White House Takes a Cue from Kansas
- Thread starter JAM
- Start date
I will make a public offer here and now. I will travel to DC and spend 2 days giving the President the full Advanced level course free of charge, just to spike his interest, and, possibly, get some much needed publicity for the game we love.
Anybody got his cell phone number?
Steve
Hey, I like the way you think there, Johnnyt and Pooltchr!
A month or so ago, I was invited to an event at the White House to accompany a media person, and I turned it down for personal reasons. The President would not have been there, though, but I would have gotten to meet the First Lady.
If that opportunity ever avails itself to me, at least in the next 4 years, I am going to jump all over it. I can see me now. "Hey, Mr. President, wanna play a lil friendly game of 8-ball? I just happen to have a cue with your name all over it out in my car." :grin-square:
Thanks for sharing JAM. That would be pretty cool to get him a cue.
Somebody needs to get the ball rolling on this [pun intended]!
I think he really does enjoy playing pool. The game being played by the President of the United States would lend itself to legitimacy as a clean sport, as opposed to the smokey pool room image with men-only signs in the front window!
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Some more Presidential billiards tidbits:
Some say he was just trying to score points with working class voters. But when Democratic hopeful Barack Obama during a 2008 campaign stop picked up a pool cue in a West Virginia bar and started running balls, he was simply following a long, proud and very presidential tradition.
Consider this: George Washington reportedly won a game of pool in 1748; John Quincy Adams installed a table in the presidential quarters in 1828; and Abraham Lincoln extolled the virtues of pool as a "scientific game lending recreation to the otherwise fatigued mind."
Even Founding Father Thomas Jefferson was said to have a table at Monticello.
But Obama should also be careful about pocketing balls for political gain. After Adams used his own money to purchase a pool table, his political opposition in 1828 took him to task for installing "gambling furniture" in the White House.
Some say he was just trying to score points with working class voters. But when Democratic hopeful Barack Obama during a 2008 campaign stop picked up a pool cue in a West Virginia bar and started running balls, he was simply following a long, proud and very presidential tradition.
Consider this: George Washington reportedly won a game of pool in 1748; John Quincy Adams installed a table in the presidential quarters in 1828; and Abraham Lincoln extolled the virtues of pool as a "scientific game lending recreation to the otherwise fatigued mind."
Even Founding Father Thomas Jefferson was said to have a table at Monticello.
But Obama should also be careful about pocketing balls for political gain. After Adams used his own money to purchase a pool table, his political opposition in 1828 took him to task for installing "gambling furniture" in the White House.
OMG!
On Hardball, Chris Matthews said of Senator Barack Obama:
"I think, being an African American, it's all the more important to get in there and show who you are, introduce yourself as a person, not as an identity group, but as a human being, and connect with people. I think that's still going to be his challenge."
Matthews then stated: "Playing pool, not a bad start, but it's not what most people play. People with money play pool these days."
Matthews added: "The guys who have pool rooms in their house in the basement. You know what those tables cost?"
Man, that Chris Matthews, I'm writing him a letter and giving him a piece of my mind. In fact, this guy lives around the corner from me, and he tried to get a free Christmas tree at Blessed Sacrament Church this past season, claiming he left his wallet at home. :angry:
On Hardball, Chris Matthews said of Senator Barack Obama:
"I think, being an African American, it's all the more important to get in there and show who you are, introduce yourself as a person, not as an identity group, but as a human being, and connect with people. I think that's still going to be his challenge."
Matthews then stated: "Playing pool, not a bad start, but it's not what most people play. People with money play pool these days."
Matthews added: "The guys who have pool rooms in their house in the basement. You know what those tables cost?"
Man, that Chris Matthews, I'm writing him a letter and giving him a piece of my mind. In fact, this guy lives around the corner from me, and he tried to get a free Christmas tree at Blessed Sacrament Church this past season, claiming he left his wallet at home. :angry:
We need contact information for Barack. (Email, cell phone for text messaging pool matches coming down the pike. We would have to pick some special matches for him to watch that would be fun for him.
When we have some good Live Streaming Feeds, we could provide the link information for him with his own Login ID : (THE PRES or BOB or DA BOSS) AND Password: 8Ball or SPORT, so that he could login after a hard day at the White House to watch some great pool.
If we got Barack Obama hooked on AZ Billiards Main Forum, Mike Howerton would have to put us on retainer. It would be pretty cool to have the President visiting the forum incognito from time to time under a coded name of course.
Maybe we need a package: Presidential Pool Cue, Pool Lessons for the Presidential family, Subscription to Inside Pool Magazine, subscription to www.azbilliards.com Main Forum, subscription to www.theactionreport.com
SPECIAL PRIVATE CONTACT information for versatile, diplomatic and trustworthy commentator JoeyA for consulting about pool in general and maybe a little discreet gambling matchup for the Pres to get his "fix" every now and then. :thumbup:
Oh yeah, and a cool "pool"-oriented YOUTUBE tribute for the president with lots of room for laughter.
JoeyA
When we have some good Live Streaming Feeds, we could provide the link information for him with his own Login ID : (THE PRES or BOB or DA BOSS) AND Password: 8Ball or SPORT, so that he could login after a hard day at the White House to watch some great pool.
If we got Barack Obama hooked on AZ Billiards Main Forum, Mike Howerton would have to put us on retainer.
It would be pretty cool to have the President visiting the forum incognito from time to time under a coded name of course.Maybe we need a package: Presidential Pool Cue, Pool Lessons for the Presidential family, Subscription to Inside Pool Magazine, subscription to www.azbilliards.com Main Forum, subscription to www.theactionreport.com
SPECIAL PRIVATE CONTACT information for versatile, diplomatic and trustworthy commentator JoeyA for consulting about pool in general and maybe a little discreet gambling matchup for the Pres to get his "fix" every now and then. :thumbup:
Oh yeah, and a cool "pool"-oriented YOUTUBE tribute for the president with lots of room for laughter.
JoeyA
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Go for it Dewd...
http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/CONTACT/
We need contact information for Barack. (Email, cell phone for text messaging pool matches coming down the pike. We would have to pick some special matches for him to watch that would be fun for him.
When we have some good Live Streaming Feeds, we could provide the link information for him with his own Login ID : (THE PRES or BOB or DA BOSS) AND Password: 8Ball or SPORT, so that he could login after a hard day at the White House to watch some great pool.
If we got Barack Obama hooked on AZ Billiards Main Forum, Mike Howerton would have to put us on retainer.
Maybe we need a package: Presidential Pool Cue, Pool Lessons for the Presidential family, Subscription to Inside Pool Magazine, subscription to www.azbilliards.com Main Forum, subscription to www.theactionreport.com
SPECIAL PRIVATE CONTACT information for versatile, diplomatic and trustworthy commentator JoeyA for consulting about pool in general and maybe a little discreet gambling matchup for the Pres to get his "fix" every now and then. :thumbup:
Oh yeah, and a cool "pool"-oriented YOUTUBE tribute for the president with lots of room for laughter.
JoeyA
A great one!
Dude, I can't take JAM's idea and it's A GREAT ONE. :idea:
Besides, she is the resident key person from AZ who is on the Pres's one yard line. The pool cue idea would make a great present for the President's Billiard Room, once it is known that The First Lady is going to keep it.
JoeyA
Dude, I can't take JAM's idea and it's A GREAT ONE. :idea:
Besides, she is the resident key person from AZ who is on the Pres's one yard line. The pool cue idea would make a great present for the President's Billiard Room, once it is known that The First Lady is going to keep it.
JoeyA
John Barton please stand up..!!!
Excellent thinking JAM. We (at least me) now would like to request that John Barton please stand up.!!! He could make the "Presidential" Cue Case, one of a kind.!!!
If I'm not mistaken he once made a Mosconi Cup cue-case and it was very nice. I would be willing to "pitch in" to defray the cost of the case.
What do you guys think ????
Brian, I was thinking the same thing. Maybe if a cuemaker created a custom cue for President Obama, it might generate a little interest in pocket billiards, American style!
Excellent thinking JAM. We (at least me) now would like to request that John Barton please stand up.!!! He could make the "Presidential" Cue Case, one of a kind.!!!
If I'm not mistaken he once made a Mosconi Cup cue-case and it was very nice. I would be willing to "pitch in" to defray the cost of the case.
What do you guys think ????
A Brunswick in the white house. I love it.
Obama shoots lefty, because he is a lefty (this is not a political comment. Obama is left-handed).
Sorry, guys I am committed on the free cases for this year and probably next as well. Plus it would backfire if I made a case because it's from China. You need to have a All-American case maker make a case for Obama. There are now at least six case makers who read this forum who qualify in that regard.
Someone needs to send that asshole Chris Matthews a link to the Cue Gallery so he can see that some people buy cues costing more than he makes in a year.
Hillary Clinton is an idiot. Why would you ever take a pool table out of the White House? Kings and super rich people all over the world have ornate billiard rooms and lots of business has been done there. A pool room in the house is the same as a golf course when it comes to talking business in a relaxed atmosphere. Dumb ass - we could have had world peace by now if she had left the table there.
P.S. Harold I know you said you would help pay for it but I really am booked solid for quite a while.
Someone needs to send that asshole Chris Matthews a link to the Cue Gallery so he can see that some people buy cues costing more than he makes in a year.
Hillary Clinton is an idiot. Why would you ever take a pool table out of the White House? Kings and super rich people all over the world have ornate billiard rooms and lots of business has been done there. A pool room in the house is the same as a golf course when it comes to talking business in a relaxed atmosphere. Dumb ass - we could have had world peace by now if she had left the table there.
P.S. Harold I know you said you would help pay for it but I really am booked solid for quite a while.
Well yea. I'm left handed but I shoot basketball and throw football with my right, dribble right, tennis, right, shoot pool left, and do a couple other things left so you never know.
Actually, the D.C. grapevine is that the United States wants to join hands with China and become sort of the next G2, if you will, sharing the limelight of two super powers who help poorer and developing countries.
In fact, unlike years ago, I have seen a definite political change when it comes to China, all for the better.
That said, I understand about you being busy for sure. I'm in the same boat myself with my job. Too many jobs to bang out and not enough hours in the day.
Here's a little snippet of Obama's commentary about pool:
We’ve seen him play basketball, he has been teased mercilessly about his dismal bowling skills and he even pretended to take part in a 400-meter hurdles race at a track meet last week. But pool?
Barack Obama loves it. And he decided to spend part of a 6-hour campaign stop in West Virginia — just one day before the primary election there — playing pool.
“The sign of a misspent youth,” Obama joked as he walked around and eyed the table in the smoky Schultzie’s Billiards in South Charleston.
“Obviously I wasn’t doing wholesome things like bowling,” Obama added to laughter, referring to a horrible showing in the bowling alley during a stop in Pennsylvania a few weeks ago.
The days of his youth came back quickly in the game against against Paul Scott, a local army veteran of the Iraq war. From the opening break, Obama sank several good shots — drawing some shouts of ‘whoa’ from the steadily growing crowd.
“Oh, it worked,” he said after he made one particularly tricky shot that sunk a ball into the opposite corner pocket. He also hammed it up for the crowd of photographers: contorting himself as he played with the idea of a behind-the-back shot.
The men played a gentleman’s game of pool, continuing on even though Obama sank the 8-ball early on. ”That’s what you’re supposed to do with a senator,” he said to his opponent as they kept playing.
After Scott sank his final ball with one of Obama’s remaining, the presidential candidate shook his hand and patted him on the back.
“I didn’t embarrass myself,” Obama said...
I do have one "in" to getting Obama's attention as it pertains to pool. It will take me a while. Timing, of course, is everything, but if I can ascertain Obama's interest, then I think that is when we should move forward and create the Presidential cue and case.
It would really be cool to see him being presented with the cue and case on mainstream media. I believe it would boost pool. I am going to work on a one-page letter as a start and see if I can get an Obama nibble. Then I will pull in favors from my media friends. A couple of them owe me. :wink:
Here is an interesting read about pool from the New York Times in 1987, aftaer TCOM, entitled "The Billiard Room is Back in Fashion, and So is the Game": http://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/28/g...om-is-back-in-fashion-and-so-is-the-game.html [Retrieved 15 May 2009]
Where there's a will, there's a way, as they say!
I think Obama likes pool. This may be the only time in history to get a President to give pocket billiards a Presidential nod.
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Working on something and came across a little pool trivia snippet, so I'm inserting it in this thread for the archives.
Willie Hoppe probably was the only player to have ever put on an exhibition in the White House:
Willie, who began his career by touring dirty, smoke-filled pool rooms of bygone days, so dignified the game that he drew metropolitan opera stars, ranking members of world society, kings and princes to see him weave a spell with a cue. He probably was the only billiard player to ever give an exhibition in the White House. He played before President Taft in 1911.
Source: The Milwaukee Sentinel, February 2, 1959 [Retrieved 24 July 2011]
This was the first "Willie," before Mosconi, I guess. I'm working on a diddy about side-armed players , and this little snippet came across my monitor, so I'm contributing to the thread.
Willie Hoppe probably was the only player to have ever put on an exhibition in the White House:
Willie, who began his career by touring dirty, smoke-filled pool rooms of bygone days, so dignified the game that he drew metropolitan opera stars, ranking members of world society, kings and princes to see him weave a spell with a cue. He probably was the only billiard player to ever give an exhibition in the White House. He played before President Taft in 1911.
Source: The Milwaukee Sentinel, February 2, 1959 [Retrieved 24 July 2011]
This was the first "Willie," before Mosconi, I guess. I'm working on a diddy about side-armed players , and this little snippet came across my monitor, so I'm contributing to the thread.
Attachments
Working on something and came across a little pool trivia snippet, so I'm inserting it in this thread for the archives.
Willie Hoppe probably was the only player to have ever put on an exhibition in the White House:
Willie, who began his career by touring dirty, smoke-filled pool rooms of bygone days, so dignified the game that he drew metropolitan opera stars, ranking members of world society, kings and princes to see him weave a spell with a cue. He probably was the only billiard player to ever give an exhibition in the White House. He played before President Taft in 1911.
Source: The Milwaukee Sentinel, February 2, 1959 [Retrieved 24 July 2011]
This was the first "Willie," before Mosconi, I guess. I'm working on a diddy about side-armed players , and this little snippet came across my monitor, so I'm contributing to the thread.
Check out that rear hand grip.........