best american player at 19yrs
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Stevie Moore-Jaybird - Tony Watson-Mike Mauney-Hillbilly Bryant-Kieth Bennet-Michael Coltrain-Earl Strickland-Luther Lassiter all nine from the Carolinas played awesome as 14 to 16 year olds, now we have Marcus and Adam Pendley who were beating older Pros at 12 and 13. Adam beat the mighty Earl at the crooked cue in NC in a tournament while 13 years old. Does anyone know if Denny Searcy played at a great speed when still a child, he lived in Nc but came from Cali I think.
Leonard
Leonard
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8ballEinstein said:
His first nickname, bestowed upon him by the Mexican pool contingent, was El Diablo!
The best teenage players I ever saw were Keith and Cole out West and Steve and Allen back East. Honorable mention goes to Jim Rempe. Growing up in Ohio, I kept hearing about this kid from Pennsylvania who was beating everyone, and he was only 16 or 17. The name he was known by then was Jimmy Rippy.
Like someone else said, the great players already played good as teenagers. But the four I mentioned were the best I ever saw personally, Buddy included. Shannon and Dennis also get honorable mentions, but wouldn't have wanted any part of an 18 year old Keith or Cole in 9-Ball. They may have been able to out gamble Steve as teens (but maybe not too) but definitely not Allen. Young Hoppe was taking on all comers at age 19! The best poolplayer of the four had to be Steve, who was already World Class, but he was the weakest gambler of the four also.
If you put a 19 year old Hopkins on a table with an 18 year old Keith and Cole, it would be a marathon. If you put a gun to my head and made me bet, I would pick Keith. He had as much or more gamble (read that fearless), and more natural ability than anyone in the world already. After a while it would get to anyone watching him make tough run-outs look like child's play.
Justin Bergmann may be the best 19 year old American player right now, but I'm not so sure that there aren't two or three teens in the Philipines that have the best of it against him. As for tournaments, remember the 2005 World Champ from China, young Mr. Wu is still only 18.
Like someone else said, the great players already played good as teenagers. But the four I mentioned were the best I ever saw personally, Buddy included. Shannon and Dennis also get honorable mentions, but wouldn't have wanted any part of an 18 year old Keith or Cole in 9-Ball. They may have been able to out gamble Steve as teens (but maybe not too) but definitely not Allen. Young Hoppe was taking on all comers at age 19! The best poolplayer of the four had to be Steve, who was already World Class, but he was the weakest gambler of the four also.
If you put a 19 year old Hopkins on a table with an 18 year old Keith and Cole, it would be a marathon. If you put a gun to my head and made me bet, I would pick Keith. He had as much or more gamble (read that fearless), and more natural ability than anyone in the world already. After a while it would get to anyone watching him make tough run-outs look like child's play.
Justin Bergmann may be the best 19 year old American player right now, but I'm not so sure that there aren't two or three teens in the Philipines that have the best of it against him. As for tournaments, remember the 2005 World Champ from China, young Mr. Wu is still only 18.
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All-time, I would guess Efren, but no proof... I have videos of Hatch when he was 17 or so and he played pretty amazing even back then... So that's the best I've personally seen..
As far as the best 19 year old right now, I have my opinion who it is, at least as far as 1pocket, but I don't want to knock any possible action so I won't say any names....
As far as the best 19 year old right now, I have my opinion who it is, at least as far as 1pocket, but I don't want to knock any possible action so I won't say any names....
AZE said:
OK, I know Efren is off topic, but since he has been mentioned...
When I was in the Navy during Nam I spent a lot of time in the Philippines mostly at Subic Bay. There was a pool room on the base and I used to play 9-ball with some of the locals from Olongapo. One time (after I had beat him) one of the locals said, "If you want a real game, you should go to Angeles City and play The Kid." I never went to Angeles City, so I have no proof either, but Efren would have been about 16 at the time, and "the kid" is "bata" in Tagalog.
Mark
mbvl said:
Sounds familiar, mbvl. I too was at Subic in the Navy but I was there in 66. Probably a bit before Efren fell in dead stroke. Guess he would have been around 12 at the time. Subic was an awesome place to be for an 18 year old $Bill at the time. You could find anything you wanted and many things you didn't.
Even without the gun, you'd probably have a good bet.jay helfert said:
Years back, Hal Mix told me that when Keith was 19, he was the best player in the world.Doc
hippiepool
Banned
I heard his backers offered plane fare to Cali plus the 8 ball ....to anyone ...hemicudas said:
I remember him wearing a t-shirt at a tournament in '82' that said " I spot god the 8-ball" ..........this was in a roomfull of champions ...
Jay, Chia Ching Wu Vs. McCready in his prime who do you have?
chris "the future" futrell - 18
High Run?
Jay, I heard several years back that Keith ran 26 racks in a row of 9 ball playing on a bar table. I don't who he was playing, or for how much, but he ended up loosing by the end of the night to the same player.
Does anyone out there know more about this high run, or who Keith was playing at the time, or for how much, and how the two players matched up?
That may be the highest all time run of 9 ball racks, has anyone beat that run? I would say that run may have left all the players in the dust!!
Keith, if you see this post maybe you can remember the night and the game and let us know what happened?
jay helfert said:
Jay, I heard several years back that Keith ran 26 racks in a row of 9 ball playing on a bar table. I don't who he was playing, or for how much, but he ended up loosing by the end of the night to the same player.
Does anyone out there know more about this high run, or who Keith was playing at the time, or for how much, and how the two players matched up?
That may be the highest all time run of 9 ball racks, has anyone beat that run? I would say that run may have left all the players in the dust!!
Keith, if you see this post maybe you can remember the night and the game and let us know what happened?
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John Irvolino (R.I.P)
Sammy Guzman (R.I.P)
I never got to see these guys play but some top players have said they were great players and game makers as teenagers.
Sammy Guzman (R.I.P)
I never got to see these guys play but some top players have said they were great players and game makers as teenagers.