Adam's a decent player, but he would have had no chance in banks against Gary.
Gary Spaeth
- Thread starter krelldog
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Adam's a decent player, but he would have had no chance in banks against Gary.
I saw Gary play a match of 9-ball banks against Wade Crane in Lexington in the mid eighties and Wade broke dry and Gary came to the table and ran 5and out, then the balls were racked and Gary broke and ran 5and out and once again the balls were racked and Gary broke and ran 4 more. Fourteen straight banks and a couple of them weren't possible.
Encounter with greatness!
When I began playing pool, I wanted to see what "good pool" looked like. So I asked every hustler I encountered, "who's the best player in Cincinnati," to a man, the answer was the same, Gary Spaeth. Now as any pool player knows, you don't expect to hear regional shortstops and local hustlers, say anything, "praising" another top player. So with the reports I was hearing, I decided to go on a mission to find this local, legendary figure, Gary Spaeth.
Reports had it, that if I went to Western Bowl (about an hour and a half drive from where I lived then) for the weekly 9-ball tournament, I'd likely find Gary there, practicing after the tournament. Everyone told me he'd play cheap when he was practicing, so I brought about twenty bucks to lose and a little "herb,"to make friends with, and off I went on my journey. When I arrived at about 11:30, sure enough, there He was in the flesh, hitting balls. Man, it was mesmerizing to watch him with a cuestick and a rack of balls!He literally put you into a trance watching the "AMAZING" way he'd move the white rock! Mind you, I'd never seen a great player at that time, but still to this day, I can say this without question, "there isn't anyone I've encountered since, who has that type of charisma at the table!" Seeing that man play and hit the balls in person, was like seeing and hearing Hendrix for the first time! It was a hypnotic kind of thing, he just took all the air out of the room and all your attention with it!" Like it or not, you become a fan!
Long story at a close, he gave me the 6 out and the break, and I watched him run rack after rack after rack, until way after dawn, when all the money and the "herb" were gone. I think that was one of the best times of my life!!!
We became friends that night and stayed that way to the end of his life.
The King is Dead? Long Live the King!!!
P.S. Almost any of the top players in the state of Ohio, Kentucky, or Pennsylvania region, has some similar story, about the first time they encountered Gary, his influence around the game of pool in that area, touched everyone from Billy Incardonia, John Brumback, Corey Deuel, to Shannon Daulton! He left an impression on us all.
.......saw this post yesterday, and just wanted to say a little something about my good friend, Gary Spaeth. The first time I saw him hit a ball was at Western Bowl in Cincinnati, around 1979, but that wasn't the first time I'd heard about him. Let me digress a bit, at this point.
When I began playing pool, I wanted to see what "good pool" looked like. So I asked every hustler I encountered, "who's the best player in Cincinnati," to a man, the answer was the same, Gary Spaeth. Now as any pool player knows, you don't expect to hear regional shortstops and local hustlers, say anything, "praising" another top player. So with the reports I was hearing, I decided to go on a mission to find this local, legendary figure, Gary Spaeth.
Reports had it, that if I went to Western Bowl (about an hour and a half drive from where I lived then) for the weekly 9-ball tournament, I'd likely find Gary there, practicing after the tournament. Everyone told me he'd play cheap when he was practicing, so I brought about twenty bucks to lose and a little "herb,"to make friends with, and off I went on my journey. When I arrived at about 11:30, sure enough, there He was in the flesh, hitting balls. Man, it was mesmerizing to watch him with a cuestick and a rack of balls!He literally put you into a trance watching the "AMAZING" way he'd move the white rock! Mind you, I'd never seen a great player at that time, but still to this day, I can say this without question, "there isn't anyone I've encountered since, who has that type of charisma at the table!" Seeing that man play and hit the balls in person, was like seeing and hearing Hendrix for the first time! It was a hypnotic kind of thing, he just took all the air out of the room and all your attention with it!" Like it or not, you become a fan!
Long story at a close, he gave me the 6 out and the break, and I watched him run rack after rack after rack, until way after dawn, when all the money and the "herb" were gone. I think that was one of the best times of my life!!!
We became friends that night and stayed that way to the end of his life.
The King is Dead? Long Live the King!!!
P.S. Almost any of the top players in the state of Ohio, Kentucky, or Pennsylvania region, has some similar story, about the first time they encountered Gary, his influence around the game of pool in that area, touched everyone from Billy Incardonia, John Brumback, Corey Deuel, to Shannon Daulton! He left an impression on us all.
Yes, that was the finals of the Clyde Childress Bank Pool Division, 1985. Here's a quick story for you about that tournament. The previous year Gary had come in second to Truman Hogue. Gary and I weren't road partners that
year. I met Gary shortly after that tournament in 1984 and became quick best friends. In 1985 I took him to Lexington, to play in that tournament. It turned out to be one of my favorite tournaments of all times. When we
arrived, Truman was in top form. He was in his own back yard and everyone picked him to win it again, except Gary, Joey and I! I don't remember who Gary played the first round but it went pretty quick as Gary got used to the
tables. There was both the Bank Pool and the Nine Ball tournament going on at the same time. Must have been a nightmare for Monroe Brock to keep organized as most players played in both divisions, but they played the
divisions on alternating tables, bank pool, nine ball, bank pool nine ball, on down the line. The second round Gary drew Truman Hogue in the bank division and Earl Strickland was playing a nine ball match right next to them.
Truman was like a banty rooster, prancing around the table in warm up using the familiar call "sturait back" in his gravely Kentucky drawl! Most of the crowd were Truman fans and were cheering him on and mimicking his "sturaight
back" calls. Me and a few of the Cincinnati contingency tried matching the enthusiasm of the Kentucky fans of Truman, but we were largely outnumbered! Finally Joe Kerr, the tournament director announced the matches, one by
one and when he was done, Gary and Truman lagged for the first break. Gary froze the cueball on the end rail and had first shot at the table. As Truman racked the balls, there were a lot of people cheering, offering support for
Truman. Gary broke, made 2 balls on the break and started out with a 5 pack, running five straight banks, keeping Truman in the chair for the first game. This was a winner break format so Truman calmly and confidently got up
and racked the balls again, knowing in his own mind that all he needed was a turn at the table to return the favor and even it up. Gary smashed the balls again and made a ball on the break and proceeded to run another five and
out. This time Truman came to the table to rack the balls again with a little less confidence in his demeanor. Gary smashed the balls again and made 3 balls on the break leaving him with no obstructions and another easy five and
out! As he shot each bank you could see Truman's shoulders drop a little more with each shot. He was now seriously worried if he'd even get a single shot at the table. Gary only needed one more game to capture the set and
Truman had yet to shoot his first shot! Truman came to the table to rack the balls this time with the look of puzzlement, he couldn't believe this was happening to HIM! He was supposed to be the one to be running out and
torturing Gary the way Gary was putting him through hell in his seat! Gary again smashed the balls and made a single ball on the break. He was in a tough position but he never considered playing a safety, he had an extremely
difficult, off angle long rack bank that most people would have never considered playing, especially since it stood to leave a choice of cross side banks to Truman, should he miss. Gary never thought twice about it and called the
long rail straight back shot and split the pocket leaving the easy cross side shots for himself. Wham he crossed the next ball, and the next, and the next leaving himself a tricky cross side shot, because of the angle. He had to
stiff the ball quite a bit to keep it from going wide of the pocket. But if he made this shot, he would have run out the set, never leaving Truman do more than rack the balls. Truman couldn't look, he stared at the floor as gary
smacked the ball at what seemed like 100mph and actually over stiffed the ball so that it hit the tit on the short side of the pocket and went straight down the rail into the corner pocket. Gary spotted the 2 balls, the one he
made on the break and the one he'd just pocketed in the wrong pocket and Truman finally came to the table for the first time in the set. Poor Truman was so broke down from watching Gary run away with this match that he
couldn't hit an easy cross side bank. But he left Gary in a real bad position and gary played his only safety of the match. Truman tried one of his famous "straight back" long railers and made the ball, but he played it without his
normal confidence and left himself safe. He tried another tough long railer but missed it badly leaving Gary an easy cross corner bank which he drilled again at 100mph to finish off the match with Truman only pocketing one ball
the whole match. Remember me mentioning Earl playing a nine ball set on the adjoining table that started at the same time as Gary and Truman. Earl has always been known to play at a pretty fast pace. Well Gary's match went
so fast that Earl was just breaking the balls for the second game of his set when Gary made the last bank! OK, maybe it wasn't such a "short story" but I can see it like it was yesterday and it was THE most amazing bank pool
match I've ever witnessed!
Rest In Peace Gary! I miss you, brother!
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lauraspaeth
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I am his daughter and remember him attending that tournament, you're right he left straight from the hospital (against doctor's orders!) to play in that tournament! It was the last one he ever played...
lauraspaeth
Registered
Love reading these stories Sherm! I didn't get to watch a lot, but I remember the sheer exhilaration and sense of pride every time he ran the table and his opponent sat there hoping to get a chance to shoot! It's a shame he's not still here doing what he loved, not to mention teaching me how to play!
<3 you dad!
<3 you dad!
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Your Dad really loved you and your sisters and brother. That was one of our biggest problems when we went on the road. We'd go somewhere and Gary would start out a little slow from not competing with top level players. Of course it didn't take him long to get in top form and we'd win some money. I'd want to take the money we'd won and go to another spot while Gary was still really in dead stroke but he missed you kids too much to stay out on the road away from you all. We'd have probably made a lot more money if we could have stayed gone for longer periods but Gary would have no part of that. He had to get back to his kids! I couldn't fault him for that! I really miss your Dad. As you know he was my best friend, much more than a road partner, but almost like a brother to me. In fact we were closer than I am to my real brother!
Gary
First big tournament I played in (Akron Open) I drew Gary in the first round I was a young hack I knew Gary from around and vastly underestimated how good he played until I seen him warming up by breaking taking ball in hand and banking out a 9ball rack.After he seen I was no threat to beat him he opened up a little and we talked the whole set got to know him pretty well from around 1990 till he passed. Nice guy great player always a threat in any game and just about always the favorite in bumps
First big tournament I played in (Akron Open) I drew Gary in the first round I was a young hack I knew Gary from around and vastly underestimated how good he played until I seen him warming up by breaking taking ball in hand and banking out a 9ball rack.After he seen I was no threat to beat him he opened up a little and we talked the whole set got to know him pretty well from around 1990 till he passed. Nice guy great player always a threat in any game and just about always the favorite in bumps
lauraspaeth
Registered
I really miss him too, a lot more lately with all the misfortune my mom is dealing with. I wonder everyday how different our lives would be if he was still here. Reading these stories makes me sad I wasn't old enough to really take interest in what a great player he was and how many people he influenced. I never realized how sick he was, definitely didn't think he would die at just 46. It's hard without him, he missed me graduating from college, getting married, his first granddaughter...God I can just imagine how he would love Lynn's little girl, she's a trip! She just started saying "you're killin' me grammy" talking to my mom LOL He always loved kids.
I'm sorry to hear that your Mom is having trouble. She and Joey stopped by a few months ago but she didn't mention anything then. It is a shame Gary wasn't able to be there for those precious times in all of your lives. I know he wanted to be. So you're married now and Lynn has a baby! Wow, time is sure flying by! Seth, my youngest just finished his second year at U.C.. He and Scott, my eldest have been talking about moving to California, Florida or somewhere without much of a winter. I've been trying to talk them out of it but if they go, I'll probably move with them. No grand kids yet, that we know of. lol But they both have had their share of girlfriends. Well I wish you all well, hope everything turns out for the best! God Bless!
lauraspaeth
Registered
It's just been one bad thing after another lately! The apartment building she lived at burnt down back in March, then the engine in her truck blew up and she lost her job because she couldn't get there with no car. So it's been over 3 months now with no car, job, or place to live! She's been going back and forth between me and my sisters...it's crazy. Anyway, yeah time has flown! Joselynn is already 2, it doesn't feel like very long ago when we found out Lynn was pregnant! No kids for me yet, probably in the next couple years. I remember your sons...didn't one of them join the military? I couldn't blame you for moving with them if they go. I've never left here because I couldn't be that far from my family.