So is there footage of the famous 1990's Challenge of Champions dumping scandal?

CreeDo

Fargo Rating 597
Silver Member
Seeing this recent post made me wonder...

I'd originally thought the alleged match fixing happened in the 88 US Open, but apparently it was this other event.

Is there footage from this event? Accustats, youtube, whatever? I'd be curious to see if this is as blatant as it sounds.

It also seems worth mentioning... this guy was supposed to be a massive underdog, and supposedly could not have won without 'help' from the other top players in the event. But apparently he won TWO major events?

Maybe Spanish Mike is underrated.
 

SUPERSTAR

I am Keyser Söze
Silver Member
Make no doubt about it.
Spanish Mike could PLAY.

As for the dumping on video.
It's out there.
I have it on DVD.
Think it was ESPN that ran it.

And yes, the dumping was obvious.
 

FreeShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah, I have heard that Strickland story before, but I've never seen the footage of that Hall/Lebron match. I would like to see it.
 

Celtic

AZB's own 8-ball jihadist
Silver Member
As for the dumping on video.
It's out there.
I have it on DVD.
Think it was ESPN that ran it.

And yes, the dumping was obvious.

Can you put that on youtube? It is a famous event in pool history that really changed the course this sport might have taken given the casino interest at that time to sponser and promote the sport and allow betting on the matches.
 

FreeShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Details please

As I heard the story, one year the Challenge of Champions participants agreed to split the prize money and have Mike Lebron win it as he was the biggest dog to win. Strickland refused to participate saying he would only play to win and wouldn't dump or split.

As to the actual match, another poster was saying how Hall missed two easy 8-ball shot to give Lebron the match. I've never seen the footage, but have heard that Strickland story.
 

peteypooldude

I see Edges
Silver Member
Can you put that on youtube? It is a famous event in pool history that really changed the course this sport might have taken given the casino interest at that time to sponser and promote the sport and allow betting on the matches.

That probably did screw things up for pool.
Hope their proud of theirselves
 

huckster

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
They are lucky they did not end up in prison I know they have put college basketball players in prison for profiting from a fix
 

LHP5

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Isn't this one of those taboo subjects we're not supposed to talk about in the pool world? :wink:
 

eddie0776

Bishop Cues
Silver Member
All of us that have been around the pool halls for any length of time know of someone "throwing someone in the river"
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
1991 at the Mirage Hotel. It was the first Challenge of Champions and I was the TD and ref for all the matches. Yes, the finals between Buddy and Mike looked a little funny at times, but there was nothing I could do except watch and wonder about it. Everyone knew Mike went off at 20-1. I had told some people that it was a bad line for a player like Mike in a short race format like this. I knew anyone could win it, they were all great players. Afterward I found out that seven of the eight players had made a deal.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
I'm pretty sure this infamous dump occurred at the 1991 Challenge of Champions played in Las Vegas.
 

Kid Dynomite

Dennis (Michael) Wilson
Silver Member
Funny how 7 people can kill an entire sport for generations to come!

KD

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2
 

iusedtoberich

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Its absolute nonsence that these players at this event killed the sport.

If there was no dump then, and the Vegas bookies were happy and would have continued to book pool events... Eventually nearly every pro would have been dumping the Vegas book. Players will dump their backer for a $500 score. You guys really think there was EVER a chance of not dumping some Vegas bookies the pros didnt even personally know? Really???
 
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