How many pool players died Rich because of pool?

Z

zerowins

Banned
I was just wondering if there were any stats on how many pool players actually made a good enough living to retire from pool and die wealthy because of pool. Of course we all know the Late Great Steve "The Miz" Mizerak is the most famous but have there been any others?

The question also goes the other way, How many players died broke?

Historical facts would be great but I doubt there are any on this specific subject so please give me your best guess and any opinions. TY
 
I'm guessin' that very few died with a nest egg.

A better question in my mind... was their quality of life better?... or worse?... for having been a pool player for all their life by comparison to their having taken a different path through life.

A related issue... Mr. J and I were talking last night (during a regular practice session at my house) about a certain short stop-level player here in our area who is approaching 50. His days are spent hanging out in a local room waiting for some unsuspecting fish to wander in and get fleeced.

What a life. :(

Certainly, not one for me. :thumbup:
 
cigardave said:
I'm guessin' that very few died with a nest egg.

A better question in my mind... was their quality of life better?... or worse?... for having been a pool player for all their life by comparison to their having taken a different path through life.

A related issue... Mr. J and I were talking last night (during a regular practice session at my house) about a certain short stop-level player here in our area who is approaching 50. His days are spent hanging out in a local room waiting for some unsuspecting fish to wander in and get fleeced.

What a life. :(

Certainly, not one for me. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

Well said! I'd love to be able to play at that skill level, but would I trade lives? Nope...

More about quality of life than money...tho money does allow one more choices.
 
cigardave said:
I'm guessin' that very few died with a nest egg.

A better question in my mind... was their quality of life better?... or worse?... for having been a pool player for all their life by comparison to their having taken a different path through life.

A related issue... Mr. J and I were talking last night (during a regular practice session at my house) about a certain short stop-level player here in our area who is approaching 50. His days are spent hanging out in a local room waiting for some unsuspecting fish to wander in and get fleeced.

What a life. :(

Certainly, not one for me. :thumbup:
Click to expand...
It is coming up on about a year since a friend of mine a life long player and shuffler died. He dies of Emphysema I suspect hanging in smokey pool rooms didn't help. He had no health insurance and was just trying to hang on till he could get medicare that he qualified for from the few jobs he had held, he didn't make it though. He suffered an excruciating death that was not fast. Most of the time I knew him he had very little and lived a life few would want. I find it hard to call it a life, it was more like a sentence with no parole. The pool rooms used to be full of these guys like this who in some perverse way thought they had somehow beat the system. Fortunately they are a dying breed in more ways then one. They seemed cool at the time in the pool rooms with their cocky attitudes and disrespect to convention. They certainly have a right to live life as they choose, but do these guys have any idea what they have chosen? If they are lucky they discover it before it is too late.
 
zerowins said:
I was just wondering if there were any stats on how many pool players actually made a good enough living to retire from pool and die wealthy because of pool. Of course we all know the Late Great Steve "The Miz" Mizerak is the most famous but have there been any others?

The question also goes the other way, How many players died broke?

Historical facts would be great but I doubt there are any on this specific subject so please give me your best guess and any opinions. TY
Click to expand...


Personally, I consider anyone who can make $50,000 per year is living pretty good. Money is relative to what each of us can get by on. What I consider "rich" may be considered "poor" by someone elses standard. And what someone else considers poor may by others be considered rich.

That being said, I know of several very good players who have either died wealthy or, in the case of those who are still living, I know of several who are living very comfortable lives. They were very responsible men who didn't blow their money.

I'd mention specific names but don't feel that would be right, to post something about how wealthy so & so is. But look thru the lists of champions and near champions & you can find quite a few success stories.
 
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