Shorty, yes, the tournament you are in reference to was, I think, the first "$50,000 Challenge of Champions". It took place somewhere around 1991, could have been 1990 or 1992. I will tell you what I know.
There were eight players that were to play in the match; supposedly eight of the best players there were at that time. The casino(s), I believe out of Vegas but, I dont recall exactly which one(s), were sponsoring it. It was a $50,000 winner take all tournament. I dont remember the eight players, but two of them were Buddy Hall and Mike LeBron. I truly wish I could name the other six players.
Anyway, one player that was obviously absent from the list was Earl Strickland, player of the year and current world champion. The reason given that Earl could not be there was that he was scheduled to be out of the country and would not be able to play. Now, you need to realize that the conversation I am about to recount to you happened BEFORE the tournament. And, whatever you may think of Earl for whatever reason, the following shot my stock in him through the roof.
I mentioned to Strickland that I hated hearing that he would not be able to compete in the $50,000 Challenge of Champions due to being out of the country. He kind of chuckled in the way that he does and said something to the effect that yea, he would be out of the country but, they had scheduled it that way because they didnt want him to play in it. At that point, I was thinking Earl may have a little too high an opinion of him self. Then what he told me I found totally incredulous. He told me that they planned to split the money ($50,000) up equally among them! Furthermore, the long shot in the tournament (even odds would be 7 to one against) was LeBron, and that the house odds on him were 20 to 1. The idea was that the players could then bet the money back on LeBron. Earl said he would have nothing to do with fixing the match! He said he told them he would play, but that if he did he would be playing to win, and would not agree to any split agreements.
Now, I think you would admit, that was really an unbelievable story. I left that conversation with my first doubts about things Earl says. Well to this day I owe him an apology for having doubted what he said.
The Challenge took place. Now, this was a big thing. I mean in my mind that event was one of the best things that had ever happened to pool. Not only did we have a sponsor behind the event for 50 large, which was great, but, they were also making lines on the event! Now, people may approve or disapprove of gambling, I will not judge others individual beliefs; personally for some people I think it is wrong for them to gamble, and for others I dont. However, I do believe that one of the best things that can happen to a sport, it terms of making it popular, is the ability of the public to wager on it. Bingo! With this event we had two of the best things that could ever happen to pool taking place; a sponsor putting money behind the game and lines were being made legally! Damn, people it dont get any better!
Then I saw the finals of the match! Time and time again I watched the last two innings between Buddy Hall and Mike LeBron, I could NOT believe what I was seeing. It has been a decade or more since I saw it, but I remember it well. They made it look good. The problem was they made it look too good. Here is what happened, the best I can recall.
The finals match came down to Buddy and Mike at hill/hill. Some how Mike, trying to win, left Buddy Hall an easy shot on the eight. I mean the eight was somewhere a around the spot, the nine was setting a few inches below it. The cue ball was over by the side pocket and off the side rail, so that the shot on the eight was almost perfect. Just shoot the eight in and draw back for an easy shot on the nine. Any, I mean ANY decent 9-ball player is going to get out here. I mean hell, I would even let you bet what you like, and I would bet I could get out from there even to day, and I dont really play anymore.
You know how the cameramen will shoot over the pocket toward the ball that is to be pocketed. Well, that was the view given, and the shoot was such a slight cut that you could also see the cue ball in the frame. This was where I sat there watching the video in total disbelief! You could tell from the angle of the camera shot, that as Buddy lined up on the shot, not only was he going to miss another gime, the shot was so easy, he was actually was cutting the eight away from the pocket! Again, one of the best there was missed, another easy shot. I appeared more that obvious to me that he tried to miss. But, in his defense, we, and even the best have missed easy shots, but for one of the best in the world, and one of the best money players ever known, to do it back to back with 50 large on the line, get real. Remember, second got nothing (supposedly), it was a winner take all.
Then, just like Earl had told me would happen, Mike LeBron won!
Postscript: Not that the topic is Earl, but there was one other comment he made to me during that same conversation, it which it was evident he was not in favor of agreements to split up the money from tournaments. It was around that time that he had won the U.S. Open, playing Nick Varner in the finals. He told me that when they were getting ready to lag for the break, Nick turned to him and said, Split? The which Earl said he replied, Nick, you just lost !
Professor,
Quantum ego meditatio, quantum fortunatus ego acquiro
