Crane vs Cranfield old timers day!
I watched Crane beat Cranfield in the T St. poolroom for the NY state champeen title in Sarycuse NY in the early 70's. He had to do it from the loosers side. The last game was won by 1 ball when Cranfield was affraid to play safe on a out of position break shot because he knew he couldn't out safety play Crane.
Before the shot Babe looked at the table in deguist threw his cue in the middle of the table and put both elbows on the table resting his jaw in his hands just staring. He did this for a minuite or two!
I could not believe how hard that cue hit the table. He just slid it out of his back hand and let it fly a foot or two onto the table. I never saw anyone treat a cue like that before. It just rang like a bell and I heard it very clearly from across the gaint poolhall. I rember hearing Allen Keil saying o-oh.
Then after all that Babe shot one of the craziest shots banking the ball cross sides and forcing the cueball into the pack 1000 miles a hour. It was his game ball!
He missed and Erving had the open table to pocket one.
Cranfield just unscrewed his cue.
Best match and espcially because all the swetters were saying that Crane was dead on his feet because he had been playing all day. Cranfield was fresh as a daisy because he had left and been relaxing in his room all day!
The odds were against Crane big time.That was a match that no one wanted to bet on and when I watched it I realized why.
Crane was so mentally strong. Babe was so talented. It was fire meeting Ice. Crane was ice. He was a pleasure to watch. Watching Babe was like watching the circus when it came to town. They were opposites in every way but one they both hated to loose!
Nick
