I have not read the entire thread, but I will say Jean Balukas would be #1 and Mike Sigel, while he had a great career, quit with a lot of good years ahead of him.
Best Player that Quit Early on
- Thread starter Island Drive
- Start date
Wow after this thread i went and read up on Jean Balukas... an amazing story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Balukas
I wonder how many other pool greats there were that i don't even know about.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Balukas
I wonder how many other pool greats there were that i don't even know about.
dabarbr said:
Thank you, Frank. I did mention Buddy way back in post #33 and this is what I said -
In California, we had a young fella named "Little Buddy" from San Jose. He shot lights out 9-ball but was also very strong in One-Pocket. I remember he beat Cecil in One Hole when Cecil was the best in LA. Was a fearless shooter who traveled quite a bit.
He hung it all up to get married and become a carpenter. I ran into him when he came into the poolroom I was at but didn't immediately recognize him. He was just there to have a few drinks with a friend but when he got on the table, there was no doubt Little Buddy was in the room. Several locals tried to convince him to come back and start playing again (me included), but he just thought it was too much of a grind.
I'm sure Keith or jrhendy could vouch for his credentials.
I'm glad someone else remembers him. The guy was fearless!
jay helfert said:
Jay, I remember Dalton well from Chelsea Billiards in NYC. He was known only as "Leon" then. He and Fran Crimi were dating seriously at the time. Word around the poolroom was Leon was assasinated by a Chinese gang, which occurred a few steps outside Chelsea Billiards.
I recall Leon in two epic matches against Sammy Kong. They played two 9-ball marathons of at least 36 hours straight. Leon came out on top both times. They'd go back and forth, but Leon eventually wore Sammy down. After the second loss, I never saw Sammy play pool again.
A little side note, I have Leon's Southwest cue. He sold it to some guy when he was short of money, with the agreement he could get it back when he got back on his feet. But he was killed before that happened. I never knew it was his cue till I showed Fran pictures of it last year and she said, "That was Dalton's cue!"
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I saw em win it at Johnson City, the hippies were cheering for em. He had it on a string back then, 1969? give or take a yr. He was like 20 yr old? then, help me out.
Is this the same great Houston player that was taken by a drug addiction?
Mark Tadd wasn't yet fully matured. Man that would have been something to see. Everybody in the world was already afraid of him.
Jean Balukas .... Mark Haddad
What about?
What about Reed Pierce? He is one of the best players I've ever seen. I think if he would have stayed on the tour there is no telling what all he would have won.
What about Reed Pierce? He is one of the best players I've ever seen. I think if he would have stayed on the tour there is no telling what all he would have won.
Best players to quit early
Marlon Manalo, imop one of the phillipines best.
Nicki Benish from Greenville SC. I watched her play in Greenville long after she was off the Womens Pro Circuit and she played great. Her focus,knowledge and saftey play was still professional.
Marlon Manalo, imop one of the phillipines best.
Nicki Benish from Greenville SC. I watched her play in Greenville long after she was off the Womens Pro Circuit and she played great. Her focus,knowledge and saftey play was still professional.
I 2nd this. When he came to the USA to go on the road nobody wanted to play him rotation games. He lost some money playing one pocket I heard. But I think he learned the game in a short while and would only get played by the top one pocket guys. This is all just hearsay I picked up.
people won't agree/ sorta long maybe
I have to say that Dick Leonard was 1 of the best I have known to have ever quit early. You may know him as #####leonard over on Billiards Digest. Has a high run of 326 in straight pool right handed and several runs over 100 left handed. When the pool room he was working in closed he became a teamster driver delivering liquor all over NY STATE to support his family. Although he can't shoot right handed any more because of medical problems he can still run over 100 left handed. He once tol me that Mike Sigel never beat him in a straight pool tournament. I decided to ask Mike and Mike did verify this. Johnny Ervolino once also told me that he had never seen anybody alive that could back cut a break shot like Dick could. I watched him play Mosconi in an exhibition once and Dick was beating him and Mosconi told him to cut it out. People came to watch me play not you. He also told Dick that he could be the next champion if he did not get married. Well Dick got married a couple of months later and there went his competitive game. And he could gamble. Back in the late 60's i watched him play Turk Vartigan some $50.00 a game 9 ball and run out from all over the place. I know that $50.00 does not sound like much' but back then it was......thats my story and i am sticking to it.............mike
I have to say that Dick Leonard was 1 of the best I have known to have ever quit early. You may know him as #####leonard over on Billiards Digest. Has a high run of 326 in straight pool right handed and several runs over 100 left handed. When the pool room he was working in closed he became a teamster driver delivering liquor all over NY STATE to support his family. Although he can't shoot right handed any more because of medical problems he can still run over 100 left handed. He once tol me that Mike Sigel never beat him in a straight pool tournament. I decided to ask Mike and Mike did verify this. Johnny Ervolino once also told me that he had never seen anybody alive that could back cut a break shot like Dick could. I watched him play Mosconi in an exhibition once and Dick was beating him and Mosconi told him to cut it out. People came to watch me play not you. He also told Dick that he could be the next champion if he did not get married. Well Dick got married a couple of months later and there went his competitive game. And he could gamble. Back in the late 60's i watched him play Turk Vartigan some $50.00 a game 9 ball and run out from all over the place. I know that $50.00 does not sound like much' but back then it was......thats my story and i am sticking to it.............mike
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stalev/SVB
A few years ago i watched SVB beat Cliff Joyner on a bar box at Q-Masters and Stalev asked SVB to play but that he had to make what you broke and SVB turned him down. SVB would only play him if he could shoot anything after the break. I would have loved to see that match go on but again SVB did not want to play the way Stalev did. I am sure he would play that game now for sure.....................mike
A few years ago i watched SVB beat Cliff Joyner on a bar box at Q-Masters and Stalev asked SVB to play but that he had to make what you broke and SVB turned him down. SVB would only play him if he could shoot anything after the break. I would have loved to see that match go on but again SVB did not want to play the way Stalev did. I am sure he would play that game now for sure.....................mike
Absolutely. That guy is a damn beast. One of my favorite players to watch, he played so effortlessly...
They both still play some!!
Squirrel used to frequent the Rack and Cue on Tatar street back in Pasadena. I grew up there.