Getting Better and Getting Older???

Fatboy

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
For what ever reason, despite my back problems pool is getting easier for me, I was talking to Shannon Daulton yesterday about this, I told him that when I was 20 I would have to look and see what side of the 8 I would need to be on to play shape for the 9, he said "yeah, it looked like a jigsaw puzzle right?" he was spot on, now I dont have to walk around the table to know what side of the ball I need to be on. It is all comming together for me.

I was like 14 when I learned to ride a bike, I just am a late starter on things I guess. But now pool is just getting easier and easier, sure its a hard game but the simple things and my coordination are getting better, I can get away with things now and the balls just go in, where before I was awakward.


Has there ever been any other players who really improved at 40? Ususally you gotta have it by the time your 21 to be a top player, I'm not talking about that but has there been anyone who had a big jump in their game in their 40's? I feel like I can/am and my back prohibits me from playing 75% of the time. I will never say I'll never be a top player because I never count myself out of anything but its very unlikely i'll ever beat SVB(but never say never) Being realistic is it possible to jump 5 balls in your 40's? I feel like I have jumped at least 2 this past year when i'm hitting them good. I dont remember playing like I do now before or pool seeming as easy as it is.

thanks
 
I dont know you but you seem to be the kind of guy that likes to prove naysayers wrong. So with that it mind I'd have to say No Way, Impossible, Not a Chance.

Hope you prove me wrong.:D
 
Well, I'll be the optimist here. I've never seen you shoot... All I've seen of you is the vid. where you have a bunch of cash... So you got something going for you there, it seems that worrying amount money is not an issue. So you got the time to put into practice if you want, and if back pain/problems is an issue... there pharmaceuticals that can relieve that issue if you get the drift. Who knows if Lassiter would have kept playing successfully had it not been for a bottle of pills.

I don't know if anyone has risen to their peak to be at world class level at your age, but its got to happen sometime from a statistical perspective. It may not be likely, but if you commit yourself to something anything is possible... Rules are meant to be broken.

Further there's been enough players that have dumped there careers because of alcohol, and other problems. I think if a player can fall from grace, like Greenleaf so swiftly... it is possible for you to at least reach the level where you can be competitive at the professional level.

Shoot... didn't Alfredo de Oro beat Welker Cochran in his early 70's? Of course he showed some talent at a younger age... but what you lose in talent, you just got to balance out in character, and who knows what will happen. Crap, look at Fats, you don't even have to be the best, to be the most remembered and well known.

Whatever your future may hold, the best of luck to you. May the balls always roll in your favor. And if they don't, at least you tried and thats whats counts and thats what people will remember you for.
 
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I playing better at 64 than I ever have and yes it's getting easier. I just see the line, the angle. Where I used to have to aim at a ghost ball or a spot on the object ball or something, now I just see the angle and the layout. I see it!... and It's about time. Wish I'd played in my 20's, 30's 40's and early 50's instead of waiting until 56 to get started. :D

Stay positive Fatboy and you'lll surprise yourself. Just believe and go for it.... every day!
 
I'm 32 and came back to the game a couple of years ago. I think I play much more consistently now then I did in my late teens/early twentys when I was playing several hours a day. I think alot of it has to do with just being happier with where my life is now. I havn't been as successful as you but life is still good and now pool is something I do for fun. It isn't a factor in how I judge myself as a person (although I get frusterated at times like anyone else).
 
If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off.

Fatboy said:
For what ever reason, despite my back problems pool is getting easier for me, I was talking to Shannon Daulton yesterday about this, I told him that when I was 20 I would have to look and see what side of the 8 I would need to be on to play shape for the 9, he said "yeah, it looked like a jigsaw puzzle right?" he was spot on, now I dont have to walk around the table to know what side of the ball I need to be on. It is all comming together for me.

I was like 14 when I learned to ride a bike, I just am a late starter on things I guess. But now pool is just getting easier and easier, sure its a hard game but the simple things and my coordination are getting better, I can get away with things now and the balls just go in, where before I was awakward.


Has there ever been any other players who really improved at 40? Ususally you gotta have it by the time your 21 to be a top player, I'm not talking about that but has there been anyone who had a big jump in their game in their 40's? I feel like I can/am and my back prohibits me from playing 75% of the time. I will never say I'll never be a top player because I never count myself out of anything but its very unlikely i'll ever beat SVB(but never say never) Being realistic is it possible to jump 5 balls in your 40's? I feel like I have jumped at least 2 this past year when i'm hitting them good. I dont remember playing like I do now before or pool seeming as easy as it is.

thanks
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I don't know the history of most of the players as far as whether they made big jumps in their game in later years. Mike Lebron rings a bell but other than that, an other name doesn't ring a bell. Perhaps you would like to be the second silver bell?

Today, a person has more of the things at their beck and call to become a top player.

The one thing at your age that there is not more of is heart and tenacity. The fire in your belly to excel must be unquenchable. Only time will prove whether you possess these qualities.

Just remember, "If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off." :)
OK, maybe that's a little harsh.


JoeyA- If your hand causes you to stumble you should stand up on your hind two feet like a man. :D
 
We are all lucky that you don't get better with age. If that were true, JoeyA would be giving SVB the orange crush:D
 
I knew a guy who didn't start playing pool until he was 60, and he played very strong one pocket, and could run 30's and more at straight pool, good banks, and could run out at 9 ball (though he didn't like it). Of course, he played and gambled "daily" for 4 or more hours. I think he took Sundays off. BTW - I met him when he was 67 and had 7 years of experience in.
 
time on the table

As long as you have the fire and desire, hours spent on the table means more than age. When I put in a ridiculous amount of hours on a pool table I could read my entire run including the shape I was going to play as I walked up to the table. Of course I played three to five moves ahead in chess then too.

Nothing is impossible. Get in the table time, and get some time in with lil' Joe.

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
As long as you have the fire and desire, hours spent on the table means more than age. When I put in a ridiculous amount of hours on a pool table I could read my entire run including the shape I was going to play as I walked up to the table. Of course I played three to five moves ahead in chess then too.

Nothing is impossible. Get in the table time, and get some time in with lil' Joe.

Hu
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Absolutely right. Rep for you.

I'm in my 40s and have the fire in me to play pool again after a very long layoff. Thing is, I have no time on weekdays and only shoot weekends and holidays. Not enough.

PS: I can't give you more rep. :( Oh well...
 
Fatboy said:
Has there ever been any other players who really improved at 40?
thanks
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Large-One,
I don't know about 40, but I didn't start playing until age 50. While I'm no world-beater, my game continues to improve steadily. High run of 3 at age 50, High run of 64 at age 54. I improve noticeably almost every week or two.

Becoming a student of the game and developing proper practice habits lead to steady improvement. There is nothing about the game so physically demanding that an older player cannot reach a high level of play. Don't use your age as an excuse - YOU ARE NOT OLD, YOU ARE CHRONOLOGICALLY GIFTED.
 
hmmmm

Well I see two answers to your question. Can you improve after 40, dang I hope so, I would hope that you could improve reguardless of your age. Consistant practice and proper training should allow one to keep progressing as long as thier eye sight and range of motion remains. The day I think that I am not going to get any better would be a bad day, I don't know if I would be inspired to play anymore.

I think in our lives we may all have a cieling that we could achieve through different parts of our lives. That cieling may be higher at a younger age, and for those who play as a lifestyle from thier teens. They might hit thier prime early and try to maintain it as they get older. Those of us that got jobs, found a woman or whatever. We may try to find our prime reguarless of our age. Could you have played better at 25 given the proper circumstances? Probably, Should that slow you down? Heck No! Hope this made sense It's late and I too Can't spell!
 
this is a good example supporting the expresssion: there is no substitute for experience.

I may have won as many matches (pool, golf) 10-15 years ago, but in retrospect back then it based on talent. Without even recognizing it, at some point, skill becomes less important than experience.
 
If it's any consolation to you I know for a fact that I played my best pool
in my late 50's early 60's Not to be a name dropper but Ronnie Allen, Jack
Cooney, and Monk Costanza will attest to this. Hang in there bud the best may be yet to come. Good luck, I like your style.
 
The first person who came to mind when I read this post was Raymond Ceulemans. In 1998 at the age of 61 (!!!) he broke the existing world record with a 3-cushion run of 28. Seriously folks, how amazing is that?

Adding to his illustrious career, in 2001 he won the world championship at the age of 64. Mind you, by 2001 the likes of Jaspers, Sayginer and Blomdahl were on the scene and raising the level of professional 3C. Yet good old Ceulemans managed to climb to the top.

It's often talked about that his average raised with the increased competition despite his age. Yes, he may be one of the biggest billiard geniuses, but he certainly proves you can maintain and raise your game into your 60s.
 
StevenPWaldon said:
The first person who came to mind when I read this post was Raymond Ceulemans. In 1998 at the age of 61 (!!!) he broke the existing world record with a 3-cushion run of 28. Seriously folks, how amazing is that?

Adding to his illustrious career, in 2001 he won the world championship at the age of 64. Mind you, by 2001 the likes of Jaspers, Sayginer and Blomdahl were on the scene and raising the level of professional 3C. Yet good old Ceulemans managed to climb to the top.

It's often talked about that his average raised with the increased competition despite his age. Yes, he may be one of the biggest billiard geniuses, but he certainly proves you can maintain and raise your game into your 60s.
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wow 28 :eek: 3C takes about 40 years to learn to play, pool is a joke compaired to 3c in terms of difficulty, you have to have that right/left brain thing going to see the shots then be able to execute them, I am not creative and cant ever see the shot playing 3C, if someone shows me the shot then I have a chance of hitting it unless its a artistic shot or masse. I have zero chance of seeing the shot on my own, I love 3C and respect the players, wish there was more of it here.


speaking for myself, my coordinaton and ability to see the patterns in 9 ball are improving with age, coordination more than anything-my pattern play has been solid for years but its simple in 9 ball. My 8 ball game has jumped up out of no where, I forgot how to play 1P. I'm more relaxed now too i'm sure that helps.

Want there a player dave bowling who turned it on in his 40's? i'm not 100% sure of his last name. thanks.
 
StevenPWaldon said:
The first person who came to mind when I read this post was Raymond Ceulemans. In 1998 at the age of 61 (!!!) he broke the existing world record with a 3-cushion run of 28. Seriously folks, how amazing is that?

Adding to his illustrious career, in 2001 he won the world championship at the age of 64. Mind you, by 2001 the likes of Jaspers, Sayginer and Blomdahl were on the scene and raising the level of professional 3C. Yet good old Ceulemans managed to climb to the top.

It's often talked about that his average raised with the increased competition despite his age. Yes, he may be one of the biggest billiard geniuses, but he certainly proves you can maintain and raise your game into your 60s.
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I don't know much about Raymond... according McGoorty, he had won 5 world championships by the age of 29...

Mcgoorty:

"There was one guy in particular that everyone wanted to see: Raymond Ceulemans of Belgium, only 29 and already World Champion five times. His tournament averages were unbelievable: one point three, one point four, one point five. Higher than anything Hoppe or Cochran ever made."

Didn't realize he kept on kickin' it so long!
 
general rule

StevenPWaldon said:
It's often talked about that his average raised with the increased competition despite his age. Yes, he may be one of the biggest billiard geniuses, but he certainly proves you can maintain and raise your game into your 60s.
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There are exceptions to everything but as a general rule nobody rises higher than good enough to beat their competition. That is yet one more reason we can't compare yesterday's greats to today's, no telling what they would have done with today's level of competition and today's equipment.

If Fatboy or anyone else starts spending a lot of time where the big fish are they will either get pretty big themselves or get eaten.(beaten) I wish Fatboy the best of luck with all of his plans. Never know how it will work out if he tries, everybody knows how it will work out if he doesn't.

Hu
 
Fatboy said:
.....Has there ever been any other players who really improved at 40?....
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I took up golf at 46 going on 47 years of age, have never had a lesson and qualified for The European PGA Seniors Tour Championship at 54 but have retained amateur status cos I really ain't anywhere remotely near good enough to make any money and am happy in my job.

On the reverse my pool is nowhere near where it was at 30 and a near 20 year lay off could probably never be made up for:)
 
ShootingArts said:
There are exceptions to everything but as a general rule nobody rises higher than good enough to beat their competition. That is yet one more reason we can't compare yesterday's greats to today's, no telling what they would have done with today's level of competition and today's equipment.

If Fatboy or anyone else starts spending a lot of time where the big fish are they will either get pretty big themselves or get eaten.(beaten) I wish Fatboy the best of luck with all of his plans. Never know how it will work out if he tries, everybody knows how it will work out if he doesn't.

Hu
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Very good point Hu! I grew up playing in my basement, and thought I was good. I started going to pool rooms at 25 years old and realized I was not that good, but became the best in that room in a year. THEN I started going to a "real" pool room with 100 ball runners and realized I knew nothing. In a couple years I was running 50's dailey. Like you said, wanna be a big fish? go hang with the big fish!

I'm now 41 and playing the best I ever have not because of raw talent, but because of knowledge of my game. The best way I can put it is I know what I'm capable of....and most of all WHAT NOT TO DO! this above all else wins me games.

I guess I could give myself the 6 or 7 now compared to back 10 years ago.
 
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