I met Gerry Watson for the first time on the IPT tournament trail, but Keith and all the other players are very familiar with Gerry. He had hailed from Canada and is a well-known trick shot artist, and also had personality to boot, a very charismatic man. I liked him right from the get-go.
I still have Gerry's colorful business card he gave to me. He labeled himself as "Canada's Premier Entertainer" and has an incredibly cool pool website: http://www.gerrywatson.com
His accomplishments read likes a Who's Who in Pool: At 12, Gerry Watson began playing pool at a neighbor's home; at 15, he was the top player in Cornwall in both snooker and pool. He is a 3-time Canadian Open Champion in 8-Ball (1983), 9-Ball (1993 and 1996). In 1983, he began the Gerry Watson Pool Show; he has since done 3000 shows, where he does trick shots, difficult shots, and tell jokes. He has produced 3 home videos (VHS); his newest video is on DVD, "Graduation Class" (internationalpooltour.com). He has a book titled 101 Big Pool Shots: The Pool Player's Guide To Excellence (nextag.com). That book complements, according to Hotshots Canada, "Graduation Class," which is actually 2 DVDs in 1.
Why Manila?
According to a recent article: It's complicated, Gerry Watson says of his move.
One, his older brother Pat, who lives in Manila, has been telling him about heaven, saying, "This is a heckuva pool area, you outta think about coming over here." So, finally, he is. I'm not getting any younger, he says.
Two, Gerry Watson believes in his heart that Manila is "the heart of the pool world." It is, Gerry, it is!
Three, he will be close to some billiard hotspots: Japan, China, Korea. Don't miss out Singapore and Hong Kong.
Four, pool was consuming him and did not allow for personal growth. He hopes the new scenery will inspire new trick shots and another book. "It's all geometry, and you never know when it's going to come to you," he says.
Five, "the game is not on an upswing" in North America. The geography is affecting the geometry badly.
I'm wishing Gerry Watson the very best in Philippines.
Here is a picture I took of Gerry Watson, shown here with Keith McCready and Jose Parica, at the IPT event in Las Vegas. I kind of like the guy. He sure has accomplished a lot in pool.
JAM
I still have Gerry's colorful business card he gave to me. He labeled himself as "Canada's Premier Entertainer" and has an incredibly cool pool website: http://www.gerrywatson.com
His accomplishments read likes a Who's Who in Pool: At 12, Gerry Watson began playing pool at a neighbor's home; at 15, he was the top player in Cornwall in both snooker and pool. He is a 3-time Canadian Open Champion in 8-Ball (1983), 9-Ball (1993 and 1996). In 1983, he began the Gerry Watson Pool Show; he has since done 3000 shows, where he does trick shots, difficult shots, and tell jokes. He has produced 3 home videos (VHS); his newest video is on DVD, "Graduation Class" (internationalpooltour.com). He has a book titled 101 Big Pool Shots: The Pool Player's Guide To Excellence (nextag.com). That book complements, according to Hotshots Canada, "Graduation Class," which is actually 2 DVDs in 1.
Why Manila?
According to a recent article: It's complicated, Gerry Watson says of his move.
One, his older brother Pat, who lives in Manila, has been telling him about heaven, saying, "This is a heckuva pool area, you outta think about coming over here." So, finally, he is. I'm not getting any younger, he says.
Two, Gerry Watson believes in his heart that Manila is "the heart of the pool world." It is, Gerry, it is!
Three, he will be close to some billiard hotspots: Japan, China, Korea. Don't miss out Singapore and Hong Kong.
Four, pool was consuming him and did not allow for personal growth. He hopes the new scenery will inspire new trick shots and another book. "It's all geometry, and you never know when it's going to come to you," he says.
Five, "the game is not on an upswing" in North America. The geography is affecting the geometry badly.
I'm wishing Gerry Watson the very best in Philippines.
Here is a picture I took of Gerry Watson, shown here with Keith McCready and Jose Parica, at the IPT event in Las Vegas. I kind of like the guy. He sure has accomplished a lot in pool.
JAM
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