In another thread entitled "Matlock," the name "Canelo" came up, and it reminded me of an experience that Keith McCready had playing the Mexican champion.
During a pool event in El Paso, a well-dressed gentleman wearing an elaborate white Mexican wedding shirt and snug leather trousers approached Keith with a proposal. He wanted to promote a challenge match between a pool player with the moniker "Canelo" and Keith. The competition would be advertised on all the Mexican radio stations as "El Diablo v. El Mundo," and the venue was in Juarez, Mexico.
Keith traveled a long road to Juarez, and the countryside was rough. The event was held in a bar with sombreros hanging off the roof of the front porch. Inside the joint, you could hear a Mariachi band. There were two levels, and there was only one bar box located upstairs. Canelo aka "El Mundo" was practicing on the table, waiting for Keith. It was a race to 5, and the first one to win 5 sets of a race-to-5 won the cheese, $5,000. That was a lot of money back then.
There were posters all over the city advertising this match-up, and one by one, the people started strolling in. It was standing room only. Canelo was a real good player and worshiped by his peers. He definitely had the home-team advantage. Each time El Mundo would win, there would be cheers, applause, and stomping of feet.
During the match, the Mariachi band would stroll up and down the stairs in perfect marching steps, and the patrons knew all the lyrics and would sing along in Spanish. Keith said it seems like every time he turned around, the band was alongside the pool table serenading with Mexican tunes. He said it was a trip.
Keith stroked in a shot with juice pocketing the 8-ball, giving perfect leave on the 9. Suddenly, the band stopped playing. Keith quipped "el Jugo," meaning "the juice." I have no idea how Keith knew how to say "juice" in Spanish, but he did. After making the shot, Canelo grinned. Keith won, and he announced to the bar patrons that all drinks were on El Diablo. Canelo wanted Keith to hang out in Juarez after the match so he could show him the sights, and though Keith appreciated his newfound buddy's good intentions, he wanted to get his five dimes back across the border and go home. The two remained friends thereafter.
During a pool event in El Paso, a well-dressed gentleman wearing an elaborate white Mexican wedding shirt and snug leather trousers approached Keith with a proposal. He wanted to promote a challenge match between a pool player with the moniker "Canelo" and Keith. The competition would be advertised on all the Mexican radio stations as "El Diablo v. El Mundo," and the venue was in Juarez, Mexico.
Keith traveled a long road to Juarez, and the countryside was rough. The event was held in a bar with sombreros hanging off the roof of the front porch. Inside the joint, you could hear a Mariachi band. There were two levels, and there was only one bar box located upstairs. Canelo aka "El Mundo" was practicing on the table, waiting for Keith. It was a race to 5, and the first one to win 5 sets of a race-to-5 won the cheese, $5,000. That was a lot of money back then.
There were posters all over the city advertising this match-up, and one by one, the people started strolling in. It was standing room only. Canelo was a real good player and worshiped by his peers. He definitely had the home-team advantage. Each time El Mundo would win, there would be cheers, applause, and stomping of feet.
During the match, the Mariachi band would stroll up and down the stairs in perfect marching steps, and the patrons knew all the lyrics and would sing along in Spanish. Keith said it seems like every time he turned around, the band was alongside the pool table serenading with Mexican tunes. He said it was a trip.
Keith stroked in a shot with juice pocketing the 8-ball, giving perfect leave on the 9. Suddenly, the band stopped playing. Keith quipped "el Jugo," meaning "the juice." I have no idea how Keith knew how to say "juice" in Spanish, but he did. After making the shot, Canelo grinned. Keith won, and he announced to the bar patrons that all drinks were on El Diablo. Canelo wanted Keith to hang out in Juarez after the match so he could show him the sights, and though Keith appreciated his newfound buddy's good intentions, he wanted to get his five dimes back across the border and go home. The two remained friends thereafter.
