Remembering Buddy Hall

H

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Many years ago, when there was no internet, the twin towers were still standing and people were
digging for coins in their pockets to make a call at a phone booth, an unsuspicious looking, small package arrived at my door step.

With a swift turn of the mailing the senders identity was revealed

‘’Accu Stats Video Productions’’

I opened the box, grabbed all the tapes and rushed to my VCR and with a mere push of a button
the players, which I had so far only read or heard about, came alive…

For the first time in my life I saw Efren’s fluid stroke, Earls fierce shot making, Archers powerful break..but something always stood out to me about the big man with that beautiful, smooth stroke and elegant pause at the end of his final backswing, the precision with which he controlled the cueball, almost like a bearded sorcerer that, with his cue wand in hand, had cast a spell on the white orb bound to make its placement a mere extension of his will..

Then came the 1991 U.S.Open 9-ball semi finals between Buddy and John Archer, in which the young shooter was playing flawlessly, amassing a 7-1 lead in a race to 9 when he missed the 9 ball to get on the hill.

Buddy made the 9 and what followed after was not only a performance for the ages but could very well be considered the greatest comeback in tournament play considering the stakes as he ran out the set reducing Johnny to a mere spectator who was only allowed one more trip to the table on a Hall safety.

It was one of the deadliest shootings that ever took place on a pool table.

After witnessing this tremendous feat one thing was more than clear to me.

This was not just a great player or a champion…


This was a living legend.


Maybe the Kentuckian, who was born on a river boat, was not the best thing to happen to pool marketing wise?I mean, every time you saw a guy pocketing balls with ease, being a foot away from the next with a perfect angle to drop on the succeeding one.Anybody can do this, right..?

But those who participate in the game of pool, know better..

Sometimes, younger players ask me who my favourite player is and I tell them ‘’ You might not know him but there was a guy they called ‘’The Rifleman…’’

Rest in pool, Buddy, and even though you are gone your fantastic talent will always be remembered…



Cecil ’’ Buddy’’ Hall 1945 - 2025

Pool great
 
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hello said:
Many years ago, when there was no internet, the twin towers were still standing and people were
digging for coins in their pockets to make a call at a phone booth, an unsuspicious looking, small package arrived at my door step.

After turning it around the senders identity was revealed.

‘’Accu Stats Video Productions’’

I ran to my living room, opened the box, grabbed all the tapes, rushed to my VCR and with a mere push of a button, the players, which I had so far only read or heard about, came alive…

For the first time in my life I saw Efren's fluid stroke, Earls fierce shot making, Archers powerful break..but something always stood out to me about the big man with that smooth, beautiful stroke and elegant pause at the end of his final backswing, the precision with which he controlled the cueball, almost like a bearded sorcerer that, with his cue wand in hand, had cast a spell on the white orb bound to make its placement a mere extension of his will..

And after witnessing his comeback against Archer at the 1991 U.S.open semi finals, battling back from what looked like a certain defeat and a 7-1 deficit in a race to nine only to win eight consecutive games, one thing was more than clear to me...

This was not just a great player or a champion, this was a man that had mastered the game of pocket billiards.This was a living legend.

Maybe the Kentuckian, who was born on a river boat, was not the best thing to happen to pool marketing wise?I mean, every time you saw a guy pocketing balls with ease, being a foot away from the next with a perfect angle to drop on the succeeding one.Anybody can do this, right..?

But those who participate in the game of pool at a more serious level, know better..

Sometimes, younger players ask me who my favourite player is and I tell them ‘’ You might not know him but there was a guy they called ‘’The Rifleman…’’


Rest in pool, Buddy.. and even though you are gone, your amazing talent will be remembered forever…
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Well said. I feel pretty lucky to have been a friend of Buddy. First met him at Fat Randy's poolhall in Tulsa around 1980. He gave me a few tips when i was greener than grass and we always got along. He knew i played golf and we'd shoot the shit about golf whenever i ran into him.
 
Lucky you, indeed...he always came across to me as a very likeable gentleman and friendly gentleman.

And its news to me that he was interested in golf, I only knew that Earl and Archer were proficient at that sport as well.
 
hello said:
Many years ago, when there was no internet, the twin towers were still standing and people were
digging for coins in their pockets to make a call at a phone booth, an unsuspicious looking, small package arrived at my door step.

After turning it around the senders identity was revealed.

‘’Accu Stats Video Productions’’

I ran to my living room, opened the box, grabbed all the tapes, rushed to my VCR and with a mere push of a button, the players, which I had so far only read or heard about, came alive…

For the first time in my life I saw Efren's fluid stroke, Earls fierce shot making, Archers powerful break..but something always stood out to me about the big man with that smooth, beautiful stroke and elegant pause at the end of his final backswing, the precision with which he controlled the cueball, almost like a bearded sorcerer that, with his cue wand in hand, had cast a spell on the white orb bound to make its placement a mere extension of his will..

And after witnessing his comeback against Archer at the 1991 U.S.open semi finals, battling back from what looked like a certain defeat and a 7-1 deficit in a race to nine only to win eight consecutive games, one thing was more than clear to me...

This was not just a great player or a champion, this was a man that had mastered the game of pocket billiards.This was a living legend.

Maybe the Kentuckian, who was born on a river boat, was not the best thing to happen to pool marketing wise?I mean, every time you saw a guy pocketing balls with ease, being a foot away from the next with a perfect angle to drop on the succeeding one.Anybody can do this, right..?

But those who participate in the game of pool at a more serious level, know better..

Sometimes, younger players ask me who my favourite player is and I tell them ‘’ You might not know him but there was a guy they called ‘’The Rifleman…’’


Rest in pool, Buddy.. and even though you are gone, your amazing talent will be remembered forever…
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True that. Buddy may have had the best cue control of anybody. And he knew the short cuts around the table that made it look even easier. I would put his ability to control whitey right up there with Mosconi. He was a very cool guy too, very laid back with a dagger like sense of humor. In one sentence cut right to the bone and make you laugh about it. I guess he was as close to a brother to me as anyone I ever met in pool. We always seemed to be on the same page. He was one player I was always glad to see. He just got up there and played with never a complaint about anything. Even if there was something not quite right he would point it out in a humorous way. Thanks for remembering him!

Okay here's a completely off color line that came from Buddy in a discussion with me and Wade Crane about our sex lives. You know, man to man. And Buddy pipes up, "I'd always wake up with my cock harder than the crank on a John Deere tractor. I didn't see any need to waste it." I apologize ahead of time if I've offended anyone with this. He had me and Wade laughing so hard we were interrupting the match going on in front of us. Okay, I'd better get out of here.
 
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hello said:
Lucky you, indeed...he always came across to me as a very likeable gentleman and friendly gentleman.

And its news to me that he was interested in golf, I only knew that Earl and Archer were proficient at that sport as well.
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LOTS of good pool players are good golfers. Archer, Davenport, Varner, Schmidt(almost pro good), Corey Duel, Dave Bolman(actual PGA pro) and others have played golf pretty sporty. The two games have enough similarities that attract them both. Pool players usually putt well which is the most important skill to have, especially when gambling.
 
garczar said:
LOTS of good pool players are good golfers. Archer, Davenport, Varner, Schmidt(almost pro good), Corey Duel, Dave Bolman(actual PGA pro) and others have played golf pretty sporty. The two games have enough similarities that attract them both. Pool players usually putt well which is the most important skill to have, especially when gambling.
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I guess, if its about shooting a ball in a hole them boys can do it any which way the need to :)
 
jay helfert said:
True that. Buddy may have had the best cue control of anybody. And he knew the short cuts around the table that made it look even easier. I would put his ability to control whitey right up there with Mosconi. He was a very cool guy too, very laid back with a dagger like sense of humor. In one sentence cut right to the bone and make you laugh about it. I guess he was as close to a brother to me as anyone I ever met in pool. We always seemed to be on the same page. He was one player I was always glad to see. He just got up there and played with never a complaint about anything. Even if there was something not quite right he would point it out in a humorous way. Thanks for remembering him!

Okay here's a completely off color line that came from Buddy in a discussion with me and Wade Crane about our sex lives. You know, man to man. And Buddy pipes up, "I'd always wake up with my cock harder than the crank on a John Deere tractor. I didn't see any need to waste it." I apologize ahead of time if I've offended anyone with this. He had me and Wade laughing so hard we were interrupting the match going on in front of us. Okay, I'd better get out of here.
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My pleasure, jay, and thank you very much for your kind words they mean a lot to me coming from someone as knowledgable and cool as you :)
 
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garczar said:
is that '91 match on accu-stats? can't find it.
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Well, I ordered it at the time and could not see why they took it from their inventory..(?) Its only one of the best matches and comebacks ever...

Archer played near flawless pool to forge ahead 7-1 when he had a medium thin cut shot on the 9 along the rail above the righthand side pocket (one he'd make ten out of ten times in practice) to go on the hill and seeing Archer aim low on the cueball (using low right english, in order to avoid scratching in the opposite side pocket), I can still hear Incardona say ''He's drawing the cueball! I dont like this draw! '' Sure enough, Archer hung the 9 and Buddy ran the set out with Archer, I believe, returning only once more to the table after a Hall safety...it was something to see...
 
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garczar said:
is that '91 match on accu-stats? can't find it.
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Indeed, the match is no longer on their site???Maybe you could write them asking why..?

The match took place as described, this is from Buddy's Wikipedia entry

'' In the semi-finals of the 1991 Championship, Hall, after trailing Johnny Archer 7-1, ran eight consecutive racks in a row to win the match. Archer later stated on a TAR Podcast that Hall in the game of Nine-ball was: "The best I've ever seen, the best I've ever played".''


Out of the eight racks, I'm pretty sure he broke and ran seven and made a combo on the 9 with ball in hand on a safety...
 
hello said:
Indeed, the match is no longer on their site???Maybe you could write them asking why..?

The match took place as described, this is from Buddy's Wikipedia entry

'' In the semi-finals of the 1991 Championship, Hall, after trailing Johnny Archer 7-1, ran eight consecutive racks in a row to win the match. Archer later stated on a TAR Podcast that Hall in the game of Nine-ball was: "The best I've ever seen, the best I've ever played".''


Out of the eight racks, I'm pretty sure he broke and ran seven and made a combo on the 9 with ball in hand on a safety...
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Many moons ago I decided to play in one of Mizerak's Senior Tour events being held in Reno, NV at the Peppermill Hotel. I was in pretty good stroke back then from a playing a lot of small tournaments around L.A. Sure enough I won my first two matches and had to play Buddy next on the winners side. He never let me see a ball until he was ahead 7-0! I did get to kick at two shots though after his lock up safeties, both times giving him BIH. My first open shot was after he failed to make a ball on the break and left me a long straight in on the one ball. I was a lost cause by this time and hit the one right into the rail. Buddy mercifully ran the next four racks to shut me out 11-0! Afterwards for whatever reason I told Buddy, "Thanks for the lesson." He just laughed.

I did win one more match on the losers side before being eliminated by Bill Ganne from Canada. He went on to win the tournament.
 
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jay helfert said:
Many moons ago I decided to play in one of Mizerak's Senior Tour events being held in Reno, NV at the Peppermill Hotel. I was in pretty good stroke back then from a playing a lot of small tournaments around L.A. Sure enough I won my first two matches and had to play Buddy next on the winners side. He never let me see a ball until he was ahead 7-0! I did get to kick at two shots though after his lock up safeties, both times giving him BIH. My first open shot was after he failed to make a ball on the break and left me a long straight in on the one ball. I was a lost cause by this time and hit the one right into the rail. Buddy mercifully ran the next four racks to shut me out 11-0! Afterwards for whatever reason I told Buddy,
"Thanks for the lesson." He just laughed.

I did win one more match on the losers side before being eliminated by Bill Ganne from Canada. He went on to win the tournament.
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But lets not forget that a certain professor, also known as Grady Matthews, once put a 11-0 shellacking on the Rifleman as well...what goes around, comes around so to speak..;)

And keep the anecdotes coming, they're pure gems! :)
 
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hello said:
But lets not forget that a certain professor, also known as Grady Matthews, once put a 11-0 shellacking on the Rifleman as well...what goes around, comes around so to speak..;)

And keep the anecdotes coming, they're pure gems! :)
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I’d like to see that match.
 
It was Buddy that made what I consider a famous comment regarding the stroke. He said this down in French Lick, IN during the Mizerak Senior US Open in November of 1999.

"People make too big of a deal about the stroke. Just put that cue under your shoulder and move it straight back and forth and there's your stroke...."

r/DCP
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
It was Buddy that made what I consider a famous comment regarding the stroke. He said this down in French Lick, IN during the Mizerak Senior US Open in November of 1999.

"People make too big of a deal about the stroke. Just put that cue under your shoulder and move it straight back and forth and there's your stroke...."

r/DCP
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While that sounds great, I remember him being a little more technical about it when I read his biography and commentating he also does talk about the stroke more meticolously doing commentary.. ;)

And I would consider being able to move a cue straight back and forth is one of, if not ''the'', most powerful weapon in all of pool but so easy to attain...
 
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DrCue'sProtege said:
It was Buddy that made what I consider a famous comment regarding the stroke. He said this down in French Lick, IN during the Mizerak Senior US Open in November of 1999.

"People make too big of a deal about the stroke. Just put that cue under your shoulder and move it straight back and forth and there's your stroke...."

r/DCP
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But maybe Buddy was such a natural that indeed he did not have to work that much on his stroke...
 
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