Who is "Super Stroke"?? From the 90's....

MahnaMahna

MahnaMahna

Beefcake. BEEFCAKE!!
Silver Member
So I have the Accu-Stats video of Jimmy Mataya vs. Steve Mizerak at the Rack-Em-Up Classic #5 9ball tournament from 1992. During the match you see a guy sitting in the first row watching the match.

I first got this video and a couple more about 3 or 4 years ago, and heard one of the announcers (Incardona I think) call the guy "Super Stroke".

I did some research, and the only "Super Stroke" I could find was Bruce Christopher, who I think is a completely different guy.

I am attaching a picture I took of my TV when it shows him sitting there (he is wearing the sunglasses). Sorry for the quality, but I think those who will know who this is will not need a great photo.

Is he a player? Backer? Sweator?

Thanks n advance for your help!

-MahnaMahna
 

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Pushout

Pushout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
According to some, IIRC, a wannabe. As in the best player ever born. Never heard anything good about him. Recently saw a book by him at the local library, may be a reprint. Bruce Christopher is who I'm referring to.
 
Jadssons

Jadssons

Rehab is for Quitters
Silver Member
i think he was more of a showman than player. he was challenged by some players and would not play.
 
Poolplaya9

Poolplaya9

Tellin' it like it is...
Silver Member
If I recall correctly, this is the same guy that had full page advertisements in some pool magazines back in the early 90's offering to play anybody on earth a set for one million dollars. I think I remember hearing that he had a requirement that the money be escrowed by the challenger or something like that so it pretty much guarenteed that nobody would be able to take him up on it.
 
D

Danny Kuykendal

Danny K
Silver Member
Here's one for you. I was working at Nordstrom's (in Brea, CA) selling shoes in 1979 when a fellow salesman came up to me and said that there was a professional pool player doing an exhibition at his church in La Mirada that evening. I said I would attend.

Bruce was the guy. They had a 7 ft bar table set up in this big hall, with a lot of parisherners standing around. He asked if someone wanted to play, and of course I offered.

Right away he could see I was better than average, and stated, "this man can play".

Well, I run out to the eight ball and it's about 6 inches from the corner pocket and the cue is near the opposite corner, and I call the 8 in the corner, but play it five rails, and make it to a thunderous applause.

Looking back, maybe I should have just made the ball and won the game, but I guess I was trying to show off, and meanwhile upstaged him a little.

Bruce was a very good showman, but I guess did not enter a lot of tournaments and really test his skills.
 
U

UrackmIcrackm

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The guy in the picture is not "Bruce Christopher". My memory isn't what it used to be but if I remember correctly, the "Superstroke" in the photo is named "Steve". He used to live in the Dallas area and could be found hanging around CJ's pool room. I recall seeing him carry around a little notepad at a few tournaments and if I'm not mistaken, he was a small time bookie making lines on the matches. I recall him talking about the lines on a few matches in his notepad but I can't remember for sure if he was making them or betting on them.

The only two people that post on here that I can think of that could confirm if my memory is serving me correctly or not, would be Mr. Incardona or possibly Grady. They're the only two guys playing on the tour during that time frame that I'm aware of that post here. Are they willing to confirm or not, I don't know. They're from the "old school" pool world where some things aren't talked about to the masses, but reserved for those that need to know. :cool:
 
U

UrackmIcrackm

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
MahnaMahna said:
Is he a player? Backer? Sweator?

Thanks n advance for your help!

-MahnaMahna
Click to expand...

I think he mostly made sweat bets and did some backing on a small scale. Again, my memory isn't being very kind to me right now but I seem to recall him being a "B" player at best. He had a son that was in his late teens back during that time & the son had a decent game. Super Stroke was a harmless, nerdy guy that thought he was more hip than he actually was.

He loved the game, got excited about big action, and was friendly with quite a few of the players in the early 90's. I'm not sure where he's at these days. I've moved around quite a bit and haven't seen him in about 15 yrs.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
UrackmIcrackm said:
The guy in the picture is not "Bruce Christopher". My memory isn't what it used to be but if I remember correctly, the "Superstroke" in the photo is named "Steve". He used to live in the Dallas area and could be found hanging around CJ's pool room. I recall seeing him carry around a little notepad at a few tournaments and if I'm not mistaken, he was a small time bookie making lines on the matches. I recall him talking about the lines on a few matches in his notepad but I can't remember for sure if he was making them or betting on them.

The only two people that post on here that I can think of that could confirm if my memory is serving me correctly or not, would be Mr. Incardona or possibly Grady. They're the only two guys playing on the tour during that time frame that I'm aware of that post here. Are they willing to confirm or not, I don't know. They're from the "old school" pool world where some things aren't talked about to the masses, but reserved for those that need to know. :cool:
Click to expand...

Bingo! That guy is not Bruce Christopher. Bruce is a blonde who would be near 60 years old now. He was around way back in the 70's and promoted himself as "Superstroke". He claimed to be a great player and actually got himself on TV with Fats once. He was a C player who was all hype and had no play. A "pool imposter" we used to call guys like him. More of a con man than a pool player. He saw what Fats was able to accomplish and he tried to do the same thing. He did manage to get some publicity in the pool media 25-30+ years ago. That's about it. Unlike Fats who was the real deal, a lifetime pool hustler who knew everyone, and really gambled for high stakes.

Bruce was a phony all the way. In the early 90's, he did come out and challenge anyone to play for a million dollars. He DIDN'T say he was going to win, just play them for a million. Do you see the con he had planned? Now I'll tell you some things you don't know and very few people do. Bruce was one of the best "short change" artists alive (and probably still is). That's how he made his living all these years. He would resurface from time to time around poolrooms and let everyone know Superstroke was in town, but he would NEVER play anyone who could play. That would have been way too risky.

He has been in trouble with the law more than once, and for all I know, could be in jail today. Superstroke was one of the most inept pool con man of all time. Trudough reminded me of him when he started making claims of running 200 balls. Another egocentric liar.
 
deadwhak

deadwhak

whatcha lookin' at???
Silver Member
UrackmIcrackm said:
The guy in the picture is not "Bruce Christopher". My memory isn't what it used to be but if I remember correctly, the "Superstroke" in the photo is named "Steve". He used to live in the Dallas area and could be found hanging around CJ's pool room. I recall seeing him carry around a little notepad at a few tournaments and if I'm not mistaken, he was a small time bookie making lines on the matches. I recall him talking about the lines on a few matches in his notepad but I can't remember for sure if he was making them or betting on them.

The only two people that post on here that I can think of that could confirm if my memory is serving me correctly or not, would be Mr. Incardona or possibly Grady. They're the only two guys playing on the tour during that time frame that I'm aware of that post here. Are they willing to confirm or not, I don't know. They're from the "old school" pool world where some things aren't talked about to the masses, but reserved for those that need to know. :cool:
Click to expand...

this is who i thought it was also...i knew him and he did play, not very good but he did play and like to gamble!! he did luv them sports to if i remember correctly

UrackmIcrackm said:
He had a son that was in his late teens back during that time & the son had a decent game. Super Stroke was a harmless, nerdy guy that thought he was more hip than he actually was.
Click to expand...

LMFAO!!!! and u are totally correct about his son...to this day he ows me $$$ from beating him playing HORSE on the basketball court!!!
 
Pushout

Pushout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
Bingo! That guy is not Bruce Christopher. Bruce is a blonde who would be near 60 years old now. He was around way back in the 70's and promoted himself as "Superstroke". He claimed to be a great player and actually got himself on TV with Fats once. He was a C player who was all hype and had no play. A "pool imposter" we used to call guys like him. More of a con man than a pool player. He saw what Fats was able to accomplish and he tried to do the same thing. He did manage to get some publicity in the pool media 25-30+ years ago. That's about it. Unlike Fats who was the real deal, a lifetime pool hustler who knew everyone, and really gambled for high stakes.

Bruce was a phony all the way. In the early 90's, he did come out and challenge anyone to play for a million dollars. He DIDN'T say he was going to win, just play them for a million. Do you see the con he had planned? Now I'll tell you some things you don't know and very few people do. Bruce was one of the best "short change" artists alive (and probably still is). That's how he made his living all these years. He would resurface from time to time around poolrooms and let everyone know Superstroke was in town, but he would NEVER play anyone who could play. That would have been way too risky.

He has been in trouble with the law more than once, and for all I know, could be in jail today. Superstroke was one of the most inept pool con man of all time. Trudough reminded me of him when he started making claims of running 200 balls. Another egocentric liar.
Click to expand...

Thanks, Jay! I was pretty sure I had seen you mention him before.
 
I

ironman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
jay helfert said:
That's Bruce, a very smooth talker. HE COULDN'T MAKE A BALL IN THE OCEAN!
Click to expand...

He set up a booth and did an exhibiton at the Denver Livestock Show in Denver way back when. He was promoting a cue that wighed like 30 ounces or something like that. I picked it up and it felt more like a war club.

The TV crew was there and listening to his line of crap when he offered to play Buddy on Tv for some amount. I was in the crowd and asked when this would happen and said I would like to bet $5000 on Buddy in this match. The TV guy came over and asked who I was and I responded with, "Buddy Hall". Bruces eyes got about as big as a Frisbee.
 
Craig

Craig

Custom Cue-Repair
Silver Member
alot of people would swim a river of shit to play this crack head..........
 
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