Greatest One Pocket Player Of All Time
"No one ever taught me anything, I learned by playing five hundred a game". --Ronnie Allen
http://www.onepocket.org/RonnieAllenInterview.htm
Hi all Jimmy Reid here, Ronnie and I traveled together in the 90's a few times for a couple of weeks each time.
After a few years of playing one pocket I was competing on a level with everyone else in the world by 1972 with one true life, faster than a speeding bullet excepton, Ronnie Allen.
During one pocket events I would always whenever possible stand near Jack (Jersey Red) Breit, I recall a group of us standing near the bleachers in Johnston City about 1970, Danny Jones, Joey Spaeth, Red and I would discuss the incoming players' best move. I think Ronnie's opponent was Eddie Burton.
We all had agreed on the right shot the first few innings at the table for both players. Then after we all agreed on Ronnie's best move for his next shot. Ronnie did something none of us saw coming, rearranged all the balls and left Eddie in jail, a powerful move that I guarantee you if they did think of it no one but Ronnie could've executed it to perfection as he'd just done.
The very large, likable, flamboyant and as knowledgeable a one pocket player as anyone in the world, Jersey Red looked at me in shock and laughed. Then Red turned his hand sideways, he talked with his hands, and said "Ronnie Allen is the greatest one pocket player of all time with plastic balls"
In this day and age that sounds crazy all the balls are plastic. 15 years earlier the majority of pool rooms still used clay balls.
Ronnie Allen and I were members of a mutual admiration society, I love Ronnie and I know what he's saying right now, look at all the suckers running around worried about death. No R.I.P. from me, congratulations on your transition Ronnie we'll all miss you here but I hope to catch you later on the flip side.
"Thank God I lived during a time the likes of which will never be seen again. Then to have the shooting star of the most charismatic player ever,
Ronnie ' fast Eddie ' Allen put an exclamation point on those times was truly a blessing."
Jimmy Reid