Before I tell you about my match with Cuban Joe I have to tell you about the most successful $20 monthly 32 man, single elimination 9 Ball tournament from the early 1980s to the mid 1990s at the House of Billiards in Sherman Oaks California.
The success was because Bill Duke handicapped the tournament for “B” players.
For example Keith McCredy and other top players spotted everyone two games going to seven.
Two games is not a big enough of a spot if you were gambling with Keith but it was enough of a spot that Keith and no other professional ever won the tournament.
For Keith to win he would have to beat six people in a row giving up two on the wire.
Hawaiian Brian got close, he won 5 sets in a row to meet me in the finals.
Instead of playing Brian said, "Toss a coin for who wins the tournament", I won the toss.
If we had played I think Brian would have beat me because he had not missed a shot in his previous five sets.
Because Bill wanted to give weaker players the opportunity to play he started a tournament for "C" players only.
No one who played in the "B" level tournament could play in the "C" player tournament
I was in the room because my girlfriend was working and with the owner's consent I could practice for free.
Bill didn't know who Cuban Joe was when he accepted his $10 entry fee.
After Bill found out Joe was a good player, instead of giving Joe back his entry fee he turned it into a open tournament and asked me for $10.
In the $20 tournament you pulled a pea from a pill bottle when you paid your entry fee to determine where your place would be on the tournament chart.
I don't remember pulling a pea but I do remember that I wasn't at the tournament board.
When I finally saw the board my first game was Cuban Joe.
I've always been a slow starter and after missing a few shots Joe won the first three games.
I had enough experience to recognize when someone is stalling and in the fourth game Joe bunted a shot to let me back to the table.
I do not remember how I played but I won the next seven games in a row and the room cheered!
Joe walked out in a huff and I lost my next match.
I’ll leave it for you to decide if I dumped my backer!
The success was because Bill Duke handicapped the tournament for “B” players.
For example Keith McCredy and other top players spotted everyone two games going to seven.
Two games is not a big enough of a spot if you were gambling with Keith but it was enough of a spot that Keith and no other professional ever won the tournament.
For Keith to win he would have to beat six people in a row giving up two on the wire.
Hawaiian Brian got close, he won 5 sets in a row to meet me in the finals.
Instead of playing Brian said, "Toss a coin for who wins the tournament", I won the toss.
If we had played I think Brian would have beat me because he had not missed a shot in his previous five sets.
Because Bill wanted to give weaker players the opportunity to play he started a tournament for "C" players only.
No one who played in the "B" level tournament could play in the "C" player tournament
I was in the room because my girlfriend was working and with the owner's consent I could practice for free.
Bill didn't know who Cuban Joe was when he accepted his $10 entry fee.
After Bill found out Joe was a good player, instead of giving Joe back his entry fee he turned it into a open tournament and asked me for $10.
In the $20 tournament you pulled a pea from a pill bottle when you paid your entry fee to determine where your place would be on the tournament chart.
I don't remember pulling a pea but I do remember that I wasn't at the tournament board.
When I finally saw the board my first game was Cuban Joe.
I've always been a slow starter and after missing a few shots Joe won the first three games.
I had enough experience to recognize when someone is stalling and in the fourth game Joe bunted a shot to let me back to the table.
I do not remember how I played but I won the next seven games in a row and the room cheered!
Joe walked out in a huff and I lost my next match.
I’ll leave it for you to decide if I dumped my backer!
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