Buddy Hall, followed by Danny Harriman and Darrin Everett. All of them world beaters.
I will tell this story but is an old one.
Danny Harriman was a strong player and Kim Davenport came into town to play an exhibition and maybe privately gamble with Danny (I guess, I don't know). This was in Springfield, MO, and EVERYONE was there to support Danny.
During the exhibition, Kim was super, funny and generally a great ambassador for pool. He really made pool look professional and classy.
He finally asked if anyone from the crowd would like to play a challenge game or two, and again I was just a newbie to pool, but a youngster stepped up from the crowd....(We all knew him) He was about 12 or 13, and Kim let him break. Well the youngster, broke and ran out. Kim racked them again, and I think he broke and ran out again. The crowd began to giggle, and Kim was making faces, rolling his eyes, and giving Danny Harriman some good hearted jabs and asked, "Is everybody in Springfield, Missouri a freakin champion?" The place went wild and everyone was having an laugh at Kim's expense. (Including Kim)
For those who know him, that youngster was Andy Quinn. He played as good, IMO, as Landon Shuffett, and Skyler Woodward, at the same age.
That day made me a Kim Davenport fan. What a great ambassador for pool.
Ken