Allen Hopkins not in the hall of fame?

B

BackPocket9Ball

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Allen Hopkins has won the biggest US titles available in One Pocket, Straight Pool, 9-ball, and 10-ball.

In his prime he was an absolute killer and was regarded by more than a few as the best money player in the country in the early '80s.

In addition to that, he is extremely personable and much more intelligent than your average pro player.

After he won every title that one could possibly want and decided to settle into family life, he made on of the largest contributions to the pool world -- the Super Billiard Expo in Valley Forge. By promoting tournaments and doing TV commentating, he's doing more than most in trying to give back to the sport that defined him.

It blows my mind that they inducted Nick Varner (although just as deserving) in 1992, but 12 years later, have yet to recognize the accomplishments of one of the great all-around players of our time.
 
BackPocket9Ball said:
Allen Hopkins has won the biggest US titles available in One Pocket, Straight Pool, 9-ball, and 10-ball.

In his prime he was an absolute killer and was regarded by more than a few as the best money player in the country in the early '80s.

In addition to that, he is extremely personable and much more intelligent than your average pro player.

After he won every title that one could possibly want and decided to settle into family life, he made on of the largest contributions to the pool world -- the Super Billiard Expo in Valley Forge. By promoting tournaments and doing TV commentating, he's doing more than most in trying to give back to the sport that defined him.

It blows my mind that they inducted Nick Varner (although just as deserving) in 1992, but 12 years later, have yet to recognize the accomplishments of one of the great all-around players of our time.
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And, BPNB, the older he gets, the less chance he has to get in. SHAME on the BCA. Too many of the voting members are fixated on the top players of TODAY. It's like the old adage, "Out of sight, out of mind".

The OLD, BCA, saw fit to induct the, widely recognized, greatest player of every game. Ie; Mosconi- straight pool, Eddie Taylor- banks, Efren- all games. Some how they saw fit to skip One Pocket, so Ronnie Allen, in his 60s now, can forget about getting in with these children running the BCA and Allen Hopkins is getting on in age too, so he better not count on children's memories either. They certainly won't believe the people that were there to see Allen Hopkins and Ronnie Allen play.
 
Allen would have been my choice for sure. Earl is still playing so I don't think he should have been nominated, once he quits Earl should be in pretty quick. This was the year Allen was supposed to make it but the Pool hall of Fame is more impressed with talkers, carpenters, or people who invent new plastics then with people who play great pool and are known for that. I really don't care anymore after this choice and neither should Allen, the whole HoF is a joke to me at this point.
 
Ronnie Allen is most deserving.

It seems as thought the BCA historically has had a fixation on straight pool. Not that straight pool isn't a great game of skill, but it's not the only one. Also the BCA seems not to favor champions who double as gamblers, except if they seem to generate some sort of sympathetic appeal (ie. Boston Shorty, Fats).

For example: If Lou Butera, Dallas West, and Ray Martin, while great straight pool players and while very deserving, are in the hall of fame, why aren't the following players considered?:

Jack Breit ("Jersey Red")
Johnny Irish
Grady Mathews
Jimmy Fusco
Johnny Ervolino
Marshall Carpenter ("Squirrel")
 
Allen should be in and he will. At one point he was voted by the othr players as the best all-around in the game
 
Hopkins isn't giving back to the sport (HE'S RAPING IT). His amature open event has over 1000 players in it at $75 bucks a man and the top prize only $5000. If the man wants to make money from pool that's fine but don't act like he's giving something back, because he's not...he's RAPING IT. And in his best day he couldn't beat Strickland getting the 5
 
It blows my mind that Allen wasnt inducted this year. The titles, promotions, commentation...no disrespect to Ewa, but Allen deserves it, and I bet it hurts him deeply that he didnt get picked.
 
Maybe they should have a separate hall of fame for ladies like they do for golf. I agree that if Nick V. and Sigel have been in for a while, Hopkins should be in also. He was as good as anyone in his prime- Strickland plays great but I doubt that bit about giving Allen the 5 ball and he doesn't play most of the other games. Ewa is a class act and congratulations to her, but her game is nowhere near these guys.

What are some sources for info on "Squirrel", Jersey Red, etc... ?I've heard their names but don't know much about them.
 
That new book "Hustler Days" I'm sure tells a lot about them, especially Jersey Red.

The two Eddie Robin books, "Winning One Pocket" and "Shots, Moves and Strategies", while out-of-print and very expensive on Ebay, are very good sources of information.

"Squirrel" won the 1962 Johnston City One Pocket
Johnny Ervolino won back-to-back One Pocket titles at the Stardust tournaments in Las Vegas and as late as 1990 he had run 333 balls in straight pool! (at Billiard Emporium in Commack, NY). He's still playing, too. He was at Derby City two weeks ago.

I don't think I have to say anything about Grady. His reputation and accomplishments speak for themselves.
 
BackPocket9Ball-
Grady is very open about his dislike for the BCA. I think it is unlikely he will ever get get in to the HOF.

Nino-
If you read Bob Romano 's post regarding the promotion of the Midwest Open, I think you'll agree that there are many "behind the scene" costs that justify the reduction in prize money.
 
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