I had the pleasure and the honor to see Steve play in a straight pool tourney at Amsterdam Billiards in the early 90's. Mizerak was on the front table in a close and very tense match. Mizerak was in the mid 140's and his opponent was in the 130's, if I recall.
Mizerak makes a ball, but leaves himself tough. The crowd murmurs, and then goes silent. Mizerak gets down to shoot and you could hear a mouse tinkle. He takes a couple warm up strokes, and just as he's about to shoot some guy behind the bar starts up the blender!! Whiiiirrrrrrrrr! whiirrrrrrr!
Mizerak stops his warm up and stands up looking over at the bar with a half grin on his face, as if to say, "Hey, like this shot isn't tough enough as it is!" Everybody laughed.
I remember thinking at the time what great composure he had to gather himself, and to have a sense of humor at such a tight moment in the match. Needless to say, he got back down, made the shot, and ran out the game.
I'm very saddened to hear of Steve "The Miz" Mizerak's passing, and it has reminded me of just what a legend the man was.
Mizerak makes a ball, but leaves himself tough. The crowd murmurs, and then goes silent. Mizerak gets down to shoot and you could hear a mouse tinkle. He takes a couple warm up strokes, and just as he's about to shoot some guy behind the bar starts up the blender!! Whiiiirrrrrrrrr! whiirrrrrrr!
Mizerak stops his warm up and stands up looking over at the bar with a half grin on his face, as if to say, "Hey, like this shot isn't tough enough as it is!" Everybody laughed.
I remember thinking at the time what great composure he had to gather himself, and to have a sense of humor at such a tight moment in the match. Needless to say, he got back down, made the shot, and ran out the game.
I'm very saddened to hear of Steve "The Miz" Mizerak's passing, and it has reminded me of just what a legend the man was.