Billy Thorpe

[Rickhem]

Ever since the first Vietnam Open, I’ve noticed a strong bond between Fedor Gorst and Billy Thorpe. Billy just has a way of making the people around him have a good time, and I think that kind of spirit is an underrated ingredient in building a great team.

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Yes, making Team USA for the Mosconi Cup ultimately comes down to the WNT rankings. But I think there’s also something to be said for the intangible qualities a player brings to a team, the ability to connect with teammates, keep spirits up, and help create that feeling of we’re in this together.

Remember Mike Dechaine when he was on Team USA? I like Mike D. He’s a tremendous player, and there’s no questioning his ability at the table. But, if we’re being honest, there seemed to be a divide at times. The other team members made an effort to bond with him, but Mike tended to be more of a loner. And that’s not necessarily a criticism. Some people are just wired that way.

But the Mosconi Cup isn’t just about putting five great players in jerseys. It’s about putting together a team. And sometimes the ingredients that make a team successful go beyond how well someone plays.

Billy has that spirit. He brings energy. He brings laughter. He connects with people. And he seems to genuinely enjoy being part of the group. Those things matter, too

Agree completely. Billy is a huge supporter, and brings a lot of energy and positivity, remember him in the Uncle Sam outfit?

A couple years ago, while my girl and I were visiting Turning Stone to watch the tournament there, we took a break down in the casino for a bit. I was playing craps and Sky and Billy bought in at the table, and played for a bit. Aside from having heard their names, and having seen them play on YouTube, I didn't really know anything more about either of them that day. Sky seemed a bit more reserved, but happy and upbeat, and Billy was a big personality, he added a lot of life to that table. My impression was that he enjoyed whatever he did, and it seems that the other players all enjoy his company. They both made the time at that craps table fun, and they both are players that I like to watch playing pool.

 

[garczar]

JFC this shit gets old. Look folks, all great players would have played great in ANY era. Its what they do. You can't just teleport them StarTrek-style from one era to another. The game has changed of course but great players will be great players regardless of the time frame. This endless direct comparison of eras is nothing but mental masturbation. It can't be done.

 

[mr3cushion]

JFC this shit gets old. Look folks, all great players would have played great in ANY era. Its what they do. You can't just teleport them StarTrek-style from one era to another. The game has changed of course but great players will be great players regardless of the time frame. This endless direct comparison of eras is nothing but mental masturbation. It can't be done.

100%!

Years ago I had several conversations with Sir Raymond Ceulemans, because I came up on the game of 3C in a odd time for the game in the US, Early-mid 60's, I heard 100's of stories of the players of Hoppe's era from my Mentor Ernie Presto!

Obviously I had to ask 'Mr100' the Big question.

"How do you think Hoppe and the Top players of that era would fare today"? He replied with refference, "Those players were 'Champions' then, they would adapt and be Champions now"!

I really wasn't surprised by His statement, from all the stories & facts I've known about the 3C players from the 20's-early 50's!

 

[nmh2008]

Are there any 800 + Fargo players with a fully sidearm delivery?

Soufi from Syria is real good

 

[Jaden]

Fundamentals. You should have started in 1960. You learned to play by trial and error.

Hell even in the 90's we just had vhs and books...The only problem with today, aside from just analyzing the top players (and even that isn't alsways helpful), is information overload. There's so much info available, how do you separate the chaff from the wheat?

 

[Taxi]

They play better shape which minimizes the "pounding" requirement. All while playing on 4" pockets. As much as I hate to say it. Today's breed are a gear higher. Think Buddy Hall with better fundamentals. Along with the group mentioned I would add Nick Varner, Rempe, Hall. Guys like Hopkins with funny mechanics would get torched.

Just out of curiosity, what exactly was wrong with Buddy Hall's fundamentals?

 

[Nick B]

Just out of curiosity, what exactly was wrong with Buddy Hall's fundamentals?

If Hopkins is a 2. Buddy would be an 8. Solid but not ready for the Snooker tour.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skogstokig]

Didn't 65-year-old Earl just beat a top world player a couple day's ago?

why would anything be wrong with earl's fundamentals? unlike a lot of his contemporaries he followed through and stayed down on the shot. he didn't flap about like a fish out of water.

 

[Taxi]

If Hopkins is a 2. Buddy would be an 8. Solid but not ready for the Snooker tour.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So what separates Buddy's fundamentals from, say, Gorst's? His stroke was fluid with an easy followthrough, he kept his head down and his body still, and he was a long acknowledged master of pattern play. What am I missing?

 

[Cord]

why would anything be wrong with earl's fundamentals? unlike a lot of his contemporaries he followed through and stayed down on the shot. he didn't flap about like a fish out of water.

Well, maybe because Earl's "fundamentals" require ass weights, finger sleeves, and everything short of a beekeeper suit?

 

[GideonF]

100%!

Years ago I had several conversations with Sir Raymond Ceulemans, because I came up on the game of 3C in a odd time for the game in the US, Early-mid 60's, I heard 100's of stories of the players of Hoppe's era from my Mentor Ernie Presto!

Obviously I had to ask 'Mr100' the Big question.

"How do you think Hoppe and the Top players of that era would fare today"? He replied with refference, "Those players were 'Champions' then, they would adapt and be Champions now"!

I really wasn't surprised by His statement, from all the stories & facts I've known about the 3C players from the 20's-early 50's!

I saw a video on YouTube where Hoppe is giving instruction and he says (via the narrator) that the stroke should come from the shoulder, not from the elbow.

Is this something that survived into the more modern era of 3C?

 

[Nick B]

So what separates Buddy's fundamentals from, say, Gorst's? His stroke was fluid with an easy followthrough, he kept his head down and his body still, and he was a long acknowledged master of pattern play. What am I missing?

Youtube is your friend. Go watch some top flight snooker and then check out the best Euro's vs say even SVB or Buddy. Alignment, Body Stance, Feet Placement and proper piston stoke. Again Buddy was not bad. In fact probably of the best of that era. Just not picture perfect.

I have a ton of respect for Buddy's game. Big fan.

 

[sciarco]

Gotta love Earl always liked his style very entertaining

 

[HawaiianEye]

why would anything be wrong with earl's fundamentals? unlike a lot of his contemporaries he followed through and stayed down on the shot. he didn't flap about like a fish out of water.

Nothing wrong with Earl.

 

[VarmintKong]

Agree completely. Billy is a huge supporter, and brings a lot of energy and positivity, remember him in the Uncle Sam outfit?

A couple years ago, while my girl and I were visiting Turning Stone to watch the tournament there, we took a break down in the casino for a bit. I was playing craps and Sky and Billy bought in at the table, and played for a bit. Aside from having heard their names, and having seen them play on YouTube, I didn't really know anything more about either of them that day. Sky seemed a bit more reserved, but happy and upbeat, and Billy was a big personality, he added a lot of life to that table. My impression was that he enjoyed whatever he did, and it seems that the other players all enjoy his company. They both made the time at that craps table fun, and they both are players that I like to watch playing pool.

I will always laugh when I think about Skylar and Billy shaking their matching mullets after winning matches in the World Cup of Pool.

P.S. when is that event gonna be creepin’ on a come up?

 

[jay helfert]

I started after that, learned by trial and error, and wasted literal decades of my life working 10X as hard for half the results.

The fundamentally sound players of today would trounce the top players of the 80s given a time machine. Earl, Sigel, Hall could hang, but pretty much all the others would get steamrolled by even the 50th best player today.

Thorpe is exactly what most top players of then would look like if magically transported to today's game. A talented player, fighting an uphill battle against poor mechanics, and ultimately just an also-ran.

I've watched many videos now of tournies I worked back then. The only player that had equal skills to today's best was Buddy Hall. He played a beautiful game of 9-Ball, once in line stayed in line. Perfect cue ball control like Efren. Solid as a rock for the full shot. Just watch for yourself.

 

[jay helfert]

Youtube is your friend. Go watch some top flight snooker and then check out the best Euro's vs say even SVB or Buddy. Alignment, Body Stance, Feet Placement and proper piston stoke. Again Buddy was not bad. In fact probably of the best of that era. Just not picture perfect.

I have a ton of respect for Buddy's game. Big fan.

Vastly different games requiring different stances, bridges, cues, stroke, the whole nine yards.

 

[Frosty]

Yeah, his stroke is painful to watch. If he had proper fundamentals from the start he'd probably be a much better player. He probably could fix it, but that might require something like two years off to completely rebuild his fundamentals and relearn the game with his new, "proper" form. I'm guessing most on the fringes of the pro circuit don't have the financial luxury of doing something like that.

You know, there are a LOT of elite players both past and present that have things in their form that aren’t textbook, the list is quite long. It’s like Jeremy Jones told me once, if you’re playing 6,8,10 hours a day, you can make almost anything work.

 

[Frosty]

I've watched many videos now of tournies I worked back then. The only player that had equal skills to today's best was Buddy Hall. He played a beautiful game of 9-Ball, once in line stayed in line. Perfect cue ball control like Efren. Solid as a rock for the full shot. Just watch for yourself.

Danny Diliberto used to tell people that if you want to see how to play 9 ball properly, watch Buddy Hall. He played banks beautifully as well, one of the few players that enjoyed full rack banks, he was a surgeon.

 

[skogstokig]

You know, there are a LOT of elite players both past and present that have things in their form that aren’t textbook, the list is quite long. It’s like Jeremy Jones told me once, if you’re playing 6,8,10 hours a day, you can make almost anything work.

3 of the last 4 WNT big event winners, i would argue. shane, grabe, FSR.

shane with the hitch and non existing follow through, grabe with the lateral elbow drop. in FSR's case it's mostly not staying down after cue contact sometimes, other than that his form is quite good