Hennessee vs Martinez..pool and cage match
- Thread starter ribdoner
- Start date
Something similar happened in Chattanooga for SD's tour finale. John was playing Rafael and, though I wasn't over there watching, so I don't know what led up to it, I was talking to SD at the time over by the tournament table when Martinez came up complaining about Hennessee's behavior. Apparently John called Martinez a Mofo...which he took exception to, threatening to leave if SD didn't do something about it. So there is already bad blood between the two of them. Be interesting to see what happens here......
Dags
Dags
Way to leave us hanging by a thread (no pun intended). I know that Rafael is not someone to mess around with. He's a small guy but that doesn't mean he'll put up with another person's bullcrap, especially John's.
ribdoner said:TEASER............played a race to 13 in the finals of the SAMPLES SUPER BOWL CLASSIC in MEMPHIS, TN.
Towards the end of the match ( RAFFY on 12 and JOHN 9) pool's version of rage in a cage broke out.
Updates to come.
I see I missed my call of Tony and Blake by two spots.
As with most Hennessee matches, there was much more than the usual tension around the table. A rack man was implemented very early into the match, followed by numerous exchanges. Never was there an indication of the events that were about to unfold.
The table is very tight to the spectators, John is frozen on the rail and needs more room to make his stance.....Raffy's case is leaning against the booth and John goes to move it, the case starts to fall. From a very good viewpoint but out of hearing range, it looked as though John was really trying to catch the case and Raffy thought he was slamming it to the floor. Imagine the move you would make trying to catch a falling case...in any event Raffy hit John in the chest with the butt of his cue. After much delay and threats of not finishing the set Don Samples (owner) insisted that they finish play. John wins the next two games, only to snap on the 8 in the game that would have made the score 12-11. Raffy wins the game and the set. Reputations tilt the jury's verdict......you bring it-you learn to live with it!
The table is very tight to the spectators, John is frozen on the rail and needs more room to make his stance.....Raffy's case is leaning against the booth and John goes to move it, the case starts to fall. From a very good viewpoint but out of hearing range, it looked as though John was really trying to catch the case and Raffy thought he was slamming it to the floor. Imagine the move you would make trying to catch a falling case...in any event Raffy hit John in the chest with the butt of his cue. After much delay and threats of not finishing the set Don Samples (owner) insisted that they finish play. John wins the next two games, only to snap on the 8 in the game that would have made the score 12-11. Raffy wins the game and the set. Reputations tilt the jury's verdict......you bring it-you learn to live with it!
From what I saw in Chattanooga, and also by speaking to other people who talked with Rafael while he was at Diamond's, Mr Martinez seems to be a bit arrogant to me and also to almost everyone else who was around him. He seemed as though he thought he was better than everyone in the room in more ways than just shooting pool.
Mike
Mike
DeadPoked said:
I'll try....
Bill's summation (post #7) is on time.
The prelime:
The combatants/contestants played in the semi's of the winners bracket. Raffy played perfect (Henney not so much) and emerged victorious by a WIDE margin. Bantor with regards to how R racked for himself began. The match ended sans handshake.
The finals:
After the first or second rack ya-ya about R's rack started anew. Officials (Frankel?) got involved and play continued with a designated rack man. J appeared agitated when he discovered the rackman would rack for both players. Less than stellar play resulted in a 4 to 3 JH lead in the early stages. At this point R caught lightening and put a 6 rack barrage on J. He didn't stack 6 but was in control during the streak. During the "streak" J, at one point, was surveying the table prior to shooting and he told R to "get out of the/his way". If R's proximetry was causing J angst an "excuse me" prolly would have workked. The already high level of tension began pulsating. There was ya-ya and looks from time to time from J to R and, if R was responding, it wasn't obvious. Play continued until the case incident precipitated the fireworks. It didn't appear to me that J was throwing R's case to the chipped tile floor, but, he reached for it in a very aggressive manner without securing it. As it was falling both he and R were able to control it. At this point R sharply "poked" J in the upper chest with the butt end of his cue. IMO if his intent was to cause great bodily harm (teeth, eye, WORSE) he could have. While I don't condone what R did I can understand it.
DON (the owner of SAMPLES) and PAUL FRANKEL (TD) did a great job of restoring order and eliminating collaterial damage among the sharply divided (R and J sold for the most $ in the player auctions) spectaters.
During the 25+ yrs and HUNDREDS (thousands?) of of events I've attended at this venue this was the first altercation I've witnessed between player's.
Thank you PASTIES, G-STRINGS, R and J for making it a memorable SUPER night.
On a serious note....there are lessons to be learned as a result of what happened and I hope they are.
Last edited:
Handsumm said:
LOL, I've seen ALL there is to see around pool since the late 50's to include seeing an employee's brains get blown out at the CASA MADRID lounge outside of CHI in the 60's by a roadman's backer. The employee was trying to shutdown at 6am (to cleanup) and the backer was stuck, so, shit happened.
My comment was applicable to PHYSICAL crapp between players at the RACK/SAMPLES venue. Railbirds, ball cuppers, parking lot is a differant story.
Mike Templeton said:
i can agree there, i only saw him briefly while I was there, and didnt get to see him play, but he definitely walked around like he was above everyone in the room.
even had his nose up a bit.
pretty crazy to hear about the altercation, I'm sure I'll hear some crazy spin offs soon from the drama bag locals
Raffy
I don't know Raffy, but I know someone who knows Raffy. He gives Raffy a very wide berth. In my opinion, it's not because Raffy is a bad guy, but it's because Raffy is crazy, like very unpredictable, in a bad way.
Me personally, I saw Raffy in Atlanta. My impression was not that Raffy was aloof, but that no one talked to Raffy.
People that know pool, better than me, know that he has done a lot of crazy things over many many years.
But for me, I went up to him and said hello and we talked. He was very nice to me. And he is a great player, part of the history of the game.
Hennessee seems to be getting on people's nerves right regular lately.
I don't know Raffy, but I know someone who knows Raffy. He gives Raffy a very wide berth. In my opinion, it's not because Raffy is a bad guy, but it's because Raffy is crazy, like very unpredictable, in a bad way.
Me personally, I saw Raffy in Atlanta. My impression was not that Raffy was aloof, but that no one talked to Raffy.
People that know pool, better than me, know that he has done a lot of crazy things over many many years.
But for me, I went up to him and said hello and we talked. He was very nice to me. And he is a great player, part of the history of the game.
Hennessee seems to be getting on people's nerves right regular lately.
> I've talked to Rafael several times over the years,although none of these were lengthy conversations,and have NEVER seen him do anything "crazy" or out of line. In fact,I've never heard him utter a bad word about anyone unless they managed to get on his bad side somehow. The difference is that I've treated him with respect,unlike the treatment he gets from people like Hennessee. He didn't even shake Rafael's hand after their winners-side match,and from across the room but where people close to him could hear,he started exhibiting "oral incontinence",basically talking shit about gambling with Rafael,but not loud enough to where he could hear it.
I'm certain that Rafael could get staked to play as high as Hennessee seems to stay,and can and probably would throw out some weight. Hennessee was even nitting Rafael about the rack,in a rack-your-own tournament.
I know that the rack can be manipulated,good or bad,any number of ways,but starting meaningless shit disguised as a complaint about the rack because you are getting DRILLED is another thing entirely. It's not like Rafael was putting the 9 on the corner of the rack either. Does Hennessee expect his opponents to slug-rack themselves?
Once again,I find myself regretting not staying to watch the last few matches. I called The Rack on the way home,and was told Rafael was breaking in the hill game with Henny stuck on 8,and had no clue this happened until I saw this thread. The things you miss huh? Tommy D.
I'm certain that Rafael could get staked to play as high as Hennessee seems to stay,and can and probably would throw out some weight. Hennessee was even nitting Rafael about the rack,in a rack-your-own tournament.
I know that the rack can be manipulated,good or bad,any number of ways,but starting meaningless shit disguised as a complaint about the rack because you are getting DRILLED is another thing entirely. It's not like Rafael was putting the 9 on the corner of the rack either. Does Hennessee expect his opponents to slug-rack themselves?
Once again,I find myself regretting not staying to watch the last few matches. I called The Rack on the way home,and was told Rafael was breaking in the hill game with Henny stuck on 8,and had no clue this happened until I saw this thread. The things you miss huh? Tommy D.
