1996 Seniors tour

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garczar

AzB Silver Member
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pwd72s said:
Steve Miserak vs, Toby Sweet. First time I'd seen video of Sweet. Billy & Grady commentating...love their "feuds: Anyway..hell of a match. Triamgle rack, maple shafts, no fighting about the rack. Loved it! Just great old time pool.

Anybody here with memories of Toby Sweet?

One hour, 45 minutes or so..

1996 TREASURE: Steve MIZERAK vs. Toby SWEET - The TACO BELL SENIORS 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS - YouTube
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I put this up a few mos. ago. It is a great watch. Toby could flat play. He's an oil-painter somewhere back east now. His old room is still open in Hollywood, Fla. afaik.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
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Toby Sweet was a very dangerous and highly respected player who got around to beating most of the greats at some point. I saw Toby beat future BCA Hall of Famer Jim Rempe (either 1995 or 1996) 11-0 in a nine ball race in Florida. He was only a half-step behind the game's superstars and was a great player for the cash.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
Toby Sweet was a very dangerous and highly respected player who got around to beating most of the greats at some point. I saw Toby beat future BCA Hall of Famer Jim Rempe (either 1995 or 1996) 11-0 in a nine ball race in Florida. He was only a half-step behind the game's superstars and was a great player for the cash.
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I had friends that went to his room in Hollywood a lot. They said if you were gonna gamble with Toby you better bring a comfortable seat cushion and a lot of $$$.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
sjm said:
Toby Sweet was a very dangerous and highly respected player who got around to beating most of the greats at some point. I saw Toby beat future BCA Hall of Famer Jim Rempe (either 1995 or 1996) 11-0 in a nine ball race in Florida. He was only a half-step behind the game's superstars and was a great player for the cash.
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You got him pegged right! Toby is also the last player to spot Buddy Hall in 9-Ball. They played in Johnston City in 1968 or 1969 and Toby gave Buddy the eight ball. I think he won too!

In Toby's prime he rarely played in tournaments. He was one of the great undercover money players of the 70's and 80's. After he started owning poolrooms in Florida that's when he came out from under cover and played events down there, and a few elsewhere.

I watched him in action several times and little Toby (maybe 5'7 and 130 pounds) had a solid stance, got down on the balls good and was a deadeye shooter. He probably could cut a ball as good as any man who ever played the game. I would only rate Louie Roberts as better in that respect, and Louie would often shoot unmakeable shots to his detriment. Toby knew when to shoot them and when to roll out or duck. He was a "roll out" 9-Ball master!
 
M

middleofnowhere

Registered
sjm said:
Toby Sweet was a very dangerous and highly respected player who got around to beating most of the greats at some point. I saw Toby beat future BCA Hall of Famer Jim Rempe (either 1995 or 1996) 11-0 in a nine ball race in Florida. He was only a half-step behind the game's superstars and was a great player for the cash.
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In the 1990s Toby would have already been quite a few years past is best. At his best, you couldn't play 9 ball better. He used to go to miz's room and I think Metuchen New Jersey miz wouldn't play.

One of the things about Toby that frightened players was you could not make him quit. He always had pockets full of money and if you played him he was going to put you under intense pressure until you couldn't take it anymore.

What it would take to beat him few players were willing to attempt. If you remember mostly back in those days you didn't really play sets guys would get on the table and play 40 50 100 a game and you played and you played and you played.

The stopping point was when one player quit not because the set came to an end. It's a scary prospect before you even start the game to know what you're in for. It's going to be a war.

Yeah I had to come back and kind of change one thing I said in the beginning of this and that you couldn't play 9-ball better. Toby could have been a slightly better tough shot maker. There are players that can really come with a tough shot. But nobody could get the balls off the table any better than Toby.
 
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sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
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middleofnowhere said:
In the 1990s Toby would have already been quite a few years past is best.
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Yes, I was lucky to see him on a day when he turned back the clock. His name was known to me in the 1970's and 1980s, but I never got to see him play until the 1990s.
 
D

Dave714

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
You got him pegged right! Toby is also the last player to spot Buddy Hall in 9-Ball. They played in Johnston City in 1968 or 1969 and Toby gave Buddy the eight ball. I think he won too!

In Toby's prime he rarely played in tournaments. He was one of the great undercover money players of the 70's and 80's. After he started owning poolrooms in Florida that's when he came out from under cover and played events down there, and a few elsewhere.

I watched him in action several times and little Toby (maybe 5'7 and 130 pounds) had a solid stance, got down on the balls good and was a deadeye shooter. He probably could cut a ball as good as any man who ever played the game. I would only rate Louie Roberts as better in that respect, and Louie would often shoot unmakeable shots to his detriment. Toby knew when to shoot them and when to roll out or duck. He was a "roll out" 9-Ball master!
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Damn
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
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R

RJPpool

Registered
I grew up with Toby and know him over 55 years. We had a few road adventures and I could fill pages with some great stories. Let me know if you would like to hear a few. In his prime he was probably the best push out nine ball player on the planet. Nobody had to beat him. Great money player and great guy.
 
W

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
he must have aged rather slowly as he doesn't really look like a guy in 50s in the video posted
 
W

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I wonder if somebody would be interested in sponsoring a seniors tournament if not a tour presently. There are several guys in their 50s and 60s that can still play really well and it would be great to see them compete against each other. I'd like to see Earl, Morris, Archer, Efren, Bustamante, Wiley, McCreedy, Sigel, Varner, etc.
 
bud green

bud green

Dolley and Django
Silver Member
RJPpool said:
I grew up with Toby and know him over 55 years. We had a few road adventures and I could fill pages with some great stories. Let me know if you would like to hear a few. In his prime he was probably the best push out nine ball player on the planet. Nobody had to beat him. Great money player and great guy.
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I'd like to hear some more stories about him if you got time to post. Sounds like a top player that hasn't gotten his full recognition.
 
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