Bar Box monsters

ChrisinNC said:
Any monster on a 9 foot or 10 foot table is likely to be the same on a 7 footer, even if they don’t play on it that much. They simply don’t need to because everything is easier on the smaller table and their cue ball control is so fine tuned.

Case in point – the top 3 current US 9-ball / 10-ball players on a big table most would agree are Shane, Skyler and Justin. I’d say those same three would likely be the top 3 US players right now on a barbox.

Of course any of those three would prefer to match up against anyone else on a bigger table, where their superior skills will more likely prevail. But as long as the race is long enough, any of those three would still be the favorite when playing against anyone else on a smaller table.
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Interesting way to look at it. I think anyone who travels a bit know that just because one is good at a 9' table, doesn't mean they will be on a small table. Looking at the three you mention, most would say that all three cut their teeth on small tables and that they transitioned to big tables. The midwest was chockablock full of bar table "pool halls" for decades.

When Shane played Dennis 8-ball on a bar table 15 years ago, it was obvious just how much better he was at bar table 8-ball than Dennis. And Dennis was monstrous himself. In all the bar table championships, I don't remember many other than Thorsten and Parica that won a major small table tournament that wasn't a small table specialist (at some point in their career). And Parica wasn't unfamiliar with a bar box.

Personally, I had a small table in my house for many years and I had a big table. Going down is easily more frustrating. Not even close (talking about 8-ball).
 
Glen Atwell was tough for anyone to beat on a bar table at one time. John Hennessee was another one who could beat anyone on the small track. Chad Vilmont was a handful for anyone as well.

In my area nearly all the regional tournaments are on 7 foot tables. I have been lucky enough to see many monsters play.
 
whiteoak said:
Who were some of the Incredibly strong bar box players over the years? The area where I live pretty much is exclusively bar box tournaments(tournaments on 9 ft tables have almost totally disappeared) so I was thinking about checking out videos for players the good folks here think of as primarily bar box specialists. Many Thanks,Mike S.
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I believe the greatest all around bar box hustler was Franciso Sebastian(Chino/Vera Cruz). He beat Dave Matlock in Chicago back in the 80's. Him and I road played together in the late 80's. He played all tables great including 3-cushion. Only problem was he was too dependent on alcohol and he lost an eye over a hustle he pulled off in Ohio in the early 80's but still beat 99.99% of all those whom he came up against him.. One of his best hustles was safety break leaving his opponent virtually no shot on the 1 ball.
 
Island Drive said:
Gilbert Martinez TX early nineties, best swing I ever saw. Denver Danny Medina also played great bar box. Jack was not GREAT but very good, he could not beat Wetch. Ether was jam up. There were quite a few, but Matlock with the BIG BALL was the best. Because he played great 3 cushion, that was why his BBox game with the Heavy Big Ball was top notch.
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I also was a ranking 3 cushion player and my gaff on the bar box was to switch to the mud ball or the big rock.. Got there many many times over champions with the switch.
 
1eyedhustler said:
I believe the greatest all around bar box hustler was Franciso Sebastian(Chino/Vera Cruz). He beat Dave Matlock in Chicago back in the 80's. Him and I road played together in the late 80's. He played all tables great including 3-cushion. Only problem was he was too dependent on alcohol and he lost an eye over a hustle he pulled off in Ohio in the early 80's but still beat 99.99% of all those whom he came up against him.. One of his best hustles was safety break leaving his opponent virtually no shot on the 1 ball.
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Sebastian came thru Tulsa in early '80's. That cat could FLAT play.
 
jacob said:
Glen Atwell was tough for anyone to beat on a bar table at one time. John Hennessee was another one who could beat anyone on the small track. Chad Vilmont was a handful for anyone as well.

In my area nearly all the regional tournaments are on 7 foot tables. I have been lucky enough to see many monsters play.
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Glen and I played the longest session(42 hours) of my life at "Ringos" in Beaverton, OR. in 1987. He spotted me the called 8 races to 5, $100 sets, I had cramps in my leg off and on, lol but after the session ended I busted him for $600. What warriors we were, I would be on his last 100 and he would get back to even and then I would kick into overdrive again.. We had no less than a different audience of 10 or more on the rail day and night.. I even dream of that session now and then.. Six years later he went on to win the US Bar Table championships in Reno.. The big table was his weakness as well as his super slow play..
 
Walter Glass from Las Vegas,nv was one of the top 8-ball players on a bar box for the money for quite some time back in the 8o's & 90's. He did win a couple of major tournaments but he was mostly a road player who hustled all over the country got the cash more times than not.
Another real strong Las Vegas bar box player was Jim Blakeman (only has one eye) who won the Andy Mercer tournament 2 or 3 times.He played his best with the "boulder" & stories have it that he used to carry one in his pocket & he'd try to sneak into the game anytime he could.
 
Another great one, especially on 9 footers was Mark Tadd. He may had had the greatest break of any player during his era. Heard recently he had a heart attack. Hope he is doing OK..
 
1eyedhustler said:
I believe the greatest all around bar box hustler was Franciso Sebastian(Chino/Vera Cruz). He beat Dave Matlock in Chicago back in the 80's. Him and I road played together in the late 80's. He played all tables great including 3-cushion. Only problem was he was too dependent on alcohol and he lost an eye over a hustle he pulled off in Ohio in the early 80's but still beat 99.99% of all those whom he came up against him.. One of his best hustles was safety break leaving his opponent virtually no shot on the 1 ball.
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Which cue ball did they use?
Dave and I were roomies in Germany @ Worlds.
At a McDermott tour 9 ball BTable event in Olathe, I knocked em over, and then he came back and I knocked em out, BUT we were using the red circle cue ball. Wetch got me in the finals.
 
Island Drive said:
Which cue ball did they use?
Dave and I were roomies in Germany @ Worlds.
At a McDermott tour 9 ball BTable event in Olathe, I knocked em over, and then he came back and I knocked em out, BUT we were using the red circle cue ball. Wetch got me in the finals.
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Probably a plugged ball but I am not sure.
 
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