Biggest money match you have ever seen?

[jay helfert]

Guess you just had to be there to see what I mean.... Jack may have stalled if he were playing a shortstop player or even a lesser speed seasoned player but he was playing a James Walden that was in his prime. I seen Walden in a few spots before that and a couple right after and he was playing perfect pool and was in constant high $ action. My point, Cooney had to play his ass off to win. If he would have stalled he would have lost..... Trust me, he was putting down moves on James that he would only bring out of the arsenal if he really needed to! I sweated about 6 hours of it the second day sitting with Patcheye and Groundhog (from ATL), two guys that have seen & played more 1p in the past 30+ years than just about anyone out there. Both said it was some of the best 1p they had ever seen (from both players) and they had never seen anyone move like Jack. That is saying something.........

Saw

Jack could lay it down pretty good when he had to. He always seemed to have a higher gear when he needed it. My personal belief is that he was the second best One Pocket player of his generation, right after Ronnie. Of course, Jack would never tangle with guys like Ed Kelly, Jersey Red, Shorty, Steve Cook, Hopkins, Varner or Cornbread. WHY??? He would be knocking his own action if he ever beat one of these guys.

The best players I ever saw Jack play were Jimmy Fusco many years ago at Marina Billiards in Marina del Rey, CA., the "Monk" Warren Costanzo at Keystone Billiards in Reno, and Ronnie for 50 a game to help him get ready for Danny D. in their historic match in 1988 in Phoenix. Don't tell anyone but Jack got the best of all three of these games too! He did get Ronnie in dead stroke though.

The games with Toby and James came later in his career when he was "out of the closet".

 

[Thecoats]

I do not believe Jack was "off the stall". It was one of his tenents to make sure to take a very long time to beat his opponent, so his opponent would think it was the TIME that got him, not the skill of his opponent, and would therefore be willing to try another match for big money.

I am not toally sure Jack couldn't have beat him flat in 10 hours or so...

Russ

Obviously you have not witnissed a lot of James Walden's big money matches, I can assure you Jack was probably not stalling. However, I think he was getting weight, Jay may remember how they played.

-don

 

[1on1pooltournys]

close

I believe the older guy was Gary Lutman.

The other player (older guy) was Terry Hillsman. He owns "The Break" in Cahokia, IL. which has seen some considerably high action over the last 15 years. The stories go on and on.

 

[Thecoats]

Aside from the fact that Jay H. sez it took 3 days, even otherwise I'd bet my left testicle that it didn't take 11 days.

Pool stories have a tendency to grow as they get older.

Russ

You are confusing the Walden/Cooney match with the Fleharty/Cooney match. Oddley enought Walden and Fleharty both are from Okalhoma City, must be something in the water there that helps breed one pocket players:smile: :smile:

-don

 

[Thecoats]

I was in Dallas several years ago at CJ's and saw Efren play Amarillo Slim play a set of one hole (12-5 I believe) for 50K. No doubt there were six figures bet including the rail. Me and my buddy emptied out on Efren (even borrowing a dime to put in the fire). I believe it was a race to five. With the score 4-2 Slim, we thought it was money gone as Slim lined up a routine straight in for all the cheese. He missed, hanging the ball. Efren brings it from there all the way to the bank. It was unreal.

At that same tourney, Rafeal got robbed by Matlock at 3-Cushion. IIRC he busted the entire hispanic contingent as they figured RM to be the nuts in this spot. We knew the "real score" and won a dime or so on the rail flying under the radar. Kim Davenport played Luat a race to 21 for 5-10K that same night. Luat fell dead for our money, but we managed to come out pretty good winner nonetheless.

Those sure were some great times.

I was at that tournament, CJ used to have a tournament every year around the 4th of July. The following year Efren tried to give Roger Griffis something like 12-8 and Griffis won easily.

-don

 

[Thecoats]

I think Johnny Morrow also went by "Johnny Ringo."

I thought Johnny Ringo was they dude that Doc Holiday shot in the head at the end of Tombstone:wink: :wink:

 

[Heyalex40]

This REALLY happened. Baldwin was the President of the Mirage at the time, and had access to big bucks. They started out for 100 a game and it quickly escalated. Archie had only a few thousand dollars to his name when the game began. They played off and on for several days, and Archie did in fact win over a million dollars in cash!

From there they went to a private room at the Mirage and played heads up poker. Archie doubled his winnings playing poker. Finally Baldwin was done, but Archie then asked if he could play Dice in the casino and would Bobby have them raise the limits for him. BOOM, he wins two million more! Now he had a monster bankroll and took on Las Vegas. All casinos were now fair game for Archie.

Archie ran his bankroll up over thirty million within a couple of months. It was the greatest roll in Vegas history. He had emptied out the cage at the Horseshoe downtown, and had TEN MILLION in $5,000 chips in a box there. They were forced to buy back some of the chips from him.

The IRS got wind of all this and charged Archie four million in taxes. He claimed losses against winnings and they allowed most of it. He did have to pay them four mil though. He had well over twenty million left, spread out in cages across Vegas. Over the next two years, Archie spent and lost most of the money. A couple of years later, he was running around Vegas claiming he was broke. He was down to his last few hundred grand.

Since this monster score, Archie has several times run up over a million in winnings, but has never approached his once in a lifetime score. Doubtful he ever will. But it certainly isn't for lack of trying. I saw him last trip and he was hanging around the WSOP trying to get staked.

My favorite part of this story is Archie sent a bunch of Money to his Mom to buy a house in Greece, then a few years later when he was broke he asked her to sell it so he could get the cash. She told him to pound sand... Way to go mom.

 

[Heyalex40]

I thought Johnny Ringo was they dude that Doc Holiday shot in the head at the end of Tombstone:wink: :wink:

I'm your Huckleberry !!!

 

[rzrbak98]

I watched Andy Quinn play Chiago Rob at the Break in caokia ill 10 ahead 1-hole for 20k plus I know at least that much on the rail.

Andy won in 3hrs with a 1hr break to eat.:thumbup:

I also watched my buddy from cape play carl for 20k at the break so there is plenty of action there and thats 2 of 10000 sets for that kinda action at that place.

 

[mark8950]

Ok this is getting boring- What is the biggest AIR BARREL You have seen fired?

saw cornbread play 500 a game on guts in dothan alabama in 1972. i was with him and jr goff. sparky me and goff left him we were afraid we would get killed. when we came back in about an hr. bread man was 6 thou ahead. wow what nerve he had.

 

[asn130]

when diamond billiards was open in dallas i watched John S BBQ CJ wiley for 10k & watched Bartrum do the same to David G for 10k

Man i miss that place....more action than a $3 hooker.

 

[androd]

I was at that tournament, CJ used to have a tournament every year around the 4th of July. The following year Efren tried to give Roger Griffis something like 12-8 and Griffis won easily.

-don

i believe the game was 10 to 5, it may have been 10 to 6 ? no more.

 

[kentw]

I saw pat mcnally play tony watson at fuscos place again it was 15 ahead for 20k.2003 2004 it was when the expo was going on me pat and cosmo and fitzsimmons drove down it didnt get started till about 1 am we left about 6 am.:boring2:

 

[berlowmj]

Derby City classic in Louisville

What is the biggest heads up money match you have seen in person?

I don't know the amounts being wagered, but in the evening, people were placing impressive wads of cash on the lights over the table. In some cases, they were accompanied by men who appeared, from their demeanor & bulges under their jackets, to be bodyguards.

 

[Voodoo Daddy]

In the 90's...in order I saw Super Mario Cruz play the following within a 6 month period;
John Ditoro
Billy Ray {road player that I never got his real name}
Frankie Hernandez
Slim Carney
CJ Wiley
Toby Sweet

All sets were 20 ahead and the wagers ranged from 20K to 85k. :thumbup:

PoolandPokerMan...the Bartum/Chohan match was fun to sweat, wasnt it?

 

[Nostroke]

In the 90's...in order I saw Super Mario Cruz play the following within a 6 month period;
John Ditoro
Billy Ray {road player that I never got his real name}
Frankie Hernandez
Slim Carney
CJ Wiley
Toby Sweet

All sets were 20 ahead and the wagers ranged from 20K to 85k. :thumbup:

PoolandPokerMan...the Bartum/Chohan match was fun to sweat, wasnt it?

Hey Steve-Billy Ray Suda or close. Frankie tried to give Mario the 8, right?

Please post results and spot if you can. Cya round


Gravy

 

[jay helfert]

i believe the game was 10 to 5, it may have been 10 to 6 ? no more.

Roger played very good One Hole. Not even the great Effie could give him four balls. 10-6 no chance. 8-6 maybe? 9-7 Probably the right game. Or 8-6, 9-7.

 

[gwk9ball]

I watched Eric Durbin and Tony Watson play for $25k in Derby City a few years ago.

 

[androd]

Roger played very good One Hole. Not even the great Effie could give him four balls. 10-6 no chance. 8-6 maybe? 9-7 Probably the right game. Or 8-6, 9-7.

your correct about the right game, but the game they matched up was as i said . tommy ray was getting more backers for roger and asked if i'd take a piece. but i was leaving town that afternoon.
ps; although roger won the people that watched said it was a close match.

 

[Voodoo Daddy]

Hey Steve-Billy Ray Suda or close. Frankie tried to give Mario the 8, right?

Please post results and spot if you can. Cya round


Gravy

Was either the Called 7-8 or just the Called 7. Top three mentioned Mario did them in, last three mentioned turned it around. I think the Slim match was the only one w/o a spot. Toby put on the best show...:dance: