Beaten by a guy using a mop handle

ALLENJK said:
I had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Trevino a couple of months ago. I was very disappointed to find out that he doesn't play golf anymore due to some serious back problems. The golf world lost a great showman.

Back to the original post.

A friend of mine ( no names to be mentioned ) also was beaten with a mop handle. As soon as he saw the guy could play pretty strong he started playing safes when needed. When this guy got tired of it he went his car , brought back about a 3 ft toy broom and proceeded to make jump shots. Needless to say my friend got his a%$ handed to him.

Then you will be happy to hear this! He started again. I saw him in a tournament recently and he said that he has started doing pilates to build core strength and is feeling better than he has in years. Credited it with him being able to play at all and said he is hitting the ball as far as ever. In fact I was so impressed that I started doing pilates for my golf game and it's worked well.

Looks like he shot a 1-over 72 in the Commerce Bank Champtionships this morning.

Cheers,
RC
 
Hal said:
I was asked to share this story so here goes. It is a true story.

Capitol Billiards Tullahoma TN approximately 1991.​

I don't remember how this game came about, but I ended up playing the owner of the pool room 9ball for 2.00 a game spotting him the 8ball and he shot with a mop handle. It was one of those really big fat handles. There wasn't anything on the end of the handle. It was just wood with a radius of about one inch.
I would say my skill level at the time was a mid to high C. We played on a 6' Valley table with a HUGE cueball. I think it was one of those with metal inside it.
Anyway, we played for a long time. I was hanging tough, but there was several old timers sitting around watching and the man I played was a talker as well. I soon got rattled. It was also nearing time for me to leave for my job just around the corner at Dominoes.
I kept losing and losing and made the decision to call in sick and keep playing. I ended up losing $50.00 and also lost a days pay. It took YEARS to live that down. The owner has since opened another room in Tullahoma that his son currently runs. I see him from time to time and he rubs it in about once a year or so. The sad part is he doesn't play well at all. I should have beat him.

One thing I've done is played people with a cue with no tip on it.

One bar I played at usually had at least 1 or two cues on the wall without tips on them, because bangers knocked them off or whatever. One time a guy was trying to hustle me into a game and handed me a house cue without a tip. I noticed it but pretended not to. I chalked it like normal and when I broke, popped the CB off the table. He asked if I wanted to double the bet. I said sure and proceeded to whip his butt with a cue that had no tip on it :D It's all speed control and being able to play patterns without English. Plus, when the other guy thinks he's cheating and still can't win...priceless.

After that little incident, I was sitting at the bar and a good young player came in, looked at the B&C tourney that was going on, laughed and told his buddy loudly, "I can beat anybody in this joint." I stood up and said "really?". The guy he was with was smiling because he knew me and knew his buddy was about to get a little "reality slap."

I said, "I tell you what, you pick any house cue off the wall, We'll cut the tip off it and I'll play with it and you play with your cue. Let's play a race to 5 for $20." He couldn't believe his good fortune. I beat him two sets that way and he was really pissed off. Jeesh. You think you're trying to help people by teaching them how the world works at a young age and they just don't appreciate it :p

Cheers,
RC
 
sixpack said:
Then you will be happy to hear this! He started again. I saw him in a tournament recently and he said that he has started doing pilates to build core strength and is feeling better than he has in years. Credited it with him being able to play at all and said he is hitting the ball as far as ever. In fact I was so impressed that I started doing pilates for my golf game and it's worked well.

Looks like he shot a 1-over 72 in the Commerce Bank Champtionships this morning.

Cheers,
RC


That is great news. I wish all the best in his return.
Thanks for the update.
 
Broom Stick Handle

Hello der,
I will share with you an interesting story....
Last year, the most sought after custom cue maker alive called me and said "Hal, you will never guess what I am doing right now." I said "I probably can't guess, so tell me". He replied "I took a break from buiding a cue for Karen Corr". I asked "And what is so unusal about building a cue for her because she lives close to you?" He replied " I am making her a cue from a broom stick! It has a joint and I have not changed the looks of a broom stick." He told me that 'they' bet someone, she could beat the other player using a broom stick.
Now you know the rest of the story....

Regards,
Hal
:)
 
I'm wondering if double hitting the cue ball would be a much greater problem playing with a mop handle.

Anyway, great story, Hal, and a great avatar, too.

George "Ginky" SanSouci once offered me a game of straight pool, playing even, in which he would have to shoot every shot behind his back. Deep down, I reckoned I would win, but I figured he knows my game well and still wants top play, so I declined. Would have been interesting.

Legendary Abe Rosen, who was John Ervolino's mentor, used to ask for 99 on the wire in a race to 100 in straight pool and that there would be no deductions when he scratched. The catch was that he'd shoot every shot with the sharp end of a pencil, with which very little pace could be produced. He was betting you'd leave a ball hanging and leave the cue ball near it at some point. It is well known that Abe made quite a bit of money with this hustle, although he had little chance against strong players.
 
unusual hustles

Local Erie pool legend Paul Schofield is reputed to have won lots of dough using a bar of Ivory soap instead of a cue.


P.S> to HAL Did you buy that mop from Jeff Duke or trade for it?
 
Won a bar tounament

This is funny, it reminds me of a bar tournament, using brooms only, around Halloween, maybe 15 years ago. I got in and the rest of the players finally thought I would lose for a change. I got in to the finals and ran out using a broom!
 
sixpack said:
One thing I've done is played people with a cue with no tip on it.

One bar I played at usually had at least 1 or two cues on the wall without tips on them, because bangers knocked them off or whatever. One time a guy was trying to hustle me into a game and handed me a house cue without a tip. I noticed it but pretended not to. I chalked it like normal and when I broke, popped the CB off the table. He asked if I wanted to double the bet. I said sure and proceeded to whip his butt with a cue that had no tip on it :D It's all speed control and being able to play patterns without English. Plus, when the other guy thinks he's cheating and still can't win...priceless.

After that little incident, I was sitting at the bar and a good young player came in, looked at the B&C tourney that was going on, laughed and told his buddy loudly, "I can beat anybody in this joint." I stood up and said "really?". The guy he was with was smiling because he knew me and knew his buddy was about to get a little "reality slap."

I said, "I tell you what, you pick any house cue off the wall, We'll cut the tip off it and I'll play with it and you play with your cue. Let's play a race to 5 for $20." He couldn't believe his good fortune. I beat him two sets that way and he was really pissed off. Jeesh. You think you're trying to help people by teaching them how the world works at a young age and they just don't appreciate it :p

Cheers,
RC

Years ago when I was learning how to play pool at the local Boy's Club, the only cues available were missing tips and ferrules. I literally learned how to shoot pool by chalking the wood (which would eventually mushroom out) and paying extra special attention to striking the cue ball accurately. When I finally started shooting pool with a cue that had a tip, I was sort of surprised at the difference, and I was amazed at my accuracy. I always look back upon that as my humble beginning in the world of pool. Everybody has to start somewhere. Legend has it that as a child Mosconi would shoot potatoes on the kitchen table with a broom handle.
 
Hal said:
Maybe I can make a dvd. How to play with a mop. Use my techinques and clean up your game!

Chit Hal, I haven't burst of laughing that hard at a post for a long time ... a classic !

Dave, going to find a mop for the monitor and keyboard !
 
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