Brooklyn still proud of Jean Balukas

Question ?

I was at the Clyde Childress Tournament in Richmond Ky. in the late 1980's when Jean Balukas had an altercation with Lori Shampo. Lori Shampo was a fantastic pool player with the mouth of a drunken sailor. I can't remember exactly what and how it happened.
What I do remember was Lori screamed as loud at Jean across the room and called her names I never even heard. I do remember one of the words was the ( C ) word. It was the ugliest display of not only unsportsmanlike conduct, but behavior I have ever witnessed at any event. I think this was near the time Jean quit playing also. I do think it happened because Jean won her match agains't Lori. Not sure though. I must say Lori was one of the best female players of all time in my opinion. She was the real deal, just couldn't overcome the demons. I would love to see Jean compete again, and I believe she could. She is possibly the greatest female player ever, but we will never know .
Gary Lutman
 
John Novak said:
I think you need to watch the video.........Jean got up from her chair when robin missed the shot in the corner, however the ball doubled the jaw and collided with 2 other balls and one of them went in the corner............Thats when Robin said dont do that again..........
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I have been watching the video. Jean not only got up from the chair, she made several crybaby comments about the roll, and then Robin said don't do that again. This whole match was affected by Jean's crying and sharking. If that's what she had to do to win this then I guess she feels that's part of the game. IMO you keep your mouth shut when your opponent is shooting, no matter what kind of rolls they get. No doubt Jean's sharking comments rattled Robin, and helped her regain control of the match.
 
Fatboy said:
its water under the bridge,


but it didnt help pool, it harmed pool-
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I think having the greatest woman player leave the sport so early hurt it more than any comments in one match could do.

Not sure why the debate over why Jean left pool though, it is right there in the article from her own words.
 
flyvirginiaguy said:
I think having the greatest woman player leave the sport so early hurt it more than any comments in one match could do.

Not sure why the debate over why Jean left pool though, it is right there in the article from her own words.
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For sure, I agree with you and Eric. It is noteworthy that it conjures up this much emotion 25 years later, is what I was thinking.
 
1 Lone Wolf said:
I was at the Clyde Childress Tournament in Richmond Ky. in the late 1980's when Jean Balukas had an altercation with Lori Shampo. Lori Shampo was a fantastic pool player with the mouth of a drunken sailor. I can't remember exactly what and how it happened.
What I do remember was Lori screamed as loud at Jean across the room and called her names I never even heard. I do remember one of the words was the ( C ) word. It was the ugliest display of not only unsportsmanlike conduct, but behavior I have ever witnessed at any event. I think this was near the time Jean quit playing also. I do think it happened because Jean won her match agains't Lori. Not sure though. I must say Lori was one of the best female players of all time in my opinion. She was the real deal, just couldn't overcome the demons. I would love to see Jean compete again, and I believe she could. She is possibly the greatest female player ever, but we will never know .
Gary Lutman
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Never saw her play, but Freddy B. talks of her fondly, Jay H. started a thread about her if you are interested.

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=218739&highlight=shampo
 
punter said:
I have been watching the video. Jean not only got up from the chair, she made several crybaby comments about the roll, and then Robin said don't do that again. This whole match was affected by Jean's crying and sharking. If that's what she had to do to win this then I guess she feels that's part of the game. IMO you keep your mouth shut when your opponent is shooting, no matter what kind of rolls they get. No doubt Jean's sharking comments rattled Robin, and helped her regain control of the match.
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Im not sure why you are having such a hard time following this. My point has been They both violated the unsportsmanlike conduct rule. How can you only fine one without the other. There is no such thing and justifiable unsportsmanlike conduct
 
Oh, and after I wrote that last post I realized that maybe Jean's real anger towards the WPBA was their switch to 9-ball.
 
JAM said:
For sure, I agree with you and Eric. It is noteworthy that it conjures up this much emotion 25 years later, is what I was thinking.[/QUOTE


Me2 I was thinking the same. I jsut watched it again, i hadnt seen it for a few years, in all reality I didnt see anything over the line, like Jean said "thats why we're mic'ed" or something like that at the end. IMO it should have ended right there,
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1 Lone Wolf said:
I was at the Clyde Childress Tournament in Richmond Ky. in the late 1980's when Jean Balukas had an altercation with Lori Shampo. Lori Shampo was a fantastic pool player with the mouth of a drunken sailor. I can't remember exactly what and how it happened.
What I do remember was Lori screamed as loud at Jean across the room and called her names I never even heard. I do remember one of the words was the ( C ) word. It was the ugliest display of not only unsportsmanlike conduct, but behavior I have ever witnessed at any event. I think this was near the time Jean quit playing also. I do think it happened because Jean won her match agains't Lori. Not sure though. I must say Lori was one of the best female players of all time in my opinion. She was the real deal, just couldn't overcome the demons. I would love to see Jean compete again, and I believe she could. She is possibly the greatest female player ever, but we will never know .
Gary Lutman
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Lori was an excellent player. I believe she was world champ by the age of 21. I can imagine how that verbal exchange went between a Detroit and Brooklyn attitudes clash. Lori had a very troubled life of drug addiction, prostitution. I believe she died back in 2003
 
Fatboy said:
Me2 I was thinking the same. I jsut watched it again, i hadnt seen it for a few years, in all reality I didnt see anything over the line, like Jean said "thats why we're mic'ed" or something like that at the end. IMO it should have ended right there,
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I wonder if anyone has ever asked Jean, point blank, her thoughts, what was going on in her mind, about that day. Can you imagine getting that breaking-news interview with Queen Jean?

In fact, imagine getting Robin Bell Dodson and Jean Balukas in the same room, asking them questions stemming from this day, getting their thoughts on the transition from 14.1 to 9-ball, what their thoughts are about pool today, its future, et cetera. Of course, the questions would have to be submitted ahead of time to both lady Hall of Famers. Man, what a catch that would be to get that interview. It would be historical! :cool:

About 25-plus years ago, we were on the road and ended up in New York City looking for pool rooms to get action. Neither of us knew where we were going. We ended up in Queens. The place was huge. I paid a guy $25 to let me park my car next door at the gas station because they said otherwise my car would be stripped within minutes. Looking back on it, I wonder if that was a hustle.

Inside the pool room, there were only two action tables in the back, and they were both taken. However, in the distance, my friend told me there was Jean Balukas in the flesh. I felt like such a tourist, walking by her table, looking at her in my peripheral vision, trying not to be too obvious. She was just hitting balls solo. :grin:

That was the only time I had ever seen her. Keith told me she beat Buddy Hall in a big BC Open tournament in NY one year. The entire crowd was pulling for Jean, the token female. Right befofre it was Buddy's turn to play her, she beat somebody else. I can't remember the name. As Buddy was walking down the hallway, Keith was getting ready to tell him about Jean Balukas beating the prevouis guy. Buddy walked past Keith quickly and growled at him: "I don't even want to hear it, Keith. I don't want to hear about her." :grin:
 
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Fatboy said:
Me2 I was thinking the same. I jsut watched it again, i hadnt seen it for a few years, in all reality I didnt see anything over the line, like Jean said "thats why we're mic'ed" or something like that at the end. IMO it should have ended right there,
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You know what, maybe you're right, but it hits home with me because I've been in that spot where you're playing good against someone better than you, and they just can't help making some snide comment about you are getting lucky. Personal pet peeve.
 
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John Novak said:
Im not sure why you are having such a hard time following this. My point has been They both violated the unsportsmanlike conduct rule. How can you only fine one without the other. There is no such thing and justifiable unsportsmanlike conduct
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I don't know why you are having such a hard time getting my point. Jean started everything. When someone starts something like she did, and she was out of line, then it's perfectly alright for the other player to say something. That is my opinion you don't have to agree, but apparently you can't even see what I am trying to say.
 
Thanks for the good Read.. if i ever get a chance too fly somewheres it would be Brooklyn... just too meet miss Jean Balukas :) always wanted too meet her for many years
 
You know, since we're talking about Queen Jean, I never understood *why* Jean Balukas did not come to Orlando, FL in December 2005 when Kevin Trudeau was gifting each BCA Hall of Famer with $30,000 just for showing up for the tournament. Plus, each BCA Hall of Famer got two byes in the tournament, to include Efren. Efren won the thing and certainly did not need any byes. :p

But Jean was invited and I guess or assume she declined. I never understood that, other than maybe she had family or businses reasons to keep her close to home. I understand that. $30,000 is a nice chunk of change, though, just for showing up. :wink:
 
If in mlb,nfl or the nba someone strikes you and you hit them back your BOTH at fault. Jean started it with her comments but her returning the comment made her just as bad.


John Novak said:
Im not sure why you are having such a hard time following this. My point has been They both violated the unsportsmanlike conduct rule. How can you only fine one without the other. There is no such thing and justifiable unsportsmanlike conduct
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