In doing a little reading, I ran across an interesting article about the Mexican champions. It was written in March 1984 by Bill Pierce. There is a picture of Ernesto Dominguez and "Little Sergio" Varga within the article, who at the time were inseparable. Before the Filipino Invasion, lead by Jose Parica, it was the Mexican champions who were making the news.
Here's a couple of snippets: Some of Mexico's finest pool-playing champions are migrating across the border to Southern California to compete with their American counterparts for the riches that are starting to materialize in pocket billiards.
"Riches"? LOL!
Continuing: In the last couple of years, a few of them have entered tournaments...just to test the waters. Some have had considerable success, such as ERNESTO DOMINGUEZ.
Most of these players are still learning to speak English, but were taught by their countrymen who have been here a few years to beware of getting trapped by some of the trashy, low-life bums...It's a shame that the game of pool has to tolerate these vultures. The professional pool players who come from Mexico are invariably good sports and perfect gentlemen when they arrive and remain to be so, except for a few who unfortunately confirm to the American negative side because they allowed themselves to be influenced by pool hustling vultures.
Some of the great Mexican champions who preceded these late arrivals and were a driving influence to bringing them to America are BIG SERGIO GANDERILLA and other greats such as "NICARAGUA" AL DAVILA and BERNARDO "KING KONG" RAMIREZ.
Among the Mexican Americans, we have "TRACY JOE" SALAZAR, one of the America's best bar table players, "LITTLE AL" ROMERO, a true gentleman and a world-class champion of all pool games, including one-handed and left- or right-handed, DANNY MEDINA, a world-class champion who resides in Denver, Colorado, and FRANK "THE BARBER" ALMANZA, an all-around West Coast champion.
But this latest crop from Mexico are the ones who are going to have to be reckoned with in the future tournaments. ERNESTO DOMINGUEZ and "LITTLE SERGIO" VARGA are a couple of the most threatening at the moment. "LITTLE SERGIO" is already beging recognized by some as one of the top five one-handed players in the world.
I would again emphasize that a lot of you American players could take lessons in good sportsmanship and acquire a little class by emulating the champions from below the border.
Interesting article to me as I am acquiring bits of data about the pool culture in America. Some things haven't changed. Keith McCready said before the Filipinos hit the shores of America, it was definitely the Mexican players who were the toughest to beat. Today, there are tough players from around the world who have come to our shores and compete in America. Boy, what a difference 20 years makes!
JAM
Here's a couple of snippets: Some of Mexico's finest pool-playing champions are migrating across the border to Southern California to compete with their American counterparts for the riches that are starting to materialize in pocket billiards.
"Riches"? LOL!
Continuing: In the last couple of years, a few of them have entered tournaments...just to test the waters. Some have had considerable success, such as ERNESTO DOMINGUEZ.
Most of these players are still learning to speak English, but were taught by their countrymen who have been here a few years to beware of getting trapped by some of the trashy, low-life bums...It's a shame that the game of pool has to tolerate these vultures. The professional pool players who come from Mexico are invariably good sports and perfect gentlemen when they arrive and remain to be so, except for a few who unfortunately confirm to the American negative side because they allowed themselves to be influenced by pool hustling vultures.
Some of the great Mexican champions who preceded these late arrivals and were a driving influence to bringing them to America are BIG SERGIO GANDERILLA and other greats such as "NICARAGUA" AL DAVILA and BERNARDO "KING KONG" RAMIREZ.
Among the Mexican Americans, we have "TRACY JOE" SALAZAR, one of the America's best bar table players, "LITTLE AL" ROMERO, a true gentleman and a world-class champion of all pool games, including one-handed and left- or right-handed, DANNY MEDINA, a world-class champion who resides in Denver, Colorado, and FRANK "THE BARBER" ALMANZA, an all-around West Coast champion.
But this latest crop from Mexico are the ones who are going to have to be reckoned with in the future tournaments. ERNESTO DOMINGUEZ and "LITTLE SERGIO" VARGA are a couple of the most threatening at the moment. "LITTLE SERGIO" is already beging recognized by some as one of the top five one-handed players in the world.
I would again emphasize that a lot of you American players could take lessons in good sportsmanship and acquire a little class by emulating the champions from below the border.
Interesting article to me as I am acquiring bits of data about the pool culture in America. Some things haven't changed. Keith McCready said before the Filipinos hit the shores of America, it was definitely the Mexican players who were the toughest to beat. Today, there are tough players from around the world who have come to our shores and compete in America. Boy, what a difference 20 years makes!
JAM
. I asked my dad why they called him "el diablo," his explanation was that everyone was scared of Keith and nobody wanted any part of the devil. lol.
