43 years of Playing Pool

Tom In Cincy

Tom In Cincy

AKA SactownTom
Silver Member
And I still keep enjoying the competion and seeing the balls roll on the table.

I've seen some very young players wining matches when they were trying to make to the big time.

19 year old Johnny Archer (Lexington All Stars and Columbus OH)
18 year old Shannon Daulton (Lexington All Stars and DCC)
20 year old Earl Strickland (Memphis, Lextington All Stars, US Open)
19 year old Cory Deuel (early Viking tour stops in Columbus and Cincinnati)
19 year old Troy Franks (early Viking tour stops in Columbus and Cincinnati)
19 year old Joey Gebron (Sacramento and Reno)
21 year old Amar Kang (Sacramento and Reno)
20 year old Tony Chohan (Sacramento and Reno and IPT)

And recently,
16 or 17 year old Chuck Holyoke (Reno)
15 just recently Austin Murphy (Sacramento and Reno and IPT
10 year old Landon Shuffet (saw him entertain and play at the DCC and US Open)

Plus, I saw Buddy Hall when he was roughly 190 lbs and had a STROKE that was to DIE for.
Steve Mizerk also had the STROKE that was to die for.

But these young GUNS are a pleasure to see grow up and mature at the table and become the Professiona players I know they will be.

I really like this game.
 
Nice post, Tom. Watching emerging talent is always a treat, and it never gets old.

I recall watching Dennis Hatch at 18, Earl Strickland at 19, Jean Balukas at 12, and many other great young talents. Still, for me, the most memorable of all of them was the 19 year old Allen Hopkins, who hit them awfully well even then.

There's also something to be said for watching old, re-emerging talent. I recall being absolutely electrified watching Joe Balsis, who was just a few months short of 60 years old, make his great run all the way to the final of the 1980 World Open 14.1 event. He lost to a still emerging young gun that was in the process of winning his very first world title ---- Mike Sigel.

On a final note, I think Mizerak had, by far, the best stroke of any player I ever watched.
 
advice

Tom In Cincy said:
And I still keep enjoying the competion and seeing the balls roll on the table.

I've seen some very young players wining matches when they were trying to make to the big time.

19 year old Johnny Archer (Lexington All Stars and Columbus OH)
18 year old Shannon Daulton (Lexington All Stars and DCC)
20 year old Earl Strickland (Memphis, Lextington All Stars, US Open)
19 year old Cory Deuel (early Viking tour stops in Columbus and Cincinnati)
19 year old Troy Franks (early Viking tour stops in Columbus and Cincinnati)
19 year old Joey Gebron (Sacramento and Reno)
21 year old Amar Kang (Sacramento and Reno)
20 year old Tony Chohan (Sacramento and Reno and IPT)

And recently,
16 or 17 year old Chuck Holyoke (Reno)
15 just recently Austin Murphy (Sacramento and Reno and IPT
10 year old Landon Shuffet (saw him entertain and play at the DCC and US Open)

Plus, I saw Buddy Hall when he was roughly 190 lbs and had a STROKE that was to DIE for.
Steve Mizerk also had the STROKE that was to die for.

But these young GUNS are a pleasure to see grow up and mature at the table and become the Professiona players I know they will be.

I really like this game.
Click to expand...

Reflecting upon your 43 years, what is your most important advice?
 
sjm said:
Nice post, Tom. Watching emerging talent is always a treat, and it never gets old.

I recall watching Dennis Hatch at 18, Earl Strickland at 19, Jean Balukas at 12, and many other great young talents. Still, for me, the most memorable of all of them was the 19 year old Allen Hopkins, who hit them awfully well even then.

There's also something to be said for watching old, re-emerging talent. I recall being absolutely electrified watching Joe Balsis, who was just a few months short of 60 years old, make his great run all the way to the final of the 1980 World Open 14.1 event. He lost to a still emerging young gun that was in the process of winning his very first world title ---- Mike Sigel.

On a final note, I think Mizerak had, by far, the best stroke of any player I ever watched.
Click to expand...

Nice post here. Joe played in the early Caesar's Tahoe tourneys also in 1982 and 83. He made good showings and went deep in the money (top 12 and top 16). It took a Hopkins, Mizerak or Margo to beat him even then. And this was 9-Ball, not his favorite game.

Mizerak did have the most powerful (Conrbread second here) and best stroke of all time! Marvin Henderson had the prettiest (and sweetest) stroke with Ed Kelly a close second. Keith was the most naturally gifted. He made pool look soooo easy! Hard shots flowed off his cue like water running downhill.

Best money players at an early age. Keith at 16 and Cole at 18. They went looking for ANYONE with money! Back East, Mizerak and Hopkins came up the fastest, both champions by age 19. Jimmy Rippy (Rempe) was a poolroom legend when he was 17-18. He was running around Western PA, Ohio and Michigan robbing everyone. :D

As for me, nearly 50 years since I got bit by the pool bug. The Hustler did me in!
 
Last edited:
berlowmj said:
Reflecting upon your 43 years, what is your most important advice?
Click to expand...

tom is probaly still sleeping, so i'll tell you what he told me about 10 years ago when i first started shooting pool.
tom & i played a lot, he loves to teach.
i was getting so frustrated, becuz i thought pool, GOOD POOL, would come easy to me
one time, after blowing a game, i was pissed, ready to just give it up
tom sat me down and gave me a good talking to about ACCEPTANCE
he told me to accept the fact that i am not now or ever will be the worlds greatest pool player , just have fun and try to learn more everytime i play

good advice that i have passed on to some young kids i shoot with
thanks tom (dad) :wink:
 
Memories

Yes i also have meet a lot of great players, buddy h, nick v. earl s, grady m, johnny a, ect ect. but i guess meeting and talking with minnesito fats was a great one as was meeting and talking with baseball greats hammering hank , and the top=== i got to shake hands with the one and onlyTY COBB those are some of my 50yr in pool !!!!:thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
Tom In Cincy said:
And I still keep enjoying the competion and seeing the balls roll on the table.

I've seen some very young players wining matches when they were trying to make to the big time.

19 year old Johnny Archer (Lexington All Stars and Columbus OH)
18 year old Shannon Daulton (Lexington All Stars and DCC)
20 year old Earl Strickland (Memphis, Lextington All Stars, US Open)
19 year old Cory Deuel (early Viking tour stops in Columbus and Cincinnati)
19 year old Troy Franks (early Viking tour stops in Columbus and Cincinnati)
19 year old Joey Gebron (Sacramento and Reno)
21 year old Amar Kang (Sacramento and Reno)
20 year old Tony Chohan (Sacramento and Reno and IPT)

And recently,
16 or 17 year old Chuck Holyoke (Reno)
15 just recently Austin Murphy (Sacramento and Reno and IPT
10 year old Landon Shuffet (saw him entertain and play at the DCC and US Open)

Plus, I saw Buddy Hall when he was roughly 190 lbs and had a STROKE that was to DIE for.
Steve Mizerk also had the STROKE that was to die for.

But these young GUNS are a pleasure to see grow up and mature at the table and become the Professiona players I know they will be.

I really like this game.
Click to expand...

Now that's a love letter I can appreciate. :groucho:
 
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