Buddy Hall

[ironman]

Buddy Hall is one of the most valuable living resources the pool world has! A brilliant player, great analyst of the game and gifted story teller. Buddy has never failed to amuse and entertain me over the years. Once upon a time someone was being honored for their contribution to pool and I asked Buddy if he thought there was anything that I should do to benefit the sport. He looked me dead in the eye and said,"Jay, you're a very important member of the pool community and everyone appreciates everything that you've already done for the sport!"

This one statement meant more to me than just about anything else I'd ever heard. Coming from Buddy, a man who I so respected, I felt very flattered having him say that to me. I love Buddy and wish him the best always. I guess I'm selfish and would like to see him stay around another fifteen or twenty years.

i can understand how you would feel about that coming from someone like Buddy.

ihave hsared this many times, but Iwasone of very few who witnessed him giving Louied the call 7 at Gus n Dolls in Shreveport back in the mid 70"s. Budy beat on that man and beat on that man unitl it was almost sad. It wasn't like Louied played badly as Buddy played nera perfectly for about 28 hours.

i was a very young "wann be " Pool player and simple awe stricken by what I had just seen.
Once it was over, I hung around and litened quite a bit and was about to leave when Buddy came to me well aware I had been there and sweated every single shot. He actualy thanked me for being there and being such a good sweater. He asked where I was from and how long I had been playing and talked to me for quite a while. It had a lsting impression on me and he gave some advice I remember to this day.
It is just my opinion, but Buddy is the best 9 ball player I ever saw and I saw most of them. The manwas in search of perfect 9 ball and came close many times. I'm not sure perfect would have been good enough for him.
i still remember the picture of hime on the wall at Gus n Dolls: This room is dedicated to Buddy Hall. The greatest 9 ball player who every lived andthe greatest there will ever be. It was signed by Red Box.
As I was sitting there watching an elderly guy came up and sat near andafter about 20 hourshe said,"Hope you are paying close attention Kid, this may be the most amazing thing you will ever see>"
I found out later that the old man was Eddie Taylor!

 

[JoeyA]

i can understand how you would feel about that coming from someone like Buddy.

ihave hsared this many times, but Iwasone of very few who witnessed him giving Louied the call 7 at Gus n Dolls in Shreveport back in the mid 70"s. Budy beat on that man and beat on that man unitl it was almost sad. It wasn't like Louied played badly as Buddy played nera perfectly for about 28 hours.

i was a very young "wann be " Pool player and simple awe stricken by what I had just seen.
Once it was over, I hung around and litened quite a bit and was about to leave when Buddy came to me well aware I had been there and sweated every single shot. He actualy thanked me for being there and being such a good sweater. He asked where I was from and how long I had been playing and talked to me for quite a while. It had a lsting impression on me and he gave some advice I remember to this day.It is just my opinion, but Buddy is the best 9 ball player I ever saw and I saw most of them. The manwas in search of perfect 9 ball and came close many times. I'm not sure perfect would have been good enough for him.
i still remember the picture of hime on the wall at Gus n Dolls: This room is dedicated to Buddy Hall. The greatest 9 ball player who every lived andthe greatest there will ever be. It was signed by Red Box.
As I was sitting there watching an elderly guy came up and sat near andafter about 20 hourshe said,"Hope you are paying close attention Kid, this may be the most amazing thing you will ever see>"
I found out later that the old man was Eddie Taylor!

I guess you're just going to dangle that carrot in front of us and just leave it at that????????????? (Great story, BTW!)

 

[knifemaker]

buddy

Ironman
We must have been in there together when Buddy beat on Louie.
I was in the military at Barksdale and did not get to see it all but most of it. I used to go to guys and dolls every day and play. Buddy would come every night he was in town and practice in the tournament room. I would sit and watch and let me tell you, there is nobody to learn from better than Buddy Hall. He was always super nice even after winning 20 dollars from me at a dollar a game and telling me how he was shooting a shot each time he shot. Those were the days my friend. I remember talking to Eddie Taylor severaltime in Guys and Dolls he was great.
Glad you were there to witness that, me too.
Percy/Knifemaker

 

[TATE]

Not really. My wife smoked when we met and I wanted her to quit. She went through the American Lung Association program, (35 years ago I should add).. I took the course with her even though I didn't smoke to see what it was all about. The physical addiction to nicotine only lasts like a week till it is out of your system. The rest is all psychological. Cigarette smoking is a ritualistic behavior much like eating. Most of the eating people do has little to do with being hungry. It can be everything from social behavior to boredom. The problem is, as one gets fat the body can change in such a way to make it very hard to lose the weight and keep it off. We are the victims of thousands of years of evolution.

I respect the fact that you joined your wife in the program, even though you didn't smoke. One of the reasons why your wife was able to quit is because you supported her. In fact, without knowing the situation, I would guess that she only was able to quit because she was concerned about hurting your marriage if she were to continue.

Macguy - just trust me on this one - the physical addiction lasts a lot longer than a week! My experience was the physical addiction was minimally a several month process on a gradually declining scale (typical sleeplessness, nervousness, cravings, weight gain).

Anyway, my mother was always overweight, but when my father died in 1998, she was 70 and subsequently gained even more weight. She was sedentary and had people (her grandchildren) helping her with nearly everything, from going to the store to housekeeping.

In a subsequent conversation, she asked me if I could help her lose weight. I was concerned that she would, at best case, be in a wheelchair if she continued. So I did and helped her with knowledge and encouragement. Basically, she lost the extra weight (70 pounds) by walking and dieting. Still, she was overweight and had been most of her life. She did well. Ultimately, a weakened heart and artery disease killed her at 81.

As people age, instead of helping them with the things they no longer want to do, or think they are too tired to do, or don't think they can do, we should do them a favor and encourage the elderly to continue to walk the dog, do gardening, go to the mall, meet with friends and socialize, and continue to live life. Oh yeah, and to play pool too.

Chris

 

[catpool9]

Guys N Dolls

i can understand how you would feel about that coming from someone like Buddy.

ihave hsared this many times, but Iwasone of very few who witnessed him giving Louied the call 7 at Gus n Dolls in Shreveport back in the mid 70"s. Budy beat on that man and beat on that man unitl it was almost sad. It wasn't like Louied played badly as Buddy played nera perfectly for about 28 hours.

i was a very young "wann be " Pool player and simple awe stricken by what I had just seen.
Once it was over, I hung around and litened quite a bit and was about to leave when Buddy came to me well aware I had been there and sweated every single shot. He actualy thanked me for being there and being such a good sweater. He asked where I was from and how long I had been playing and talked to me for quite a while. It had a lsting impression on me and he gave some advice I remember to this day.
It is just my opinion, but Buddy is the best 9 ball player I ever saw and I saw most of them. The manwas in search of perfect 9 ball and came close many times. I'm not sure perfect would have been good enough for him.
i still remember the picture of hime on the wall at Gus n Dolls: This room is dedicated to Buddy Hall. The greatest 9 ball player who every lived andthe greatest there will ever be. It was signed by Red Box.
As I was sitting there watching an elderly guy came up and sat near andafter about 20 hourshe said,"Hope you are paying close attention Kid, this may be the most amazing thing you will ever see>"
I found out later that the old man was Eddie Taylor!

Great Story Lewis, yep I remember Red Box,Eddie Taylor,going down to the Guys n Dolls in Shreveport too, That personal side pool room Red Box had for Buddy to play in at the pool hall was something else, even had bleachers to sit in to sweat Buddy's game, but you had to be in the "Know" to enter that room.

Lots of good memory's from the Guys n Dolls pool room in Shreveport,La.


David Harcrow

 

[jrackman]

Ok, I think Buddy is one of the best of all time. I like watching him play on videos, listening to his commentary, his stories, etc....

But purely from the weight perspective, and NOT his pool or likability perspective, why are we discussing raising money to get him some stomach surgery? People are saying he lives on snickers bars. If he can't substitute good food for TOTAL GARBAGE, then thats on him.

I know this is harsh, but give me a break. Pay for a guy's stomach surgery because he can't eat an apple instead of a snickers bar?

Flame me if you want, but thats the truth.

yes, your right and I bet you use to like when people were kind to you sir!

 

[Servicky]

Blud

Hey blud you ever see Ray around I moved to Seattle and haven't seen buddy and Ray for while.... I need to go visit all them guys soon..


I used to sit in that garage behind his house and watch for hours.... Only reason I started playing was because of him and his brother.. Damn Ray took all my money all the time. Hahaah. Yea let me know how buddies doing if anyone here knows him...

 

[catpool9]

Legends of the Game!

i can understand how you would feel about that coming from someone like Buddy.

ihave hsared this many times, but Iwasone of very few who witnessed him giving Louied the call 7 at Gus n Dolls in Shreveport back in the mid 70"s. Budy beat on that man and beat on that man unitl it was almost sad. It wasn't like Louied played badly as Buddy played nera perfectly for about 28 hours.

i was a very young "wann be " Pool player and simple awe stricken by what I had just seen.
Once it was over, I hung around and litened quite a bit and was about to leave when Buddy came to me well aware I had been there and sweated every single shot. He actualy thanked me for being there and being such a good sweater. He asked where I was from and how long I had been playing and talked to me for quite a while. It had a lsting impression on me and he gave some advice I remember to this day.
It is just my opinion, but Buddy is the best 9 ball player I ever saw and I saw most of them. The manwas in search of perfect 9 ball and came close many times. I'm not sure perfect would have been good enough for him.
i still remember the picture of hime on the wall at Gus n Dolls: This room is dedicated to Buddy Hall. The greatest 9 ball player who every lived andthe greatest there will ever be. It was signed by Red Box.
As I was sitting there watching an elderly guy came up and sat near andafter about 20 hourshe said,"Hope you are paying close attention Kid, this may be the most amazing thing you will ever see>"
I found out later that the old man was Eddie Taylor!

Yes this is a a damn good post by Lewis, everytime I read it I can just see all those characters Louie, Buddy, Eddie Taylor, Red Box, and even Danny Jones and the guy that work there, "Little Wayne" in the room playing, woofing or just telling a good old road story!

My brother Calvin used to go to the Guys N Dolls when he was 18yrs. , Calvin would hich hike or bum ride's from highschool buddy's to get there, because he wanted to learn from the best, he would try Buddy with the 7-ball , get schooled, and then he'd come back in a few weeks or a month and try Buddy again and lose another hundered or two!

Calvin finally came into his own when he was 24 yrs., and was playing every pool player around the country in Camden,Ar. and beating them, finally had to go get the 1973 World Champion 9-baller, Buddy Hall..........Calvin and Buddy played 11 out of 21 for $10,000 and Calvin lost 9-11, I was to young to have been there , but heard it was probally $30,000 bet on the side that day.


Anytime I here the words perfection, excellence, and 9-ball remotley spoken together, I think of Buddy Hall, bar nobody! .........but Calvin is right up there too, he had a great teacher!


David Harcrow

 

[Papa Red]

i can understand how you would feel about that coming from someone like Buddy.

ihave hsared this many times, but Iwasone of very few who witnessed him giving Louied the call 7 at Gus n Dolls in Shreveport back in the mid 70"s. Budy beat on that man and beat on that man unitl it was almost sad. It wasn't like Louied played badly as Buddy played nera perfectly for about 28 hours.

i was a very young "wann be " Pool player and simple awe stricken by what I had just seen.
Once it was over, I hung around and litened quite a bit and was about to leave when Buddy came to me well aware I had been there and sweated every single shot. He actualy thanked me for being there and being such a good sweater. He asked where I was from and how long I had been playing and talked to me for quite a while. It had a lsting impression on me and he gave some advice I remember to this day.
It is just my opinion, but Buddy is the best 9 ball player I ever saw and I saw most of them. The manwas in search of perfect 9 ball and came close many times. I'm not sure perfect would have been good enough for him.
i still remember the picture of hime on the wall at Gus n Dolls: This room is dedicated to Buddy Hall. The greatest 9 ball player who every lived andthe greatest there will ever be. It was signed by Red Box.
As I was sitting there watching an elderly guy came up and sat near andafter about 20 hourshe said,"Hope you are paying close attention Kid, this may be the most amazing thing you will ever see>"
I found out later that the old man was Eddie Taylor!

Lewis, is this the same room that Buddy busted Fats? I could never remember the name of the place where he played.