Anyone hear of Lance Saunders (from Montana)?

M

mrpool06

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just wondering how big of a name he was in the pool community. He was a top (& feared) player here in Billings, MT......last I heard, he moved to Iowa. Guess he grew up on the table; he was known as the best around Billings for years.

I did play him once, he came up & challenged me for $1.00/game. I beat him the 1st two games, then he turned up the heat, won the next two. Wanted to then up the bet; I got the heck out of there. I noticed how soft he shot on most balls, which really made me think how most players shoot too hard.

Anyone else know him, or know of him in Iowa? I see his brother, Billy (another fine player), all the time in league.
 
mrpool06 said:
Just wondering how big of a name he was in the pool community. He was a top (& feared) player here in Billings, MT......last I heard, he moved to Iowa. Guess he grew up on the table; he was known as the best around Billings for years.

I did play him once, he came up & challenged me for $1.00/game. I beat him the 1st two games, then he turned up the heat, won the next two. Wanted to then up the bet; I got the heck out of there. I noticed how soft he shot on most balls, which really made me think how most players shoot too hard.

Anyone else know him, or know of him in Iowa? I see his brother, Billy (another fine player), all the time in league.
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Lance was from Ventura, California before he moved to Billings. He played good and only a top player could beat him. He was one of the guys I siced Jimmy Reid on. Sorry Lance.
 
lance/billy sanders

are these the guys that have some cues with really long shafts to ease arthritis pain for billy? i ran into billy one night years ago in billings. i think he was teaching/ advising players on their game at one pool room in town(the one without the weird red felt). he enjoyed talking pool and told me some stories- wish i remembered them all. he was a right fine player- don't know how good.
 
As Jay Helfert mentioned, Lance Saunders was a top player. Lance was known for playing with a piece of crap wood butt, with a long, smooth custom shaft. If you saw his cue, you'd think it was worth about $10! LOL
He was a fixture in Billings for more than two decades, and played all games very well, including 3-C. He was unassuming, pretty quiet, and let his cue do the talking. He was the first person I ever saw draw a carom ball two lengths of a 10' table...what a stroke! Like Cole Dixon, Lance was always a serious threat, unless he had too much to drink. Even then he played very strong. He was also great with kids, and worked for many years at the Yellowstone Boys Ranch, outside Billings, as a counselor. I have a rare copy of his brother Billy's handmade book, titled "Strategy". I've never seen another copy.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
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