What's your greatest pool accomplishment?
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I opened this thread 'cause I spotted your name....wondered what you'd say.
So now, you have my sympathies for your dyslexia affliction....
...your idea of the 1-ball ghost is starting from the 15-ball at rotation....
.....only you and the guy in your pic can do that.....:bow-down:
4th in the State 9-ball. I rarely ever play 9-ball, but played well and made many good combos and safeties.
Yes you are. And a very good person to play sir. Glad to see you this past May.
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Running the first rack against a girl who later turned out to be my wife. In a nut shell, she was beating the whole club, no one wanted to play. That's when I stepped in...she broke dry, I ran the rack and got the number! And the number was written with chalk on a matchbook. Haha.
Haven't read the whole thread so maybe this has been mentioned. Becoming comfortable and using inside English. I'm not talking about CJ's TOI but just understanding and not being afraid to use inside. I give credit to George Fells. :thumbup:
My favorite achievement that is I still can play.
My back rheumatism put my game on pause for several years. I fought against it and got back to shape where I still can play pool.
I had to re-learn game after 5 year off.
I think I am now even stronger player and still improving(i think) at age of 40.
I am not competing anymore seriously but do it for fun.
Also Visiting N.Y Darren´s tournament this year was great moment. I played okay on tournament and gambled a bit against best.
I played one pocket against Alex and we ended up 2-2(no handicap) before he had to go. I was 2-2 against Dennis before he got couple crazy run outs from perfect safeties....
I did quit 5-2 behind. He was crazy good stroke at Derby too. Had some good matches against old hustler Ike too.
Young Kaci from Albania toasted me at 10-ball. He put clearance + 4 run outs when we were playing race to 6
Also lost couple tight Chess rounds against Efren at Derby. Meeting my idol was great too. He was really happy to win some money from me on Chess. :grin:
My back rheumatism put my game on pause for several years. I fought against it and got back to shape where I still can play pool.
I had to re-learn game after 5 year off.
I think I am now even stronger player and still improving(i think) at age of 40.
I am not competing anymore seriously but do it for fun.
Also Visiting N.Y Darren´s tournament this year was great moment. I played okay on tournament and gambled a bit against best.
I played one pocket against Alex and we ended up 2-2(no handicap) before he had to go. I was 2-2 against Dennis before he got couple crazy run outs from perfect safeties..
.. I did quit 5-2 behind. He was crazy good stroke at Derby too. Had some good matches against old hustler Ike too.
Young Kaci from Albania toasted me at 10-ball. He put clearance + 4 run outs when we were playing race to 6
Also lost couple tight Chess rounds against Efren at Derby. Meeting my idol was great too. He was really happy to win some money from me on Chess. :grin:
Ran a 4-pack on a very tight 9-foot
Won 9-0 a set of 8-ball with 7 B&Rs on the same table.
Played almost flawless beating Shawn Putnam 9-6
Beat Rafael Martinez 7-4 in the loser side of one tourney.
I used to be pretty good
Won 9-0 a set of 8-ball with 7 B&Rs on the same table.
Played almost flawless beating Shawn Putnam 9-6
Beat Rafael Martinez 7-4 in the loser side of one tourney.
I used to be pretty good
I was playing in a bar many (20+) years ago for small stakes and managed to curve/swerve the cueball to a tough cut on the 8B from about 6 feet away. The man I was playing looked at the shot, put his cue down, and said to his lady, "There's no way I'm beating this man tonight."
I've never played in tournaments, and aside from taking some money from drunken cowboys at The Palace in Prescott, AZ, I've never played for high stakes (although I managed to eat well in college at Embry-Riddle).
I played a college roommate at a pool hall (also in Prescott) that had 9 foot tables, and I was down 5-0 in a race to 11, in 9 ball. I finally won a game, and then proceeded to make the 9 B on the snap, run out, 9B on the snap, run out, and another 9 ball on the break. I was up 6-5 in the span of about 20 minutes. My roommate couldn't recover mentally, and I went on to win 11-5. That was a fun match.
I've never played in tournaments, and aside from taking some money from drunken cowboys at The Palace in Prescott, AZ, I've never played for high stakes (although I managed to eat well in college at Embry-Riddle).
I played a college roommate at a pool hall (also in Prescott) that had 9 foot tables, and I was down 5-0 in a race to 11, in 9 ball. I finally won a game, and then proceeded to make the 9 B on the snap, run out, 9B on the snap, run out, and another 9 ball on the break. I was up 6-5 in the span of about 20 minutes. My roommate couldn't recover mentally, and I went on to win 11-5. That was a fun match.
My greatest accomplishment was being called a player, by a player.
Was sweating a money match between 2 players. One had a backer that had a rep for sandbagging and hustling. j am playing him for beers on the next table. I win a couple of beers and am feeling good He suggests we make it interesting and play for ten, he will need a spot, of course. I agree to give him the six for ten a game. He wins the flip and I am stuck $60 before I get a shot. I was so pissed at myself for letting him trap me when I knew his MO.
It took about an hour for me to get it back to even. Then we quit. He was grumbling to the player and the player said, "I told you he was a Player."
Was sweating a money match between 2 players. One had a backer that had a rep for sandbagging and hustling. j am playing him for beers on the next table. I win a couple of beers and am feeling good He suggests we make it interesting and play for ten, he will need a spot, of course. I agree to give him the six for ten a game. He wins the flip and I am stuck $60 before I get a shot. I was so pissed at myself for letting him trap me when I knew his MO.
It took about an hour for me to get it back to even. Then we quit. He was grumbling to the player and the player said, "I told you he was a Player."
Mine was the time I knocked out Jerry Van Damme in a bar fight over a game of eight ball. He was a skydiver that I use to jump with. He was the local drop zone backgammon hustler and never lost. He took a lot of money off everyone at the the DZ.
I had just invented a game I called N.A.I.L.S. which was an accuracy sport throwing a 9" nail at a 3/4" washer on the ground four feet away. I Took him for $60 in about 10 minutes and everybody thought I was a hero for taking money off this guy. Apparently I was one of the only few to ever do so. He was really pissed about losing the money to me.
At a local bar where all the skydivers hung out, he was playing eightball and I challenged him to a game. He said I'm playing for five dollars and I said I was fine with that. I ended up running the balls down to the eight ball. I called it in the corner pocket and it rattled in the pocket and he claimed that I lost because it rattled in and I didn't call it that way.
I called BS and said fine, keep your lousy $5 but don't ever expect to play me again. I sat down on a barstool and looked back at him when I caught him mumbling something unintelligible. I said excuse me, did you say something to me? You better come over here where I can hear you better. He got in my face and called me a few choice words and I smiled and said...not nice, and with one solid punch he was on the floor. He started to get back up but I was on him before he could rise and I proceeded to put an ass whopping on him. Took five guys to get me off of him and be it known, I don't look for or like fighting.
This guy was an ass and not liked by many. They threw him out of the bar and bought me drinks the rest of the night. That's the only memorable thing I can think of pool related!
I had just invented a game I called N.A.I.L.S. which was an accuracy sport throwing a 9" nail at a 3/4" washer on the ground four feet away. I Took him for $60 in about 10 minutes and everybody thought I was a hero for taking money off this guy. Apparently I was one of the only few to ever do so. He was really pissed about losing the money to me.
At a local bar where all the skydivers hung out, he was playing eightball and I challenged him to a game. He said I'm playing for five dollars and I said I was fine with that. I ended up running the balls down to the eight ball. I called it in the corner pocket and it rattled in the pocket and he claimed that I lost because it rattled in and I didn't call it that way.
I called BS and said fine, keep your lousy $5 but don't ever expect to play me again. I sat down on a barstool and looked back at him when I caught him mumbling something unintelligible. I said excuse me, did you say something to me? You better come over here where I can hear you better. He got in my face and called me a few choice words and I smiled and said...not nice, and with one solid punch he was on the floor. He started to get back up but I was on him before he could rise and I proceeded to put an ass whopping on him. Took five guys to get me off of him and be it known, I don't look for or like fighting.
This guy was an ass and not liked by many. They threw him out of the bar and bought me drinks the rest of the night. That's the only memorable thing I can think of pool related!
As I think about it, I recall many more moments of pride and glimpses of competence than my current game reflects.
I lived with Grady Mathews in his home in SC for 8 months.
I ran 104 balls on his 4" pocket beastly, damp table in his garage.
I once ran 14 balls in my pocket playing the one pocket ghost, twice in a row.
I ran two racks while my opponent was on the hill to win a handicap 9ball tournament -- with my last $20 to my name.
I beat Johnny Ervolino 11-4 in a 9-ball race while he flirted with my girlfriend. Johnny went on to run 361 in straight pool 12 years later.
However, my greatest accomplishment was realizing that my ambition FAR exceeded my talent and surrendering professional pool as a career goal.
I lived with Grady Mathews in his home in SC for 8 months.
I ran 104 balls on his 4" pocket beastly, damp table in his garage.
I once ran 14 balls in my pocket playing the one pocket ghost, twice in a row.
I ran two racks while my opponent was on the hill to win a handicap 9ball tournament -- with my last $20 to my name.
I beat Johnny Ervolino 11-4 in a 9-ball race while he flirted with my girlfriend. Johnny went on to run 361 in straight pool 12 years later.
However, my greatest accomplishment was realizing that my ambition FAR exceeded my talent and surrendering professional pool as a career goal.
I am dot nyslexic!
It was a tight table with 6" pockets, I was glad to be able to run a ball.
Won a few local weekly tournaments. Nothing major for me. Ran a 6-pack once. That's about as good as it ever got/gets for me.
See Disclaimer.
See Disclaimer.
Nice little collection you had
Had a lot for softball and baseball, and sold them at a garage sale for $1 each. A coach came by and bought 30 or 40 of them. Said he's gonna take name or team off the trophy and give them to kids for special recognition at end of year. I was moving to a new house and did NOT want to take them with.. Great idea. So, next time, don't throw any new trophies away, sell them or give them away, someone will "recycle" them, and thus someone else will get to enjoy them too :thumbup:
Growing up at the venerable North Shore Billiard Club, that my father owned with Freddy the Beard, certainly gave me my "addiction". George Fels played there, and wrote one of his best articles ever on it called, "That Club is Trump" Got to see a lot of great players and great matches. The stories you hear or read about Bugs Rucker are NOT exaggerated. After winning the 17 and under tourney at the age of 15, promised Mom I would NOT become a pool player, went to college and pretty much took the next 20 years off. Finally bought a house that would fit a pool table, and I was baaaaaack
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Was Earl's "cornerman" for a weekend match against The Scorpion. Sat next to him during the match all weekend to keep him focused. Also drove him back and forth to his hotel, and helped him when he was signing autographs after the days matches. It was a HOOT, and I'll never forget it. Thus, I saw Earl up close and personal, and he's not as scary as folks like to believe. Away from the pool table he's a nice guy. When he's at the table he's Dr. Jykl and I had my work cut out for me. But give me a hand full of World championships and 5 US Open wins, and I'll gladly be more Jykl, than Hyde, at the table
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Bringing Russian Magic Chalk to the masses is how I met a lot of folks I would not have met. And it's fun. Hopefully, the little money I do make will fund a High School team very soon. I'm in talks now with the Athletic Director at a local HS. Magic Chalk will buy both tables, and supply all needed equipment and I offered to serve as a non-paid coach. I plan to lean heavily on Mark Wilson for advice in terms of running/coaching an entire team.
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Taught pool at the College of Billiards (CUE-U) for 2 years on the weekends. I liked pool and I like to coach, so it seemed like a no brainer. Got my first certification through the BCA more than a decade ago. Have given over 500 lessons over the last decade. Trained with 5 HOF players, and at least 6 Master Instructors over the last 5 years alone. Just recently became an ACS Master Instructor.
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Sponsored an exhibition for Nick Varner and Buddy Hall near the Chicago area. The promotor (Mark Cantrell) was not too excited about coming to Chicago area. The turn outs were not always very good in the Chicago area. He was in Peoria (3 hours away) but when I said they can stay at my house to save on hotel expenses, they "bit"
When then I arrived, I introduced them to the family and showed them the lay of the land. Never even made it to the pool table downstairs, as I thought that's the last thing they want to do when relaxing is to play pool with a league player like me. The wife even made dinner for them the first night before the exhibition, we ate like kings, listened to some good stories from Nick and Buddy. My son didn't know either one of them but he was still excited to meet them. Had a few buddies stop by to say hello.
Before he left the following day, Buddy thanked me for my hospitality, and shook my hand. While he was shaking my hand, he looked me squarely in the eye and said, "RJ, you're a lucky guy". I was stunned. I thought to myself, Wait, you're my hero, how am I the lucky one ? I'll never forget that moment, ever. You can catch the full story in Mark Cantrell's book, as one of the chapters was in regards to the visit and the massive storm that hit during the exhibition. Finally get my name in a pool book and he doesn't use my last name, just "RJ", wtf Mark?
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Was Earl's "cornerman" for a weekend match against The Scorpion. Sat next to him during the match all weekend to keep him focused. Also drove him back and forth to his hotel, and helped him when he was signing autographs after the days matches. It was a HOOT, and I'll never forget it. Thus, I saw Earl up close and personal, and he's not as scary as folks like to believe. Away from the pool table he's a nice guy. When he's at the table he's Dr. Jykl and I had my work cut out for me. But give me a hand full of World championships and 5 US Open wins, and I'll gladly be more Jykl, than Hyde, at the table
*
Bringing Russian Magic Chalk to the masses is how I met a lot of folks I would not have met. And it's fun. Hopefully, the little money I do make will fund a High School team very soon. I'm in talks now with the Athletic Director at a local HS. Magic Chalk will buy both tables, and supply all needed equipment and I offered to serve as a non-paid coach. I plan to lean heavily on Mark Wilson for advice in terms of running/coaching an entire team.
*
Taught pool at the College of Billiards (CUE-U) for 2 years on the weekends. I liked pool and I like to coach, so it seemed like a no brainer. Got my first certification through the BCA more than a decade ago. Have given over 500 lessons over the last decade. Trained with 5 HOF players, and at least 6 Master Instructors over the last 5 years alone. Just recently became an ACS Master Instructor.
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Sponsored an exhibition for Nick Varner and Buddy Hall near the Chicago area. The promotor (Mark Cantrell) was not too excited about coming to Chicago area. The turn outs were not always very good in the Chicago area. He was in Peoria (3 hours away) but when I said they can stay at my house to save on hotel expenses, they "bit"
When then I arrived, I introduced them to the family and showed them the lay of the land. Never even made it to the pool table downstairs, as I thought that's the last thing they want to do when relaxing is to play pool with a league player like me. The wife even made dinner for them the first night before the exhibition, we ate like kings, listened to some good stories from Nick and Buddy. My son didn't know either one of them but he was still excited to meet them. Had a few buddies stop by to say hello.
Before he left the following day, Buddy thanked me for my hospitality, and shook my hand. While he was shaking my hand, he looked me squarely in the eye and said, "RJ, you're a lucky guy". I was stunned. I thought to myself, Wait, you're my hero, how am I the lucky one ? I'll never forget that moment, ever. You can catch the full story in Mark Cantrell's book, as one of the chapters was in regards to the visit and the massive storm that hit during the exhibition. Finally get my name in a pool book and he doesn't use my last name, just "RJ", wtf Mark?
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LOL! I'm also 73. Hell, all I can say is that pool gets me out of the house once a week or so. At 73, that alone is a pretty big deal.