Does anyone have any Rudolpho Luat stories?

Some of Rodolfo Luat's titles and championships, friends:

* Quarter-finalist, 2006 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
* Runner-up, 2006 IPT US Open
* Runner-up, 2006 Derby City Nine-ball Division
* Champion, 2006 Taiwan Leg, Asian Nine-ball Tour
* Champion, 2000 Viking Nine-ball Tour Stop 27
* Champion, 1999 Northwest Nine-ball Championship
* Champion, 1996 Camel World Open Nine-ball Championship
* Champion, 1992 Asian Championship
* Champion, 1992 Philippine Nine-ball Open
* Champion, 1991 Asian Championship in Osaka, Japan


Rodolfo Luat came to be known as Boy Samson because he once nicked
a cueball off the break. And I kid you not!
And believe you me, he can break HARD!

At the 2005 APBU/JPBA Japan Open tournament held in Tokyo, Japan,
Rudy sank six balls on the break!


Boy has two kids. He is now a grandad, too!
Regularly plays at AMF-Puyat Superbowl, Makati City,
when he is not competing abroad. He drives a Toyota Vios.


Rudy likes to practice with all 15 balls on the table - and more often than not,
he will always, always run out the rack! And he will practice for about
20-25 minutes, take a cigarette break, do some word puzzles, before coming
back to the table and do the same thing, again! And again! And again!


We both like to eat "Papaitan," and drink coffee when taking breaks.
We also love fastfood - Jollibee burgers and all!


The first time i saw his Pat Diveney cue (2 - 3 years ago?
I cant remember), I fell in love with it and all!
I was watching him practice when he said to me in Filipino,

"Here, try this," handing the cue
to me.

Shy and all, I politely declined the offer.

"I've seen you play. You know how to handle yourself
on the table. Go on, try it."

And that was the start of a beautiful friendship.



*Once, a fellow pro pool player had some problems,
personal ones and all.

Rodolfo helped that player with words of wisdom that
didn't sound like he was scolding him;
reminding him that he (the player with problems) is
one of the best and should get back up in life.

Rodolfo consistently played the pro to help him get
back into shape. He also lets him practice with his
uber-beautiful Diveney cue.


Before coming home from abroad, he would send
a text message (sometimes call) if there is anything
I need that he could buy for me. I find it a very
nice gesture for him to always do that.

Boy is one cool guy to hang out with. There's never a dull
moment with him. And he will always answer one's
questions about pool - sharing his knowledge,
serving as a form of encouragement and all.


For some reads, you may want to try these:


Rodolfo Luat


Shane Orders a Diveney


Filipino Invasion Table of Contents


Diveney Cue just sold in Philippines

Hope you find them interesting, friends!



AnitoKid
 
Last edited:
mullyman said:
...I've taken a hammer to pool balls before, don't ask:thumbup: , and I can tell you that they don't just break in half as easy as that.
MULLY
Click to expand...


Yes! Sometimes the ball must pay!
 
enzo said:
i have a video of luat missing a virtual hanger 9 ball on the hill only to see earl jump over a ball and steal the match from him in the final game.
Click to expand...
Yep, that's a great video. It's the Archer-Reyes match from the Sands in '95 and they cut over to Strickland-Luat a few times. Reyes beats Archer 11-10 after Archer scratches on the 6 ball at 10-10.
 
Breaking balls is not so uncommon I think. Honest to God i did it three times from 82-94. Twice using aramith balls on 9ft tables playing nineball and one time in Gainesville on the bar box with the heavy rock. John Ditoro was on the table next to me at Pegs Pocket in Miami when I broke and the oneball flew off in pieces. Bobby Livrago was my opponent at a bar table tournament just outside of Gainseville at a place I think they called the Brass Lantern when I did it with the cueball.

I hurt my knee and my shoulder and no longer can break like i use to. I miss having that arrow in my quiver, it was an intimidating weapon. Sort of like pulling out the Crocodile Dundee knife in pool.

Back to Luat, I think Huckster ran around with him. I recall him saying that he let Luat play the 9ball ghost on a bar box with no ball in hand and spotting the ghost like 10 games to 20? I think thats close to what he said and Luat beat that game. Of all the stories I have heard about him, that one sticks out in my mind as being really incredible.
 
It's not really a story as much as something I heard through the grapevine. One time when Rudolpho was over here at Chris' on Milwaukee, he was playing a guy in short-rack banks 2-or-more rails. He was running 5 and out. Two or more rails, going 5 and out.
 
OK, OK, I played him in Little Rock. They were calling him "Sam." Barbox: 9-3, 9-2. He sent me home. I called Train and asked him who he was. He asked me "what I was getting." When I said, "even," I heard silence. Evidently, I was in a very bad game. That little fu#$er can kick outta anywhere.
 
crawfish said:
OK, OK, I played him in Little Rock. They were calling him "Sam." Barbox: 9-3, 9-2. He sent me home. I called Train and asked him who he was. He asked me "what I was getting." When I said, "even," I heard silence. Evidently, I was in a very bad game. That little fu#$er can kick outta anywhere.
Click to expand...


man, you just got buckfutt !!! :grin-square: :grin-square: :grin-square:
 
axejunkie said:
Yep, that's a great video. It's the Archer-Reyes match from the Sands in '95 and they cut over to Strickland-Luat a few times. Reyes beats Archer 11-10 after Archer scratches on the 6 ball at 10-10.
Click to expand...

my tape is just the strait match in its entirety, with no commentary and one camera. now you have me wanting this reyes archer :) where's uwate!!! lol
 
uwate said:
Breaking balls is not so uncommon I think. Honest to God i did it three times from 82-94. Twice using aramith balls on 9ft tables playing nineball and one time in Gainesville on the bar box with the heavy rock. John Ditoro was on the table next to me at Pegs Pocket in Miami when I broke and the oneball flew off in pieces. Bobby Livrago was my opponent at a bar table tournament just outside of Gainseville at a place I think they called the Brass Lantern when I did it with the cueball.

I hurt my knee and my shoulder and no longer can break like i use to. I miss having that arrow in my quiver, it was an intimidating weapon. Sort of like pulling out the Crocodile Dundee knife in pool.

Back to Luat, I think Huckster ran around with him. I recall him saying that he let Luat play the 9ball ghost on a bar box with no ball in hand and spotting the ghost like 10 games to 20? I think thats close to what he said and Luat beat that game. Of all the stories I have heard about him, that one sticks out in my mind as being really incredible.
Click to expand...

my lord, would have NEVER thought that was beatable. balls get tied up easy on those things. that's really incredible. i wonder if he really had the nuts or if he outran them that night.

i always laughed because when i matched up with him i would always "use" what efren spotted me and he'd always say, "but that's efren". but the reality is they play the same in nine ball and he knew that. efren may have the edge in big tournament play but they really do play about equal nine ball i think.
 
uwate said:
Back to Luat, I think Huckster ran around with him. I recall him saying that he let Luat play the 9ball ghost on a bar box with no ball in hand and spotting the ghost like 10 games to 20? I think thats close to what he said and Luat beat that game. Of all the stories I have heard about him, that one sticks out in my mind as being really incredible.
Click to expand...

Close it was Antonio Lining another Fillipino monster breaker. I met Rudy a couple times and he is a great champion and a nice guy. It really is another world as far as Fillipino, and Asian pool is concerned. I can think of about 20 players who seem like they miss a ball about every other Tuesday.
 
Do you know where Rodolfo Luat got the nick "Boy Samson"? Back in the days (early to mid 70s in the Philippines), Rotation is the only game in town and Luat won a bunch games on his break alone! We all know that you have to pocket a total of 61 points to win a game in Rotation and I've seen him personally broke and pocket 7 balls that totaled over 61 points, cloth was as slow as a turtle...
 
In the mid-90's this guy comes into the Cue & Cushion in Houston and starts playing on a table near the bar. Before long people begin to notice he can play a little. One local player who was just under shortstop speed around our area goes over and proposes a "friendly" game. The "unknown player" immediately accepts. It was a race to seven for a couple hundred. Local guy loses 2 sets fairly close and gets hot. He tells the "unknown player" he's not that good and that if he gives David G. the 7, he'll let him play for a dime. ACTION!!!

They agree to five ahead, David gets the 7, for the dime.

Pool time at the Cue & Cushion was $7 an hour. When the dust settled, the guy never missed and David never shot. I was standing there when the guy paid the time and it was $1.75. You guessed it...its was Luat.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top