World Series Of Tavern Pool

mongoose- · Feb 6, 2009

I want to thank all of you for your responses. I always like to hear old war stories and stuff about the good ole days around this game.

From what I understand this tournament had a local qualifer then state and regionals & then to Vegas. The guy I knew qualified locally out a small pub here in Maine.. a real rinky dink backwoods place. I am assuming these qualifiers were held all across the country as 1600, 2000 entries there is an enormous feild. He told me he had finished 120th with 2000 players. I was thinking I have never seen anything like that with that many participants... maybe he was mistaken but aparently not after reading your replys.

I agree too bad something like that could not be brought back... that was a genious way of doing it using taverns & pool halls across the country with a small entry and a large payout at the end. And from what he has told me the format was a race to 5 best out of 3 races single elimination.

I would be willing to bet if something like that was done now it would get a great turnout again.

stick8 · Feb 6, 2009

memories

Yes i remimber the tourny, it was sponsered by miller beer. as i won in our little town, recived a trophy of 5ft tall had a little care and could barley fit it also won a mirror with logo on it , plus i still have cefericate of my win. was to go to atlant for more play but never happened. but good memories[8ball] STICK

Island Drive · Feb 6, 2009

ironman said:
I'm surprised this doesn't get mentioned more often. This was IMO, the most spectacular event I've ever seen,

The first year {I think} there were like 1600 players in the 9 ball event and over 2000 in the 8 ball.

John Shuput {Omaha John} won the 8 ball in grand fashion and seems it paid about $30,000 first place.

The 9-ball was won by Gary Pinkowski who was a pretty good player, but no champion by any means and seems it paid about the same.

There were 200 tournament tables and 50 practice tables. After 9 days, they all looked worn out and played like it.

I got back $800 in the 8 ball and like $2200 in the 9 ball. My expenses were $000. My airfare, entry fee, and room was all paid for. Plus, I won $25000 playing balckjack.

It was an amazing event and an amazing plan. Many things spoiled it which I don't think I'll get into.

I remember allot of players, a huge room, mugs and jackets (nice ones) to the players and I was moving along pretty well but ended up getting the flu for 4-5 days and of course lost my matches and ended up in the room too long. I had a cue maker that made a shaft for an old cue and it hit so bad & I was not in the best mood, I took it out back to the side of building and beat it into spliters, I actually felt a little better. From there I went to the room and got hooked up with this guy for $50 a set, then $100, then $300, then I broke a sweat, got well and ended up $3,700 better, his name slips me, but he's from the NW and has a very fancy style and was full of himself back then.

Rod · Feb 6, 2009

mongoose- said:
Rod if you could find that stuff and scan it in it would be much appreciated. My friend is in his late 50's now and unfortunatly has early early stages on Alzheimers. He has always held a special place in my heart as he was one the good players who took an interest in me when I was 13 and started playing. We have become great friends over the years and I wanted to get some memorabilia for him on this event. Thank you.

I looked this morning and found the chart from the first round draw. Also have tournament information sheet, 8 & 9 ball rules and a letter to the Finalist. There is a LV guide which shows the dates as June 1-9 1982. So I played in 82 not 83 LOL my memory isn't the greatest either. No photos but as other mentioned I had 2 mugs and a couple of tee-shirts. BTW it was the Lite Beer $200,000 World Series of Tavern Pool. Ben, I'll try to scan over the weekend for you and Oscar or anyone else that wants a copy.

Rod

mongoose- · Feb 6, 2009

Rod said:
I looked this morning and found the chart from the first round draw. Also have tournament information sheet, 8 & 9 ball rules and a letter to the Finalist. There is a LV guide which shows the dates as June 1-9 1982. So I played in 82 not 83 LOL my memory isn't the greatest either. No photos but as other mentioned I had 2 mugs and a couple of tee-shirts. BTW it was the Lite Beer $200,000 World Series of Tavern Pool. Ben, I'll try to scan over the weekend for you and Oscar or anyone else that wants a copy.

Rod

Thank you very much Rod.

Scott Lee · Feb 6, 2009

Hey Neil...I bet those 'lamps' heated up the metal edges (and corners) on the barboxes too...so much so you'd almost have to have a rag to put your bridge hand on, when you were on the rail! I remember a little local tourney once, where they set up the barboxes out on the sidewalk, in the middle of summer. The tops go SO hot, they would burn your hand, if you put it down on the rail for more than a few seconds! Ouch!

:thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Neil said:
They didn't have the equipment they have today. They set up a huge floodlight on each corner of the table. Those things were so bright, that if you looked up at all, you went blind for a few seconds. They also super-heated the table and dried it out. With brand new cloth on them, almost every ball would skid. Here we are in the regionals, and nobody could run a rack of 9 ball! They also had so many cables strung out, that you couldn't stand anywhere at the table without your feet being on one!

bomber · Feb 6, 2009

Hey guys...hadnt posted in what seems like a million years...so hello to everyone again who even remembers me! haha

I have an original tournament t shirt from this tournament. I found it on ebay in mint condition. I love the shirt. It is very 80ish!

Good posting again.

Bomber

Island Drive · Feb 6, 2009

bomber said:
Hey guys...hadnt posted in what seems like a million years...so hello to everyone again who even remembers me! haha

I have an original tournament t shirt from this tournament. I found it on ebay in mint condition. I love the shirt. It is very 80ish!

Good posting again.

Bomber

The jackets they had made for the event were very cool, tan if I remember correctly, not sure if every player got one, but they were well made, would go good with your shirt. :thumbup:

MexPoolPlyr · Feb 6, 2009

Pots and Pans still regularly wears that jacket. With a custom embroidery of "I need the Last Two, Scouts Honor" lol.

MexPoolPlyr · Feb 6, 2009

Thanks Rod. That would be greatly appreciated.

Tennesseejoe · Feb 6, 2009

The Miller Lite tournament was fantastic. The rules were clear, outstanding venue, a referee for each 3 tables, seating for spectators, and everything was first class. Caesars treated the players like they were the most important guests ever.

My first meeting of Keith McCready was at a bar in Caesars Palace. He walked in and threw some money on the bar and asked someone to count it. Seven or eight thousand. A guy next to me said he wuld never go so sleep until it was gone. The next morning it was, but he put on a show.

The only bad mark in the event was when Miller Lite had all 350 players lined up on an endless row of bleachers to take an old time panoramic photo. The photo was to be use the next year to promote the tournement in each participating tavern. After the photo was taken and the players started to walk away the photographer went ballistic. It seems that a player (George Middle.... something) was flipping the bird. Oh well, that's pool.

Just one more thing, Miller Lite payed every penny the players won. That was a great series of tournaments.

satman · Feb 6, 2009

They had 2

Island Drive said:
The jackets they had made for the event were very cool, tan if I remember correctly, not sure if every player got one, but they were well made, would go good with your shirt. :thumbup:

The jackets were white one year, and tan the next I believe. I was sorting thru old stuff I had boxed up in my storage, found my letters from them with instructions about the Regional. I have my mugs like the ones in the picture sitting in my living room.
Sport tournaments of America was the company in charge of things I believe.

cycopath · Feb 6, 2009

Tennesseejoe said:
It seems that a player (George Middle.... something) was flipping the bird.

George Middleditch?

jgpool · Feb 6, 2009

Much stuff!

satman said:
The jackets were white one year, and tan the next I believe. I was sorting thru old stuff I had boxed up in my storage, found my letters from them with instructions about the Regional. I have my mugs like the ones in the picture sitting in my living room.
Sport tournaments of America was the company in charge of things I believe.

I had tournament packets, mugs, certificates all over my home. I ran about 20-30 of the local qualifiers in 2 years. I never saw a jacket, what were they for? How did you get them?

JIMMY L · Feb 6, 2009

jgpool said:
I had tournament packets, mugs, certificates all over my home. I ran about 20-30 of the local qualifiers in 2 years. I never saw a jacket, what were they for? How did you get them?

The owner of Waldo's played in the tournaments. Here is his Jacket from the event.

Scott Lee · Feb 6, 2009

jgpool...IIRC, the jackets went to winners of the regional events...at least that's how I got mine. Pots & Pans (Bunny Rogoff) has one he used to wear ALL the time (when he's not in the Charlie Chaplin outfit), that has "Scout's Honor, I need the last two!" embroidered on the back! LMAO...

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

jgpool said:
I had tournament packets, mugs, certificates all over my home. I ran about 20-30 of the local qualifiers in 2 years. I never saw a jacket, what were they for? How did you get them?

mongoose- · Feb 6, 2009

Great responses

From the replies I would say someone needs to do this again. It's all poker now and their world series is going great. I just started playing in 83... missed all the fun.

ironman · Feb 7, 2009

mongoose- said:
From the replies I would say someone needs to do this again. It's all poker now and their world series is going great. I just started playing in 83... missed all the fun.

This was a freat idea and had tremendous turnnout all over the country.

If I remembe correctly the brain behind this whole thing was Larry Mueth. He was a hard working but very high Stress indiviual and wanted things to go perfectly.

I believe it was the 3rd year that they seperated the pros and the amatuers by deciding anyon who had ever played in an evnet with an entry of over $300, was a pro. The winner of the amatuer and the pro division were to play a final set of 9 ball for $5000.

Some guy form Wiscnsin won the amatuer and just as he and Dallas West were to play it was discovered he had played In Red's event down in Houston making him ineligible. They took hiss prize money, and declared the secnd place finisher the winner who was an older fellow from Ohio. Larry Mueth was just devastated by thiss and many many more were just sick at their stomachs. It cause quite a stir.

I believe that is the same year that Miller Lite fired Steve Mizerak for insulting the governors wife which is another story.

A lot of funny stories came from these tourneys though. There was plenty of action around. Kieth should remember a lot of them as he was quite active at these events.

Island Drive · Feb 7, 2009

MexPoolPlyr said:
Omaha John did win 30k and a sports car. Pops came in 2nd. He got 15k and won about 7k on the rail. We bought our first house with that money. Pops said Jerry Brunstetter and somebody else came in 3rd/4th. So that tournament is pretty special to our family.

Whats the Brun up too these days? Is he still in the motorhome??

TX Poolnut · Feb 7, 2009

Here's both sides of the 1985 beer stein. That looks like a McDermott emblem on the butt of the cue.

World Series Of Tavern Pool

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