pool's greatest might-have-beens
- Thread starter evergruven
- Start date
Yeah, I got to know Michael back then when I attended some PBT events. Sad story all around. That match with Walden sounds like it was one for the ages.
I agree on all of the above, almost all who I've seen play, including Worst. "Worst was best" is what we used to say!
One who hasn't been mentioned is Jon Kucharo out of Bettendorf, Iowa. He came on like gangbusters in the late 90's and was cleaning everyone's clock by the time he was 20 years old. He had the biggest break and seemed to never miss a ball. Jon practiced religiously every day and always came to the tournaments well prepared. He avoided all the hazards of the casino/poolroom life, such as gambling, drugs, alcohol, loose women, etc. He was a monster player, even better than Coltrain, and one of the favorites in any tournament he entered. That is until he was about 22, when he discovered the sweet intoxication of alcohol. From that point on his pool career swiftly spiraled downward and within a couple of years he was washed up.
Jon showed up at the BCA Nationals a few times and played cheap $10 pool in the practice room, but he was just a shadow of his old self. It was sad to see how far he slid downhill and to this date he has never recovered.
One who hasn't been mentioned is Jon Kucharo out of Bettendorf, Iowa. He came on like gangbusters in the late 90's and was cleaning everyone's clock by the time he was 20 years old. He had the biggest break and seemed to never miss a ball. Jon practiced religiously every day and always came to the tournaments well prepared. He avoided all the hazards of the casino/poolroom life, such as gambling, drugs, alcohol, loose women, etc. He was a monster player, even better than Coltrain, and one of the favorites in any tournament he entered. That is until he was about 22, when he discovered the sweet intoxication of alcohol. From that point on his pool career swiftly spiraled downward and within a couple of years he was washed up.
Jon showed up at the BCA Nationals a few times and played cheap $10 pool in the practice room, but he was just a shadow of his old self. It was sad to see how far he slid downhill and to this date he has never recovered.
Louie Roberts
Tony Watson
They couldn't overcome similar demons. i traveled to Charlotte a lot in the 80's/90's, first met Tony when he was about 12, looked like he was 10 and played very good. Nice kid, hope he's got it together.
Louie was a rock star, had it all. Monster at 2 shot foul 9B. Would roll out to thin cut along the short rail and if the shot was passed back would pocket the ball most of the time. A shadow of his former self when he passed or was killed in the early 90's.
My old road dog, Bill Blake, could have been a contender but also fell prey to the demon.
Tony Watson
They couldn't overcome similar demons. i traveled to Charlotte a lot in the 80's/90's, first met Tony when he was about 12, looked like he was 10 and played very good. Nice kid, hope he's got it together.
Louie was a rock star, had it all. Monster at 2 shot foul 9B. Would roll out to thin cut along the short rail and if the shot was passed back would pocket the ball most of the time. A shadow of his former self when he passed or was killed in the early 90's.
My old road dog, Bill Blake, could have been a contender but also fell prey to the demon.
wow, what a great response to this thread. so many guys I've not heard of, but am excited to look up. thank y'all for shouting back.
"no person is truly great who is great only in their lifetime. the test of greatness is the page of history."
"no person is truly great who is great only in their lifetime. the test of greatness is the page of history."
Tony Watson gave Johnny B, a player who also had a substance abuse issue, the seven in nine ball at Chelsea Billiards in New York in 1996 on a silly tight table. They played for $100 a rack and for the first hour or two, the game was even. But, shortly thereafter, Tony broke and ran nine in a row. The regulars at Chelsea Billiards, among whom I was not counted, told me that they'd have thought a nine pack on that table (for the few who'd remember, it was table 35, the tightest one on the lower level) to be virtually impossible. Johnny B quit him. It was some of the finest shooting I had ever seen.
Mark Beilfuss from Grand Rapids Michigan quit in the 70s as a teenager.
Tony was in the finals in the weekly tournament here (crazy right). He was an 11 and was playing a 2. He offered to split because he won last week and if you won two weeks in a row you couldn't play the next week. The 2 refused saying they only needed two games to his 11. The 2 won the first game and Tony offered again and the 2 refused. Tony won the next game and offered again, saying this is your last chance. Of course they refused. Tony ran the rest of the match
Tony is the first person that came to mind for me as well
A guy I watched as often as I could when I was stationed In the San Francisco bay area in the late 60's was Denny Searcy, imho good enough to hold his own with nearly everyone. Tragically brought down way too soon by illness.
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...vPiAhUFFnwKHXRTAFoQMwhLKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgur...vPiAhUFFnwKHXRTAFoQMwhLKAAwAA&iact=mrc&uact=8
One of the best players I ever saw and I've seen TONS. Saw him countless times, even gambled with him once ( staking not playing ) for 2 days and broke even, fortunately. He was *phenomenal*.
I saw him a few years ago on a live stream and I thought he said he was considering a comeback. Watched him practice on the stream for a while and I didn't see him miss a shot.
Regardless of how good he was or could have been I wouldn't say he made a bad decision given the lack of cash in pool.
Yes, watched him play many times at the Velvet Rail. A 14.1 player of incredible skill at just 16 years old. One tournament weekend I saw him beat both Joe Balsis and Irving Crane as if he was at the practice table. Both were beyond their prime but still.... Mark ran 90+ and out on one of them. He played with steely determination and total focus; amazing to watch. Then, as Paul noted, he simply quit.
Along with everyone else's thoughts, I'll add George Breedlove. The guy worked more than a full-time job, and once in a while he'd play a major tournament and go deep. Phenomenal talent that, IMO, would have been a multi-major tournament winner if his focus was on pool. Instead, his focus was on his business and of course Jeanette.
Freddie <~~~ would focus on that, too
Freddie <~~~ would focus on that, too
Dan Gartner
I'll add Dan Gartner known to some as the Young Greenleaf who was the 14:1 New Jersey State Champion in 1964 and 1965. Dan was always a contender but usually placed 2nd or 3rd in the big championships.
From another AZ thread:
Jay Helfert
"Danny's favorite gaff was to bet he could run 50 balls in half an hour. So, if he broke and ran 30 or 40 and missed he had to start over. I never saw him lose that bet."
From another AZ thread:
poolhallbanger
"Dan Gartner was the real deal. He could play with the best of them and did. I remember watching him play ring games at the old Golden Cue on Queens blvd in
NY. But there is one unfortunate memory(for Danny not me) when he played in the
1967 World 14.1 tourney held at the Statler hotel in NY. The matches were to 150
points and Danny won the lag and his opponent broke and left a very tough long shot
to the corner pocket. Danny jumped up and fired it in and proceeded to run 149 balls
only to catch a stroke of bad luck forcing him into a safety battle needing only 1 ball.
Unfortunately, Danny lost the safety battle and unbelievably his opponent proceeded
to run 150 and out on him. His opponent was Jean Balukis's dad's partner the very
talented and methodical Frank McGown."
I'll add Dan Gartner known to some as the Young Greenleaf who was the 14:1 New Jersey State Champion in 1964 and 1965. Dan was always a contender but usually placed 2nd or 3rd in the big championships.
From another AZ thread:
Jay Helfert
"Danny's favorite gaff was to bet he could run 50 balls in half an hour. So, if he broke and ran 30 or 40 and missed he had to start over. I never saw him lose that bet."
From another AZ thread:
poolhallbanger
"Dan Gartner was the real deal. He could play with the best of them and did. I remember watching him play ring games at the old Golden Cue on Queens blvd in
NY. But there is one unfortunate memory(for Danny not me) when he played in the
1967 World 14.1 tourney held at the Statler hotel in NY. The matches were to 150
points and Danny won the lag and his opponent broke and left a very tough long shot
to the corner pocket. Danny jumped up and fired it in and proceeded to run 149 balls
only to catch a stroke of bad luck forcing him into a safety battle needing only 1 ball.
Unfortunately, Danny lost the safety battle and unbelievably his opponent proceeded
to run 150 and out on him. His opponent was Jean Balukis's dad's partner the very
talented and methodical Frank McGown."