Age Catch's up...when to retirel?

poolplayer2093 said:
i hear luther lasiter was still playing in tournaments long after he should have stopped. they say he would sometimes forget he was in a tournament and move balls around and say he was just shooting around
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I've read that about Irving Crane (in Danny D's autobiographical Road Player, but I've never heard about Lassiter forgetting where he was in tournaments, although he certainly was not a dominant force at the end of his career. Perhaps someone can shed some light on this?

Edit: I see pt109 already posted on this.
 
I stopped playing seriously this year because I can't play my best game any more. I've noticed a big drop off over the past two years so I felt it was time. The thing I enjoy now is instructing the young ones about how to play the game. I enjoy it very much when I see the lightbulb go off in their head.
 
Going for it

I retire in January at 65 and just installed a diamond pro am. The reason? I used to play pretty speedy 30 years ago and like many of the posters here got hogtied with a career, family, and the addiction of Golf where we can play 365 here in SC. My back won't support a golf swing any longer but, I still love the competition and at some times just hitting them around and listening to the sound of the game makes me smile. Age is not a limiting factor. It took two operations on my eyes to be able to drive a car again but, now i hope to "Shoot the eyes right off them balls" again.
 
As long as you enjoy the game, delay your retirement ...

pwd72s said:
I'd say keep playing as long as it's fun!
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This is the correct answer IMO. Forget about age being a factor. A 25 year old player might want to retire because he/she decides the game is too much of a grind and no fun at all. The challenges our game offers aren't always those that many people want to tackle, for whatever reason.

At one of my local poolrooms there's a 92-year-old (possibly 93 now) player that looks forward to getting out and playing 9-ball with hs buddy. I say, good for him.

I feel the same way about work. When my job stops being fun, I'll pull out. Of course I've set myself up so I can get out, if necessary, without too much hardship. Life is too short to be doing things, many hours of the day, you hate, or don't enjoy, doing.
 
I'd say just because your skill has left you is no reason to quit. I play for the enjoyment and sense of accomplishment it gives me. When that is gone I will quit and my win/loss record wont have a thing to do with it.

I may be 40 or 90 when that happens.....who knows.
 
I hope to keep on playing until it's not fun anymore.

One of the guys in our playing group is in his early eighties. He needs a ride to the poolroom because he can't legally drive anymore due to horrible eyesight. In rotation games we often have to point out to him which ball is next (especially the green six against the green felt).

His bridge hand shakes until he's got it square on the table.

But he's a former 3-cushion biggy. He'll sink shots that no one else at the table even thought of. If I've got a 2-rail kick (one of my many weaknesses as a beginner) he'll just tap his tip on a spot on the rail and it always puts me within a ball width of making the hit.

He does get a little frustrated with his game but clearly enjoys the night out with the guys.

One of the great things about this game is the age at which you can play it. Eyesight does seem to be the most significant limiting factor...and even though I'm only 59, it's already a problem for me.
 
When i get older and can't hack it i'll switch to barbox apa pool. or as the rest of us know it as "kiddy pool" lol. unless i get some sort of brain or serious body injury i'll always be able to beat, or at least keep up with, all the apa guys. sometimes i think those guys forget the table has pockets or maybe they forget that you're supposed to try to make the balls go into the pockets.
 
He should retire when the fun and desire to play is gone.
For a guy that can barely see and now loses to everybody but
still chooses to play,is a guy who truly loves the game and
will probably play till he's dead.Kudos to that man!!!
 
Tramp Steamer said:
You stop playing when your body finally tells you to, although that may not occur until long after your skill level has peaked. It is only natural, and happens to us all.
Do not pity the person who can no longer cut the mustard, but praise him if he can still lick the lid (an old Ozarkian saying handed down to me by my great-great-grandfather Hezekiah Steamer). :smile:
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Well, I sure like ol' Hezekiah's style. Wish I could have met the man. :p

See my sig below. :clapping:

Fatz
 
A couple of items:

Irving Crane won big-time tournaments in four different decades.

George Rood ran his age in straight pool at age 88.

Others got the answer right: play as long as you enjoy it.
 
bstroud said:
Speaking for myself.........

I started playing at 4 years of age.
Got to be a very good player.
Quit to make cues for 25 years.

Started playing again about one year ago.
I am 71 and am playing as well as I ever did, perhaps better.

The only thing that keeps me from improving is lack of access to a pool room where I can play people all the time. I am changing that next week.

Without beating on other players you do not develop confidence.
Without confidence you can not beat the best players.

I still find pool as interesting and intriguing as I did when I was young. There is still so much to learn.

Bill S.
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when to retire is always a very personal decision and I think it's fair to say, when you can afford to retire, and as long as all of your obligations have been met, then go for it. :smile: :rolleyes: :smile:

best,
brian kc
 
Age to retire?

One of my good friends turned 80 recently and you better bring a lunch to play him a race to 9 or 11 in 9 ball. He has lost a little from age, but he's still a very strong player and he can't be taken lightly. I only wish I could play as well as he does if I make it to his age!

James
 
berko said:
It depends.

If your goal is to have fun, then you should continue as long as you meet that goal.

If your goal is to impress others, you probably should have already retired.
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That's right. As long as you are enjoying it. I'm 61, maybe a -B player, but I feel great when I have a good day for ME ! I'm not planning to quit anytime soon, but I'm not playing any marathon sessions either. Still trying to improve in certain areas and having some success. It's all relative to your goals...Tom
 
If your opponent breaks dry playing 9 ball...and instead of shooting the 1 ball, you begin to yell out "Hey, where's the Zero?"

...you might wanna consider that retirement thing.










J/K :grin:
 
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