Sentimentality & age.....or accomplishments?
No I cannot do it. There will be plenty of time for Shannon to be inducted. Buddy Hall, Ike Runnells, SJD, all deserve it as much as Shannon. Give the HOF to the men that have been playing for many decades. He is still in his prime and there will be a time for his induction. I do not want the spot that should go to a deserving older player that people don't know anymore to a young player that has many years ahead of him.
Hi Bill!
I'm ging to re-post here what I replied to you at OnePocket.org so others can see both sides of this debate.
*******************************************************
Scrzbill,
I respect your opinion to vote however & for whoever.
I would, however, like to ask you just one question.....Is induction into a H.O.F. based on sentimentality & age, or, should it be based on accomplishments?
Based upon accomplishments, SD is by far the most credentialed 1 pocket champion still on the outside of the H.O.F.
Buddy is one of my all-time favorite champions, but he has far more accomplishments in 9 ball than he does in 1P. He's a great one pocket player, no doubt about it. But Shannon has won more championships and he's done it at a younger age, than anybody.
I hate it every year that he comes up, he's overlooked because he's "too young" or not at death's door.
I've lobbied for Shannon Daulton for several years now and what held him back before was Steve wanted at least 20 years in pooldom before being placed on the ballot.
My thinking has been that Shannon, who was born in 1972 and started playing pool at age 5, has more than 20+ years "in service" at pool. His father Gerald was staking him in money matches for $300.00 a game by the time he was 11. (Turning 39 on April 5, this means Shannons now has 28 years of gambling and tournament seasoning to his credentials.)
At 19, he won the 1992 Legends of One Pocket, beating the likes of Steve Mizerak, Gary Spaeth and Bugs Rucker on his way to the championship.
Besides winning several other major championships in both 1 pocket and banks, Shannon also has 2 Derby City Classic 9 Ball Championships as well as being the 2001 Derby City Classic All-Around Champion.
And while still being one of America's best all-around and most elite players, Shannon (and Marge) also started and run their own tour....
http://www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com/. Very few players have the willingness to work that hard to keep a successful tour running. Shannon is setting a great example to his fellow pros that it CAN be done.
I feel that Shannon Daulton has EARNED a rightful place along side the other great pool champions and should be enshrined into the One Pocket AND Banks H.O.F.'s.
*******************************************************
That being said, everybody can vote for whoever they prefer. After Daulton is inducted some day, I'll next be lobbying hard for Buddy Hall.
