Do you remember your first pool game/tournament/breakthrew

[hang-the-9]

I tried to remember exactly how my first time in a pool hall came about and what I did the first time I held a pool cue, but I can't remember. I just have a vague memory of walking to the pool hall a few miles from my house when I was about 15-16, but I don't remember why I wanted to play pool or exactly how I played before I knew how, or exact table, although I remember the atmosphere there as well as the smell of smoke/talcum powder that always snaps my memories to the years I played at my main room before I moved and then they closed.

I guess memories from about 30 years ago get fuzzy but I ALMOST can remember it.

I can't really remember when I finally got how to hit the ball with draw/follow, etc..

I do remember my son's first time playing 8 years ago, hopefully he will also.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I sure do.
I had to shit like an adult and was forced to break through the line in front of the men's room at our local Sports Bar and Grill.
I almost didn't make it when out of nowhere a fat guy intentionally blocked my way.
Luckily, I was able to cut a big one that was so rank it caused the guy standing next to Chubby to faint and fall in to him, thereby opening up a direct path to stall number three.
Was that kind of what you wanted to know? :smile:

 

[Billiardsfan]

I remember the first time I walked into Cascade Family Billiards in Fairwood WA (Renton). It was owned by Richie Geiler one of the Pacific Northwests finest players. My dad was driving my little brother and I around looking for a bowling ally so that we could play some pool. We drove up to the bowling ally next to CFB and low and behold there is this great pool hall there (of course it is since gone). I remember seeing several cool characters playing on the 9 footers. I do not recall just how I played pool that night. I am sure that my brother and I looked like two monkeys doing something to a leather ball. A couple years later I started playing a lot more in college and went into CFB many times. Richie even hired me for one summer there. I definitely learned a lot.

 

[app4dstn]

What a coincidence. in the last 2 months we've had weddings for the couples that recruited me onto their team 2 summers ago. They got me my first cue, explained the rules, taught me how to rack, etc.

My daughters can now read. I have more gray whiskers. Some of my golf clubs are now at their house. And my incurable fever for pool keeps growing.

I saw, hugged and danced with many from the clan that brought me in. I introduced my wife to all she had only heard about. I hope the memory never fades. I predict 2 more of my teammates will marry and start their families in the near future, I'm still working towards my first ERO. They told me this game would bring me to the verge of tears. So true.

 

[Rackemep]

My first time in a pool was in September 1992...I had just turned 10 and against my parents wishes I took a little bit of my birthday money and met up with a kid named Dan Kramer (my parents didn't like Dan and didn't want me hanging out with him as they thought he was a bad influence)...Dan insisted we go to the pool hall and play in the arcade. I had never been there so I followed his lead...We walked for what seemed like forever (really only a few miles) to Crown Billiards on State Street in Clearfield UT. (Later they moved to a new location) They had 4 or 5 gold crowns and a back wall full of arcade games. I remember a guy shooting on the second table in that really seemed to know what he was doing. I sat and watched for just a couple shots and I never made it past the pool tables to the video games...I was instantly hooked...I had seen pool tables before that but had never been allowed to play. I had enough money to shoot for an hour...I remember it flying by! Got my butt kicked when my parents discovered that I had not only been hanging with Dan but on top of that we went to the pool hall! (Oh dear lord! Not the pool hall!)....It was worth it for sure!

 

[Carolina_Giant]

My first breakthrough came when I was 17 years old. I started my pool education playing one pocket when I was 16, but had a hard time stringing balls together in more than four at a time. One day though, after working for over a year at one pocket, I finally won an entire set with my opponent never really having a clear shot and working through the 8 ball count without a miss. One of the happiest memories I have in pool.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

The first time I found a pool hall was 14. We noticed they had arcade games and we would bike up and play. Eventually we took notice of the tables and characters upon them. Back then they used to let us smoke ( as long as when the cops came in we kept the ashtrays empty and took all the blame if caught, we were lucky/sly enough to stay outta trouble)

We would gamble amongst ourselves and thought we played so great One day I notice this asian guy playing by himself and ask him to play some. He accepts and I proceeded to ask if he wants to play 5/game, because as I said I played so good. Well after I lose a quick hundred, he smiles and thanks me. Asks if I would like him to show me a couple things. Well im a quick learner so I soaked up as much as I could. I'm still trying to take it all in so mays years later.

 

[Banger]

It was 1963, in Charlotte, NC. I was 6 years old and going to day camp on the Catawba River. We would leave from the downtown YMCA on a bus each morning, and return there in the afternoon. They had a bumper pool table at the center, and while waiting for our parents to come pick us up, some of us would shoot a game of pool.

 

[KenRobbins]

.............

 

[lfigueroa]

I tried to remember exactly how my first time in a pool hall came about and what I did the first time I held a pool cue, but I can't remember. I just have a vague memory of walking to the pool hall a few miles from my house when I was about 15-16, but I don't remember why I wanted to play pool or exactly how I played before I knew how, or exact table, although I remember the atmosphere there as well as the smell of smoke/talcum powder that always snaps my memories to the years I played at my main room before I moved and then they closed.

I guess memories from about 30 years ago get fuzzy but I ALMOST can remember it.

I can't really remember when I finally got how to hit the ball with draw/follow, etc..

I do remember my son's first time playing 8 years ago, hopefully he will also.

I remember being a small kid, blocking the ball returns under a neighbor’s table when I was five; later, watching the older kids play 8ball at the Boys Club of America, in the Mission District of San Francisco; and, as a teenager, messing around on a home-built table, Dave, an older guy in the neighborhood, had made.

I also remember wandering into my first real pool room. It was in a bowling alley north of SF. My buddy, Jim, and I played snooker while his mom and dad bowled. That was when we both decided to buy our own pool cues and started playing regularly. After a time, Jim lost interest but I continued to play.

One of my happiest moments in a pool hall was the first time I cleared the entire table, running all 15 balls off. It was a high that lasted for days.

Lou Figueroa

 

[hang-the-9]

Nice stories! Funny about parents being mad about their kids playing pool, this past Sunday quite a few people asked me how my wife felt about me playing pool with my son all the time (who is 16 now, and has been playing since he was 8). She was pregnant with him when she went to Vegas with her APA team LOL, so we have no issues with the family hanging out in pool halls which of-course led to my son totally loving to play.

 

[fastone371]

I sure do.
I had to shit like an adult and was forced to break through the line in front of the men's room at our local Sports Bar and Grill.
I almost didn't make it when out of nowhere a fat guy intentionally blocked my way.
Luckily, I was able to cut a big one that was so rank it caused the guy standing next to Chubby to faint and fall in to him, thereby opening up a direct path to stall number three.
Was that kind of what you wanted to know? :smile:

Rank!!!!!! :rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1:
If you gotta deliver a load that bad floating an air biscuit is pretty risky.

 

[TCo]

Family vacation in June 1972, me - an 8 year old. My dad and uncle crashed in a small airplane, landing them in the hospital for much of the summer. The hospital was close to where they crashed but far away from where we lived. My sister and I stayed with my aunt and uncle who farmed in southwest Minnesota. I was angry because they lived too far out of town to take me to swim lessons. BUT as it works out my uncle had a pool table in the basement. So the plane crash introduced me to playing.

I also have a Tramp-Steamer-like break through moment - US Navy 1984(?) stationed at NAS Meridian MS being *slightly* over served was watching a friend play a cheap set when my "eject now" signal was given. Had tacos that night. I don't think they finish the set, at least not on that table... I never went back to that place so if anyone can recall the name of an 8-10 table place in Meridian in the 80s and by chance know the folks, I prolly owe them an apology.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

Rank!!!!!! :rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1::rotflmao1:
If you gotta deliver a load that bad floating an air biscuit is pretty risky.

Yes. But, that was precisely what the OP's question was all about.
That was the breakthrough! :thumbup:

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I also have a Tramp-Steamer-like break through moment - US Navy 1984(?) stationed at NAS Meridian MS being *slightly* over served was watching a friend play a cheap set when my "eject now" signal was given. Had tacos that night. I don't think they finish the set, at least not on that table... I never went back to that place so if anyone can recall the name of an 8-10 table place in Meridian in the 80s and by chance know the folks, I prolly owe them an apology.

Probably the only table in the house with brown cloth.
I'll tell you what, folks shouldn't poo-poo the poo-poo. A friend of mine was playing an out-of-towner some One Pocket, one evening, and had him down about fifteen hundred bucks.
The guy takes five to go crap and my friend never sees him again. Ain't that the shits?

 

[ssbn610g]

My breakthrough to my abysmal level occurred many years ago when I could not get a game in the local room I played in without giving weight. Started playing elsewhere but to my surprise I could not get a game as I was recognized. All low level stuff compared to real players but it was big to me looking back.

Al

 

[gogg]

Had a bud in seventh grade who lived close to the school. As kids do, we would ditch and hang at his house. They had a table, so he showed me the basics about how it worked to "hit HERE to move it THAT way"...... About as sophisticated as it got then. ��
Never really played too much after we discovered the killer weed and loose women.
Nowadays, as an old-fart I have rediscovered how much stinking fun it is!

 

[Banger]

I also have a Tramp-Steamer-like break through moment - US Navy 1984(?) stationed at NAS Meridian MS being *slightly* over served was watching a friend play a cheap set when my "eject now" signal was given. Had tacos that night. I don't think they finish the set, at least not on that table... I never went back to that place so if anyone can recall the name of an 8-10 table place in Meridian in the 80s and by chance know the folks, I prolly owe them an apology.

Small world.

I was based at NAS Meridian from 1983 to 1985. Don't recall playing pool during that time period, but I do remember Bonnie and Clyde's.

 

[pwd72s]

I'm pretty sure I first played during the 60s....but I don't remember much about what I did during the '60s.

 

[hang-the-9]

My breakthrough to my abysmal level occurred many years ago when I could not get a game in the local room I played in without giving weight. Started playing elsewhere but to my surprise I could not get a game as I was recognized. All low level stuff compared to real players but it was big to me looking back.

Al

I know how you feel, it's a but funny when you hear your name like "I have to play HIM?" or "great, if I beat Joe I still need to play this guy after". And I'm thinking, what, me?