1988 PBA Brunswick World Open 9-Ball Semi Finals: McCready v. Strickland

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'm always in a learning mode when it comes to pool jargon. I had to do a Google search to learn the difference between a semifinal and a quarterfinal.

The last YouTube video I uploaded was Keith v. Efren in a quarterfinal, and this match, Keith v. Earl, is a semifinal.

A semifinal match is one of two matches, the winner of which will go to the finals; and a quarterfinal is four matches, two of which will go to the semifinals.

As well, Merriam-Webster's dictionary, the reference dictionary of my choice, says "semifinal" and "quarterfinal" are one word, not two words and not hyphenated. :eek:

In doing research for this tournament, I believe I may have had the date wrong on the Keith v. Efren match, which I posted up previously. According to Earl's Wiki page, he won the 1988 PBA Brunswick World Open, which I think that is what this is. So I changed the date on YouTube for that video. :eek:

In this semifinals match, I noticed they were using what I think is the blue-dot cueball. I remember when Keith and I first met, he claimed he liked the blue-dot cueball better than the red-dot cueball. Of course, in 2003, then they came out with the polka-dotted cueball. Keith was the first one to shoot with it in a formal competition when he and Buddy Hall were put on the TV table at the 2003 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship. :grin-square:

Steve Mizerak and Barry Tompkins again are commentating in this match. Steve continues to wonder why the players are breaking from the side from time to time, instead of dead center, and shares a little breaking strategy.

In this match, Earl talks to himself, and Keith talks to the crowd. :winknudge:

The winner of this match plays Buddy Hall or Mike Sigel in the finals. :wink:

I don't know how long it will take YouTube to make it public, but here's the link ---> Keith v. Earl. :)
 
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TX Poolnut

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
nfl or pool... nfl or pool..... hmmmmm....

nfl on tv, pool on tablet..

BOTH!!!!!!! :smile:
 

boogeyman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I saw Keith and his road player buddy come into a pool room in Phoenix in 1991. Periodically the Earthquake would run into the bathroom to get his "fix." It's a shame how many drugs this guy took. In my opinion, he wasted his opportunities. He could have done a lot more for the GAME.

Yes, he was fun to watch and despite his talking and antics, he knew when to shut up when the time called for it. He wasn't a crybaby nor a jerk.
 

pooladdiction

shut up and rack em
Silver Member
Watched both matches. Thank you very much for the upload Jam. It would be fun to see Keith and Earl match up again for old times sake although I don't know how much Keith plays anymore
 

Perk

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks so much for the uploads of the matches. Loved watching this one. You can tell the equipment plays a lot slower. The commentary was amazing IMO...with all the live streamers going on now, they could learn alot by watching this video.....
 

oldzilla

Accu-Stats Messenger
Silver Member
Looks like thanks has already been said, but thanks again.

I knew when I became aware of your great effort

you are on track to make many players and fans very very happy.

Bee's have royal jelly, but we got the JAM !!!


ps. JAM, I'll have to go through my own tv recorded VHS tapes soon.

If I find some Keith matches I'll let you know.

:groucho:
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I saw Keith and his road player buddy come into a pool room in Phoenix in 1991. Periodically the Earthquake would run into the bathroom to get his "fix." It's a shame how many drugs this guy took. In my opinion, he wasted his opportunities. He could have done a lot more for the GAME.

Yes, he was fun to watch and despite his talking and antics, he knew when to shut up when the time called for it. He wasn't a crybaby nor a jerk.

Keith and I both grew up in an era when it was an "accepted societal norm" by a majority of the baby-boomers to alter one's state of mind at will. With some, it led to substance abuse; and with others, life's responsibilities made it impossible for them to continue down that path. Sadly, a few folks ended up dead or in prison.

FWIW, Keith wasn't the only one engaged in this lifestyle, Some of today's BCA Hall of Famers not only had to depend on substancs to play pool, but some of them, believe it or not, still do so today. You would be surprised, I guess.

It is like alcoholism. You have your social drinkers and your maintenance drinkers. Some alcoholics go to work, take care of their families, and get by, even though they cannot function without alcohol beginning their day. Most substance abuse today stems from prescription pills.

Regardless of what path any of us take, it's not for me to judge another unless I walked in his shoes. It's easy to judge a person from afar, but we are all members of God's human family, capable of mistakes in life. Keith was dealt some curve-balls as a child, and the only way he knew how to get by cam from his peers in the pool room. Those were his mentors; pool was his life. He had quite an untraditional upbringing.

If you were to ask Keith today if he had any regrets, you might be surprised at his reply. One thing I know for sure, while he was looking at heights beyond our gaze in the world of pool, he had a spirit that could soar with a freedom unconquerable. And nobody can ever take that away from him. :smile:
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Looks like thanks has already been said, but thanks again.

I knew when I became aware of your great effort

you are on track to make many players and fans very very happy.

Bee's have royal jelly, but we got the JAM !!!


ps. JAM, I'll have to go through my own tv recorded VHS tapes soon.

If I find some Keith matches I'll let you know.

:groucho:

Oh, man, that would be the cat's meow if you found some vintage Keith. :happydance::happydance::happydance:
 
Thanks Jam

Great video. Wouldn't let me give you rep.

During the whole match I wanted to scream out to Keith, "adjust your cumberbund", lol.
 

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks for posting these old matches. I really appreciate it.

Keith and Earl both played subpar in that match. Must have been the nerves. I think those slow playing tables were more of a challenge as well
 

westcoast

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Watched both matches. Thank you very much for the upload Jam. It would be fun to see Keith and Earl match up again for old times sake although I don't know how much Keith plays anymore

Would be interesting if Keith still plays consistently. If not, he would be annihilated by Earl. Earl has been playing very well recently. Sometimes I think he is still as good as he ever was, with the exception of his break.
 

peteypooldude

I see Edges
Silver Member
I saw Keith and his road player buddy come into a pool room in Phoenix in 1991. Periodically the Earthquake would run into the bathroom to get his "fix." It's a shame how many drugs this guy took. In my opinion, he wasted his opportunities. He could have done a lot more for the GAME.

Yes, he was fun to watch and despite his talking and antics, he knew when to shut up when the time called for it. He wasn't a crybaby nor a jerk.

That's a hell of a thanks, are we to assume you never done anything wrong .
I doubt that... You just don't have some a$$hole pointing your mistakes out
 

Zbotiman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
apologist?

Keith and I both grew up in an era when it was an "accepted societal norm" by a majority of the baby-boomers to alter one's state of mind at will. With some, it led to substance abuse; and with others, life's responsibilities made it impossible for them to continue down that path. Sadly, a few folks ended up dead or in prison.

FWIW, Keith wasn't the only one engaged in this lifestyle, Some of today's BCA Hall of Famers not only had to depend on substancs to play pool, but some of them, believe it or not, still do so today. You would be surprised, I guess.

It is like alcoholism. You have your social drinkers and your maintenance drinkers. Some alcoholics go to work, take care of their families, and get by, even though they cannot function without alcohol beginning their day. Most substance abuse today stems from prescription pills.

Regardless of what path any of us take, it's not for me to judge another unless I walked in his shoes. It's easy to judge a person from afar, but we are all members of God's human family, capable of mistakes in life. Keith was dealt some curve-balls as a child, and the only way he knew how to get by cam from his peers in the pool room. Those were his mentors; pool was his life. He had quite an untraditional upbringing.

If you were to ask Keith today if he had any regrets, you might be surprised at his reply. One thing I know for sure, while he was looking at heights beyond our gaze in the world of pool, he had a spirit that could soar with a freedom unconquerable. And nobody can ever take that away from him. :smile:


"WOW, when I woke-up today, I never dreamed I'd be reading someone's social commentary on the 70's, [(from inside the poolroom) no less] here on AZ. "JAM, your an excellent apologist!!!" Keith (in retirement) can rest easy, as his PR, is handled by a PRO.

I'd like to add something myself, in regards to all the recent scuttlebutt, here on AZ, speculating whether this player or that, would have had the better of Keith McCready in his prime.
I was at the "Clyde Childress memorial tournament" when Keith beat Earl in the finals. He shot the same reverse (side rail to adjacent side rail) kick, to defeat Earl in the finals at the Childress, that was latter captured on tape (by ACCU-STATS) that immortalized Efren, FOREVER, as the magician! [Efren played that same shot to defeat Earl (sometime in the very early nineties) in the finals sat at Sands, in Las Vegas]. My thought is, "what "crown of words" accurately describe Keith's A-typical play back then?"
He deserves a lot of respect as a great player from that era!!!

By the way, he beat up on Matlock there, too! [As I recall, that wasn't that big deal to anyone who was in attendance there, (and that would include Paul Turner and his backer at the time].:rolleyes:
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
"WOW, when I woke-up today, I never dreamed I'd be reading someone's social commentary on the 70's, [(from inside the poolroom) no less] here on AZ. "JAM, your an excellent apologist!!!" Keith (in retirement) can rest easy, as his PR, is handled by a PRO.

I'd like to add something myself, in regards to all the recent scuttlebutt, here on AZ, speculating whether this player or that, would have had the better of Keith McCready in his prime.
I was at the "Clyde Childress memorial tournament" when Keith beat Earl in the finals. He shot the same reverse (side rail to adjacent side rail) kick, to defeat Earl in the finals at the Childress, that was latter captured on tape (by ACCU-STATS) that immortalized Efren, FOREVER, as the magician! [Efren played that same shot to defeat Earl (sometime in the very early nineties) in the finals sat at Sands, in Las Vegas]. My thought is, "what "crown of words" accurately describe Keith's A-typical play back then?"
He deserves a lot of respect as a great player from that era!!!

By the way, he beat up on Matlock there, too! [As I recall, that wasn't that big deal to anyone who was in attendance there, (and that would include Paul Turner and his backer at the time].:rolleyes:

What match I want to get is one that occurred sometime in South Carolina. Steve Mizerak spoke about this tournament when he was commentating the match. He said he was playing Keith, and Keith made a tremendous shot against Steve that brought the house down. Steve said it rattled him, and that the whole house was pulling for Keith.

I asked Keith about it, and he remembered it vividly. I'm always amazed at how pool players can remember shots from 30-plus years ago with minute detail. :grin-square:

The tournament was two out of three race-to-7 matches. Keith said all three of the race-to-7 matches against Steve Mizerak went to the double hill, and that both players put on an exhibition of fine pool in this event. It was filmed by Accu-Stats. :)

I am still trying to locate the match of Keith v. Earl at the Joss Tour Season Finale in Rochester, NY. I think it was in 2002. Somebody filmed it. It was the finals, and it went to the double hill. It was a nail-biter. Keith was breaking, and he only needed to run out the last game for the almighty win. He broke, made 3 balls, and the cueball whipped into the side pocket for a scratch, giving Earl ball in hand. Earl ran the table for the win. It only hurt for a little bit. :p

Interestingly, when Earl played Keith, the two players actually looked like they were having fun. There was friendly banter throughout the match. Even Earl was smiling throughout. It's a good video, if only I can find it. When I do, I will post it up. :)
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was at the "Clyde Childress memorial tournament" when Keith beat Earl in the finals. He shot the same reverse (side rail to adjacent side rail) kick, to defeat Earl in the finals at the Childress, that was latter captured on tape (by ACCU-STATS) that immortalized Efren, FOREVER, as the magician! [Efren played that same shot to defeat Earl (sometime in the very early nineties) in the finals sat at Sands, in Las Vegas]. My thought is, "what "crown of words" accurately describe Keith's A-typical play back then?"
He deserves a lot of respect as a great player from that era!!!

That Clyde Childress Memorial tournament that Keith defeated Earl was on St. Patrick's Day. The year before, Earl won it.

Here is a picture of the year before from Porter and Haines ---> PICTURE

I think that photo was from the Clyde Childress Memorial tournament that Earl won, the previous year.

Bill Porter mentioned to me that because of Keith's antics and behavior, he and Haines did not take many photos of Keith McCready.

I may be a good PR person and apologist for Keith, but I am well aware that he was the Stu Ungar of the pool world in his earlier life. There was a love-hate relationship that some had with Keith. The pool purists despised him; the action enthusiasts loved him. Because of this friction, his presence usually generated a lot of "attention," for lack of a better word. :eek:

Bill Porter made a memorial YouTube about Clyde Childress, who was his friend. For those who haven't seen it, it's very nice ---> In Memory of Clyde Childress

There is a cute article about the Clyde Childress tournament with Keith v. Earl in the finals in the December 2005 InsidePOOL issue on page 14 ----> Mind Games
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Steve Mizerak and Barry Tompkins again are commentating in this match. Steve continues to wonder why the players are breaking from the side from time to time, instead of dead center, and shares a little breaking strategy.

Thanks again for the videos!

One of the things I did not like much about the Mizerak instructional video (at least the one I have, he probably had a few) was that he basically said "the break is just luck, hit it hard and hope something goes in". With all the study done recently, that is shown to be false, and I'm guessing there were players back then in the 80s and 90s that also had some more scientific rack strategies.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great video. Wouldn't let me give you rep.

During the whole match I wanted to scream out to Keith, "adjust your cumberbund", lol.

You just gave away the best part of the match, seeing Keith in a cumberbund!

Only thing that would be more shocking would be if he was drinking wine instead of a beer during a match.
 
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