Best 1Pocket Player of the 80's - 90's

On the Grady posts- the AccuStats video that was released this week with Grady vs Varner in an exhibition match is worth a watch. I think it was from 1994. Incardona and Bentivegna commentary. Grady wasn’t at his very best it didn’t sound like, but he was very good and worth watching.
 
most players only have about a ten or so year span where they are at their best.
in the 60,s and part of the 70's no one wanted to play ronnie and for good reason you didnt win.

eddie kelly was right there as well but he fell apart quickly from drinking and hating playing pool.
he might of had the best stroke ever and more consistent than anyone.

i never saw bugs so just, hear say.

grady at his peak was probably the best in the world for a short time. he helped revolutionize the moving game. but his game went fast down hill with his health.

jack breitkopf was the best for the longest time and lasted. he played both the safe game and aggressive tops, as few could do both. he was around alot when i was a kid and knew him . good guy and showed us all kinds of crazy shots no one else knew back then,
i learned alot about playing back to the front from him and tommy halliday who were both the best in the east then.

artie bodendorfer was unbeatable for a long time but only on his pet table. although ill get backlash for that about his table only.
steve cook turned into a real monster and was right there on top. i was there when he first came on the scene at the stardust tournament. jansco gave him the name cookie monster as he tried to do that with no name players.
steve in a short time beat most everyone.
 
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he couldnt beat the top players. but was a good game maker and hustler. and since wasn't well known could sneak up on shortstops and take them off. you just didnt hear about the times he went broke.
 
In the 80s Harry Platis was the one pocket game in the Seattle area. The minimum wager was 1000 and the spot Harry got varied depending on the player. The pool grapevine provided tips for when there was action at Harry's place in Lynnwood.
Allen Hopkins gave up the most weight in the matches I got to watch. Cole Dixon gave the smallest spot but made the biggest score of 25,000 at 1000 a game playing all night until noon on Sunday The time Allen Hopkins came to play Harry, he got. Stuck deep enough that he had to go to the phone and request more money. While Allen was on the way to reload Cole slipped in and scored 25. The rumor was that it was a team effort . 🤷‍♂️
Cole was the Most Entertaining one pocket player to watch while playing Harry. Cole took on the most difficult shots and played the quickest one pocket games. His Method was take on a 90 degree cut that had whitey splattering the rack and spreading them wide. If his cut ball fell, he ran the rest. If he missed Harry got a chance. 🤷‍♂️
Coles reputation and alcohol fuel kept Harry on the hook, line and sinker mission. Kinda hard to come up with a Best one pocket shot. My vote goes to a straight back that had a kiss in it. Cole popped whitey in the air to beat the kiss. Pow Splat! Another thousand. He was entertaining. RIP Cole. Allen Hopkins and Nick Varner were at the top of Harry's required spot chart. Cole only gave him A Ball. Cole (in my experience) always played on his own money. He'd roll into Harry's place on a Friday night with one barrel. Definitely a gun slinger of the pool world.
Ronnie Allen's feats are legendary and One handed is the qualifying uh condition.
And when his condition was in....My best reliable source Ronnie Allen story came from Tacoma Whitey's place. Most likely 70s or 60s. The proposition bet was one handed spot shot and no rail touched. The pockets of the table were filled with all the various side action bets that had every available dollar on the One attempt for it all.
Of course he did it. Shrug 🤷‍♂️ Busted the house, 🤷‍♂️
Stuff that legends are made of.
If The rest of the story is the life style and of course going out with a smile. Cole had a Cole Hand Luke style that can still make me smile. Of course Smiley was my high-school football nick. Sheesh the others got Animal and Beast and Elephant.
Yawning and stretching, back to the morning stretch and flex .
The Chase is on.
 
The proposition bet was one handed spot shot and no rail touched. The pockets of the table were filled with all the various side action bets that had every available dollar on the One attempt for it all.
Of course he did it. Shrug Busted the,

What does “no rail touched” mean?
 
For me, Strawberry Brooks is right up there, but perhaps it’s because I spent a lot of time around him. At the very least he was better than anybody with a cigarette hanging from his mouth while playing 😆
 
What does “no rail touched” mean?
The cueball doesn't get to a rail after cutting in the object ball on the spot, shooting from the kitchen (behind the head string). A difficult proposition made more difficult by shooting one handed. (A slight curve ball helps get the object ball to the pocket with whitey stopping before hitting a rail. Try it 🤷‍♂️)One handed is always jacked up with the cue not allowed to touch or rest on the table.
Ronnie and The Monk once hooked up playing one handed one ball one pocket. The one object ball started frozen to the footrail at middle diamond. The match took place in Chico CA at the Down Under. The owner was backing Ronnie and the students were raving about how often Ronnie made the ball in his pocket.....and scratched. My giggles at the telling of the dramatic match that had The Monk prevailing, had the students blurting to the owner , "Greg says you got dumped." Well those were not the words but it was my uh ass says mint. 🤷‍♂️
 
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For me, Strawberry Brooks is right up there, but perhaps it’s because I spent a lot of time around him. At the very least he was better than anybody with a cigarette hanging from his mouth while playing 😆
Gotta agree bcuz he did me solid one night and I owe him.
 
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The cueball doesn't get to a rail after cutting in the object ball on the spot, shooting from the kitchen (behind the head string). A difficult proposition made more difficult by shooting one handed. (A slight curve ball helps get the object ball to the pocket with whitey stopping before hitting a rail. Try it )One handed is always jacked up with the cue not allowed to touch or rest on the table.

This is why I don’t gamble. It sounds impossible but clearly isn’t!
 
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