At what age is a pool player "too old" to be world class?

JC

JC

Coos Cues
When do the physical skills wane to the point that is impossible to be what you once were? I mean absent the presence of chronic illness. Just normal aging. When is it "over"? I once read that nature doesn't affect a human until age 50. Any decline prior to that is self inflicted or due to illness. Is this point of natural decline in muscle mass and reflex the turning point for pool? Or do older players still have the skills but not the drive? Just wondering what folks think.

JC
 
JC said:
When do the physical skills wane to the point that is impossible to be what you once were? I mean absent the presence of chronic illness. Just normal aging. When is it "over"? I once read that nature doesn't affect a human until age 50. Any decline prior to that is self inflicted or due to illness. Is this point of natural decline in muscle mass and reflex the turning point for pool? Or do older players still have the skills but not the drive? Just wondering what folks think.

JC
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It really depends on the person, their health, focus, eyesight, drive and determination. Natural talent and enough money so you don't have to work also help. Most will never be "World Class" players but that doesn't mean they can't get a lot better than they are currently.
 
At what age is a pool player "too old" to be world class?
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Once earned, it is never lost. That's how I see it. Even if they can't get to the table anymore they can still teach any one of us a thing or two.

If it has to be questioned, then they never earned it. The true greats are "world class" whether or not they can still win a match or pick up a cue. Being world class transcends such things.


If you are speaking about the simple practical matter of being able to play, then I have to say there is no age limitation. You start physically advancing toward old age before you hit 30 years of age actually. I teach Geriatrics. Unlike Pediatrics there is no age that defines the field. It will be different for everybody. Attempting to put an age on such a thing is a mistake IMHO.
 
I don't know about "world class"
I do know that the body goes before the mind. I learned from a man who was in his late sixties/early 70s and could still run a couple racks or more,( I certainly wasn't a threat,) and recognize all the shots in the rack. He could draw the ball a full table.
He said he shot his best in his 40s . . .
 
thommy said:
I don't know about "world class"
I do know that the body goes before the mind. I learned from a man who was in his late sixties/early 70s and could still run a couple racks or more,( I certainly wasn't a threat,) and recognize all the shots in the rack. He could draw the ball a full table.
He said he shot his best in his 40s . . .
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Hey Thommy,
Buddy Hall is 66 and he won a tournament last week end and the week before. He still shoots great! Like the Lock of course!! He, He, He.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
i know your title said world class but i think the same question applies to all players at any level.

i am just an average player at best. was a bar banger for most of my life. never took lessons , just used the hamb method.

i joined my 1st league about 5 years ago, it was bcapl. i quickly rose to a 7 by the 3rd session. quit pool for 3 years due to an injury and other reasons.

i got back into pool a year and a half ago. i seem to be stuck at an apa 5 now. i am 58 years old and have more time than i have ever had to concentrate on my game but i just dont have the focus or stamina i used to.

it is frustrating as hell to be more serious about pool than i ever have been and realize my game sucks compared to the level i used to play. there are days where i show flashes of my old game but they dont come very often.
 
For men phisical skills begin to wane in late thirties/early forties.But experience and knowledge keep increasing.IMO somone who begins playing at 15 would peak at around 50-55 depending on the game.a player might play his best 1P in his sixties or seventies but his 9B game might be best at 40.Of course this all depends on how much a person plays and how fast they lean or how much they train.
 
Jimmy Caras came off a ten year retirement to win the U.S. Open 14.1 at age 57. Onifrio Lauri won a major 9-BALL tournament at Weenie Beenie's Jack 'n Jill poolroom in Arlingon, VA at the age of 69! ALL the top players were entered! That is still to me the most remarkable win of them all.

P.S. Lauri was about the same age as Greenleaf and competed against him many times, as well as Mosconi, Caras and Crane.
 
I guess what got me thinking about this was a hypothetical. I know lots of young people can "discover" pool and work hard and reach I very high level of play in a few years. What about the older person who has never given pool a thought yet has the same natural talent as the younger one? They pick up their first cue and find they not only have a natural ability but love the game. Can a 50 year old like this rise to the top? 60? Or even older? Not the guy who was always good or played some off and on their whole life but a complete newcomer. Is there anyone who first took up the game late and became world class? Is it even possible?

JC
 
jay helfert said:
Jimmy Caras came off a ten year retirement to win the U.S. Open 14.1 at age 57. Onifrio Lauri won a major 9-BALL tournament at Weenie Beenie's Jack 'n Jill poolroom in Arlingon, VA at the age of 69! ALL the top players were entered! That is still to me the most remarkable win of them all.

P.S. Lauri was about the same age as Greenleaf and competed against him many times, as well as Mosconi, Caras and Crane.
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Hey Jay,
Next time I need to know something about pool or players I am going to ask you instead of the Google!!! You are the Man, Jay!!!
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
JC said:
I guess what got me thinking about this was a hypothetical. I know lots of young people can "discover" pool and work hard and reach I very high level of play in a few years. What about the older person who has never given pool a thought yet has the same natural talent as the younger one? They pick up their first cue and find they not only have a natural ability but love the game. Can a 50 year old like this rise to the top? 60? Or even older? Not the guy who was always good or played some off and on their whole life but a complete newcomer. Is there anyone who first took up the game late and became world class? Is it even possible?

JC
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No.

No, of course not. You would know if you're going to be world class at something from a very early age.

Stop dreaming - it's the hope that kills you.
 
Well, I'm 85 and I'm just as bad as I ever was. I ran 29 about 35 years ago and it still stands. I've run 28 twice in the last year or so, once in practice and once in a match. I'm still hoping to hit 30 before I hang up the cue for good, which I have no intention of doing as long as I can lift it.

Dave Nelson
 
Its all about the health in my opinion. Some have a bit more luck-especially with their eyes. That can be difficult. But i know many players- for example in the 3-cushion scene, where also *older* players played also in higher absolutley top niveau.

In the 80 s a 3cushion team got in trouble-so they had to reactivate a man, who haven t played for a longer time. well his best disciplines have been always the technical discplines-but he won his 3 cushion match and made a nice high run of 14. Not so bad for a 72 old guy :-)
 
Determination...

How much gas in the tank???
How much money in the bank???
How much food in the fridge???

Most have too much of these and their Determination is weak...

However, just look at the Filipinos and where they come from and what their state of mind is....

It is amazing how things may go if THE BALL HAS TO GO IN AND POSITION MUST BE PERFECT!!!

Mr. J.
 
Yes, it depends on the individual. Irving Crane won his last major tournament at age 72, IIRC. I remember him playing Luther Lassiter on TV years ago, Alan Hopkins was commentating. It was clear that Luther was well past his prime, but Crane was playing very solid...still a AA player for sure and he was torturing Lassiter. Hopkins commented at the time that Crane was still feared by everyone in virtually any tournament he entered, however the other HOF players in the exhibition had long since hung up the cue. It wasn't even close to fair.

To answer the OP, it seems that most world class players hit a health wall in their 50s...their eyesight starts to go, then the joints and back make it very hard to play at their old speed. You can start to see it in Efren now, Jose Parica started sliding a few years ago. Obviously, they're both still feared everywhere, but not nearly as dangerous or dominating as they were 10 or 15 years ago. Sure, there are exceptions to every rule; but it seems like the magic number is somewhere in the mid 50s.
 
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many pool players especially from the past had bad living habits. drugs drinking and smoking did most in. just look at all the posts of 60 year old guys needing help or dying off. there is no reason for that.

if you keep healthy and in shape into your 60,s and 70,s you can still compete favorably. if your fat, out of shape, eat badly, smoke etc. when you hit that stage of your life you will be suffering.
 
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