Players you miss

I'm interpreting this question as pertaining to living players only, otherwise my list would be very long.

Kid Delicious, John Kucharo, Bobby Pickle and Sylver Ochoa were players I enjoyed watching who I rarely, if ever, see in the major events anymore.

I don't think Chris Bartram plays at all anymore

sjm said:

I'm interpreting this question as pertaining to living players only, otherwise my list would be very long.

Kid Delicious, John Kucharo, Bobby Pickle and Sylver Ochoa were players I enjoyed watching who I rarely, if ever, see in the major events anymore.

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I miss Kucharo, Michael Coltrain and Sylver as well. I miss all the old veterans like Varner, Sigel, Hopkins, Hall, Rempe, Davenport, Swanee, David Howard, Danny Medina, Tony Ellin, Jimmy Fusco and a whole lot more. More recently, two more of my favorites were Morro Paez and my buddy/partner Tang Hoa. Marcus Chamat and Santos Sambajon Jr. were two more of my favs. So many great Pinoy players came through this way before the current crew; Gabica, Luat, Manalo, Andam, Lining. I really miss the glory days of Ronnie, Cole and Keith. What a threesome that was!

jay helfert said:

I miss Kucharo, Michael Coltrain and Sylver as well. I miss all the old veterans like Varner, Sigel, Hopkins, Hall, Rempe, Davenport, Swanee, David Howard, Danny Medina, Tony Ellin, Jimmy Fusco and a whole lot more. More recently, two more of my favorites were Morro Paez and my buddy/partner Tang Hoa. Marcus Chamat and Santos Sambajon Jr. were two more of my favs. So many great Pinoy players came through this way before the current crew; Gabica, Luat, Manalo, Andam, Lining. I really miss the glory days of Ronnie, Cole and Keith. What a threesome that was!

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Jay, u mentioned Ronnie
Do you mean Alcano ?
If yes, mind sharing some exciting stories.
Arguably one of the smoothest and talented cueist pool has ever witnessed , effortless or smooth as butter is what I wld describe him moving whitey around.

Such a shame he wasted his talent and went downhill after his 2world titles.
More infamously known for dumping and his sexual lawsuit .
Still one of my favourite players !
Efren once said Ronnie’s kicking ability is not second to himself.
One of the rare Filipinos who cld withstand the pressure of gambling with the Taiwanese, once smoked little genie Kuo po Cheng 11-2 gambling during the 2006 world championships in Manila.

Cezar Morales said:

Jay, u mentioned Ronnie
Do you mean Alcano ?
If yes, mind sharing some exciting stories.
Arguably one of the smoothest and talented cueist pool has ever witnessed , effortless or smooth as butter is what I wld describe him moving whitey around.

Such a shame he wasted his talent and went downhill after his 2world titles.
More infamously known for dumping and his sexual lawsuit .
Still one of my favourite players !
Efren once said Ronnie’s kicking ability is not second to himself.
One of the rare Filipinos who cld withstand the pressure of gambling with the Taiwanese, once smoked little genie Kuo po Cheng 11-2 gambling during the 2006 world championships in Manila.

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Ronnie Allen. Not Alcano.
Ronnie was a hell of a one-pocket player.

I miss Efren's A-Game.
There wasn't anyone more fun to watch than Efren back in the early and mid 90's.

I miss Coltrain too b/c I loved watching his stroke.
Same with Davenport and Buddy Hall.

I miss watching Morro at Hard Times as well.

sjm said:

I'm interpreting this question as pertaining to living players only, otherwise my list would be very long.

Kid Delicious, John Kucharo, Bobby Pickle and Sylver Ochoa were players I enjoyed watching who I rarely, if ever, see in the major events anymore.

Click to expand...

Stu, I saw Kid Delicious this past evening(Friday night). He was giving a lesson at the pool hall that I went too for a new scotch doubles league I'm playing in. Think Danny is up there 2-3 times a week as I know he runs s the weekly 9 ball tourney there on Tuesdays.

Didn't chat with him too long as I wasn't going to chat or bother him during the lesson because I didn't think it was right to do while someone was paying for his time. When he was done with his lesson he came up to me and chatted for a few minutes before his better half kept hounding him to start heading home. I'm assuming I'll see him on a few more Friday's as I believe he is the "house pro" there.

In my decree, Sylver is definitely one I missed the most. Still, a whole lot of "pool fans" slept on Troy Frank, Thomas Engert, Ortmann, Jesse Engel, Ismael Paez, Ernesto Dominguez, Fong Pang Chao, Yang Ching-Shun, Larry Nevel, Shawn Putnam, etc. (and I can try to think of more, but those are the ones that pop off my head).

As far as whoever mentioned that they missed the 1990s Efren Reyes, well, let me debunk as to why this version "died": When Corey Deuel came into the scene and broke into the mold of soft breaking and "scientifically" tried to make the game easier (let's not forget Strickland's constant amount of complaining on "how the game should be played"), it created even more followers to do the same (flight or fight) and started "calculating" the game to the point that you see today. +

This is why pool is "dead":
- Shorter pockets
- Deeper shelves (if that is so)
- Narrower cut-angled pockets
- Making rules more "challenging"
- No more kick shots or exciting bank shots
- Stoic billiard players (unlike McCreedy or Fats; Strickland is the other side of the spectrum that ruins pocket billiards)

So, there ya have it.

Scratch85 said:

This may be an odd tribute to strong players that we hear little about lately but the Dechaine thread got me thinking. Who are strong players that you miss?

I am a fan of the “Smooth Criminal” Chris Bartram. I could watch him step in the box anytime. Hard core competitor. But seems to have stepped away from the game in the last few years.

Not sure he has necessarily stepped away but don’t hear much about Joey Gray. Also a strong player that I always enjoyed watching.

Who are some of the strong players that may not have made it to the top that you miss seeing?


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IIRC J. Gray is working for a roofing company in the OKC area. He's kind of a weekend-warrior these days. Silver O. still plays a tad down Houston way but he's doin' the dad/family thing now.

My Fav =
Larry Nevel
One of the best strokes in the game.

Ochoa, Daulton, Nevel, Coltrain. As for the ladies, how 'bout Tiffany Nelson.

Tony Watson and CJ. Although CJ still plays he only 70% of his old self.

Scratch85 said:

One on the women’s side that comes to mind is Brittany Bryant.



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Kim Shaw, Jennifer Chen, Christina de la Garza, Samm Diep, Julie Kelly, Megan Smith, Eva Lawrence, Liz Ford, Sarah Rousey, Sarah Ellerby, Anna Kostanian, Yu Ram Cha, Miyuki Sakai... damn... I can still name maybe 3 or 4!

garczar said:

IIRC J. Gray is working for a roofing company in the OKC area. He's kind of a weekend-warrior these days. Silver O. still plays a tad down Houston way but he's doin' the dad/family thing now.

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I accompanied my son to two consecutive BCA junior nationals in the early 2000s. Both those years were stacked with numerous awesome young players - Shane McMinn, Sylver Ochoa, Joey Gray, Justin Bergman, Justin Hall, and the late Tyler Straun - who won the event both years we were there. I'm curious just how good Tyler would have become if he hadn't been taken from us at such a young age. There's no question he had the talent that could have made him one of the very best.

ChrisinNC said:

I accompanied my son to two consecutive BCA junior nationals in the early 2000s. Both those years were stacked with numerous awesome young players - Shane McMinn, Sylver Ochoa, Joey Gray, Justin Bergman, Justin Hall, and the late Tyler Straun - who won the event both years we were there. I'm curious just how good Tyler would have become if he hadn't been taken from us at such a young age. There's no question he had the talent that could have made him one of the very best.

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Chan Witt, another great young player gone too soon.

Dick Lane

A tremendous straight pool player and very good friend.
He has probably run over 100 more than anyone.For a
long time he practiced 12 hrs a day 7 days a week. He
finished second in the U,S.open to Jennings. He played
this guy at Click's a pool room in Dallas !50 no count
to 150,the guy was not helpless and was capable of
running 30 to 35 balls.Dick beat him that way and then
adjusted the game to where Dick had to run 150 no count
TWICE, and still won. For a short time he worked at
Billiard and Bar Stools,they sold Tables and stuff, they
had a table on display with one corner against a corner
of the wall,.I watched Dick run 124 with that corner and
part of the side where you couldn't even get to. His right
hand shock really bad,(like Varner only much,much worse)
I used to play him at His Condo, and all he had to sit on
were those little three leg bar stools with the seat the size
of a pancake,hard as a rock. You sit there while he runs
8 million balls, pure torture. He has become very Religious
now and does not play at all. I wish him the best and hope
that he is happy I miss him every day.
jack
If you are reading this I know it looks goofy. I don't know
what makes it look like that after I enter it. Is there away to fix it,
I know it is hard to read.I asked Deanco, he said he thought
I was doing it on purpose, but liked it,and was thinking about
starting to do his the same way.

Never mind

I think it looks that way when I look it on my phone, but no one else's
looks that way.
jack