Then, my thoughts would be to revisit the orignal question...and reword it so that it asks just that...as you explained, because for years I've heard the same thing over and over when I was playing pool for a living....then again when I started working on pool tables...."when are you going to quit that and get a real job"...but I still love my mom to this day....love you mom...xoxoxo...she lerks on AZ...cuz she's RETIRED!...:rotflmao1:
 
I think John Schmidt just got a 60 hour a week job. I'm going to stop out and visit him on my next trip East.....SPF=randyg
 
Dont forget about az's very own Donny Mills...I know he owns his car business but all Business owners put in the hours whether the hrs are obvious or not.:smile:
 
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