Yup, feels the same to me as when George Fels and Freddy the Beard died:frown:
Hal Houle has passed
- Thread starter SpiderWebComm
- Start date
Yup, feels the same to me as when George Fels and Freddy the Beard died:frown:
Back in the RSB days, Hal used to call me every 3-4 months until his health started to decline. The first couple of calls were regarding the CTE/aiming but I had a difficult time understanding the pivot via telephone, I instead developed a hybrid version that worked well for me at the time.... To my surprise and pleasure Hal kept calling! He loved to hear about what was going on, who was playing who, and asking questions about different players, in turn, Hal would tell war stories from days past. Pretty good deal for both of us.....
One thing I know for sure is that this world is a little worse off today than it was yesterday. It was a pleasure to know you Hal!
Godspeed and rest in peace my friend......
Kirk
One thing I know for sure is that this world is a little worse off today than it was yesterday. It was a pleasure to know you Hal!
Godspeed and rest in peace my friend......
Kirk
Condolences and prayers to the Houle family. It seems with each day we're losing yet one more part of the pool world that connected with true titans of the game and the knowledge they had. We're going to wake up very soon and realize that a whole library of knowledge about the game and the greats who made it what it is today is gone, long before we had time to ask all the questions and keep the knowledge alive. Yet another link to our heritage is gone...
Maybe this is an opportunity to reach out to the few that are left and get it down for the record...without the rancor, debate and egos...so we don't lose it all forever.
Maybe this is an opportunity to reach out to the few that are left and get it down for the record...without the rancor, debate and egos...so we don't lose it all forever.
RIP Hal and condolences to family
I first met Hal when we both spent an afternoon at Danny K's in Southern CA. That was probably 1999 or so. It was fascinating to watch him teach people--tirelessly--about aiming for about four hours.
Then I met him again at Family Billiards in San Francisco probably five years later.
And of course like many I've had my share of phone conversations;-)
Hal was incredibly generous with his time, and so many people here enjoyed his unique style of teaching and story telling. There is probably not a single other person who has been the subject of as much conversation here at AZB and at RSB and ASP before that...
I think we can be pretty confident Hal will live on here at AZB
I first met Hal when we both spent an afternoon at Danny K's in Southern CA. That was probably 1999 or so. It was fascinating to watch him teach people--tirelessly--about aiming for about four hours.
Then I met him again at Family Billiards in San Francisco probably five years later.
And of course like many I've had my share of phone conversations;-)
Hal was incredibly generous with his time, and so many people here enjoyed his unique style of teaching and story telling. There is probably not a single other person who has been the subject of as much conversation here at AZB and at RSB and ASP before that...
I think we can be pretty confident Hal will live on here at AZB
I didn't know Mr. Houle personally but was aware of his keen knowledge and love for our sport.
Rest in peace, Sir.
My condolences to his family and friends.
Thank you, Dave, for passing this sad news on. And sorry for the loss of your friend.
best,
brian kc
Rest in peace, Sir.
My condolences to his family and friends.
Thank you, Dave, for passing this sad news on. And sorry for the loss of your friend.
best,
brian kc
May he rest in peace, surely what he gave to people playing pool counts in heaven's book.
I'm sorry to hear the news. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet Hal but did learn about CTE when I took some lessons from Stan. I always enjoy listening to stories about the game and can tell Hal had a love for the game unmatched. RIP Hal and my condolences to his family.
Rest in Peace... Hal
I was fortunate enough to meet and go to Hal's and Sunny's house for 3 days.
Quite a few years ago when I was trying to learn this game (and I'm still trying), I kept seeing posts from Dave Segal about Hal. Always saying how Hal was so good at helping people. So I contacted Dave ( didn't know Dave at all ) and got Hal's phone number. Also did the same with Dave about Ron V.
I decided to call and see what I would be able to learn over the phone.
Right away he was very talkative on telling me things to do. He told me, go get 2 round water glasses and sit them in front of me. I had him on the speaker phone so I could move them around and listen to what he was telling me to do. He kept explaining about lining up the edges and so on.
I was so intrigued with what he was telling me, that I asked him if I could come and see him. he said : when are you coming and said you can stay at my house.
I set up the plane trip right away and flew into Phil. and rented a car and drove to his house.
He and Sunny were as nice as anybody could be. Here I was a guy who they didn't know other then a couple conversations and they treated me like I'd known them for years.
Hal wasn't doing well. His legs weren't working very well and he was using a walker and the rest of his body was failing. He would come out of the bedroom every now and then to correct me when I was unsure of something.
He had his 9 ft. diamond in the room right next to his bedroom and I'd go in by him, he tell me what to do. I'd go back by the table and try what he said to do. I'd tell him what was happening and he'd be yelling instructions from the bedroom.
Sunny would take care of his every need and she couldn't have been nicer.
She would cook food for Hal and make me eat with them. I didn't want to inconvience her by having her cook extra food for me. I basically had to say that I was going for a ride so I could get out of the house for awhile so I could grab something to eat so she wouldn't try to make me food.
When I would take a break, and in the evenings we would sit in his bedroom and he told me stories of his younger days. What he thought of the old players and other things and stories. Especially what he thought of Mosconi.
I was there for 3 days and I tried to give them money for food or staying or whatever and they wouldn't take a penny.
Having started trying to learn this game when I was already in my mid 50's has not been easy, I've been around the country at different peoples locations/ houses. John (Jack) Madden in Montana parked my RV there and he'd tried to teach me straight pool for a few days. He did a fine job, I just couldn't get the aiming, Ron Vittello's in NY city to learn his systems. Stayed at Ron's and slept on his couch that was about a foot too short lol. Got it a lot but not totally. Been down for a day lesson with Stan Shuffett. And others, that I've learned a lot of things from. Gene Albrecht that I parked my Rv for an afternoon there also. Scott Lee, Lee Brett to name a couple more. Trying not to leave anybody out.
I have to say that Hal Houle gave me the aiming perspective that I use about 90 percent of the time. I'll never be a good player, but I try all the time to improve. It's great that Stan has been able to get CTE even farther. But in my opinion if it wasn't for Hal there wouldn't be CTE.
I wish I would have known him back when he and I were younger. Before I retired, in my line of work, I dealt with the public on a daily basis and at some of there worst times. I think I can judge people pretty well on the way they present themselves. And just from the very small amount of time I was with Hal, I can state unequivocally he was a CLASS ACT ! And the same goes for Sunny!
My condolences to all of his family and friends.
Rest In Peace Hal.....................
John
I was fortunate enough to meet and go to Hal's and Sunny's house for 3 days.
Quite a few years ago when I was trying to learn this game (and I'm still trying), I kept seeing posts from Dave Segal about Hal. Always saying how Hal was so good at helping people. So I contacted Dave ( didn't know Dave at all ) and got Hal's phone number. Also did the same with Dave about Ron V.
I decided to call and see what I would be able to learn over the phone.
Right away he was very talkative on telling me things to do. He told me, go get 2 round water glasses and sit them in front of me. I had him on the speaker phone so I could move them around and listen to what he was telling me to do. He kept explaining about lining up the edges and so on.
I was so intrigued with what he was telling me, that I asked him if I could come and see him. he said : when are you coming and said you can stay at my house.
I set up the plane trip right away and flew into Phil. and rented a car and drove to his house.
He and Sunny were as nice as anybody could be. Here I was a guy who they didn't know other then a couple conversations and they treated me like I'd known them for years.
Hal wasn't doing well. His legs weren't working very well and he was using a walker and the rest of his body was failing. He would come out of the bedroom every now and then to correct me when I was unsure of something.
He had his 9 ft. diamond in the room right next to his bedroom and I'd go in by him, he tell me what to do. I'd go back by the table and try what he said to do. I'd tell him what was happening and he'd be yelling instructions from the bedroom.
Sunny would take care of his every need and she couldn't have been nicer.
She would cook food for Hal and make me eat with them. I didn't want to inconvience her by having her cook extra food for me. I basically had to say that I was going for a ride so I could get out of the house for awhile so I could grab something to eat so she wouldn't try to make me food.
When I would take a break, and in the evenings we would sit in his bedroom and he told me stories of his younger days. What he thought of the old players and other things and stories. Especially what he thought of Mosconi.
I was there for 3 days and I tried to give them money for food or staying or whatever and they wouldn't take a penny.
Having started trying to learn this game when I was already in my mid 50's has not been easy, I've been around the country at different peoples locations/ houses. John (Jack) Madden in Montana parked my RV there and he'd tried to teach me straight pool for a few days. He did a fine job, I just couldn't get the aiming, Ron Vittello's in NY city to learn his systems. Stayed at Ron's and slept on his couch that was about a foot too short lol. Got it a lot but not totally. Been down for a day lesson with Stan Shuffett. And others, that I've learned a lot of things from. Gene Albrecht that I parked my Rv for an afternoon there also. Scott Lee, Lee Brett to name a couple more. Trying not to leave anybody out.
I have to say that Hal Houle gave me the aiming perspective that I use about 90 percent of the time. I'll never be a good player, but I try all the time to improve. It's great that Stan has been able to get CTE even farther. But in my opinion if it wasn't for Hal there wouldn't be CTE.
I wish I would have known him back when he and I were younger. Before I retired, in my line of work, I dealt with the public on a daily basis and at some of there worst times. I think I can judge people pretty well on the way they present themselves. And just from the very small amount of time I was with Hal, I can state unequivocally he was a CLASS ACT ! And the same goes for Sunny!
My condolences to all of his family and friends.
Rest In Peace Hal.....................
John
Nice story John! Here's mine...
I had the good fortune to spend July 4, 2007 with Hal & Sunny at their home. One of my Chicago students, Veronique, was just finishing her third day with Hal. When Hal first came onto the forums he often came across as a "crotchety old man", cussing people out, saying that they didn't know anything...LOL In person Hal was the polar opposite...friendly, gracious, generous to a fault...and then there's the "learning"! Even 7 years ago Hal's health was failing and he was in serious pain all the time. He could no longer stand at the table, but had a Lazyboy chair right next to his 9' Diamond, and would sit in the chair while directing me. I did exactly what he told me to do. Even so, he had to retreat back to the bedroom a couple of times every hour, and as others have said, continued to give direction from his bed! LOL
While I at first didn't understand CTE very well, I determined that I was going to follow his directions to the letter, regardless of whether it "made sense" or not. LOL Balls went flying into the pockets from every imaginable angle. To my credit, I had recorded the whole time I was there, and so have a video record of that day. I watched the dvd a few times, but it was still largely a mystery to me, so I sent it to Randy. He watched it several time (he had made his own pilgramage to Hal as well)...it made perfect sense to him, and from that video we developed several CTE-based aiming methods (SAM, Same Aim, and Off-set aiming).
The stories about Greenleaf were fabulous and sad at the same time. Hal only interacted with Ralph in Greenleaf's later years, when alcohol and drugs had already taken their toll on this great champion. He told me about how many times Greenleaf's wife would call him up, asking him to go out and find Ralph (who had disappeared for days, on a bender). Hal would usually find him passed out in some flophouse, get him sobered up, cleanshaven, and in some decent clean clothes, before taking him home to Mrs. Greenleaf. It wasn't too many years later that Greenleaf made his much-too-early passage to that great poolroom in the sky. Hal now joins him there, along with Fats, Mosconi, and all the greats.
RIP Hal, and to Sunny, thank you for your wonderful hospitality. I feel your loss, and loved your husband for his huge contribution to the sport I love! :thumbup:
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
I had the good fortune to spend July 4, 2007 with Hal & Sunny at their home. One of my Chicago students, Veronique, was just finishing her third day with Hal. When Hal first came onto the forums he often came across as a "crotchety old man", cussing people out, saying that they didn't know anything...LOL In person Hal was the polar opposite...friendly, gracious, generous to a fault...and then there's the "learning"! Even 7 years ago Hal's health was failing and he was in serious pain all the time. He could no longer stand at the table, but had a Lazyboy chair right next to his 9' Diamond, and would sit in the chair while directing me. I did exactly what he told me to do. Even so, he had to retreat back to the bedroom a couple of times every hour, and as others have said, continued to give direction from his bed! LOL
While I at first didn't understand CTE very well, I determined that I was going to follow his directions to the letter, regardless of whether it "made sense" or not. LOL Balls went flying into the pockets from every imaginable angle. To my credit, I had recorded the whole time I was there, and so have a video record of that day. I watched the dvd a few times, but it was still largely a mystery to me, so I sent it to Randy. He watched it several time (he had made his own pilgramage to Hal as well)...it made perfect sense to him, and from that video we developed several CTE-based aiming methods (SAM, Same Aim, and Off-set aiming).
The stories about Greenleaf were fabulous and sad at the same time. Hal only interacted with Ralph in Greenleaf's later years, when alcohol and drugs had already taken their toll on this great champion. He told me about how many times Greenleaf's wife would call him up, asking him to go out and find Ralph (who had disappeared for days, on a bender). Hal would usually find him passed out in some flophouse, get him sobered up, cleanshaven, and in some decent clean clothes, before taking him home to Mrs. Greenleaf. It wasn't too many years later that Greenleaf made his much-too-early passage to that great poolroom in the sky. Hal now joins him there, along with Fats, Mosconi, and all the greats.
RIP Hal, and to Sunny, thank you for your wonderful hospitality. I feel your loss, and loved your husband for his huge contribution to the sport I love! :thumbup:
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Landon Shuffett
Registered
Saddened to hear this. It's hard to fathom all that that man knew and discovered. He did so much for my Dad and I and so many pool players around the world. My one visit with him at his home back in 2007 (I think) was priceless and I will never forget it!
Rest easy Hal. Thoughts and prayers sent out to his family and close friends.
Rest easy Hal. Thoughts and prayers sent out to his family and close friends.