Good post Dave, I too thought that it was going to be bad news when I saw the intial post.
Only getting into pool in the last few years, I knew very little of the finer points of the game. I knew how to sit in the gin mill and play for a beer or whatever.
Since retiring, I've tried to learn as much as possible. Video's, book's etc.
First major thing I did, was to take Simpson's class, learned alot of things I had no idea of. Continuing on my quest for knowledge, I saw a post about people who give lessons. My next step was, my wife, the dog and I loaded up our rv trailer went to Yellowstone. I forgot to add we stopped for 2 or 3 days and saw Jack & Bev Madden in Montanna.
Jack showed me all sorts of stuff I had no idea about. He tried to get me aiming his way and I just couldn't get it. We parked our trailer in his yard and the girls did their thing and we shot pool on his 9 footer with shimmed pockets that were probabley under 4".
The 4 of us sat on their porch the last night before we left and Jack showed us pictures and told stories of his days on the road. And of
the characters and their gimmicks they would do/use to gamble.
Thanks Jack.
This post was originally meant to talk about Hal and his friendlyness and knowledge that he passes out freely. But there are to many others that have helped me improve my game that I couldn't not mention them.
I'll never be really consistant (my body won't let me, to many years of firefighting) and I'll never be real good. But I play fair. And it's because of all the people I mentioned. All of them were very knowledgeable and helpful.
If you need / want to improve your game give the guys I mentioned a call.
Keep Hal in your prayers and hope you make it to his age and be as sharp as he is.
Sorry about the rambling.
} I'll try to call him myself in the very near future.
