Jimmy Mataya

Ken_4fun

Ken_4fun

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been looking and it seems I dont find any videos of Jimmy Mataya playing serious pool.

I understand his "act" on his videos, but was he ever a top player?

I have read he will bet on anything with everything, appears to be an action junkie, however that ISNT my question.

Was he shortstop speed?

Ken
 
Ken_4fun said:
I have been looking and it seems I dont find any videos of Jimmy Mataya playing serious pool.

I understand his "act" on his videos, but was he ever a top player?

I have read he will bet on anything with everything, appears to be an action junkie, however that ISNT my question.

Was he shortstop speed?

Ken
Click to expand...

He was better than a shortstop, although I don't think he had much tournament success. I have an AccuStats video of him winning a tournament and the announcers said that was the first tournament in a while he won.
 
Ken_4fun said:
I have been looking and it seems I dont find any videos of Jimmy Mataya playing serious pool.

I understand his "act" on his videos, but was he ever a top player?

I have read he will bet on anything with everything, appears to be an action junkie, however that ISNT my question.

Was he shortstop speed?

Ken
Click to expand...

I asked McCready this same question, how good of a player was Mataya and he said something like this, the higher the bet is the better Jimmy plays, so i took that as Jimmy M played top speed or dam near it!
 
Only time I ever saw him play live was at the Glass City Open in 1987. Can't remember how he did ... I was too busy gawking at his beautiful young bride. :D
 
Ken_4fun said:
Was he shortstop speed?

Ken
Click to expand...

More than 20 years ago I was told that in the past he bought a full page Ad on (?)National Billiards news asking anybody to play him some 9 ball for 25,000$. Nobody took that offer. He was a Top tier pro when every well known player touted himself as world champion after winning some tournaments.
 
Nine ... corner said:
Only time I ever saw him play live was at the Glass City Open in 1987. Can't remember how he did ... I was too busy gawking at his beautiful young bride. :D
Click to expand...

Man she was the most beautiful woman ever associated with pool, EVER!

There are some pretty women in pool nowadays, but Ewa may God she was BEAUTIFUL!

And still is today!
 
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richiebalto said:
Man she was the most beautiful women ever associated with pool, EVER!

There are some pretty women in pool nowadays, but Ewa may God she was BEAUTIFUL!

And still is today!
Click to expand...

Not only that but she had class to boot. One of the greatest ambassadors to the game ever.
 
Cdryden said:
Not only that but she had class to boot. One of the greatest ambassadors to the game ever.
Click to expand...

Years ago Ewa was doing a show at a car dealer in RI, challenge matches with a prize of a smaller LCD TV. Race to 2 we were tied 1-1. She broke the 9 in on the break (before I learned about the gap behind the 9 thing).

I got a hug for that (only one there that did :cool: ), made my week hehe.
 
hang-the-9 said:
Years ago Ewa was doing a show at a car dealer in RI, challenge matches with a prize of a smaller LCD TV. Race to 2 we were tied 1-1. She broke the 9 in on the break (before I learned about the gap behind the 9 thing).

I got a hug for that (only one there that did :cool: ), made my week hehe.
Click to expand...

Cool! Did you have a hard time letting go? :D
 
richiebalto said:
I asked McCready this same question, how good of a player was Mataya and he said something like this, the higher the bet is the better Jimmy plays, so i took that as Jimmy M played top speed or dam near it!
Click to expand...

I watched Keith McCReady and Jimmy Mataya play race to 11 in a tournament.
Keith won 11-10

They both had muy charisma...equal, I would say.
Well, lets put it this way....I can't remember anybody else in the tournament.
....hell, I can't remember if I was in the tournament...:sorry:

Jimmy was a World 8-ball champion, for sure.....
...and that challenge ad was for 8-ball, not 9-ball.

One of my favorite 'Floyd' stories....a tournament out west...70's..

Jimmy walks in to the calcutta and he's going for $500-last call.
Jimmy says "FIVE HUNDRED! THAT'S AN INSULT...MAKE IT TWO THOUSAND!"
 
pt109 said:
i watched keith mccready and jimmy mataya play race to 11 in a tournament.
Keith won 11-10

they both had muy charisma...equal, i would say.
Well, lets put it this way....i can't remember anybody else in the tournament.
....hell, i can't remember if i was in the tournament...:sorry:

Jimmy was a world 8-ball champion, for sure.....
...and that challenge ad was for 8-ball, not 9-ball.

One of my favorite 'floyd' stories....a tournament out west...70's..

Jimmy walks in to the calcutta and he's going for $500-last call.
Jimmy says "five hundred! That's an insult...make it two thousand!"
Click to expand...

thats the video i want to see!
 
richiebalto said:
Man she was the most beautiful woman ever associated with pool, EVER!

There are some pretty women in pool nowadays, but Ewa may God she was BEAUTIFUL!

And still is today!
Click to expand...

Absolutely!!!
 

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pt109 said:
I watched Keith McCReady and Jimmy Mataya play race to 11 in a tournament.
Keith won 11-10

They both had muy charisma...equal, I would say.
Well, lets put it this way....I can't remember anybody else in the tournament.
....hell, I can't remember if I was in the tournament...:sorry:

Jimmy was a World 8-ball champion, for sure.....
...and that challenge ad was for 8-ball, not 9-ball.

One of my favorite 'Floyd' stories....a tournament out west...70's..

Jimmy walks in to the calcutta and he's going for $500-last call.
Jimmy says "FIVE HUNDRED! THAT'S AN INSULT...MAKE IT TWO THOUSAND!"
Click to expand...

It must have been something to watch him and Keith go at it. The wolfing must have been epic! It's sad to think a lot of people only know of Jimmy from his instructional hustling video (and I use the word instructional loosely!). I'm sure it's not what he wants to be remembered for.

I hope Jay chimes in here, I think he has had a few interesting experiences with Jimmy at some of his tournaments. Seems like I remember Jay said he had to kick him out of one at one time or another. I may be mistaken though.
 
Ewa is more than beautiful....she's a Norse Goddess.

I understand Sweden put a price on Jimmy's head for stealing her.

ewa-mataya-laurance.jpg
 
Cdryden said:
It must have been something to watch him and Keith go at it. The wolfing must have been epic! It's sad to think a lot of people only know of Jimmy from his instructional hustling video (and I use the word instructional loosely!). I'm sure it's not what he wants to be remembered for.

I hope Jay chimes in here, I think he has had a few interesting experiences with Jimmy at some of his tournaments. Seems like I remember Jay said he had to kick him out of one at one time or another. I may be mistaken though.
Click to expand...

C,

Quite a few years ago at Derby City, Scott Smith tried very hard to get Jimmy and Keith on a table during the 9 ball. Keith had the flu and as hard as Scott tried, he could not get Keith to come down and play. Jimmy wound up playing a local from here in Rochester. Match went hill - hill. Jimmy was really trying to lose. My friend kept missing late in the rack. Finally Jimmy got down to the set 9 ball. Literally six inches from the corner pocket. Cue ball straight on. Jim said that's too easy and tried a three rail billiard on the 9. Damn if it didn't go in! He was so apologetic. The crowd loved it of course. Some might remember this match because JR Gay was trying to get into the finals of the one hole and had a fit about Jimmy's antics on the next table over. Something about "shooting the two ball 'cause it's the blue ball". And on and on and on .......

Lyn
 
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pt109 said:
Ewa is more than beautiful....she's a Norse Goddess.

I understand Sweden put a price on Jimmy's head for stealing her.

View attachment 268728
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LOL just remember a funny encounter for me at least with Ewa. I was watching a WPA tournament in Boston at Boston Billiards by Fenway. They had 4 tables set up on one side and they were blocked in by a half wall and some video games tight quarters. Anyway I turned around fast and I did not realize she was right behind me I hit her with my forearm right in the gut pretty hard she let out a big OOOOFFF. I apologized profusely and walked away laughing my ass off in my head
 
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