A lesson from Irving Crane

[JoeW]

I watched an Irving Crane match a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k06-M12lQWE&feature=related

and observed an interesting idea that I later tried and found to be quite useful.

Crane’s bridge hand remained on the table until the cue ball made contact with the object ball for nearly all of his shots. I did not count the number of times he did this. A few minutes into the match I noticed that he seemed to be very consistent in never lifting his bridge hand until contact was made and so I was watching for it the rest of the match. It is / was certainly part of his “post shot routine.”

We often talk about pre-shot routines and how important they are. Other than techniques for keeping one’s head down following a shot we seldom discuss effective post shot routines. Crane has one and it appears to be useful.

It is common to hear people discuss the idea that the cue ball is contact for such a short period of time that post shot behavior does not have much meaning. None-the-less I found that using Crane’s idea improves the consistency of shot making.

Apparently when you know your bridge hand is not going to move until contact is made there is less chance of your body moving or coming up on a shot. It is an idea that you get in your head and this idea has an effect upon many of your other behaviors, including looking up and other movements that can wreck a shot.

I also found that it was easy to include his idea into my usual routine for making a shot. After about five shots I seemed to slip this idea into my shot making with little effort. Interestingly, I was less worried about doing stupid things following the shot.

A lesson from Crane has improved my game. Perhaps it is one of those secrets of pool.

Just for the heck of it I will call it

Crane's Rule

Your bridge hand must not leave the table until the cue ball strikes the object ball.

 

[sammylane12]

Thanks for posting this. Staying still, for me, is the most important thing I can do to play well. I am going to try emulating Mr. Crane. I wached a video of him running 150 and out against Joe Balsis about a week ago and never noticed what you saw. At least it never registered. I will watch it again now with a different perspective.

 

[duker]

Irving Crane

I was fortunate to do an exhibition straight pool match with Irving Crane when I was a teenager in Red Lion Pa. I, of course lost, 150-75. I really enjoyed doing the exhibition in front of a sold out crowd and was invited to go to his home in Rochester NY. I was treated very well, his wife cooked dinner and Mr Crane and I went to the Pool Room where he did all of his practicing, and had a great time. I think Mr Crane was an 8 time world champion 14.1 player. This was one of my highlights in my life of Pool.

 

[sammylane12]

I was fortunate to do an exhibition straight pool match with Irving Crane when I was a teenager in Red Lion Pa. I, of course lost, 150-75. I really enjoyed doing the exhibition in front of a sold out crowd and was invited to go to his home in Rochester NY. I was treated very well, his wife cooked dinner and Mr Crane and I went to the Pool Room where he did all of his practicing, and had a great time. I think Mr Crane was an 8 time world champion 14.1 player. This was one of my highlights in my life of Pool.

Now that is pretty cool. What a memory.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I watched an Irving Crane match a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k06-M12lQWE&feature=related

and observed an interesting idea that I later tried and found to be quite useful.

Crane’s bridge hand remained on the table until the cue ball made contact with the object ball for nearly all of his shots. ...

He had a shot that he did in exhibitions -- I think it's on YouTube somewhere. He would set up a standard spot shot with a closed bridge, turn his head to the side, remove the cue stick from his bridge hand, point the cue to the side, and while still looking away replace the cue in his bridge hand and make the spot shot. That takes a pretty solid bridge an fundamentals.

 

[alstl]

Irving Crane was also excellent using the bridge. Since he reportedly practiced safeties 30 minutes a day, I suspect he also practiced with the bridge.

I see a lot of players on live streams who contort themselves into all sorts of positions to avoid using the bridge. I suspect that is because when they are practicing they are too lazy to reach under the table for the bridge and don't feel comfortable with it.

A current pro who is good with the bridge is Allison Fisher.

 

[Aten]

He had a shot that he did in exhibitions -- I think it's on YouTube somewhere. He would set up a standard spot shot with a closed bridge, turn his head to the side, remove the cue stick from his bridge hand, point the cue to the side, and while still looking away replace the cue in his bridge hand and make the spot shot. That takes a pretty solid bridge an fundamentals.

I tried this the other day with my closed bridge and got stuck on the "remove stick from bridge hand" step

 

[measureman]

Irving Crane was also excellent using the bridge. Since he reportedly practiced safeties 30 minutes a day, I suspect he also practiced with the bridge.

I see a lot of players on live streams who contort themselves into all sorts of positions to avoid using the bridge. I suspect that is because when they are practicing they are too lazy to reach under the table for the bridge and don't feel comfortable with it.

A current pro who is good with the bridge is Allison Fisher.

Back in the early '60s when i learned how to play on the east coast 90% of the time everyone played straight pool. This game requires the use of the bridge quite often. As a result of that to this day I am very comportable using the bridge rather then stretching out and risking a miss stroke.

 

[3kushn]

He had a shot that he did in exhibitions -- I think it's on YouTube somewhere. He would set up a standard spot shot with a closed bridge, turn his head to the side, remove the cue stick from his bridge hand, point the cue to the side, and while still looking away replace the cue in his bridge hand and make the spot shot. That takes a pretty solid bridge an fundamentals.

From The Beards site
Irving Crane Willie Hoppe Chas Peterson 4th video
@ 4:50 http://bankingwiththebeard.com/?p=826

 

[Neil]

..............

 

[Andrew Manning]

Leaving the bridge hand down until the shot is done is something I think I have always done. Once in a while, using straight back draw, I foul because I didn't pick my bridge hand up in time to get out of the way of the cb coming back.

I was going to say, I don't think it's unusual at all for the bridge hand to remain on the table until after CB-OB contact at least. Most decent players I know do this, and I often leave my bridge hand on the table until the CB has stopped rolling.

If you think it's unusual to leave the bridge hand on the table that long, either you've been watching Ismael Paez too much, or you have a bad habit of failing to hold the finish.

-Andrew

 

[Nostroke]

Keep your bridge hand on the table, thus making it near impossible to 'jump up' was probably the simplest best teaching advice i ever received though i often forget it. Thank you Mrs Weiss.

 

[JamisonNeu]

Wow that guy was very offensive no matter what they say about him...lol

 

[Gerry]

Keep your bridge hand on the table, thus making it near impossible to 'jump up' was probably the simplest best teaching advice i ever received though i often forget it. Thank you Mrs Weiss.

sadly enough....I can jump up with my bridgehand on the table....for that matter I can jump up with my elbow on the table......i think its more of a whole body nervous system reaction!

 

[goin2bepro]

good observation

I remember when I was about 9 years old and my dad was teaching me how to play, i would miss shots because I lifted my head and body up too quick and messed my stroke up. He would tell me he was going to tie a weight around my neck so I would stop. Keeping my hand down until contact is something I'm going to try out, even though I don't really have that problem any more. Thanks for the post.

 

[Scott Lee]

Joe...It is obvious to me that pool school went in one ear, and out the other, for you. One of the first tenets of the SPF methodology is the "freeze" at the end of the process. The freeze is essential for two reasons...one physical and one mental. We've been teaching this for more than 30 years.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

I watched an Irving Crane match a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k06-M12lQWE&feature=related

and observed an interesting idea that I later tried and found to be quite useful.

Crane’s bridge hand remained on the table until the cue ball made contact with the object ball for nearly all of his shots. I did not count the number of times he did this. A few minutes into the match I noticed that he seemed to be very consistent in never lifting his bridge hand until contact was made and so I was watching for it the rest of the match. It is / was certainly part of his “post shot routine.”

We often talk about pre-shot routines and how important they are. Other than techniques for keeping one’s head down following a shot we seldom discuss effective post shot routines. Crane has one and it appears to be useful.

It is common to hear people discuss the idea that the cue ball is contact for such a short period of time that post shot behavior does not have much meaning. None-the-less I found that using Crane’s idea improves the consistency of shot making.

Apparently when you know your bridge hand is not going to move until contact is made there is less chance of your body moving or coming up on a shot. It is an idea that you get in your head and this idea has an effect upon many of your other behaviors, including looking up and other movements that can wreck a shot.

I also found that it was easy to include his idea into my usual routine for making a shot. After about five shots I seemed to slip this idea into my shot making with little effort. Interestingly, I was less worried about doing stupid things following the shot.

A lesson from Crane has improved my game. Perhaps it is one of those secrets of pool.

Just for the heck of it I will call it

Crane's Rule

Your bridge hand must not leave the table until the cue ball strikes the object ball.

 

[JoeW]

Scott, I have not figured out if you enjoy being offensive or are simply offensive by nature.

SPF teaches the student to "Finish" by freezing their swing arm at their chest upon completion of the stroke. This is a variant of the snooker player’s approach. “Freeze” is an essentially undefined term that seems to imply that one should hold their whole body in position at the end of the stroke. This is an adequate beginning. With further refinement the student finds ways to enhance their technique.

The basic fundamentals taught by SPF are adequate for an introduction to pool playing for those with little experience or for those who need to learn to approach the game in a more structured manner.

If you took the time to review the Crane video you might have noticed that he did not freeze at the end of the stroke. His hand often twists and turns. It does remain on the table.

Your use of the forum to constantly advertise your services is obnoxious.

 

[Dave Nelson]

I'll have to check later but I think I do that. I also try to make sure that I see the cue ball hit the object ball.

I have a friend with whom I frequently play 14.1. We freely criticize each other. When he misses a shot I will ask him, did you see the cue ball hit the object. If he says no, or I don't remember I tell him that's why you missed the shot.

We also play all fouls which I think is a great help to keep one focused.

Dave Nelson

 

[Dave Nelson]

P.S.

I'm still a lousy pool player but at least I know why I'm lousy.

 

[naji]

I watched an Irving Crane match a few days ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k06-M12lQWE&feature=related
the object ball.[/B]

Thanks much for the post. I am stunned of how much i did not know pool, and i am considered an "A" (not A+++) player in one pocket, i guess because i know the moves, and shoot shots i know i make. I shifted gear few months ago for 9 ball, what a shocker, missing left and right when i go out of my comfort zone. Finally i got all secrets to pool, if I miss a ball, i know why i missed it, and it would most likely rattle the pocket. I will find out my new rating soon, stay tuned.