Does anybody have or know where to get a copy of the last 5 or 6 racks of Earls 11 rack million dollar run? I remember reading that they taped the last few racks for insurance puposes.
Earls' Million
- Thread starter Poolhalljunkie
- Start date
Earl's big run
C.J. Wiley in Dallas has the tape.
Poolhalljunkie said:
C.J. Wiley in Dallas has the tape.
R
Roll-Off
Guest
Poolhalljunkie said:
Did the tape help in the insurance claim?
There's a thread about this, including the story as told by John McChesney, who ran the event where earl won the $$$. There is also info about who to contact to get the tape.
http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=3757&page=2&pp=15
http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=3757&page=2&pp=15
For Convenience, below I've pasted the best two posts from the thread linked to. The first is from Jay Helfert, (racker) and the other from the event organizer John McChesney:
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http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=3757&page=3&pp=15
Earl's ten racks : Jay Helferts
Hello Big John,
I was messing around on the net and got directed to this post. I'm only a year behind the times, which isn't so bad for me.
Just wanted to add my two cents to this story. Yes, Earl actually ran 11 racks. He was playing a match with Nick Mannino (a race to 15) and the match wasn't over after the ten racks.
He would not let me rack the balls for rack six. He pushed me away and said he would rack his own (as he had for the first five racks). I let him continue and he made the Nine on the break (an audience member told me that was his third Nine ball on the break in six games). I warned Earl that the prize might not be good if he didn't let me rack, so he reluctantly let me take over. In game seven the Nine went toward the corner but didn't drop. He eventually made it on a combo off the three or four.
I realized that Earl had figured out how to break on this particular table to get the Nine headed for the corner. I brushed the racking area with my hands (Earl didn't like this) to smooth it out. To the best of my recollection he never made the Nine on my racks, although a couple more got close to the corner. By the way these Gold Crowns were triple shimmed and nobody was running any racks up till now. I didn't believe there was any chance of someone running ten racks here.
In game ten (of this I'm certain) he left the Nine about a foot out from the corner, the One about 6-8 inches off the rail near the side pocket and the cue ball down near the corner (all on the same side of the table). He had made a ball on the break. Faced with a difficult shot at the One down the rail past the Nine or a combination, Earl studied the table for some time. He then got down and fired in this long, hard combination. It was an incredible shot, more so considering the circumstances. In hindsight I realize he hit it hard to maybe luck something in if he missed the combo.
After things calmed down, Earl had a match to win and to be safe I continued to rack. In the eleventh rack Earl broke and ran out perfectly.
By the way during the course of the five games I racked, Earl made two or three tremendous runouts, getting out by banking balls and playing great position.
I have been watching (and sometimes playing) great pool players for 40 years and what I have long said about Earl is that, without question, he is the greatest tournament 9-Ball player ever. In his prime years (during the 80's and 90's) Earl would consistently run Fours, Fives and Sixes during matches that were Races To Eleven. NOBODY ran racks like Earl, either before or since. He could be trailing in the match 7-3 and end it in two innings 11-7. He did this time and again to other top players. Nobody had a winning record against Earl...Nobody!
And when he was running out, it looked so effortless and smooth. Almost like he was practicing for his next match. His game has slipped (maybe 10-15%), but he is still capable of beating anyone on a given day. I believe the mental strain has had an effect on Earl. In his mind it has been Earl against the world for over twenty years.
A final footnote to the above story. After the match Earl sat at a small table next to the pool table where he had run the 11 racks and signed his own autographed pictures. He had a stack of his own pictures and generously gave them away to everyone in the line. There must have been over 100 people that waited in line for Earl and he didn't just sign his name. He wrote "To So and So" and added a line "The night I ran ten racks" to every one. I was and remain impressed by this display that went on for over two hours.
We returned to the hotel together in the shuttle after the tournament that night. I asked Earl what he was thinking before he shot that last combination. His response was "I just wanted to give it a legitimate chance".
Like everyone else, there have been times when I've loved Earl and other times when I disliked him. But one thing is for sure, I'm glad I got the chance to see him play and I will never forget Earl Strickland.
Jay Helfert
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasexpress
Once again ...
Earl ran 11 racks .. not .. 10 for the million.
He had to because he would not stop as required by the insurance company to allow for a neutral racker and video tape .. however .. when confronted by your's truly by standing at the table with the rack and cueball in hand, he finally realized that he must wait until Jay Helfert began racking for number 7,8,9,10 & 11 ( last 5 racks as required ) and the tape began. It all ended with rack #11 as the first shot after the break was a near impossible full length-table combination with the cueball at one end .. the one ball near the side and the nine ball near the far end pocket ..
For earlier questions:
Yes .. there is a tape .. email me directly and I will discuss with any and all interested parties .. CJ Wiley owns the tape and recently we spoke about making it available at a yet to be determined price. jm@texasexpress.com
>>
The Championship cloth was at least "as-fast" as 860 Simonis and yes it seems to last longer as I think the thread count is greater.
>>
The Dallas Million Dollar Challenge was the first stop on the newly created PCA Tour ( Professional Cuesports Association ) .. CJ Wiley was the founder and Earl was the President. It was created as an alternative to the PBTA or PBT run tour ( stolen ) by Don Mackey .. and CJ did beat Earl in that first event and Earl acted the ass on the Sunday night TV match and final .. but that's Earl.
John McChesney
Chairman
Texas Express
-------
http://www.azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=3757&page=3&pp=15
Earl's ten racks : Jay Helferts
Hello Big John,
I was messing around on the net and got directed to this post. I'm only a year behind the times, which isn't so bad for me.
Just wanted to add my two cents to this story. Yes, Earl actually ran 11 racks. He was playing a match with Nick Mannino (a race to 15) and the match wasn't over after the ten racks.
He would not let me rack the balls for rack six. He pushed me away and said he would rack his own (as he had for the first five racks). I let him continue and he made the Nine on the break (an audience member told me that was his third Nine ball on the break in six games). I warned Earl that the prize might not be good if he didn't let me rack, so he reluctantly let me take over. In game seven the Nine went toward the corner but didn't drop. He eventually made it on a combo off the three or four.
I realized that Earl had figured out how to break on this particular table to get the Nine headed for the corner. I brushed the racking area with my hands (Earl didn't like this) to smooth it out. To the best of my recollection he never made the Nine on my racks, although a couple more got close to the corner. By the way these Gold Crowns were triple shimmed and nobody was running any racks up till now. I didn't believe there was any chance of someone running ten racks here.
In game ten (of this I'm certain) he left the Nine about a foot out from the corner, the One about 6-8 inches off the rail near the side pocket and the cue ball down near the corner (all on the same side of the table). He had made a ball on the break. Faced with a difficult shot at the One down the rail past the Nine or a combination, Earl studied the table for some time. He then got down and fired in this long, hard combination. It was an incredible shot, more so considering the circumstances. In hindsight I realize he hit it hard to maybe luck something in if he missed the combo.
After things calmed down, Earl had a match to win and to be safe I continued to rack. In the eleventh rack Earl broke and ran out perfectly.
By the way during the course of the five games I racked, Earl made two or three tremendous runouts, getting out by banking balls and playing great position.
I have been watching (and sometimes playing) great pool players for 40 years and what I have long said about Earl is that, without question, he is the greatest tournament 9-Ball player ever. In his prime years (during the 80's and 90's) Earl would consistently run Fours, Fives and Sixes during matches that were Races To Eleven. NOBODY ran racks like Earl, either before or since. He could be trailing in the match 7-3 and end it in two innings 11-7. He did this time and again to other top players. Nobody had a winning record against Earl...Nobody!
And when he was running out, it looked so effortless and smooth. Almost like he was practicing for his next match. His game has slipped (maybe 10-15%), but he is still capable of beating anyone on a given day. I believe the mental strain has had an effect on Earl. In his mind it has been Earl against the world for over twenty years.
A final footnote to the above story. After the match Earl sat at a small table next to the pool table where he had run the 11 racks and signed his own autographed pictures. He had a stack of his own pictures and generously gave them away to everyone in the line. There must have been over 100 people that waited in line for Earl and he didn't just sign his name. He wrote "To So and So" and added a line "The night I ran ten racks" to every one. I was and remain impressed by this display that went on for over two hours.
We returned to the hotel together in the shuttle after the tournament that night. I asked Earl what he was thinking before he shot that last combination. His response was "I just wanted to give it a legitimate chance".
Like everyone else, there have been times when I've loved Earl and other times when I disliked him. But one thing is for sure, I'm glad I got the chance to see him play and I will never forget Earl Strickland.
Jay Helfert
Quote:
Originally Posted by texasexpress
Once again ...
Earl ran 11 racks .. not .. 10 for the million.
He had to because he would not stop as required by the insurance company to allow for a neutral racker and video tape .. however .. when confronted by your's truly by standing at the table with the rack and cueball in hand, he finally realized that he must wait until Jay Helfert began racking for number 7,8,9,10 & 11 ( last 5 racks as required ) and the tape began. It all ended with rack #11 as the first shot after the break was a near impossible full length-table combination with the cueball at one end .. the one ball near the side and the nine ball near the far end pocket ..
For earlier questions:
Yes .. there is a tape .. email me directly and I will discuss with any and all interested parties .. CJ Wiley owns the tape and recently we spoke about making it available at a yet to be determined price. jm@texasexpress.com
>>
The Championship cloth was at least "as-fast" as 860 Simonis and yes it seems to last longer as I think the thread count is greater.
>>
The Dallas Million Dollar Challenge was the first stop on the newly created PCA Tour ( Professional Cuesports Association ) .. CJ Wiley was the founder and Earl was the President. It was created as an alternative to the PBTA or PBT run tour ( stolen ) by Don Mackey .. and CJ did beat Earl in that first event and Earl acted the ass on the Sunday night TV match and final .. but that's Earl.
John McChesney
Chairman
Texas Express
Last edited:
i was told by a very, very reliable source that Earl had got to his table early, and did some "Tapping" of the balls. the insurance company found out, and this was part of the reason he didnt get the entire amount.
yes, a very reliable and respected source in the world of professional pool............
DCP
yes, a very reliable and respected source in the world of professional pool............
DCP
John addressed that in the thread linked to, but thought the accusation refered to making a groove to the pocket.DrCue'sProtege said:
He also said that the 9 went in different pockets and also went in when Jay racked, but Jay refuted that last part in the post above.
Earl did get 5 golden 9-balls from his own (6 racks) it seems. Some kind of engineering seemed to be involved.
I'm sure John wouldn't have wanted to admit any knowledge of inapproriate methods used, that could constitute insurance fraud. The whole subject is no doubt sensitive.
Me, I'm just a reporter...I know nothing...seen nothing
devils advocate
Is it really a run out, if there are other balls left on the table? Excluding the cueball. I was always under the impression that a run was pocketing all the object balls on the table.
Is it really a run out, if there are other balls left on the table? Excluding the cueball. I was always under the impression that a run was pocketing all the object balls on the table.
I was looking around for something else and found this. Interesting info on Earl's run.
I have only become familiar with Jay Helfert in the couple of 3 years i've been posting and reading the forums , i hung out a lot at CJ's for a year and a half or so and think i was there for this . They had some kind of award ceremony or acknowledgement of Willie Mosconi at 1 of the tournies held there , not sure if it was at the tourny where Earl ran 11 .
If my memory is right this took place on the 8 foot tables . Can't remember exactly how many 9 footers were there , 8 or 10 , and 12 or 14 8 footers . I do remember Earl playing a match late in the evening there with the place packed . They had stadium seating set up between the 8 footers and bar table rails.
If Jay remembers different maybe he can chime in , but i remember it was on the 8 footers .
Its out there somewhere ,i had seen it before.
I think it was 1996...in the fall. I was in Dallas doing college shows, and dropped by CJ's to watch some matches.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
You're golfing with Earl?
So, how'd the golfing go?