9 Ball Players Playing Snooker

Southpaw

Southpaw

Swing away, Meril....
Silver Member
Just curious, with all of the great snooker players such as Allison, Karen, John Horsfall and even Ronnie O'Sullivan (and Im sure there are more) coming to the states to play 9 ball, why havent we seen any American 9 ball players ever take a shot at playing snooker in England? There must be some money in it with all of the tradition that it has not to mention its their national pasttime. Couldnt you just see Earl Strickland, John Schmidt or SVB going to England and winning a title playing snooker...Is the transition that much harder to go from a 9 ball (or 8 ball) player to a snooker player?

Southpaw
 
I would think that great shot makers like Reyes and Strickland could make a ball on anything that they shot on. I just don't think the game appeals to them.
MULLY
used to watch Gary Spaeth play banks on a snooker table
 
smashmouth said:
learn your history

a forum search would be a good start
Click to expand...

If you can give an intelligent answer to the question..then do so. If you cant...stay out of the thread!

Southpaw
 
Also, I believe it is a lot more expensive to move to England for a few years while going through all the qualification requirements than to just come to an American tournament and just plop your money down.

I am pretty sure Allison and Karen weren't making that much money at snooker in England, even though they dominated... And they ended up coming to America for reasons fo their own, and started competing at the most popular billiard game in America.

Horsfall is Canadian, and mostly competed around the NW, even when he was in top form. Yes, he competed in the Sands Regency tourneys, and the Camel Pro Series when it was around. It's still not quite the same as an American travelling over to Europe for months at a time. I am not sure he really counts as a "foreigner". He can travel to multiple sites in Amerca for a few hundred dollars airfare, and it is a bit more expensive to travel back and forth to Europe.

And Ronnie? Ronnie is not playing in 9 ball tournaments for the money, I can guarantee you that, as even the World Championship monies in pool pale in comparson to snooker. He does it just to compete.. For a little variety.

For the most part, I would say most of the snooker players who converted full time to 9 ball simply could not make money at snooker, for whatever reason.. For the women, the money was probably not there.. For the men, they probably were just out of the skill level that would allow for a decent living.

I talked to John Horsfall one time in Abbottsford, near the WA border, and he told me honestly, that the snooker scene over in England is absolutely brutal. To even get invites to major tourneys, you had to be able to get through multiple world beaters in long snooker matches in qualifying tournaments. He said he MIGHT have been able to make it if he totally gave up his life, shared an apartment with 2 other people, and did nothing but practice 10 hours a day, but to him, enjoying life was a bit more important.

Russ
 
Last edited:
I remember for a time Jim Rempe gave snooker a shot, as well as The Miz I think? correct me if i'm wrong?

I feel its a VERY tough nut to crack going from our tables to their equipment. If anyone could do it I would think Rempe or the Miz would have a good shot. Sigel also IMO.....Efren, John Schmidt, Harriman, and guys like that might need a year or so to learn the game correctly to compete.

Wheres Raybo147 when I need him:D

G.
 
Southpaw said:
If you can give an intelligent answer to the question..then do so. If you cant...stay out of the thread!

Southpaw
Click to expand...

Using a bit more diplomacy than smash did, and certainly
much more than you did, let me point out that a quite
vigorous discussion of just this exact subject took place
very recently

Are you aware there is a Forum devoted to Snooker?

IMHO - a quick search is not an overwhelming task.

Dale
 
Last edited:
You're right...the Main Forum should be reserved for useless bickering and flamng....asking questions instead of a "thread search" is pointless....What the hell was I thinking?!?!

Southpaw
 
Southpaw said:
Couldnt you just see Earl Strickland, John Schmidt or SVB going to England and winning a title playing snooker...Is the transition that much harder to go from a 9 ball (or 8 ball) player to a snooker player?
Click to expand...

No I could not see it ever even comming close to happening. And yes the transition is that much harder, and then some in fact. There is no hope for any of those 3 to come anywhere close to the top spot in a true professional snooker event. They would have almost no chance of winning a single match infact.
 
Gerry said:
I remember for a time Jim Rempe gave snooker a shot, as well as The Miz I think? correct me if i'm wrong?

I feel its a VERY tough nut to crack going from our tables to their equipment. If anyone could do it I would think Rempe or the Miz would have a good shot. Sigel also IMO.....Efren, John Schmidt, Harriman, and guys like that might need a year or so to learn the game correctly to compete.

Wheres Raybo147 when I need him:D

G.
Click to expand...

Rempe gave it a good try in the 80's, even installing a 6x12 snooker table in his home. He did become a competitive player, reaching the round of 32 a few times (maybe even the final 16 once). But after three years or so, he gave up, saying he just didn't have a chance against the best players. He told me that to be a top snooker player, he would have to have started at an early age, like ten or eleven.
 
jay helfert said:
Rempe gave it a good try in the 80's, even installing a 6x12 snooker table in his home. He did become a competitive player, reaching the round of 32 a few times (maybe even the final 16 once). But after three years or so, he gave up, saying he just didn't have a chance against the best players. He told me that to be a top snooker player, he would have to have started at an early age, like ten or eleven.
Click to expand...

As I heard it, the "powers-that-be" in European snooker were really hoping for some of the Americans to come over and be successful, as it was a whole potential new market for snooker programming to be exported to the U.S.. I expect they gave Rempe and Mizerak much support to try to help them be successful, but alas, the games are too different.

Russ
 
Although there is more money in some snooker tournaments, it is generally only the ranking tournaments that pay big money. Smaller tournament pay outs (outside of the main tour) are on par with pool tournaments.

In order to get to these ranking tournaments a player would have to go through a qualifying system to get on to the main tour, you can't just show up and play.

The main tour isn't exactly easy to get on to and compete on. Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe it is generally only the top 16 players that make a lotof money.
 
The transition would be too difficult, you need to start very early in life.
Look at some of the players outside the top 16 that have to go through the qualifying stages, Steve Davis, Mark Williams, John Parrot, jimmy White and the list goes on. Many ex world champions that cannot compete at the top level anymore, sorry but there is not a mature nine ball player with a chance in hell.
Also, no disrespect to John Horsfall but he was never a great snooker player, he could not qualify for a pro event and would not have even been competitive in the open amatuer events in the UK, the standard was too high.
 
Last edited:
Efren used to be a snooker player. when he got good at pool and nobody wants a piece of him, he switched to snooker. and when he got good there and nobody wants to play with him, he switched back to playing pool and stayed there. another reason that he doesn't play snooker that often is the lack of competition and appeal from most players from the P.I. to play snooker. additional fact, Efren played Jimmy White (one of the most talented and underrated snooker player, if not for a shear bad luck for the crucible during semis and finals matches over Davis and Hendry) in a snooker game for a few bucks and won using a pool cue. aside from Jimmy, he also beat Ronnie, yes Ronnie O' Sullivan in another snooker money game. and yes, Efren run 3 centuries. pretty impressive for a pool player playing on a snooker table using snooker balls ey? If I might add, this info came from the Dazzler himself. so that pretty much tells everything how a pool player would fair in a snooker game.

furthermore, excerpts coming from Jimmy White and Steve Davis, "pool players see a lot of shots and angles that normal snooker players dont see".
 
the game is just too different to warrant packing up their bags and starting a whole new life devoting hours to a game which they don't even have a passion for.

the likes of earl, svb, schmidt could have been top snooker professionals if they were born in england - who can deny their cueing talent, but they've spent their whole lives perfecting a stroke which is condusive to playing pool and hitting pool balls on a pool table, and wouldnt suit a snooker table. these players would have to change their whole game and style - for a game they don't love. that's why it's illogical. it just so happens that the snooker way (stance, cue action) will allow you to pocket balls on a pool table fairly well, so it's not so much of a problem for snooker players wanting to compete in the odd 9-ball tournament where races are to five and the slightest contact on the head ball on the break will send the wired corner ball into the pocket along with a couple more balls, leaving six or so easy balls out in the open to clear up. no wonder a lot of snooker players scoff at our game when they see how our main game is played!

and the money wouldn't be worth it for the pool players either. outside of placing high in the big ranking tournaments the money is not great i don't think.

there would be one plus side to it though. living in england would expose you americans to the wonders of football! the beautiful game!
 
Southpaw said:
You're right...the Main Forum should be reserved for useless bickering and flamng....asking questions instead of a "thread search" is pointless....What the hell was I thinking?!?!

Southpaw
Click to expand...

I don't know what you were thinking, but what I am thinking is:
I know a troll when I see one - especially a rude ignorant troll.

Dale<sees 'em - calls 'em>
 
jay helfert said:
He told me that to be a top snooker player, he would have to have started at an early age, like ten or eleven.
Click to expand...

Even then he would be playing catch up - Ronnie O'Sullivan made his first century at 10:D :D :D

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronnie_O'Sullivan
 
Southpaw said:
Couldnt you just see Earl Strickland, John Schmidt or SVB going to England and winning a title playing snooker...

Southpaw
Click to expand...



No Southpaw, anybody with any knowledge about this issue couldn't.


They would be lucky to reach top 200 at the rankings.
That is, if they'd practiced extremely hard..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top