Earl and the truth about the "Million Dollar Challenge"

[Nostroke]

Sorry Bob, that may have been due to my sometimes faulty memory. I do remember discussing this with CJ and my thoughts that Races to 15 (in a DE event) were way too long. At that time Races to 11 were standard in major tournaments. I argued for Races to 13 but CJ insisted on the longer races. I think he believed it gave him an advantage as one of the better players at the time. And maybe it did, especially on tight equipment, which is what he had at CJ's Billiard Palace where the tournament was held. After all, CJ did end up winning the tournament and I believe the 20 grand first prize. I though it was a very classy gesture by CJ to present Earl with the first $50,000 check right there, especially since it was coming out of his own pocket!

All that said, I had directed Earl in many tournaments in the 80's and 90's when he was unquestionably the most dominant tournament player, along with Mike Sigel. Earl's greatest strength was his ability to run racks! NO ONE ran racks in tournament play like Earl. He regularly (like in every match) put fives, sixes and sevens on people! Yes you heard me right, he did it all the time. I can remember countless matches where Earl would leave his opponent in the chair for long periods of time. He might trail a Nick Varner by something like 7-2 and the next time Nick comes to the table he's behind 9-7. This kind of thing happened a lot with Earl and it was very disheartening to his opponents. Rarely did Earl play a match back then and not have one run of five racks or more!

So this made him the most qualified to run ten racks. But even with all that amazing ability, I never thought anyone would come close on the tight ass tables at CJ's. I don't think anyone ran three racks that day prior to Earls record run. Now let me share a little more with you. Earl was a pool genius, a savant for this game. He figured out little nuances that gave him an advantage all the time. He practiced the break shot (that being the key to long runs) on that particular table prior to the start of the match. He somehow figured out a way to make the nine go toward the corner pocket every time. Remember he was racking (think Donny Mills) every time! When I got to the table after the first five racks, several people told me Earl had made the nine on the break either two or three times already. Turns out he did make it twice and one time it hung up close to the corner and he combo'd it in. Basically he had the rack wired. And that is probably why he wouldn't let me rack the balls for game six, literally pushing me out of the way. I watched him break and sure enough the nine headed toward the corner pocket again. I was determined not to let that happen when I racked the balls. And it didn't. He never made the nine ball on racks seven through eleven! I locked that rack down tighter than jailhouse handcuffs. Earl was not happy with me or my racks and let me know it. I was no longer putting up the perfect rack for him.

Somehow he still managed to run those last four racks and make the nine on a superlative combo to win game ten. Like CJ said it was a good thing he ran the eleventh rack as well. Turns out he needed it to collect the money. I racked that one as well. After that Earl and Nick took over and racked for the rest of the match. A petition was passed around and all the people who witnessed the entire run signed it. Remember this was Earl and he always drew large crowds to his matches, so there were dozens of witnesses.

I wasnt there in person but i have tremendous psychic powers. Trust me-Earl had 'do overs' in racks 6 and 8!!:wink:

 

[MikesCues048]

I witnessed Johnny Archer run 10 in a tournament against Craig at Mr. Cues II in ATL, GA. 2 or 3 yrs. ago.

 

[Nostroke]

Neils Feijen ran 15 in practice.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Eh, all we have on the number of nines made on the break are conflicting reports. Some say nine, some say two or three; I'd hardly say it's clear how many were made.

I think the best report we have available is that of Carl Pearson, which was written down at the time of the event and has details of how the table was playing. John McChesney also said 5 on the break. Is there some other report you feel is more trustworthy?

Have you looked through the forum comments of the time?

 

[SakuJack]

I think the best report we have available is that of Carl Pearson, which was written down at the time of the event and has details of how the table was playing. John McChesney also said 5 on the break. Is there some other report you feel is more trustworthy?

Have you looked through the forum comments of the time?

I'm hesitant to believe wholeheartedly an account which ends with remarks like the ones below, particularly when the issue of how many nines were made on the break seems to be used to belittle/play down Earl's feat.

By the way, he turned out to be a complete jack-ass about it all.
Pouted like a 2-year old when C.J. Wiley was beating him in the
finals. Poor Earl, only 2nd in a Pro event (his group of break-away
pros, too) and accompanying prize money, plus a check for $50k (the first
of 20) and press coverage. And he acts like a cry-baby jerk.

Takes the $50k check. You'd expect a grinning happy camper. Nope,
snatches the check, and walks off, pissed about losing to CJ.

Go Figure.

It might have been five nines on the break, it might have been two or three, I don't know and honestly I can't say I care all that much. I just know that there are conflicting reports out there right now, some of which aren't exactly the most objective.

 

[JAM]

I think the best report we have available is that of Carl Pearson, which was written down at the time of the event and has details of how the table was playing. John McChesney also said 5 on the break. Is there some other report you feel is more trustworthy?....

I agree with this.

It is a travesty that there is no official pool record or archives from years gone by. The National Billiards News was a good resource, but even this print media omitted a lot of the details of the happenings, especially dates, names, and places. When the event was printed in the news, it had already happened. Sometimes important details were missing.

I think the only thing one can rely on today is an eyewitness account. Sadly, many of pool's historic moments today can only be relayed via word of mouth, as many of its players and witnesses are deceased.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... It is a travesty that there is no official pool record or archives from years gone by. The National Billiards News was a good resource, but even this print media omitted a lot of the details of the happenings, especially dates, names, and places. When the event was printed in the news, it had already happened. Sometimes important details were missing. ...

In this case "American Cueist" had an article in the May 1996 issue. As soon as I find the packing box that my collection of AC is in, I'll see if there are any more details. In the mean time, if anyone has a copy of that issue handy, they could tell us what it has to say.

 

[CJ Wiley]

The Documentary of Earl's Million Dollar Challenge run of 11 racks

I agree with this.

It is a travesty that there is no official pool record or archives from years gone by. The National Billiards News was a good resource, but even this print media omitted a lot of the details of the happenings, especially dates, names, and places. When the event was printed in the news, it had already happened. Sometimes important details were missing.

I think the only thing one can rely on today is an eyewitness account. Sadly, many of pool's historic moments today can only be relayed via word of mouth, as many of its players and witnesses are deceased.

I have a vast amount of data about the event and there were around 50 signed witnesses. The documentary we're doing on Earl's Million Dollar Challenge run of 11 racks will have all the information.

I got a a very detailed account of the before, during and after account of the feat from Earl at Tunica. We have the last 5 racks on video and all the information used in the legal battle, magazines, and newspaper articles. The more I find out the more incredible the story becomes. It's amazing how many different stories there are from people that were right there in the middle of things. Of course the legal matters were all confidential so no one knew anything about the proceedings.

It will be a great thing to finally tell what really happened and why I had to keep it to myself for all these years. We have most of the main parts done, but anyone saw it and lives around Dallas please let me know and we'll try to get you included. It is a Historic Event, so please Private Message me if you want to be interviewed about your experience. CJ Wiley

 

[Nostroke]

I have a vast amount of data about the event and there were around 50 signed witnesses. The documentary we're doing on Earl's Million Dollar Challenge run of 11 racks will have all the information.

I got a a very detailed account of the before, during and after account of the feat from Earl at Tunica. We have the last 5 racks on video and all the information used in the legal battle, magazines, and newspaper articles. The more I find out the more incredible the story becomes. It's amazing how many different stories there are from people that were right there in the middle of things. Of course the legal matters were all confidential so no one knew anything about the proceedings.

It will be a great thing to finally tell what really happened and why I had to keep it to myself for all these years. We have most of the main parts done, but anyone saw it and lives around Dallas please let me know and we'll try to get you included. It is a Historic Event, so please Private Message me if you want to be interviewed about your experience. CJ Wiley

I remember seeing a video of this or at least some of it including the last shot which iirc was a combo down the right side rail as Earl was facing it. Am i delusional or was there a video lost, suppressed etc?

The nine was a good foot or more from the pocket and the Object ball maybe 3 feet from it if im not having false memories.

 

[CJ Wiley]

I remember seeing a video of this or at least some of it including the last shot which iirc was a combo down the right side rail as Earl was facing it. Am i delusional or was there a video lost, suppressed etc?

The nine was a good foot or more from the pocket and the Object ball maybe 3 feet from it if im not having false memories.

You may have saw a picture...only myself and a few attorneys have seen the video.

 

[Bob Jewett]

In this case "American Cueist" had an article in the May 1996 issue. As soon as I find the packing box that my collection of AC is in, I'll see if there are any more details. In the mean time, if anyone has a copy of that issue handy, they could tell us what it has to say.

It was in about the 15th packing box. There are several articles/columns about the event in that issue. Here is part of one relevant to the breaks...

 

[javi2]

I think the best report we have available is that of Carl Pearson, which was written down at the time of the event and has details of how the table was playing. John McChesney also said 5 on the break. Is there some other report you feel is more trustworthy?

Have you looked through the forum comments of the time?

I believe I've posted this once before. It's from an article in the June 1996
Billiards Digest "The Pearl Really Shines" by Johnathan Resh.

Rack 1. Break and run
Rack 2. 9 on the break
Rack 3. Break and run
Rack 4. 9 on the break
Rack 5. Break and run

Jay begins racking for Earl, cameras rolling....

Rack 6. 9 on the break
Rack 7. 9 on the break
Rack 8. Break and run
Rack 9. 9 on the break
Rack10. 1 -10 combo
Rack 11 Break and run

 

[Nostroke]

You may have saw a picture...only myself and a few attorneys have seen the video.

hmmmmmmmmmmmm

 

[jay helfert]

I think the best report we have available is that of Carl Pearson, which was written down at the time of the event and has details of how the table was playing. John McChesney also said 5 on the break. Is there some other report you feel is more trustworthy?

Have you looked through the forum comments of the time?

Unadulterated crap! I watched racks 6 thru 11 and there were exactly zero nine balls on the break! He did make it twice in the first five racks, as several people told me that when I arrived on the scene. The reason this got exaggerated so much is that he had the nine going toward the corner on every break (including the one where it ended up close to the corner pocket for a combo). How two nines on the break became five is beyond me, just leave it up the rumor mill to expound on that. :embarrassed2:

 

[jay helfert]

I believe I've posted this once before. It's from an article in the June 1996
Billiards Digest "The Pearl Really Shines" by Johnathan Resh.

Rack 1. Break and run
Rack 2. 9 on the break
Rack 3. Break and run
Rack 4. 9 on the break
Rack 5. Break and run

Jay begins racking for Earl, cameras rolling....

Rack 6. 9 on the break
Rack 7. 9 on the break
Rack 8. Break and run
Rack 9. 9 on the break
Rack10. 1 -10 combo
Rack 11 Break and run

More BULLSHIT! Earl never made the nine ball when I was racking! Who comes up with this crap? I don't think Resh was even there. He got all this info second hand. Some reporter he is (or was).

 

[javi2]

More BULLSHIT! Earl never made the nine ball when I was racking! Who comes up with this crap?

Easy.....I'm only quoting the article from Billiards Digest....You were there, I believe you, Jay, lol.....my next question was, "Who is Resh"?

 

[jay helfert]

Easy.....I'm only quoting the article from Billiards Digest....You were there, I believe you, Jay, lol.....my next question was, "Who is Resh"?

He wrote for the Digest for a short time, for good reason I might add. He fabricated most of his reports.

 

[Nostroke]

Easy.....I'm only quoting the article from Billiards Digest....You were there, I believe you, Jay, lol.....my next question was, "Who is Resh"?

the guy who wrote the article you quoted.

 

[JAM]

It was in about the 15th packing box. There are several articles/columns about the event in that issue. Here is part of one relevant to the breaks...

View attachment 242853

Jerry Forsyth is "the" best writer about anything relating to pool on the face of the earth today, bar none.

He's also one of my favorite commentators of pool matches, mainly because he knows so much about the players and the history, but also I kind of enjoy hearing his Southern accent.

 

[TATE]

Unadulterated crap! I watched racks 6 thru 11 and there were exactly zero nine balls on the break! He did make it twice in the first five racks, as several people told me that when I arrived on the scene. The reason this got exaggerated so much is that he had the nine going toward the corner on every break (including the one where it ended up close to the corner pocket for a combo). How two nines on the break became five is beyond me, just leave it up the rumor mill to expound on that. :embarrassed2:

This makes a lot more sense.