Who do you think is the most naturally talented pro?

Brags

Banned
Why are so many people thinking that Shaw is so naturally talented? His father was a pocket billiards pro and he has been playing since he was a little kid. Looks like a lot of hard work and excellent guidance to me.

"Natural" talent is actually quite controversial. Science has almost obliterated the concept when it pertains to most things. Of course, some people are better cognitively-equipped than others, but the key here is hard work.

But if I had to pick somebody, it would be somebody who attained an elite level rather quickly. I'm thinking somebody like a John Schmidt or Ginky.

I think its shaws style of shooting...same with osullivan, rodney and even Earl...maybe the question should be whos the most fastest player...the answer Luc salvas :)
 
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jayburger

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You are all off base.
Think Rodney Morris.
When he started playing (I mean from the get-go, folks), he could make balls naturally.
His aim was so damn natural, you wondered why it took him almost seven years to win a major event.
Well, I imagine all the time he spent in Hawaiian Brians back in the day was spent practicing moves and getting ready for the road.

Rodney Morris. The most naturally talented pool player of our day. Bar none. IMO

You might be right.earl too.maybe why they were so good together
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hard to answer unless you saw them from the time they started. Natural to me implies they took to the game like a duck to H20 and played at a high-level quick. I know that Billy Thorpe was in action when he was like 11-12. That's probably a combo of talent and obsessive play. Keith was another prodigy but like Billy, Keith parlayed talent and drive to get on top. Kinda the universal "get good" formula isn't it? Some talent and the ol' half-million balls.

Thanks for acknowledging Keith. He was a child prodigy in pool, was literally thrown into it as a young boy when his father used to gamble with him for his allowance. Keith's mentors growing up were Jimmy Reid, Cole Dickson, and Larry Lisciotti.

When he started beating all of them in ring games on Big Bertha, a snooker table, the other players banned him from playing, stating he was not 18 yet. :grin-square:

Everybody has their favorite player, I guess. Of course, mine is Keith McCready.
 

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greyghost

Coast to Coast
Silver Member
Thanks for acknowledging Keith. He was a child prodigy in pool, was literally thrown into it as a young boy when his father used to gamble with him for his allowance. Keith's mentors growing up were Jimmy Reid, Cole Dickson, and Larry Lisciotti.



When he started beating all of them in ring games on Big Bertha, a snooker table, the other players banned him from playing, stating he was not 18 yet. :grin-square:



Everybody has their favorite player, I guess. Of course, mine is Keith McCready.



Great pic jam! Ole side arm slim . You still working on Keith's book, girl?!?!?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

smashmouth

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
all time maybe Parica?

dude slaughtered everyone seemingly living a "Hangover...Mr Chow" lifestyle, pure hollywood

recently though, John Schmidt, dude barely plays, gathers sponsors from here for the US open and wins it, that's some more hollywood shit right there also.....winning US open alone is an accomplishment that has escaped scores of amazing players but from off the couch to the internet.....to winning the finals, incredible

Shaw is up there imo

a good litmus test imo for natural talent is the ability to return to form quickly after prolonged breaks, especially over the age of 30

this is a good question for other top pros
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great pic jam! Ole side arm slim . You still working on Keith's book, girl?!?!?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Love this photo. :smiling-heart:

Book is on hold for a variety of reasons. When you read it, you will know why. :shocked2::shocked2::shocked2:
 

greyghost

Coast to Coast
Silver Member
Love this photo. :smiling-heart:

Book is on hold for a variety of reasons. When you read it, you will know why. :shocked2::shocked2::shocked2:


you just like his chest hair hahaha.

ID LOVE TO READ IT OF COURSE.....yes i'm hollering hahaha
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Cue???/

Love this photo. :smiling-heart:

Book is on hold for a variety of reasons. When you read it, you will know why. :shocked2::shocked2::shocked2:
Any idea what kind of weapon he's using there? Looks kinda like a TAD. That is a cool pic. BTW, i talked to D. Matlock not too long ago and he said hi to K.
 

chemrvos1972

Registered
Quite a few old timers would make a case for Harold Worst.....never seen him play, but I heard none of the top players liked messing with him and he fired everything in!
 

greyghost

Coast to Coast
Silver Member
Any idea what kind of weapon he's using there? Looks kinda like a TAD. That is a cool pic. BTW, i talked to D. Matlock not too long ago and he said hi to K.

coulda been a mop handle...probably wouldn't have mattered much heheehhee
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
you just like his chest hair hahaha.

ID LOVE TO READ IT OF COURSE.....yes i'm hollering hahaha

How did you know Keith had chest hair? :grin-square:

No, actually, it's his skinny legs and all. :p

Best part about Keith, aside from his pool shooting capabilities, is that he has a big heart. Truly does. He'd take the shirt off his back to help another, if need be.
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Any idea what kind of weapon he's using there? Looks kinda like a TAD. That is a cool pic. BTW, i talked to D. Matlock not too long ago and he said hi to K.

Tell Matt that Keith says hi too. He loves Matt like a brother. Some AZB-ers a few years ago tried to pit Matt against Keith, as if there was some rivalry, which there is not. Both players respect each other's capabilities on a field of tournament blue or green. I've only met Matt a few times on the tournament trail, but each time, he was such a nice gentleman. Really nice guy! :)
 

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Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for acknowledging Keith. He was a child prodigy in pool, was literally thrown into it as a young boy when his father used to gamble with him for his allowance. Keith's mentors growing up were Jimmy Reid, Cole Dickson, and Larry Lisciotti.

When he started beating all of them in ring games on Big Bertha, a snooker table, the other players banned him from playing, stating he was not 18 yet. :grin-square:

Everybody has their favorite player, I guess. Of course, mine is Keith McCready.

I see Chris Bartram in the pic, blue hat, standing.

He hasn't aged a bit:confused:.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tell Matt that Keith says hi too. He loves Matt like a brother. Some AZB-ers a few years ago tried to pit Matt against Keith, as if there was some rivalry, which there is not. Both players respect each other's capabilities on a field of tournament blue or green. I've only met Matt a few times on the tournament trail, but each time, he was such a nice gentleman. Really nice guy! :)
He's doin great. He works at Shooters and his wife is a t.v. personality in KC. He still plays a few tournaments when they roll thru and he also plays some 3c on their badass Gabriels table. I let him know K. said hey.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Torbjörn Blomdahl seems to be naturally talented, he must have inherited it from his dad. ;)
What's interesting about T.B. is he also excelled at pool according to what i've read. He's run over 100 in 14.1 and according to Wiki has beaten Efren. Now THAT's some talent.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
AZ'r Danny ......................

Harriman could well be on the list. I remember when he first came to Tulsa for a BilliardPalce event. He was just out of high-school and played STRONG. He plays all games at a pretty stout level: 3c, 14.1, banks, you name it.
 

LAMas

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for acknowledging Keith. He was a child prodigy in pool, was literally thrown into it as a young boy when his father used to gamble with him for his allowance. Keith's mentors growing up were Jimmy Reid, Cole Dickson, and Larry Lisciotti.

When he started beating all of them in ring games on Big Bertha, a snooker table, the other players banned him from playing, stating he was not 18 yet. :grin-square:

Everybody has their favorite player, I guess. Of course, mine is Keith McCready.

He was so good that the gamblers would fly him out of LA to gamble when he was a teen...I heard.
Keith, Tadd and Parica made it real, inspiring and entertaining in LA back in the Hard Times haydays.:):thumbup:

Be well JAM and Keith.
 

Brags

Banned
He was so good that the gamblers would fly him out of LA to gamble when he was a teen...I heard.
Keith, Tadd and Parica made it real, inspiring and entertaining in LA back in the Hard Times haydays.:):thumbup:

Be well JAM and Keith.

He would have been even better if somebody fixed his fundamentals. i tried side arm...take it from me its ok but will lead to misses. Earl always beat Kieth anyway.
 

easy-e

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Must have never known him. Definitely one of the most naturally gifted players I've ever seen. Hardly ever practiced and became Junior National Champion. He'll always be one of the big "what if" guys in pool.

He's definitely a good player. Acted like a total piece of s#it the few times I was around him. No respect at all for that little turd.
 
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