Veteran men vs women players and today's tournaments

bobbydee

Active member
Something I was just thinking about and maybe I'm wrong. I notice in today's women tournaments you'll see a lot of the veteran ladies still playing. Fischers, and Korr and so on. But when you watch the men's tourneys you never see Sigle, McCready or Wiley or any of those guys playing. Is it because those guys made enough money they no longer need to play and the woman never had those big pay events or something else?
 
Something I was just thinking about and maybe I'm wrong. I notice in today's women tournaments you'll see a lot of the veteran ladies still playing. Fischers, and Korr and so on. But when you watch the men's tourneys you never see Sigle, McCready or Wiley or any of those guys playing. Is it because those guys made enough money they no longer need to play and the woman never had those big pay events or something else?

kelly fischer is 47.. alison 10 years older. that's equivalent to alex or thorsten and ralf, and all them still play.

sigel is surely 70+?
 
The female talent pool in the U.S. is ahhh, hmmm, ahhhh,....not ideal. Some of women will probably be cashing at 80 at this rate. On the men's side, I think it has always been and always will be easier for a man to travel the world in a carefree fashion while playing pool. So men in the U.S. always have to deal with international competition. So it's more difficult for them to cash as they get older.
 
Something I was just thinking about and maybe I'm wrong. I notice in today's women tournaments you'll see a lot of the veteran ladies still playing. Fischers, and Korr and so on. But when you watch the men's tourneys you never see Sigle, McCready or Wiley or any of those guys playing. Is it because those guys made enough money they no longer need to play and the woman never had those big pay events or something else?
NONE of the older male players can still win. The top older women players like Allison/Kelly/Karen were SOOOO much better in their prime they still can compete.
 
also alison has some of the best fundamentals in the history of the game. i doubt we'll see kelly perform at her level in 10 years (punchy stroke, tendency to lift head).
 
NONE of the older male players can still win. The top older women players like Allison/Kelly/Karen were SOOOO much better in their prime they still can compete.
You still get men winning in their 40s

Carlos Biado won a world championship last year at 41.

Neils Feijen won a Matchroom ranking tournament last year at 48:

And I'd be here all day if I tried to list everything SVB has won in his 40s.

Men in their 50s though think I'd struggle. Ralf Souqet won the Mexican open last year, but seems like it was an invitational with a weak field.
 
Something I was just thinking about and maybe I'm wrong. I notice in today's women tournaments you'll see a lot of the veteran ladies still playing. Fischers, and Korr and so on. But when you watch the men's tourneys you never see Sigle, McCready or Wiley or any of those guys playing. Is it because those guys made enough money they no longer need to play and the woman never had those big pay events or something else?
Nick Varner is playing in Ultimate Pool USA. I watched him shoot some at the nationals last year, really fun to spectate.
 
NONE of the older male players can still win. The top older women players like Allison/Kelly/Karen were SOOOO much better in their prime they still can compete.

Dennis Hatch just won an Ultimate Pool event with a field that included Melling and Bergman. Rodney, Archer and Dave Matlock have also done well in those events I believe.
 
Last edited:
7' Bar table events are not comparable to 4'' pockets on a 9 foot.
Varner/Reyes would be tough for any player to beat on a 7' with larger pockets.
 
Something I was just thinking about and maybe I'm wrong. I notice in today's women tournaments you'll see a lot of the veteran ladies still playing. Fischers, and Korr and so on. But when you watch the men's tourneys you never see Sigle, McCready or Wiley or any of those guys playing. Is it because those guys made enough money they no longer need to play and the woman never had those big pay events or something else?
Some may play because they enjoy it and are a little bit of a draw so promoters often invite them. Reality is though, there's no 50-year-old out there putting in 8 hours a day practice. That's all behind them they've been there and done that.
 
Bobby dee, you can't compare the women to the men unless you go to China.
Best Chinese woman that played in the US Open back in MR beginning go in I think the top 32, but those were NOT 4'' pockets then.
Keep in mind, the women don't play with 4'' pockets.
If they did I'd think the Fisher's might do even better.
 
By the way, by way of comparison, the iconic “Class of ‘92” in snooker (O’Sullivan, Higgins and Williams) remain at the top of the sport at 50 or 51. All are in the top 16. Williams was runner up in the WC last year, O’Sullivan made two perfect 147s in a single match last season and Higgins made the finals of the Masters last year.

So pocketing balls on tight pockets clearly can be done at the elite level into a player’s 50s.
 
guys
think of this
you use 1 or 2 or 3 people to prove your point about older players being competitive
what about the other 20-30 that were there challengers who cant do it anymore
what i am saying is in every sport younger is usually better
jmho
icbw
 
Dennis Hatch just won an Ultimate Pool event with a field that included Melling and Bergman. Rodney, Archer and Dave Matlock have also done well in those events I believe.
Let me be clear: hats off to DH but he can't compete with today's top players on a big table. A barbox is totally different. If these events drew the top 50players few of these guys mentioned would go very far. bbb is dead on: younger is better. every time.
 
You still get men winning in their 40s

Carlos Biado won a world championship last year at 41.

Neils Feijen won a Matchroom ranking tournament last year at 48:

And I'd be here all day if I tried to list everything SVB has won in his 40s.

Men in their 50s though think I'd struggle. Ralf Souqet won the Mexican open last year, but seems like it was an invitational with a weak field.
Male players can compete at highest level to about 50ish. Always be some exceptions but after 50 their games drop, sometimes a lot.
 
Let me be clear: hats off to DH but he can't compete with today's top players on a big table. A barbox is totally different. If these events drew the top 50players few of these guys mentioned would go very far. bbb is dead on: younger is better. every time.
Younger. Wu is a perfect example of what I've professed.
The Worlds will in my lifetime, have two finalist or a winner in their teens. Eyesight, youth/adrenaline and health are Huge in our game.
 
Buddy Hall won his second U.S. Open title at 53. Never lost a match.
You did see i wrote that there are exceptions. I'm a huge BH fanboy but that's something that will in all likelihood never happen again. Talent pool today is just too deep. Shane's just 42 and i really don't see him factoring much more in the majors. Love to see him win another open or world's but his clock is ticking faster by the month.
 
Back
Top