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

lfigueroa

lfigueroa

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A few days ago a pretty high power player here in STL opined that he was told Ronnie Allen was the best back then.

Having watched many, many Accu-Stats 1pocket tapes from that era I don''t think that's an accurate assessment. But, I was just starting my 1pocket journey way back then. Over the years I did have the chance to see and occasionally play some of the legends. And, certainly Ronnie was an incredibly creative player and a fore-runner to the hyper-aggressive play we often see today.

But for the cash, who do you think was the guy you'd put your dough on around that time?

Lou Figueroa
 
lfigueroa said:
A few days ago a pretty high power player here in STL opined that he was told Ronnie Allen was the best back then.

Having watched many, many Accu-Stats 1pocket tapes from that era I don''t think that's an accurate assessment. But, I was just starting my 1pocket journey way back then. Over the years I did have the chance to see and occasionally play some of the legends. And, certainly Ronnie was an incredibly creative player and a fore-runner to the hyper-aggressive play we often see today.

But for the cash, who do you think was the guy you'd put your dough on around that time?

Lou Figueroa
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Without a doubt. 💯% Efren

I loved watching Shannon play. Bugs. Strawberry. Incardona. All fantastic, intelligent players.
 
lfigueroa said:
A few days ago a pretty high power player here in STL opined that he was told Ronnie Allen was the best back then.

Having watched many, many Accu-Stats 1pocket tapes from that era I don''t think that's an accurate assessment. But, I was just starting my 1pocket journey way back then. Over the years I did have the chance to see and occasionally play some of the legends. And, certainly Ronnie was an incredibly creative player and a fore-runner to the hyper-aggressive play we often see today.

But for the cash, who do you think was the guy you'd put your dough on around that time?

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...
Nick Varner played pretty sporty
Cliff Joyner also
Freezer
 
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lfigueroa said:
A few days ago a pretty high power player here in STL opined that he was told Ronnie Allen was the best back then.

Having watched many, many Accu-Stats 1pocket tapes from that era I don''t think that's an accurate assessment. But, I was just starting my 1pocket journey way back then. Over the years I did have the chance to see and occasionally play some of the legends. And, certainly Ronnie was an incredibly creative player and a fore-runner to the hyper-aggressive play we often see today.

But for the cash, who do you think was the guy you'd put your dough on around that time?

Lou Figueroa
Click to expand...
Ronnie was pretty much done by the early 80's. His glory days were the 60's-70's. He revolutionized the game, before RA it was a SLOW, bunt-n-hide game. Ronnie was PURE offense, he'd shoot at a white flag and make it, A LOT. Once Efren learned the game up in Chicago he was the game's greatest. I agree with Duane's picks too, all those cats were monsters.
 
Ronnie Allen was old as hell then. No way it would have been him. Efren was beating everyone within a couple months of learning the words “one pocket”. According to legend anyway. Before my time.
 
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iusedtoberich said:
Ronnie Allen was old as hell then. No way it would have been him. Efren was beating everyone within a couple months of learning the words “one pocket”. According to legend anyway. Before my time.
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Freddy and some of the other top Chicago area guys beat him pretty good early. Once he figured out the moves/strategy they all left him alone.
 
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The 1990s in one pocket belonged to Efren.

The 1980s are a bit more complicated. The first names that come to mind are Nick Varner and Allen Hopkins. Allen, in particular, used to bet real high back then. I'm thinking that Jersey Red, Ronnie Allen and Eddie Kelly were all past their primes by then.
 
Probably need some dates on Efren's 1P development. Was he playing it in the 80s or not until the 90s? Before my time too...
 
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sjm said:
The 1990s in one pocket belonged to Efren.

The 1980s are a bit more complicated. The first names that come to mind are Nick Varner and Allen Hopkins. Allen, in particular, used to bet real high back then. I'm thinking that Jersey Red, Ronnie Allen and Eddie Kelly were all past their primes by then.
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There is an accustats one pocket tape where the commentators stated Cookie Monster Steve Cook played Hopkins for $1000 per game, and beat him 12 games.
 
iusedtoberich said:
There is an accustats one pocket tape where the commentators stated Cookie Monster Steve Cook played Hopkins for $1000 per game, and beat him 12 games.
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Thanks for that.

It's very believable. More likely that was in the 1970s rather than the 1980s. Allen was already betting really high by the mid-1970s and probably did not find his highest one pocket gear until about 1980. Sad to say that I never saw Steve Cook play live.
 
Granted I wasn't familiar with the game of one pocket but I heard people who followed such things that Grady was a force to be reckoned with as was Eferen without a doubt .
 
sjm said:
The 1990s in one pocket belonged to Efren.

The 1980s are a bit more complicated. The first names that come to mind are Nick Varner and Allen Hopkins. Allen, in particular, used to bet real high back then. I'm thinking that Jersey Red, Ronnie Allen and Eddie Kelly were all past their primes by then.
Click to expand...

I likedeverybody you named...., But for the Money they weren't going to beat Bugs!
 
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