I am lighting a votive candle today and sending up a prayer that Greg Sullivan does not read the negative posts in this thread. Perhaps the right-mnded "LFigueroa" will want to join me in that devotion. Let us hope that what is true in politics is not true for billiards: the vocal fifteen percent punches way over its weight.
As for convention centers, I believe I remember a pool tournament at a convention center at which an official of the state police had to get up in front of the crowd around the TV table and make a plea that the spectators, for their personal safety, not go outside to return to their hotel rooms but stay in the corridor that connected the tournament room directly to the hotel. Anyone else remember that?
No one had a good thing ever to say about the Riviera, and what they got was the Rio.
I don't remember anyone gushing at the time about the EW (= Executive West). In fact, I remember bitter complaints about the Seventies décor and the food --which, of course, was actually very, very good.
As for the poor vendors, I tried to by a used shaft for a cue at the DCC this year. I won't say you could have gotten splinters from the thing, but it needed work. It had a noticeable ding. I asked the vendor what he wanted for it. He quoted me a price six percent below it's full retail price. I could have walked thirty feet down the corridor and ordered the thing brand new. As my great uncle would have said, "Why pay retail when you can pay more?"
Two hotel breakfasts for thirty-one dollars? I think the breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express in New Albany is free.
Now, do you think they will have matches at the church, or should I take my lighter?
Do you su
You are right about the EW.
In hindsight (and through the hazy fog of memory) it comes off as the greatest thing since the Jansco tournaments. Part of that may be that there were many players of that era still alive and putting in an appearances.
One thing I will give the EW was the number of vendors. There were waaaay more cues and pool gimcracks for sale. There were even peanut and cashew vendors and even a guy doing and selling magic tricks. Walking down the corridor it was very much a bazaar-like scenario. As to the food, I personally don't recall it being all that great at the EW and I got sick from eating there one year.
I think we should all be grateful for what we have now and enjoy it while we can.
Lou Figueroa