Buddy Hall vs Steve Mizerak, who had the nicer stroke?

Samiel

Samiel

Sea Player
Silver Member
I was watching this video...


Both had great strokes, with The Miz seemingly a bit less smooth here (to me). This is on a Senior tour, so definitely not in their prime.

For those who've seen them both play in their prime, who had the nicer stroke?

The Miz is always mentioned when stroke is involved, but Buddy is definitely always mentioned among the greats.
 
Hard to define 'nicer' imo. Both were effective under major heat. Buddy's may be tad more pleasing to watch but both of them worked and that's what matters. While on this topic go look at Yvgeny Stalev play, this cat has the most flowing, effortless yet stupidly powerful stoke. I watched him play at Derby City and i was amazed. I could watch this guy hit balls for hours.
 
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I’ve never seen footage of Buddy at his prime age perform at his peak level. Most videos available are kinda meh. But I have to admit there is a big difference to a tournament race to 9 recorded when he was in his 40s-50s vs. how in tune he’d be playing on the same table for two days straight in his 20s-30s back when nobody was recording anything.
 
MattPoland said:
I’ve never seen footage of Buddy at his prime age perform at his peak level. Most videos available are kinda meh. But I have to admit there is a big difference to a tournament race to 9 recorded when he was in his 40s-50s vs. how in tune he’d be playing on the same table for two days straight in his 20s-30s back when nobody was recording anything.
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I saw him in late 70's/early 80's and he was something to see. His position play combined with that methodical pace just ground people to dust. Not just shortstops either, really good players would cross the street to avoid Buddy's torture.
 
Samiel said:
I was watching this video...


Both had great strokes, with The Miz seemingly a bit less smooth here (to me). This is on a Senior tour, so definitely not in their prime.

For those who've seen them both play in their prime, who had the nicer stroke?

The Miz is always mentioned when stroke is involved, but Buddy is definitely always mentioned among the greats.
Click to expand...
Buddy's real prime was in the 70's when he was giving the world the 7, but in 1998 he went undefeated to win the U. S. Open.
 
garczar said:
Hard to define 'nicer' imo. Both were effective under major heat. Buddy's may be tad more pleasing to watch but both of them worked and that's what matters. While on this topic go look at Yvgeny Stalev play, this cat has the most flowing, effortless yet stupidly powerful stoke. I watched him play at Derby City and i was amazed. I could watch this guy hit balls for hours.
Click to expand...
+1. Stalev had the best stroke I've ever seen. You described it perfectly. I heard he used a 25+ oz cue.
 
lots of great strokes but to each his own what works for them. both had nice stokes.

and both strokes, playing ability drastically declined along with their health and longevity with obsessiveness.
something to think about if you are fat.
 
I'm a fan of both and was lucky enough to see both play in person a few times. Both players strokes were fantastic and looked even better in person than they do on video. I'd say that's true of most great players and why I always encourage people to take in a pro event if they get the chance. Buddy's stroke was a bit more compact and maybe precise, and he did have that deadly slow rhythm. The Miz had a longer stroke that seemed to be more powerful. They both got through the ball great, but the Miz came through the ball like a freight train. Buddy may have been my favorite player, but Mizerak's stoke was more intimidating, at least to me. The first ball I saw him hit, I knew I was watching something special and this was late in his career (mid-90's, a little earlier than the match in posted). Buddy actually won that tournament where I saw the Miz play for the first time. I'd have to give the Miz a slight nod for the "better" stroke. They were both big men that had incredible grace at the table.
 
garczar said:
Hard to define 'nicer' imo. Both were effective under major heat. Buddy's may be tad more pleasing to watch but both of them worked and that's what matters. While on this topic go look at Yvgeny Stalev play, this cat has the most flowing, effortless yet stupidly powerful stoke. I watched him play at Derby City and i was amazed. I could watch this guy hit balls for hours.
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I’ve played Evgeny, video doesn’t do him justice. I’m pretty smooth, he flows like water.
His stroke is on another level to anyone who’s ever held a cue. One stroke two stroke and he releases like butter.
I use a 21oz cue, his is like 25oz. I hit with it a few times. It’s like a Louisville slugger pool cue.
He’s a good dude.
He is the perfect example of controlling the mass and letting the cue do the work.
Effortlessly

 
Best looking stroke of all time - Kim Davenport. Louie Roberts second. Most beautiful stroke - Tie, Ed Kelly and Marvin Henderson. Most powerful stroke - Steve Mizerak, who also had a fine soft touch when necessary. Best stroke under pressure - Buddy Hall! He never dogged it except in one illustrious match. Ronnie Allen second here. He never ever missed his out ball!

Overall I'd rather watch Kim get locked down in his rock hard stance and fire that ball in without a quiver in his body anywhere. His stroke was smooth, straight, powerful and deadly! Even the way he moved around the table was solid, every step meaningful.

Only cue man I ever saw close to him was Raymond Ceuelmans, the famous Three Cushion player. He was like a tank at the table when he got down on the ball. Loved watching him play too.
 
jay helfert said:
Best looking stroke of all time - Kim Davenport. Louie Roberts second. Most beautiful stroke - Tie, Ed Kelly and Marvin Henderson. Most powerful stroke - Steve Mizerak, who also had a fine soft touch when necessary. Best stroke under pressure - Buddy Hall! He never dogged it except in one illustrious match. Ronnie Allen second here. He never ever missed his out ball!

Overall I'd rather watch Kim get locked down in his rock hard stance and fire that ball in without a quiver in his body anywhere. His stroke was smooth, straight, powerful and deadly! Even the way he moved around the table was solid, every step meaningful.

Only cue man I ever saw close to him was Raymond Ceuelmans, the famous Three Cushion player. He was like a tank at the table when he got down on the ball. Loved watching him play too.
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I'm not sure about "best" stroke this and that...but I can say, when in top gear, I have rarely seen two players (Earl and Shaw) who have made the game look easier.
 
jay helfert said:
Most powerful stroke - Steve Mizerak
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Well for sure you have had the opportunity to observe all the best. I gotta wonder why Mike Masey doesn't get that nod. Shrug. His table length draw on a full ball jump shot still comes to my mind. It was executed in 84 or 85 at the Tahoe tournament and a diagram of the shot made it into a Robert Byrne book. They called him Tennessee Tarzan for a reason. 🤷‍♂️
Oh and what about the description of Efren's stroke? Early on, I remember someone calling it "A Pump Handle Stroke". It sure worked for him though.
 
SmoothStroke said:
I’ve played Evgeny, video doesn’t do him justice. I’m pretty smooth, he flows like water.
His stroke is on another level to anyone who’s ever held a cue. One stroke two stroke and he releases like butter.
I use a 21oz cue, his is like 25oz. I hit with it a few times. It’s like a Louisville slugger pool cue.
He’s a good dude.
He is the perfect example of controlling the mass and letting the cue do the work.
Effortlessly

Click to expand...
He co-owns a nice joint: https://legendbc-ru.translate.goog/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US He still plays. there's a few vids of him playing P'mid on YT. He can really stroke those bigass balls.
 
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