A Formal Introduction
- Thread starter tom mcgonagle
- Start date
Tom - My name is Rich Klein and I live in Glen Ellyn, IL, a suburb of Chicago. I'm a retired insurance actuary.
I first got interested in pool after my dad and I saw The Hustler in its original release (1961), when I was 13. My dad then took me to play at the local bowling alley, which had 9 tables (Beverly Bowl, 94th and Ashland in Chicago). To my great surprise my dad could play, probably because he was born in 1907 and had been a young man during pool's heyday. The proprietors of the room got used to seeing me with my dad and so they were ok with my coming in without him, even though the sign on the wall said you had to be 18. I played through high school but then gave up the game - I found that I couldn't do both college and pool successfully at the same time.
When I bought my house I fulfilled my dream of having my own table and started playing in the basement. But I quickly got bored knocking them around by myself and the table sat idle most years. You have to compete to maintain interest. I always thought that someday I would get serious about this game, but someday never came. Until now, that is.
This past January I finally got out of the basement. I now play in two straight pool leagues (Illinois Billiard Club and Red Shoe Billiards). It's been great not only competing but also meeting new people - a problem when you're retired. Everybody has been really nice, or is it that straight pool players are just by nature nice? :smile: In any event, I love it.
I'm no great player - my high run in the leagues is 40 - but I think I'm improving. So far age has not been a handicap as far as I can tell - knock wood. I do play better now than when I was a kid.
Very nice idea for a thread.
I first got interested in pool after my dad and I saw The Hustler in its original release (1961), when I was 13. My dad then took me to play at the local bowling alley, which had 9 tables (Beverly Bowl, 94th and Ashland in Chicago). To my great surprise my dad could play, probably because he was born in 1907 and had been a young man during pool's heyday. The proprietors of the room got used to seeing me with my dad and so they were ok with my coming in without him, even though the sign on the wall said you had to be 18. I played through high school but then gave up the game - I found that I couldn't do both college and pool successfully at the same time.
When I bought my house I fulfilled my dream of having my own table and started playing in the basement. But I quickly got bored knocking them around by myself and the table sat idle most years. You have to compete to maintain interest. I always thought that someday I would get serious about this game, but someday never came. Until now, that is.
This past January I finally got out of the basement. I now play in two straight pool leagues (Illinois Billiard Club and Red Shoe Billiards). It's been great not only competing but also meeting new people - a problem when you're retired. Everybody has been really nice, or is it that straight pool players are just by nature nice? :smile: In any event, I love it.
I'm no great player - my high run in the leagues is 40 - but I think I'm improving. So far age has not been a handicap as far as I can tell - knock wood. I do play better now than when I was a kid.
Very nice idea for a thread.
I'm also glad I started this thread and many of you have told me things about yourself. Keep the posts coming I'll be back in the am to see who else has posted.
Tom, it's nice to meet you...
Well, I'm known as Jaden here, but my name is Kevin and I'm sometimes known as Kalifornia Kevin, a monikor given to me by Jamie Farrell and Joey Aguzin, one or the other or both as I recall...
I'm a fair player as me and Jamie have broken even the few times we played, but more importantly I love the game and am completely and hopelessly addicted.
My Father first started teching me to play and first took me to a poolhall when I was eight years old. He learned from a road played based out of Louisville in the sixties.
I never really paid altogether much attention to what he showed and didn't really get interested in the game until I was sixteen and saw the color of money for the first time. Then I started taking the game more seriously.
I didn't start to get decent at the game until the early nineties when I befriended the owner of a poolhall and started working there.
I was playing a whole lot and dedicating myself to the game but then had some set backs that affected my mental game, which I am just now starting to overcome.
As you have said, hopefully I'm not boring everyone and I'll stop with that as that should be a pretty good introduction for now.
Jaden...
Well, I'm known as Jaden here, but my name is Kevin and I'm sometimes known as Kalifornia Kevin, a monikor given to me by Jamie Farrell and Joey Aguzin, one or the other or both as I recall...
I'm a fair player as me and Jamie have broken even the few times we played, but more importantly I love the game and am completely and hopelessly addicted.
My Father first started teching me to play and first took me to a poolhall when I was eight years old. He learned from a road played based out of Louisville in the sixties.
I never really paid altogether much attention to what he showed and didn't really get interested in the game until I was sixteen and saw the color of money for the first time. Then I started taking the game more seriously.
I didn't start to get decent at the game until the early nineties when I befriended the owner of a poolhall and started working there.
I was playing a whole lot and dedicating myself to the game but then had some set backs that affected my mental game, which I am just now starting to overcome.
As you have said, hopefully I'm not boring everyone and I'll stop with that as that should be a pretty good introduction for now.
Jaden...
As promised, It's morning and I'm back at it again. As is typical, of things on this forum. I'm getting far more views than posts, but that's all right.
Thanks to Mark Otto, aka pool 101, Rich Klien, aka, Rich 93, and Kevin, aka Jaden for posting and letting the me and the forum, a little more about themselves.
We all share one thing in common for the most part. We seem to be addicted to the game, no matter what level we play at and that's a good thing. I have told my students through the years that even if they consider themselves a "C" player. They are probably better than 80% of the people that ever picked up a cue. It's the next 20% that's hard to crack.
Jaden talks about the mental part of the game. This is where your strength as a person and belief, in yourself, has to be strong. I see a lot of people in this forum constantly seeking advice. They run from thread to thread searching for answers. Sometimes the best place to find the answers, is in the mirror.
There are a couple of shots or matches in my life I'd like to have back. One shot that haunts me now and then is:
After making a ball on the break at hill, hill, in a race to 11 against Steve Miserack, I played and made the one-ball. The cue- ball, which I thought I was following down table for the two-ball, wasn't hit the way I wanted to hit it, I hit more of a center ball, I was jacked up over the eight-ball, a little, the cue-ball went in more of a sideways manner and glanced off the six-ball and into the side-pocket. Steve took ball-in-hand and ran out, like the champion, he was and always will be. This game, is still to clear, in my mind.
The match I'd like to play again was against Sammy Jones in the New York State Championships in Binghamton N.Y. I had beaten Ray Martin and Jim Rempe in back to back matches. Sammy and I were now playing, for the hot seat. I played poorly, and he beat me convincingly. He went on to win the tournament. I got to drive home, for six hours thinking about the lost opportunity, I had just squandered.
At Turning Stone, recently, I hung the nine at hill, hill against Dave Grau. Another nightmare.
Of course the game has given me many great memories but I, we, always remember the one's that slip away.
Thanks to Mark Otto, aka pool 101, Rich Klien, aka, Rich 93, and Kevin, aka Jaden for posting and letting the me and the forum, a little more about themselves.
We all share one thing in common for the most part. We seem to be addicted to the game, no matter what level we play at and that's a good thing. I have told my students through the years that even if they consider themselves a "C" player. They are probably better than 80% of the people that ever picked up a cue. It's the next 20% that's hard to crack.
Jaden talks about the mental part of the game. This is where your strength as a person and belief, in yourself, has to be strong. I see a lot of people in this forum constantly seeking advice. They run from thread to thread searching for answers. Sometimes the best place to find the answers, is in the mirror.
There are a couple of shots or matches in my life I'd like to have back. One shot that haunts me now and then is:
After making a ball on the break at hill, hill, in a race to 11 against Steve Miserack, I played and made the one-ball. The cue- ball, which I thought I was following down table for the two-ball, wasn't hit the way I wanted to hit it, I hit more of a center ball, I was jacked up over the eight-ball, a little, the cue-ball went in more of a sideways manner and glanced off the six-ball and into the side-pocket. Steve took ball-in-hand and ran out, like the champion, he was and always will be. This game, is still to clear, in my mind.
The match I'd like to play again was against Sammy Jones in the New York State Championships in Binghamton N.Y. I had beaten Ray Martin and Jim Rempe in back to back matches. Sammy and I were now playing, for the hot seat. I played poorly, and he beat me convincingly. He went on to win the tournament. I got to drive home, for six hours thinking about the lost opportunity, I had just squandered.
At Turning Stone, recently, I hung the nine at hill, hill against Dave Grau. Another nightmare.
Of course the game has given me many great memories but I, we, always remember the one's that slip away.
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I was hoping for another response before I wrote anything else but it didn't happen. If this thread is dead, then so be it. I was hoping this turned out to be one of the one's I' ve noticed in here with thousands of views and hundreds of posts.
One more thing I'd like to let people know about me is:
I'm currently involved in creating a second site for the New England Pool and Billiard Hall of Fame. This project is very important to me. I've always felt pool players are, the most over-looked, and under appreciated talents in all of the sports world. I've done my best to try and change their image and give them more exposure. I would like to see more areas of the country pick up on what we have done here in New England. The West Coast, South, Mid-West, and the Atlantic Coast could start and easily fill a pool and billiard, Hall of Fame. Find a room you deem worthy and go to work. I must tell you, it won't be easy. You need to be dedicated like my good friend Ray DeSell was up here in New England.
Last, but not least. Thanks all of you that were willing to share a part of your life with me. I got to know a few more people from all different parts of the world that share a common bond with me.
We all love the game of pool. That's not a bad thing.
One more thing I'd like to let people know about me is:
I'm currently involved in creating a second site for the New England Pool and Billiard Hall of Fame. This project is very important to me. I've always felt pool players are, the most over-looked, and under appreciated talents in all of the sports world. I've done my best to try and change their image and give them more exposure. I would like to see more areas of the country pick up on what we have done here in New England. The West Coast, South, Mid-West, and the Atlantic Coast could start and easily fill a pool and billiard, Hall of Fame. Find a room you deem worthy and go to work. I must tell you, it won't be easy. You need to be dedicated like my good friend Ray DeSell was up here in New England.
Last, but not least. Thanks all of you that were willing to share a part of your life with me. I got to know a few more people from all different parts of the world that share a common bond with me.
We all love the game of pool. That's not a bad thing.
Tom,
Regional Billiards HOF has been around for quite awhile.
Here on the west coast we've been discussing this for the last 5 years and need to interface with the California Amateur HOF with our proposals. We are currently working on an initial core of inductees.
Here is a link to a great HOF group in Ohio that has been around since the mid 90s.
http://www.gcaba.com/board.htm
Regional Billiards HOF has been around for quite awhile.
Here on the west coast we've been discussing this for the last 5 years and need to interface with the California Amateur HOF with our proposals. We are currently working on an initial core of inductees.
Here is a link to a great HOF group in Ohio that has been around since the mid 90s.
http://www.gcaba.com/board.htm
Well Tom,
We have eight states covered, only forty-two more. I'm sure all of these states have some kind of museums, that honor athletes. If not, do what we did, start your own in a pool-room.
I'll be going down to Providence, later today. When we get enough on the wall, I'll get someone to post pictures.
__________________________________
http://tommcgonaglerightoncue.com
We have eight states covered, only forty-two more. I'm sure all of these states have some kind of museums, that honor athletes. If not, do what we did, start your own in a pool-room.
I'll be going down to Providence, later today. When we get enough on the wall, I'll get someone to post pictures.
__________________________________
http://tommcgonaglerightoncue.com