Keith thompson
Well-known member
Met Mr Crane in Johnston City 1970. Had the privilege of playing Irving him in the 9 ball division. Myself and Irving were the last two unbeatens in the 9 ball division.
The evening before I watched Irving run 8 racks against Lassiter on his first shot and won the match 11 to 2! Now it was my turn Bahahahaha
He won the lag for first break! How long would it be before my chance came, 3 racks 5 racks 10 racks? Whenever my chance came I wanted to make a statement, I wasn’t gonna lay down on him, make him earn his win!
He made a ball on the break but the lay of the balls was pretty dam tough! The balls were positioned to not be able to get shape on the next ball and this went all the way to the nine.
He had to go two long rails to get shape on the nine after cutting the 8 in the same corner pocket as the 9 would go at the rack end of the table. He didn’t get there with his shape and thinly cut the nine and played safe!
He left the cue ball almost hanging in the corner pocket and the nine ball was near froze to the rail at the rack end of the table about 8-10 inches from the pocket.
Well I called the 9 straight back in the corner pocket I was shooting from and it found the pocket like it had eyes, I got lucky Bahahahaha
I was up one game to none in a race to eleven against a legend! I crashed into the next rack like a runaway train and went straight at ten racks to close him out! Didn’t make ten folks but I did make three! Lol
No ball on the break on the 4th rack. Now down 4-0 Crane comes with 3 himself, makes it 4-3. I could go 7 and out and win the match! I crashed into the racks with new authority and put 5 more racks between us, I led 9-3! Crane was in serious trouble this night and came back at me with 4 racks of his own but it wasn’t enough.
I closed out the next two racks and a Legend would fall, final score 11-7. The bookmakers didn’t want to cover this match but did and I wasn’t supposed to make seven games!
I would go on and win the division against Joey Spieth 11-9 and had punched my ticket to the all around!
Ran into Mr Crane in the men’s room after our match and he told me about the same thing as Lassiter did and I’ve cherished those words all my life from the two best players I’ve ever known!
I
Classiest man I’ve ever known, he never gambled! He played for the love of the game. He is my Hero from the Land of Giants and I’ll always remember Mr Crane for what he is, A Legend! Thank you Irving for our time!
The evening before I watched Irving run 8 racks against Lassiter on his first shot and won the match 11 to 2! Now it was my turn Bahahahaha
He won the lag for first break! How long would it be before my chance came, 3 racks 5 racks 10 racks? Whenever my chance came I wanted to make a statement, I wasn’t gonna lay down on him, make him earn his win!
He made a ball on the break but the lay of the balls was pretty dam tough! The balls were positioned to not be able to get shape on the next ball and this went all the way to the nine.
He had to go two long rails to get shape on the nine after cutting the 8 in the same corner pocket as the 9 would go at the rack end of the table. He didn’t get there with his shape and thinly cut the nine and played safe!
He left the cue ball almost hanging in the corner pocket and the nine ball was near froze to the rail at the rack end of the table about 8-10 inches from the pocket.
Well I called the 9 straight back in the corner pocket I was shooting from and it found the pocket like it had eyes, I got lucky Bahahahaha
I was up one game to none in a race to eleven against a legend! I crashed into the next rack like a runaway train and went straight at ten racks to close him out! Didn’t make ten folks but I did make three! Lol
No ball on the break on the 4th rack. Now down 4-0 Crane comes with 3 himself, makes it 4-3. I could go 7 and out and win the match! I crashed into the racks with new authority and put 5 more racks between us, I led 9-3! Crane was in serious trouble this night and came back at me with 4 racks of his own but it wasn’t enough.
I closed out the next two racks and a Legend would fall, final score 11-7. The bookmakers didn’t want to cover this match but did and I wasn’t supposed to make seven games!
I would go on and win the division against Joey Spieth 11-9 and had punched my ticket to the all around!
Ran into Mr Crane in the men’s room after our match and he told me about the same thing as Lassiter did and I’ve cherished those words all my life from the two best players I’ve ever known!
I
Classiest man I’ve ever known, he never gambled! He played for the love of the game. He is my Hero from the Land of Giants and I’ll always remember Mr Crane for what he is, A Legend! Thank you Irving for our time!
