How Did You Learn to Play Pool?

[ridewiththewind]

I was 6 yo and we had gone to Utica, NY because my grandpa had passed. I remember my Uncle Pete taking us with him in the morning to the bar so he could get things ready for the day's business. I saw this big table with green felt on it, and knew instinctively it was a pool table...but had never really seen one before. We're talking 1964, if memory serves. Anyways, so Uncle Pete opens up the table for us kids...but it seems like I was the only one interested in playing. So, I took a stick off the wall and just started knocking balls towards the pockets...seems like I even made enough to keep me intrigued. Before I knew it, it was time to go.

Years later...early 70's a school teacher couple moved in next door to us and had a table in their den. Seems like they never used it tho'. So occasionally I was allowed to use their table to play...usually against my younger sister, who hated the game and couldn't shoot a lick.

Later as a teen, I would occasionally run into someone who had a table in their basement, and would play here and there.

Didn't really get to play pool until I graduated high school and got married to a sailor. The local juke joint was just around the corner, and as it turned out, I was actually a better player than most of the guys that were part of our group of friends. Before long, I was playing for beers and didn't have to pay for one very often, as I recall....the guys loved it as I wasn't a big beer drinker, and they got to enjoy the fruits of my labors.

The really weird thing was, it was like I 'knew' what mechanic was needed for a particular shot. I remember still quite clearly thinking that a shot that I was on really needed to be a stop shot...and just doing it! Having no real background in pool, I have often wondered if I was a pool player in a previous life...the game has just always felt instinctive to me...odd really.

Anyways...had kids, did the family thing....didn't pick up a cue again until after my divorce in '97. But, finally be able to do with my time and money as I pretty much wished, within reason, I was finally able to get into the game that had continued to intrigue me all these years. And I did.

The only problem with this I began to read and watch everything I could about the game....but the more I took it seriously, it seemed the worse I played. Basically, I over-thought the living daylights out of it. So, about a year ago or so, I remembered reading that once you have played the game and know the mechanics, they are stored in your subconscious. So, I tried just going out and having fun with it and just stepping to the shot and trusting my instinct instead of thinking about it. I am now playing the best pool of my life...and having a ball doing it!!!

So, basically I am self-taught...with a few pointers here and there from some old timers.

Lisa

 

[catpool9]

Learning the Trade

I have told my story before but it seems fitting to post it as a Christmas tribute to an old friend, long gone.

I started in the school of hard knocks, playing for beer in bars. I was AWFUL! Still some ten footers around, nine footers and deep cloth, and the bar tables. I lost on all of them for about six months before I started breaking even or a bit better supplying the drunks with beer. Not one to take losing lightly, I played a lot of pool, even bought a junk eight footer for the house. I paid more for a quality set of balls than the table.

Somewhere around fifteen I found Shopper's Pool Hall. It was a very rundown old pool hall in a rough part of town. It also allowed fifteen year olds to come in and play pool and drink beer, lots of beer. I was home, matter of fact despite holding down a fulltime job over sixty hours a week most weeks I was at Shoppers more than I was at home. This went on through several changes of management and I figured I was playing pretty fair pool by the time Jessie Mills bought the place a few years later. No doubt he was told I was a top customer and although I was still only sixteen or seventeen the matter never came up. I don't know how Jessie spelled his first name or even for sure that his last name was Mills, that was only told to me a few years ago. He was just "Jessie" at Shoppers.

Jessie helped out raw beginners, mostly in defense of his equipment, but I never saw him help out anyone else so when he started passing by my table to show me a shot or two I was insulted. I was making the money I spent at Shoppers gambling other places when I left there and I was way more than holding my own against local competition at this point.

One day when Jessie was showing me something else I shot him an angry look and Jessie never showed me anything ever again. However he made a regular habit of coming by my table and showing whomever I was playing something most regularly. Often it was something they had no chance of executing at their skill level as Jessie and I both well knew but he was protecting a young man's pride. I would use the shot later that day or a day or two later when I got the chance and without fail glance over to the counter and catch a grin from Jessie. I realize now that he spent a hell of a lot of hours watching me play.

Jessie was old school and wouldn't give lessons. We spent a lot of hours over the years just talking and became very good friends and I still remember how angry he would get when somebody wanted to buy what he had spent a lifetime learning. "I'll give them all of the lessons they want" he'd growl, "for ten dollars a game!" However he freely gave to a young man that was devoted to learning the game. Later he opened a kid's room in a nearby town too although I never found the place. I moved away and didn't go by Shoppers for a year or two and when I passed by again Shoppers and Jessie were both gone, never to be seen again.

I owe a lot to Mosconi too myself, just from a little time on TV. I saw some old footage from way before the Mosconi/Fats matches when I was 18 or 19. I thought I was playing pretty fair shape then. Watching Willie I learned what shape could be. After that I played spot shape, not area shape. For two or three years I focused intensely on controlling exactly where the cue ball stopped. I made a fortune over the years gambling largely due to all of the "accidental" safeties I made in the days when obvious safeties were heavily frowned upon and often led to a physical discussion.

One more teacher, Old Joe. Joe wasn't a friend, barely an acquaintance, but nobody ever owned me on a pool table the way Joe did for a few months. Joe was ancient, surely seventies, likely eighties, maybe nineties, and he was s-l-o-w ! It could take him a full minute to walk around the table. He never shot a ball hard enough it cleared the bevel of the pocket either. The hell of it was that Joe could run out on you and spend fifteen minutes doing it without deliberately stalling. Being young and dumb and full of . . . I forget what now, I would be sitting in my chair burning to get to the table. When Joe finally gave me a shot I'd jump up and either miss or blow shape in my eagerness to get Joe off of the old challenge table. This was an old country bar with gambling on the pool table 24/7 so a regular haunt and every time I showed up Joe wasn't far behind if he wasn't already there.

I wouldn't quit playing him and couldn't get a handle on how to beat him although I regularly beat "far better" players. Finally after several months I learned to only be a mildly interested observer while Joe was at the table. I came to the table fresh and relaxed and from that day on I'm almost sad to say Joe never beat me again. That little trick paid huge dividends in the years to come.

Jessie, Willie Mosconi, and Old Joe, those three men taught me things that made me several hundred thousand dollars over ten years or so. Two didn't know they did it and I never got a chance to tell Jessie how much I owed him. A Merry Christmas to all and to these three men, all long dead, that I owe so much to.

Hu

Great story Hu, I'm sure Jessie took much comfort watching your progress , while learning all the shots you needed to know to become a player.


David Harcrow

 

[johnqbs]

A lot of racking

I was introduced to the game by a good friend of mine named Bill.
After the first rack I was hooked for life. Bill was a good player,
and I asked Bill would he teach me how to play. Bill said he would be glad
to help me learn to play. He said the first thing he would do is teach me how to rack. After about three hours later I understood what He ment.
Bill did go on to explain to have a better game you need to play some one
that is better than your self. After a few weeks I could really rack them balls. take care , johnqbs

 

[Servicky]

teacher

well i had the pleasure to have my ex wifes babysitter her husband was buddy hall and i played with is brother ray for sometime... and buddy show me a few tricks.....

great people.... and buddy could break like a friggin rocket......cue ball 3 ft in the air....

 

[ShootingArts]

I have my suspicions

Great story Hu, I'm sure Jessie took much comfort watching your progress , while learning all the shots you needed to know to become a player.


David Harcrow

David,

Jessie was a good guy and he liked working with kids. I brought a heck of a lot of business his way because I brought in my high school and college age running buddies that normally wouldn't go to Shoppers and we all drank a lot of beer. Some of the management gave me and my main running buddy up to a half-dozen beers each some nights not counting what we bought. However I have an idea that Jessie might have had some suspicion concerning my age despite the beard that was on my first drivers license which I got two days after turning fifteen. He invited me to his kid's room but either I never found the right place or never found it open, I wasn't sure which. I wasn't interested in playing there but it was near one of my party places and I did want to see what Jessie had.

Fond memories of the watering hole too. It was on stilts over the Amite river and the bar itself was an old boat. The building had been built around it and they had added an outdoor deck hanging out over the river. The river was a super popular place for skiing and pleasure boating so there was a nonstop parade of scantily clad young ladies passing by in boats to look down upon. A no wake zone so they had to putt through just made it better! Beer, sunshine, good looking cajun babes in the bar and cruising by underneath, Ben'n'Nita's was the place to be on weekends.

I had done some work on a friend's motor on his offshore rig. It hadn't been idling properly and he wanted to troll. The closest place to launch this small ship to test if it would run for an hour or two just off idle was the Amite river, near Ben'n'Nita's. We were cruising up the middle of the river at about two knots with pretty girls passing by constantly on water skis. Not my favorite but I wasn't picky about beer and my friend had iced a case of little Millers, the two swallow bottles. I felt a little silly in this ship putting along in the middle of things so I grabbed a long piece of nylon rope and carefully tied a harness around a little Miller on the end of it, hummed it over the side, and let out about seventy-five feet of line. Von looked at me kind of funny, "What are you doing?"

"Look at those girls, no sense trolling without any bait out!"

Sorry Lou, I think Ben'n'Nita's had a bar table and I definitely learned a few things there but I don't think they had much to do with pool.

Hu

 

[Snake Plisken]

I first started playing at a friends house freshman year of high school.
My friend was good because he grew up with a table in his house and his dad was a good player who took the time to teach him.

I learned some from watching my friend when we played but it was his dad who took the time to show me the fundamentals. As I progressed he would show me more and more. My friend wasn't happy about his dad teaching me as I became stiffer competition for him.

I later purchased books and continued to play everyday but if it wasn't for someone taking the time to teach me I don't know how dedicated I would have been and for how long.

 

[greyghost]

A friend and my uncle both had a table when i was a kid........i started off pretty young 6/7 just trying whatever......when i was 9 i believe my uncle and my dad taught me to hold the cue and how to stand good and got me mosconi's red book and 99 critical shots and i took it from there.

I'd say that 3/4 of what I know i learned on my own.......

the rest came from books, reading on sites like this....lessons and talking to

players/instructors including:

David Matlock -kicking/banking/inside english and stroke aim and alignment through the chosen english w/o BHE or FHE

James Walden - one pocket

Ray Martin -one pocket/straight pool

Joel Weinstock -form/technique/practice

Scott Lee -troubleshooting/form/technique/practice.........BEST COMMUNICATOR

Earl Strickland -stroke/9 ball/jumping

Jose Parica -one hole

Richard Pierce -one hole, 8 ball, moving

Darryl Pierce - drills and black magic

Ronnie Allen - one pocket/golf

Brent Snyder - how to move furniture, how to be a straight shooter, how to keep my cool (probably learned more mental toughness from this guy than from anyone and anything else....) how to be smarter than my opponent and move as such.....how to get my body squarer than square and aligned with the shot for super straight shooting and the ability to hit wicked tight cuts

Brian Jones - all areas......knowledgeable and nice guy taught himself from the ground up so can really relate to others when explaining things.

Jessie Copin - helped me learn to match up better when I first moved to tulsa, good friend and one time practice partner of mine.

Last but not least.........if your from oklahoma esp tulsa you should know who these two are .......

Crazy Chris - how to focus your "WILL", aiming through/with my cuestick, mentality and focus.

Mr. John Lepartice - always around and nice with a little bit of helpful tidbits and advice.....was a good friend and confidant to me, never forget how he made me feel at home and comfortable.......not to mention all his stories about the games and players he had seen really got my brain turning and loving what I did that much more......full of food for thought, wonderful man i can't say enough about him and I hope he is doing well these days.

Most everything I do I learned by "feel" and then added systems to back my feel up while my game grew over the years as I ran into them.

Thats just the short list......as I learn from everyone and everything around me......the worst have things to teach you as well as the best have things you can learn.

The biggest piece of advice I could give a learning player?

ALWAYS BE OPEN MINDED AND LEARN TO TAKE CORRECTIVE CRITICISIM; AS THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP YOU NOT BURN YOU!

Also don't get into the Fad BS that goes on in the game like phenolic tips and fancy shafts with nano technology and the 5 billion diff kinds of layered tips. Get a good tip, a good cue and go play thats all you need.

-Grey Ghost-

 

[lfigueroa]

I also belong to the million ball hit club!

Good club to belong to.

Lou Figueroa
member

 

[lfigueroa]

My grandpa owned a pool hall. I got beat on by a bunch of guys that were 40-50 years my senior. I also spent A-LOT of time on the bench watching.

Common experience, but less so nowadays. No one is willing to take their lumps anymore, everybody wants a spot...

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

I first got interested in a game called Knock Hockey around 1948. I found out that I was good at figuring out angles and started playing kids on their own table and at the youth center for money. Around that time a playmate on my block got a toy pool table for xmass. I think it was 2’x4’. Anyhow I got good at it and use to play the kids in the area for money. Around that time I made my own pool table out of plywood (stolen) and rubber weather striping I got somewhere. I used large marbles for balls and latter switched to golf balls. This lasted until my Mom And Dad started getting phone calls or stopped on the street complaining their son was taking all their kids allowance money on some pool table. My Dad cut it up and threw it out. A few months later he started taking me to the bars and teaching me to play on the 6x6 BB. I got good quickly and could beat just about everyone in the bar at 14 yo. He would stake me 80/20 his favor. When bumper pool became the game the same thing happened. I think by then I was getting 75/25 his favor.

So I went from Knock Hockey to toy pool tables to Bar Boxes and Bumper pool to 9’ pool table for 14.1 and 9-ball and 15-ball rotation to 3-cushion billiards and then back to the BB. Johnnyt

lol, sounds like your dad could have given Bert Gordon some pointers. Thanks for the story.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

I was 6 yo and we had gone to Utica, NY because my grandpa had passed. I remember my Uncle Pete taking us with him in the morning to the bar so he could get things ready for the day's business. I saw this big table with green felt on it, and knew instinctively it was a pool table...but had never really seen one before. We're talking 1964, if memory serves. Anyways, so Uncle Pete opens up the table for us kids...but it seems like I was the only one interested in playing. So, I took a stick off the wall and just started knocking balls towards the pockets...seems like I even made enough to keep me intrigued. Before I knew it, it was time to go.

Years later...early 70's a school teacher couple moved in next door to us and had a table in their den. Seems like they never used it tho'. So occasionally I was allowed to use their table to play...usually against my younger sister, who hated the game and couldn't shoot a lick.

Later as a teen, I would occasionally run into someone who had a table in their basement, and would play here and there.

Didn't really get to play pool until I graduated high school and got married to a sailor. The local juke joint was just around the corner, and as it turned out, I was actually a better player than most of the guys that were part of our group of friends. Before long, I was playing for beers and didn't have to pay for one very often, as I recall....the guys loved it as I wasn't a big beer drinker, and they got to enjoy the fruits of my labors.

The really weird thing was, it was like I 'knew' what mechanic was needed for a particular shot. I remember still quite clearly thinking that a shot that I was on really needed to be a stop shot...and just doing it! Having no real background in pool, I have often wondered if I was a pool player in a previous life...the game has just always felt instinctive to me...odd really.

Anyways...had kids, did the family thing....didn't pick up a cue again until after my divorce in '97. But, finally be able to do with my time and money as I pretty much wished, within reason, I was finally able to get into the game that had continued to intrigue me all these years. And I did.

The only problem with this I began to read and watch everything I could about the game....but the more I took it seriously, it seemed the worse I played. Basically, I over-thought the living daylights out of it. So, about a year ago or so, I remembered reading that once you have played the game and know the mechanics, they are stored in your subconscious. So, I tried just going out and having fun with it and just stepping to the shot and trusting my instinct instead of thinking about it. I am now playing the best pool of my life...and having a ball doing it!!!

So, basically I am self-taught...with a few pointers here and there from some old timers.

Lisa

Great story. I've always wondered how the "other side" felt about taking up the game. Thanks for sharing.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

I was introduced to the game by a good friend of mine named Bill.
After the first rack I was hooked for life. Bill was a good player,
and I asked Bill would he teach me how to play. Bill said he would be glad
to help me learn to play. He said the first thing he would do is teach me how to rack. After about three hours later I understood what He ment.
Bill did go on to explain to have a better game you need to play some one
that is better than your self. After a few weeks I could really rack them balls. take care , johnqbs

lol, it's funny how for guys (me included) you get hooked right off the bat.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

well i had the pleasure to have my ex wifes babysitter her husband was buddy hall and i played with is brother ray for sometime... and buddy show me a few tricks.....

great people.... and buddy could break like a friggin rocket......cue ball 3 ft in the air....

Pretty cool. And yes, Buddy can play a bit.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

I first started playing at a friends house freshman year of high school.
My friend was good because he grew up with a table in his house and his dad was a good player who took the time to teach him.

I learned some from watching my friend when we played but it was his dad who took the time to show me the fundamentals. As I progressed he would show me more and more. My friend wasn't happy about his dad teaching me as I became stiffer competition for him.

I later purchased books and continued to play everyday but if it wasn't for someone taking the time to teach me I don't know how dedicated I would have been and for how long.

I think at the "starting out" level, it sure helps to have someone help you along, otherwise as you say, it could be frustrating.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

A friend and my uncle both had a table when i was a kid........i started off pretty young 6/7 just trying whatever......when i was 9 i believe my uncle and my dad taught me to hold the cue and how to stand good and got me mosconi's red book and 99 critical shots and i took it from there.

I'd say that 3/4 of what I know i learned on my own.......

the rest came from books, reading on sites like this....lessons and talking to

players/instructors including:

David Matlock -kicking/banking/inside english and stroke aim and alignment through the chosen english w/o BHE or FHE

James Walden - one pocket

Ray Martin -one pocket/straight pool

Joel Weinstock -form/technique/practice

Scott Lee -troubleshooting/form/technique/practice.........BEST COMMUNICATOR

Earl Strickland -stroke/9 ball/jumping

Jose Parica -one hole

Richard Pierce -one hole, 8 ball, moving

Darryl Pierce - drills and black magic

Ronnie Allen - one pocket/golf

Brent Snyder - how to move furniture, how to be a straight shooter, how to keep my cool (probably learned more mental toughness from this guy than from anyone and anything else....) how to be smarter than my opponent and move as such.....how to get my body squarer than square and aligned with the shot for super straight shooting and the ability to hit wicked tight cuts

Brian Jones - all areas......knowledgeable and nice guy taught himself from the ground up so can really relate to others when explaining things.

Jessie Copin - helped me learn to match up better when I first moved to tulsa, good friend and one time practice partner of mine.

Last but not least.........if your from oklahoma esp tulsa you should know who these two are .......

Crazy Chris - how to focus your "WILL", aiming through/with my cuestick, mentality and focus.

Mr. John Lepartice - always around and nice with a little bit of helpful tidbits and advice.....was a good friend and confidant to me, never forget how he made me feel at home and comfortable.......not to mention all his stories about the games and players he had seen really got my brain turning and loving what I did that much more......full of food for thought, wonderful man i can't say enough about him and I hope he is doing well these days.

Most everything I do I learned by "feel" and then added systems to back my feel up while my game grew over the years as I ran into them.

Thats just the short list......as I learn from everyone and everything around me......the worst have things to teach you as well as the best have things you can learn.

The biggest piece of advice I could give a learning player?

ALWAYS BE OPEN MINDED AND LEARN TO TAKE CORRECTIVE CRITICISIM; AS THEY ARE TRYING TO HELP YOU NOT BURN YOU!

Also don't get into the Fad BS that goes on in the game like phenolic tips and fancy shafts with nano technology and the 5 billion diff kinds of layered tips. Get a good tip, a good cue and go play thats all you need.

-Grey Ghost-

That's one hell of a list. And you're right about the last: most players, if you give them the opportunity, are more than willing to help you out.

Lou Figueroa

 

[DeHouser]

What a great thread! My own experience came in the form of finding a pool hall in my teens, and playing some 'old guys' in snooker. Very quickly, I realized that if pocketing the ball was not a surety, a safety was a necessity. My love affair with cue sports continued to grow, and I eventually landed a job working at that very same pool hall. I learned about 8-ball, 9-ball, and golf, and about developing a stroke. I began going to local (and not so local) tournaments to watch the better players. I've always been a keen learner, so I would try to replicate the things I had seen, when playing with friends. I've never been much of a gambler, but it seemed a fair trade to bet a few dollars a rack to learn from someone more proficient at the game, and I would jump at the opportunity to play any of the better players who breezed through. I read and memorized Cliff Thorburn's 'Snooker Skills', and dreamed of effortless centuries. Over the years, I played in 8 and 9-ball tournaments, and wound up drawing my hero in a large 9-ball tourney in 1999. He made short work of me, but was gracious and helpful afterwards. I also played Jeanette Lee and Luc Salvas that same weekend, and they too, were great teachers. I had been on a bit of a hiatus over the past decade or so, owing to going back to school and moving several times, but I've found a local hall once again and am learning 14.1.

 

[genomachino]

When I was about 10 years old my father would take me and my brothers to the bar with him. He liked to drink that beer. In fact he really liked it.

One day I discovered that I could reach my hand up into where the balls came down on the pool table and trip the metal that held the balls so the game was free. Soon I got to go with dad all the time because this would save him some money.

There were also other games in the bar like the bowling games. I was very good at these and sometimes my father would have me playing other drunks in the bar for drinks. My eye hand coordination was prettry strong.

So while my dad was drinking I was knocking the balls around because I could, it was free and I was fascinated with the whole look of the game from the start.

When I was about 11 my father and uncle were watching me knock the balls around and they noticed I didn't hardly miss a shot.They were laughing and joking around about it. Little did I know that my father had just seen a way to make a little money. My father wasn't afraid to bet some money. He gambled at cribbage, pool and the bowling machines and now he had a new little bet. Me.

As I remember he matched me up pretty good. His favorite line was ; I'll bet you can't even beat my kid. And usually this is all it took. Soon I even learned to lay down whether it was on the bowling machine or the pool table.

I played pool league with my father in Fall Creek, Wi. The township was Ludington. There was a guy named Ray that had a bar called the Wayside. My father and uncle got me playing Ray for a pretty good chunk of money. It started out at around $20 a game but got alot higher. They won about $3,000 that night. In 1966 that was alot of money.

The next month they kicked me out of the pool league. They said the league was for business and I didn't drink the beer. I drank alot of soda but I guess that wasn't the point anyway.

The game was 8 ball last pocket and me and my dad didn't lose a game all that year. We were by no means superstars but the competition was pretty weak. Small town with alot of country bars.

My father would never let me go to the poolhall that was in Eau Claire called the golden Q. I snuck down there once but never again because my dad would have beaten me pretty good if we disobeyed his wishes. He called it a spanking but it was a little beyond that so we never stied to step out of line.

When I turned 18 I met a guy named George Brick. I played him in a bar for $5 a game one night. We broke even after 3 hours. I went to his mothers bar the next day called the El Rancho and played him some more.

George new all the pool players in the area. One by one he had them come out and play his new friend. Some of them we won $200 from and some around $500. After about 12 players the word got around but they kept coming. It was alot of fun. These guy were all the top players at the poolhall which had now closed so the only place to play was on the bar table. And that was home for me.

There was an old 9 foot pool table at the eagles club in Hallie, between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire,Wi. George took me down there and taught me how to play straight pool. He thought he would sharpen his new tool that he had found and I was just having alot of fun.

Within a couple of months I took off on my first of many road trips. My first stop was Madison where Jerry Brieseth shows my how a real stroke was supposed to look. I beat one of his players there, Ozzie out of around $900. Then I moved on.

Then I went to Milwaukee and ran into the sailor. He made me a real cue. Then I tred to play George Powalski. Wow. I had never seen anything like that. This guy was like superman. I only lost a few hundred but now I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to do what he did. Totally dominate the game when I played someone. That was so powerful to watch.

6 months later I was playing pretty good. I came back to my home town and the players there kind of freaked. I had become a player in a very short period of time.

This led to about 50 road trips over my life. Some a month long and some 3 or 4. It was exciting and it was tough.

I'll never forget when the road players would come through because they knew all the good players everywhere. Billy Gains would bring up a bunch. Al Alou( Alioop) they called him was one. Boston Joey was another and there were alot more. Eventually I beat them all and they quit coming.

Then players would come through. After I thumped them real good I kept getting the same question asked. Where in the hell did you come from? And you know it was a good question because nobody from where I lived could really play back then. How do you learn if there is nobody to learn from?



It was a ride that I wouldn't trade for anything. It was real life and it was fun.

Well guess what? it's still fun...................See ya soon someday.

In fact Lou. I met you in St Louis about 6 months ago. Still doing what I enjoy doing.

On the road again. Only now I don't just play but I teach players how to play at all levels.

Soon I will be back on the road again and loving it.

And I'm still learning.

 

[lfigueroa]

What a great thread! My own experience came in the form of finding a pool hall in my teens, and playing some 'old guys' in snooker. Very quickly, I realized that if pocketing the ball was not a surety, a safety was a necessity. My love affair with cue sports continued to grow, and I eventually landed a job working at that very same pool hall. I learned about 8-ball, 9-ball, and golf, and about developing a stroke. I began going to local (and not so local) tournaments to watch the better players. I've always been a keen learner, so I would try to replicate the things I had seen, when playing with friends. I've never been much of a gambler, but it seemed a fair trade to bet a few dollars a rack to learn from someone more proficient at the game, and I would jump at the opportunity to play any of the better players who breezed through. I read and memorized Cliff Thorburn's 'Snooker Skills', and dreamed of effortless centuries. Over the years, I played in 8 and 9-ball tournaments, and wound up drawing my hero in a large 9-ball tourney in 1999. He made short work of me, but was gracious and helpful afterwards. I also played Jeanette Lee and Luc Salvas that same weekend, and they too, were great teachers. I had been on a bit of a hiatus over the past decade or so, owing to going back to school and moving several times, but I've found a local hall once again and am learning 14.1.

Sounds like you've had a great journey so far. Thanks for the story.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

When I was about 10 years old my father would take me and my brothers to the bar with him. He liked to drink that beer. In fact he really liked it.

One day I discovered that I could reach my hand up into where the balls came down on the pool table and trip the metal that held the balls so the game was free. Soon I got to go with dad all the time because this would save him some money.

There were also other games in the bar like the bowling games. I was very good at these and sometimes my father would have me playing other drunks in the bar for drinks. My eye hand coordination was prettry strong.

So while my dad was drinking I was knocking the balls around because I could, it was free and I was fascinated with the whole look of the game from the start.

When I was about 11 my father and uncle were watching me knock the balls around and they noticed I didn't hardly miss a shot.They were laughing and joking around about it. Little did I know that my father had just seen a way to make a little money. My father wasn't afraid to bet some money. He gambled at cribbage, pool and the bowling machines and now he had a new little bet. Me.

As I remember he matched me up pretty good. His favorite line was ; I'll bet you can't even beat my kid. And usually this is all it took. Soon I even learned to lay down whether it was on the bowling machine or the pool table.

I played pool league with my father in Fall Creek, Wi. The township was Ludington. There was a guy named Ray that had a bar called the Wayside. My father and uncle got me playing Ray for a pretty good chunk of money. It started out at around $20 a game but got alot higher. They won about $3,000 that night. In 1966 that was alot of money.

The next month they kicked me out of the pool league. They said the league was for business and I didn't drink the beer. I drank alot of soda but I guess that wasn't the point anyway.

The game was 8 ball last pocket and me and my dad didn't lose a game all that year. We were by no means superstars but the competition was pretty weak. Small town with alot of country bars.

My father would never let me go to the poolhall that was in Eau Claire called the golden Q. I snuck down there once but never again because my dad would have beaten me pretty good if we disobeyed his wishes. He called it a spanking but it was a little beyond that so we never stied to step out of line.

When I turned 18 I met a guy named George Brick. I played him in a bar for $5 a game one night. We broke even after 3 hours. I went to his mothers bar the next day called the El Rancho and played him some more.

George new all the pool players in the area. One by one he had them come out and play his new friend. Some of them we won $200 from and some around $500. After about 12 players the word got around but they kept coming. It was alot of fun. These guy were all the top players at the poolhall which had now closed so the only place to play was on the bar table. And that was home for me.

There was an old 9 foot pool table at the eagles club in Hallie, between Chippewa Falls and Eau Claire,Wi. George took me down there and taught me how to play straight pool. He thought he would sharpen his new tool that he had found and I was just having alot of fun.

Within a couple of months I took off on my first of many road trips. My first stop was Madison where Jerry Brieseth shows my how a real stroke was supposed to look. I beat one of his players there, Ozzie out of around $900. Then I moved on.

Then I went to Milwaukee and ran into the sailor. He made me a real cue. Then I tred to play George Powalski. Wow. I had never seen anything like that. This guy was like superman. I only lost a few hundred but now I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to do what he did. Totally dominate the game when I played someone. That was so powerful to watch.

6 months later I was playing pretty good. I came back to my home town and the players there kind of freaked. I had become a player in a very short period of time.

This led to about 50 road trips over my life. Some a month long and some 3 or 4. It was exciting and it was tough.

I'll never forget when the road players would come through because they knew all the good players everywhere. Billy Gains would bring up a bunch. Al Alou( Alioop) they called him was one. Boston Joey was another and there were alot more. Eventually I beat them all and they quit coming.

Then players would come through. After I thumped them real good I kept getting the same question asked. Where in the hell did you come from? And you know it was a good question because nobody from where I lived could really play back then. How do you learn if there is nobody to learn from?



It was a ride that I wouldn't trade for anything. It was real life and it was fun.

Well guess what? it's still fun...................See ya soon someday.

In fact Lou. I met you in St Louis about 6 months ago. Still doing what I enjoy doing.

On the road again. Only now I don't just play but I teach players how to play at all levels.

Soon I will be back on the road again and loving it.

And I'm still learning.

Fabulous story, Gene. And yes, I remember meeting you and our discussion about eyeballs and whatnot. Learn to play some 1pocket while you're out there

Lou Figueroa

 

[Palmetto cue]

I'm not familiar with the name Eldrige Tucker -- could you tell us bit about him?

Lou Figueroa

He was a very good player, especially in his younger days. He had eye problems early in his life, and eventually had to wear the thickest pair of glasses I've ever seen in my life. He was featured in a Pool and Billiard article, and was mentioned by several legends in other articles. He owned Tuckers Billiards, and raised a family here in Charleston SC. He was quite a story teller, and bigger than life. He passed away some years ago, and his Son, Daughter, and Wife still operate Tuckers! :grin-square: