Jackie Gleason
Who is the Person that has influenced your Pool Life the most?
- Thread starter 336Robin
- Start date
If I had to narrow it down to one...
My friend Devin, in Waco, Tx. When I moved there, I though I was a pretty decent player. Then he started kicking my ass on a regular basis and taught me there were many levels above the plateau I had reached in the sport of billiards. He made me want to be a much better player. And, eventually, I was.
My friend Devin, in Waco, Tx. When I moved there, I though I was a pretty decent player. Then he started kicking my ass on a regular basis and taught me there were many levels above the plateau I had reached in the sport of billiards. He made me want to be a much better player. And, eventually, I was.
I had to sit back and think about this one for a bit...there are a lot of names that pop into my head of good players that shared tidbits of knowledge and helpful hints. Collectively they have had a huge influence in my game but over all I think I can narrow it down to 4 people that really molded me...
First and foremost my best friend Rick...met him about 18-19 years ago at Crown Billiards in Clearfield Ut.. I had been playing about a year and thought I was hot sh*t...Rick came in and was playing on the table next to me...he would stop and watch me shoot a couple shots as if he was sizing me up...so I started sizing him up. Next thing I know we were playing for a buck a rack. I just knew I was going to win...this sucker was going down! Well I lost my soda money and went home broke...Ran into him again a short time later and lost to him again! I didn't like this guy beating me and taking my money! In fact I didn't like that guy at all! A fire was lit and I was on a mission to beat Rick! He became a rabbit that it took me a loooong time to be able to run even with! Seemed like no matter how good I was playing I got edged out. Eventually we started shooting together a lot and continued to push each other to get better...Haven't seen Rick in since 2005 but we still size each other up when we talk on the phone...one day we'll have to find out who the rabbit is these days.
"Old Timers" Eddie and Ernie....Couple of grumpy old guys that used to come in the hall around noon. they had a routine....they would come in and play a race to 50 points (14.1) for the pool time for the day and then go join the golf game on the snooker table...it was fun to listen to them talk about the "good old days". Anyways these two guys taught me 14.1 and maybe more important than that they taught me pool etiquette...they weren't the nicest about it...like I said "grumpy old men"...but once I knew how to behave to their standards in the pool room and gained their respect as a human being they became a fountain of knowledge!
Last but not least my good friend Jeremy (RIP)...When I got stationed in upstate New York (2007-2010) there was one total dive pool room in Watertown called pounders pool hall...4 GC's in not so great condition, kind of tight quarters between the tables and nearly never any players...the pool scene seemed nonexistent until I met Jeremy. He was a much better shooter than me but would give me weight and play cheap sets...after a while we started hanging out and he showed me the pool hot spots in the area (either had to drive an hour to Syracuse or an hour and a half to Utica)...He became my new rabbit to chase and kept me motivated to improve...we went all over the north eastern United States together...played in a few stops on the joss tour, went out to PA for some tournaments...got to check out some cool pool rooms and gained a ton of experience shooting with that guy!
First and foremost my best friend Rick...met him about 18-19 years ago at Crown Billiards in Clearfield Ut.. I had been playing about a year and thought I was hot sh*t...Rick came in and was playing on the table next to me...he would stop and watch me shoot a couple shots as if he was sizing me up...so I started sizing him up. Next thing I know we were playing for a buck a rack. I just knew I was going to win...this sucker was going down! Well I lost my soda money and went home broke...Ran into him again a short time later and lost to him again! I didn't like this guy beating me and taking my money! In fact I didn't like that guy at all! A fire was lit and I was on a mission to beat Rick! He became a rabbit that it took me a loooong time to be able to run even with! Seemed like no matter how good I was playing I got edged out. Eventually we started shooting together a lot and continued to push each other to get better...Haven't seen Rick in since 2005 but we still size each other up when we talk on the phone...one day we'll have to find out who the rabbit is these days.
"Old Timers" Eddie and Ernie....Couple of grumpy old guys that used to come in the hall around noon. they had a routine....they would come in and play a race to 50 points (14.1) for the pool time for the day and then go join the golf game on the snooker table...it was fun to listen to them talk about the "good old days". Anyways these two guys taught me 14.1 and maybe more important than that they taught me pool etiquette...they weren't the nicest about it...like I said "grumpy old men"...but once I knew how to behave to their standards in the pool room and gained their respect as a human being they became a fountain of knowledge!
Last but not least my good friend Jeremy (RIP)...When I got stationed in upstate New York (2007-2010) there was one total dive pool room in Watertown called pounders pool hall...4 GC's in not so great condition, kind of tight quarters between the tables and nearly never any players...the pool scene seemed nonexistent until I met Jeremy. He was a much better shooter than me but would give me weight and play cheap sets...after a while we started hanging out and he showed me the pool hot spots in the area (either had to drive an hour to Syracuse or an hour and a half to Utica)...He became my new rabbit to chase and kept me motivated to improve...we went all over the north eastern United States together...played in a few stops on the joss tour, went out to PA for some tournaments...got to check out some cool pool rooms and gained a ton of experience shooting with that guy!
Id like to thank me, myself and I.
One of my faves!
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Earlier, I made reference to a nonfictional person as an influence.
The real person who would have effected me the most, in my early days of pool play, was a fellow named John Lamar.
I was fifteen when I first walked into a pool room. It was there I met John.
He was five, maybe six years older than I was and unlike me was out in the world and living on his own. Like your mentors he taught me shots, and kept me out of trouble at the pool hall.
But, it wasn't pool that has etched John so deeply into my memory.
When I was nineteen I had joined the Navy and was about to leave for two years of active duty aboard ship.
John wanted to give me a proper send off so made arrangements for a young lady to have me come over for a bon voyage party (if you know what I mean, and I think that you do).
Early the next morning I was dry-heaving into a bag aboard an old DC-3 headed for St. Louis to make a connection to the Naval base at Norfolk.
Sadly, I don't think I ever got a chance to thank him. He was gone by the time I got back home but now, I suppose, is as good a time as ever.
Thank you, John. RIP.
The real person who would have effected me the most, in my early days of pool play, was a fellow named John Lamar.
I was fifteen when I first walked into a pool room. It was there I met John.
He was five, maybe six years older than I was and unlike me was out in the world and living on his own. Like your mentors he taught me shots, and kept me out of trouble at the pool hall.
But, it wasn't pool that has etched John so deeply into my memory.
When I was nineteen I had joined the Navy and was about to leave for two years of active duty aboard ship.
John wanted to give me a proper send off so made arrangements for a young lady to have me come over for a bon voyage party (if you know what I mean, and I think that you do).
Early the next morning I was dry-heaving into a bag aboard an old DC-3 headed for St. Louis to make a connection to the Naval base at Norfolk.
Sadly, I don't think I ever got a chance to thank him. He was gone by the time I got back home but now, I suppose, is as good a time as ever.
Thank you, John. RIP.
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I'm of the age (44) that Tom Cruise was certainly the most inspiring person I've seen. That movie got me (and I know many others) into the game at all. If it wasn't for that movie I personally never would have picked up the game in any kind of serious manner.
After being inspired to play it has always been Robert Byrne's books that taught me everything I ever needed to know about how the game works, and how you can make the game bend to your will...
After being inspired to play it has always been Robert Byrne's books that taught me everything I ever needed to know about how the game works, and how you can make the game bend to your will...
I loved pool long before I ever found out that people did it for a living, or wrote books, or made videos on how to play. I was twelve the first time my Stepdad walked me into a bar and decided to show me how to shoot pool...one bank of an eight ball for the win against some old bar regular for 5 bucks and I was forever in love. Though I have shot pool with the man only three or four times in the intervening 30 years I will never forget that moment that he introduced me to a pool cue.
I have to agree with Doug, Burnie focus on keeping it simple. Using center english and was a master of ethics with pool.
The person who gave me the best advice and seasoned my game was Mike Johnson. He had beat Vernon with 7 ball for a spot up in the mountains of Tn. I was told Bill Johnson lost nearly 19 thousand dollars. I spent 3 weeks on the road, I came back a much better seasoned player. Mike taught me that playing good 9 ball was having good rhythm, a dance if you will. We never lost a match, but on match did leave us nearly broke playing an unknown from up North. Mike got his rhythm and won our money back playing the best 9 ball I ever seen. 4x8 grandy table.
Memories of the 80's.
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PoolChump
Banned
People who have influenced me in my pool playing life
Keith McCready inspired me to not stroke the cue side armed.
Earl Strickland influenced me to not blame the rolls, the crowd, an opponent, and certainly the cue manufacturer's cue for poor playing.
Rodney Morris pushed me to never give up like he did after getting out of prison.
Mike Sigel drove me to silence when shooting.
Johnny Archer proved to me that the hardest break isn't always the best break.
Strickland and Sigel shaped me to never let my emotions control my actions.
Keith McCready inspired me to not stroke the cue side armed.
Earl Strickland influenced me to not blame the rolls, the crowd, an opponent, and certainly the cue manufacturer's cue for poor playing.
Rodney Morris pushed me to never give up like he did after getting out of prison.
Mike Sigel drove me to silence when shooting.
Johnny Archer proved to me that the hardest break isn't always the best break.
Strickland and Sigel shaped me to never let my emotions control my actions.
GoldenFlash
Banned
Danny Jones and Ralph Guest from Atlanta. and Stan Shuffett the CTE man.
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