"California"

[bethesilentone]

Has anyone heard anything on the progress of pro-player, "California" Kim Davenport? has he recovered any basic sight from his eye?

What major titles and matches has he won? What is the best match he ever played?

 

[BAZARUS]

Kim Davenport is an autor of a very known book Target Pool. In that book there is a list of his mayor winnings:
1985 bowling green open
1986 california mixed doubles
1987 tar heel classic
1988 international champion japan cup
1988 eastern states 9 ball championship
1988 western open
1989 lexington all star open
1989 mcdermontt masters
1989 runner up us open 9 ball
1989 greensboro open
1990 billiard digest player of the year
1990 pool and billiard co-player of the year
1990 international champion, sweden challenge cup
1990 sands reno open
1990 bc 9 ball open
1991 member of team america, world team billiards
1991 sands reno open runner-up
1992 lexington all star open
1992 member of team america, world team billiards
1992 bicycle club runner-up
1992 curently ranked 4th in us

 

[sjm]

Kim Davenport is an autor of a very known book Target Pool. In that book there is a list of his mayor winnings:
1985 bowling green open
1986 california mixed doubles
1987 tar heel classic
1988 international champion japan cup
1988 eastern states 9 ball championship
1988 western open
1989 lexington all star open
1989 mcdermontt masters
1989 runner up us open 9 ball
1989 greensboro open
1990 billiard digest player of the year
1990 pool and billiard co-player of the year
1990 international champion, sweden challenge cup
1990 sands reno open
1990 bc 9 ball open
1991 member of team america, world team billiards
1991 sands reno open runner-up
1992 lexington all star open
1992 member of team america, world team billiards
1992 bicycle club runner-up
1992 curently ranked 4th in us

I suspect that those are only his tournaments won prior to the publication of his book. There were others.

Let's also give Kim some credit for his assistant captaincy of the winning 2003 Mosconi Cup team. Mosconi Cup Team member, and now regining BCA Open champion, Tony Robles, in his interview with Matchroom sports, noted: "Kim Davenport had everything to do with our win."

Kim's story is a sad one, and I wish him the best.

 

[Joseph Cues]

Kim was a superb player.
He had a stroke that came from God.
He had the best textbood mechanics of any player I ever saw outside of Buddy Hall.
I saw Kim barbecue Santos about 3 yrs ago at Shooters, Riverside.
Kim ran rack after rack on Sambajon on a 4 1/4" pocket table.

 

[yobagua]

I heard from some friends that Kim is doing much better. I heard he is just waiting to settle all the complications of the accident before attempting to do other things.The last times I saw him play in tournaments are great memories. Not only of his playing ability but the way he carried himself. Like a Champion.

 

[Joseph Cues]

I heard from some friends that Kim is doing much better. I heard he is just waiting to settle all the complications of the accident before attempting to do other things.The last times I saw him play in tournaments are great memories. Not only of his playing ability but the way he carried himself. Like a Champion.

True that.
I offered to double Kim's money on his Gus Szambotti cue.
He said he paid $275 for it. I told him I'd double it up.
He snickered.
He even has the matching jump cue for it.

 

[yobagua]

Snickered??? You're lucky he didnt Spank you. LOL!!!!! That Szamboti must be worth a lot now. Hey if youre in to one pocket checkout the onepocket.org site. We need some updates on the results of the Shooters one pocket tournaments from the past. I thought you went to some of them.
When is the next one at Shooters?

 

[Joseph Cues]

Snickered??? You're lucky he didnt Spank you. LOL!!!!! That Szamboti must be worth a lot now. Hey if youre in to one pocket checkout the onepocket.org site. We need some updates on the results of the Shooters one pocket tournaments from the past. I thought you went to some of them.
When is the next one at Shooters?

Yoba, you can call the manager there, Alex, at 909-785-9588.
I know they have an annual Labor Day tournament.
Alex had an Efren Reyes One-Pocket Tournament there last year.
They do post the plaque of the winners in the tourney room.

 

[bud green]

The best match I've seen of Davenport is when he won the Sands event in Reno and beat Earl in the finals. This is a three set match; they split the first two sets and then they both catch fire. In the end Davenport runs four racks, hooks Earl, and then runs another four and out to win. He does a little dancing and finger pointing at Earl afterwards which is hilarious. I think Earl had beaten him in previous years so winning over Earl and having his family in the stands made this a big win for Kim. Buddy Hall and Varner do commentary so I'd highly recommend this tape to anyone if you can find it.

He played superb pool in the nineties; I liked his aggressive style and confidence and the way he stings the balls into the holes; he was probably a good money player.

 

[Joseph Cues]

Bud, thanks for the story.
I will order that tape from AccuStats then.
Kim made a nice comeback on Archer to at the Pro Tour Championship semis in NJ back in 95 or 96. He was downs 10-5 to 11 and won it.

 

[biGhuK]

Sorry for being uninformed. But what happened to Kim exactly?

 

[Joseph Cues]

Sorry for being uninformed. But what happened to Kim exactly?

A golf ball hit him in the right eye.
He was playing golf and a lawnmawer launched a golf ball. It ricochet then hit Kim in the right eye. Damaging his eye severely.

 

[thebigdog]

I used to have that tape

The best match I've seen of Davenport is when he won the Sands event in Reno and beat Earl in the finals. This is a three set match; they split the first two sets and then they both catch fire. In the end Davenport runs four racks, hooks Earl, and then runs another four and out to win. He does a little dancing and finger pointing at Earl afterwards which is hilarious. I think Earl had beaten him in previous years so winning over Earl and having his family in the stands made this a big win for Kim. Buddy Hall and Varner do commentary so I'd highly recommend this tape to anyone if you can find it.

He played superb pool in the nineties; I liked his aggressive style and confidence and the way he stings the balls into the holes; he was probably a good money player.

I think my father still has it. He and Kim are friends, they grew up playing each other in the late 60's early 70's. As a matter of fact Kim had done a couple of exhibitions at my dads old poolroom. That is a great tape especially at the end when Kim throws his stick down and starts to whoop it up after making the 8-ball, then pockets the 9 and starts dancing around pretty funny considerring he was playing Earl. The best I seen Kim play was at a tournament at Hard Times in Bellfower probobly 11 years ago or so. Kim got put into the losers bracket early on and played thru the losers bracket to win the whole thing. On the final day he played one match after another and kept winning some of the guys I remember him beating were Jay Swanson, Dickie Renk, Tang Hoa, and Morro twice in the finals. Nobody got more than 3-4 games racing to 9 when the finals against Morro had ended it was almost 5:00 am and Kim had been playing for about 15 hours straight Morro had not played at all during that time while he was on the hot seat.
Kim still has his pool room in Modesto and from what I hear is still playing golf, I don't know if he will ever be able to return to play like he did when he was player of the year in 1990, but it sure was fun to watch him back then.

 

[Playsome]

I'm a regular customer at Kim's pool hall, which he owns in partnership with Audie Perez. Kim isn't usually around, for years he was on the road playing tournaments and money games. Of course he is legend around the pool hall, when he does play it always produces a crowd of onlookers. I have heard alot of tales of his gambling exploits and here's one I'll share with the board.
Back in the late eighties it became evident that Kim was the next big thing in California pool, at least to some backers in the Central Valley it did! This brought lots of road players to Ferronis Pool Hall, where Kim could be found. Cole Dickson, who was supposedly a great road player at the time came around and offered Kim the last two, as long as he would post up 2k. Kim stepped outside to discuss it with his backers, among them Barry Bettencourt and Dave Ferroni Sr. The backers asked Kim how he felt, money was no option. Kim went back inside and told Cole that HE could have the last two, if he would post 4k!! Cole of course took the game but never looked as confident as he did before, and Kim just drilled him! Kim also played the meanest golf game on a 5x10 I've ever seen, although I've heard him say that the one guy he couldn't beat in that game is John Henderson. I'd take two years off the backside of my life to have Kims nerves. The man is fearless. Don't be suprised to see him in the winners circle again someday!! JMO, ICBW.............