pool's greatest might-have-beens

evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
looking at dr. dave's list GOAT candidate list, I couldn't help but think of ronnie alcano- maybe he doesn't make that cut,
but in his pomp, ronnie was an absolute beast on the baize- and has a few world championships to back up that statement.
I know he still plays, and so anything is still possible, but I wonder if he could have done better in pool, given his talent.

what do y'all think? any other ronnie fans? any other guys that could have made the GOAT list, were they to get a roll or so?
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Wow, hate to label anyone as an underachiever, but a couple of guys who were denied a more substantial career because they died young were Nick Vlahos of the Northeast and Tony Ellin of South Carolina. The more obscure but celebrated Boy Bikol, a Filipino superstar who influenced Efren Reyes, was murdered. Some say he played better than Efren. All three are "might-have-been" players.

A player from the late 1990's was denied his chance by a condition that ended his career. By the age of eighteen, he was already starting to be counted among the most elite. He was Michael Coltrain of North Carolina, a protege of Johnny Archer. He's a "might have been" along with others who had conditions or ailments that obstructed their careers as pro pool players.

Others may also have had the talent to have had greater success, but full-time jobs made it impossible for them to reach the very first tier of professional pool achievement. One such guy was Jack Colavita, a craftsman/machinist from New Jersey, once voted by his peers (on the PPPA tour in the early 1980's) as having the best stroke in the game despite the presence of guys like Mizerak, Rempe, Sigel, Varner and some others. Jack is, consequently, a "might have been" as are many others like him.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wow, hate to label anyone as an underachiever, but a couple of guys who were denied a more substantial career because they died young were Nick Vlahos of the Northeast and Tony Ellin of South Carolina. The more obscure but celebrated Boy Bikol, a Filipino superstar who influenced Efren Reyes, was murdered. Some say he played better than Efren. All three are "might-have-been" players.

A player from the late 1990's was denied his chance by a condition that ended his career. By the age of eighteen, he was already starting to be counted among the most elite. He was Michael Coltrain of North Carolina, a protege of Johnny Archer. He's a "might have been" along with others who had conditions or ailments that obstructed their careers as pro pool players.

Others may also have had the talent to have had greater success, but full-time jobs made it impossible for them to reach the very first tier of professional pool achievement. One such guy was Jack Colavita, a craftsman/machinist from New Jersey, once voted by his peers (on the PPPA tour in the early 1980's) as having the best stroke in the game despite the presence of guys like Mizerak, Rempe, Sigel, Varner and some others. Jack is, consequently, a might have been" as are many others like him.
Coltrane's story is kinda brutal. He was a monster and to have that "shakes"(focal task dystonia iirc)deal happen was cruel. I saw him play James Walden an epic match here in Tulsa in '96. James gave him the 8 playing 10ahead for 10dimes. Coltrane got to the hill three times but Walden came back to get the dough. MC could have easily gone on to be a world champion.
 
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deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
mark tad was on the brink of greatness
when he gave up the game for religious reasons

later i think it was gambling that he wanted to quit and
went on to play practice pool including a few tournaments
 

skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
what i think is that this will turn into another reminisce thread where old timers maunders on about the unverifiable prowess of some pooly mcpoolface from jerksville :eek:uttahere:

but ronnie we have all seen. might have been, i dunno. he did pretty good in a time where there was decent prize money. can't blame him for making other life choices when the well ran dry. he wasn't that young when he won the WC either, iirc
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Brendan Crockett died, with his brother, in a car crash.
He was just starting to spread his wings at 21 years old.
Mark Wilson thought he had ‘IT’

7B53669D-A219-4219-9AC7-C0654A8FB7B5.jpeg
 

Positively Ralf

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
watching a lot of the Seminole pro tour videos on youtube, there were a lot of young up and comers. Dustin Morris comes to mind and another kid from Baltimore who everyone raved about.
 

Z-Nole

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There was a guy in Tallahassee that died before I got there, I believe his name was Mike Carella, and everyone who saw him said he could have been a world champion. I think I have his name right, but I’m sure some old Florida cracker here can correct me if I’m wrong. Unfortunately he got into some stupid stuff and died too young. There was this old world champion snooker player who lived in tally that had plenty of stories of how well Carrela gambled. Especially at 9 ball.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Harold Worst died of brain cancer at 37. Maybe no one ever had a better chance of dominating in subsequent years.

Ronnie Allen's stories about Harold are pretty convincing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c05AHZrvbU0&t=783s

True, but Worst missed the list because it only pertains to 1970-present. He is widely regarded as having a place in the conversation of GOAT if all eras of the game of included.

As you note, his death at a young age denied him the chance to be even greater, but as others have noted previously on this forum, Lassiter may have been the best all-around player during Worst's prime, but not if three cushion billiards is included in the mix, in which case Worst must be counted above Lassiter.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Before there was Jose Parica and Efren Reyes, there was Boy Bicol.
Efren said Boy Bicol would make that cue ball land where he wanted all the time.
Unfortunately, Boy Bicol was murdered .
 

mark187

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tony Drago started playing pool late in his mid 30's, and then all but gave it up after a few successful years to concentrate on snooker. He won the pool masters, and Predator 10 ball and MVP'd Mosconi Cup. Could have done alot if he hadn't been so focused on having an average snooker career.
 

JoeyInCali

Maker of Joey Bautista Cues
Silver Member
Yup, I mentioned him in post #2 of this thread. A perfect example.

Oops.

Another one that sticks out on my mind is that female player in one of The Monk's videos.
She was a project of Tim Miller. She was going to be the next Allison Fisher.
Then she just quit one day. Got married and quit.
 

rikdee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There was a guy in Tallahassee that died before I got there, I believe his name was Mike Carella, and everyone who saw him said he could have been a world champion. I think I have his name right, but I’m sure some old Florida cracker here can correct me if I’m wrong. Unfortunately he got into some stupid stuff and died too young. There was this old world champion snooker player who lived in tally that had plenty of stories of how well Carrela gambled. Especially at 9 ball.


Watched him play a number of times at Joe Farhat's Velvet Rail in Lansing Michigan during the late 70s. Could run big packages at 9 ball or run a hundred in straight pool at the drop of a hat. Very solid stance and stroke and babied nothing; he was a treat to watch. I believe his last name was spelled Carella. I still have a photo of him, in full playing stance ready to fire, in a copy of the then National Billiard News that accompanied a terse obituary.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Oops.

Another one that sticks out on my mind is that female player in one of The Monk's videos.
She was a project of Tim Miller. She was going to be the next Allison Fisher.
Then she just quit one day. Got married and quit.

Can't imagine who you mean. Since 1995, when Allison Fisher first appeared on the American pool scene, no American player has ever looked like they could possibly be the next Allison Fisher.
 

Runner

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I’d second the mention of Mark Tadd.. so much
natural talent. Nobody wanted any of him when
he was at his peak. Quit playing way too soon..
just seemed to lose interest, like it was too easy?

$.02
 
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