Giving Back To The Game

Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
So many players have made names for themselves in this game. Some locally, some regionally, some nationally, some internationally. And, yes, there are many many more players who played like h*ll but no one's ever heard of, whether by design or by happenstance. But how many people made names for themselves, not by playing ( even though a lot of them could flat out play ), but by what they gave back to the game? Or gave back and were never known for it? I can think of a few who were definitely known. Grady Mathews is one, although he was probably better-known for his play then for what he gave back. But he gave a whole h*ll of a lot back. Joe Burns and Billy Incardona are two others I can think of. And some others. Anyone else anybody can think of? I'm sure there's a bunch. Both known and unknown. But I know this. The game is better off for their efforts. And every one of us benefited from it in some way, shape or form.
 
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Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
Wow... 25 people have read this and not one of you knows anyone who's given back? Pretty sad...
 
pt109

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
How about our own Bob Jewett?...the guy who knocked Shane out in a 14.1 tournament.
 
C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Michael Andros said:
Wow... 25 people have read this and not one of you knows anyone who's given back? Pretty sad...
Click to expand...
Tom Rossman and Tom Riccobene are two that immediately come to mind to me, in regards to their decades of efforts to promote junior pool programs!
 
R

RiverCity

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There are a lot of people on the periphery of the game that give back.

Players wise, the list gets shorter it seems. :sorry:

A few that come to mind

Mark Wilson
Steve Mizerak
Tony Robles
 
Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
ChrisinNC said:
Tom Rossman and Tom Riccobene are two that immediately come to mind to me, in regards to their decades of efforts to promote junior pool programs!
Click to expand...

Not familiar with either but good for them and good for all the kids they've helped get started.
 
Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
RiverCity said:
There are a lot of people on the periphery of the game that give back.

Players wise, the list gets shorter it seems. :sorry:

A few that come to mind

Mark Wilson
Steve Mizerak
Tony Robles
Click to expand...

Mizerak promoted the game beyond almost anyone else except maybe Fattie. I suppose you could thank Miller Lite for that but still...
 
C

crazysnake

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Stu Mattana, Dennis Walsh, Bill Maropolous, Freddy Bentivegna, Dr. Dave, George Fels, Alan Hopkins, Daniel Busch and his team at POV Pool

Sent from my Moto Z2 Play using Tapatalk
 
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Stew boo

Stew boo

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
love the qoute from Fat Randy, but he should probably lose some weight before he tries that out
 
A

AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
pt109 said:
... Bob Jewett?...the guy who knocked Shane out in a 14.1 tournament.
Click to expand...

Well, ... not exactly. Bob beat Shane 125-81 in a round-robin, group-stage match in the 2016 U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship. Both of them made it through to the single-elimination stage. Shane finished 2nd (to Orcollo); Bob 5th/8th.
 
GoldCrown

GoldCrown

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Tom Wirth. His primary interest is to keep OnePocket alive. His instructional materials, uTube/face book are a give back for love of the game. He should be in the OnePocket HOF for his contributions.
 
S

Seth C.

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Michael Andros said:
So many players have made names for themselves in this game. Some locally, some regionally, some nationally, some internationally. And, yes, there are many many more players who played like h*ll but no one's ever heard of, whether by design or by happenstance. But how many people made names for themselves, not by playing ( even though a lot of them could flat out play ), but by what they gave back to the game? Or gave back and were never known for it? I can think of a few who were definitely known. Grady Mathews is one, although he was probably better-known for his play then for what he gave back. But he gave a whole h*ll of a lot back. Joe Burns and Billy Incardona are two others I can think of. And some others. Anyone else anybody can think of? I'm sure there's a bunch. Both known and unknown. But I know this. The game is better off for their efforts. And every one of us benefited from it in some way, shape or form.
Click to expand...

Dr. Dave and Bob Jewett have already been mentioned, and rightly so. They constantly help those who are seeking information about the sport and how to improve.

I happen to think there are layers of helpful players - at all levels. For example, in my case, having reconnected with pool after many years away from it, and wanting to improve, I got a lot of help from AZB’s Dan White about stroke mechanics. He didn’t know me. He gave back simply because he was generous and wanted to share what he had learned the hard way. Bob Maidhof of Drexeline has been extremely helpful to me, because, I think, he recognizes that I am a sponge for information and am prepared to work at what he suggests. And heck, I find that any number of guys who just happen to be “regulars” in any true pool room will share with, and help out, lesser players who want to learn and ask questions. That spirit is one of the reason I like pool.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Shannon Daulton has given back and is an enduring credit to our game.
 
J

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Some have tried go give back, in fact, have given it their all, but the mainstream pool public is a tough bunch to please.

Sometimes you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.

Worthy of mention is Phil Capelle. He provides a lot of data and updates on Facebook every single week, and I'm not sure he gets any credit that he is very deserving of.
 
D

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i must confess the game has been good to me,I have had fun met many great
players and even won a dollar or two. I can not remember ever giving anything
to the game or even thinking about it

When i think of people who have tirelessly worked to support pool or pool players

two people stand out above the rest to me. Mark Girffen and Dennis Glenn

Mark has been a tireless worker to support or create a good pool tour.
I have seen him spend his time and money only to be hampered at many
times,even rejected for his efforts

Giving back is a funny concept. When Mark was in Alaska at the Billiard Palace I remember
him paying old timers like Ronnie and Grady among others to come and enjoy themselves
while earning money

Dennis collected hundreds of cues to commemorate the memory of a once great
, He dreamed of a museum and a billiard Hall of fame where scmuks like me could hold
in our hands the cues Mosconi ran 526 balls with,to see Mosconis autograph on it and to dream
To hold the cue that jersey Red and Wimpy and St Louie Louie once performed miracles
of a sort with

Someday even the exploits of the great Efren could fade away,but for what Dennis has set
aside with the hope to share in his dream museum


What you may not know is how he visited and supported some of the old timers who
were dying and sick toward the end. Last time we talked he sounded sad because
Eddie Kelly was sick and old. Who was there visiting? Dennis was there for him.
I remember how Dennis loved and cared for Jersey Red as he aged and finally passed away in
Houston

What I am glad is that no one has been singled out for not giving back.. Who really knows
how, who has the opportunity.?and for that matter who knows what secret contributions
a fella might make that the rest of us never know.
 
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Michael Andros

Michael Andros

tiny balls, GIANT pockets
Silver Member
deanoc said:
i must confess the game has been good to me,I have had fun met many great
players and even won a dollar or two. I can not remember ever giving anything
to the game or even thinking about it

When i think of people who have tirelessly worked to support pool or pool players

two people stand out above the rest to me. Mark Girffen and Dennis Glenn

Mark has been a tireless worker to support or create a good pool tour.
I have seen him spend his time and money only to be hampered at many
times,even rejected for his efforts

Giving back is a funny concept. When Mark was in Alaska at the Billiard Palace I remember
him paying old timers like Ronnie and Grady among others to come and enjoy themselves
while earning money

Dennis collected hundreds of cues to commemorate the memory of a once great
, He dreamed of a museum and a billiard Hall of fame where scmuks like me could hold
in our hands the cues Mosconi ran 526 balls with,to see Mosconis autograph on it and to dream
To hold the cue that jersey Red and Wimpy and St Louie Louie once performed miracles
of a sort with

Someday even the exploits of the great Efren could fade away,but for what Dennis has set
aside with the hope to share in his dream museum


What you may not know is how he visited and supported some of the old timers who
were dying and sick toward the end. Last time we talked he sounded sad because
Eddie Kelly was sick and old. Who was there visiting? Dennis was there for him.
I remember how Dennis loved and cared for Jersey Red as he aged and finally passed away in
Houston

What I am glad is that no one has been singled out for not giving back.. Who really knows
how, who has the opportunity.?and for that matter who knows what secret contributions
a fella might make that the rest of us never know.
Click to expand...


Many people do "good deeds" and then make sure everyone knows about them. In the business world, it's called "Public Relations". The real measure of a person's character is exactly what you just said, Dean. How much they might have done, and for how many people, that no one will ever know about. And that was the intent of this thread, to help shine a bit of light on the content of that character. As Jam pointed out, the pool world, generally speaking, is a "tough room", as comedians say. Lots of cynicism, world-weariness and distrust of human nature. Yet, in the midst of all that, there are those who truly make an effort to give something back. And yeah, many or most don't or didn't give a flying freak if their name ever ended up in a thread like this on a site like this or they got thanked in any other way. They do it or did it because that is their nature and reflects the level of the love they have/had for this crazy, beautiful game. And, again, we are all better off for their efforts. Thankfully, many of us appreciate that.
 
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