That is horrible.
How good was James Walden in his prime?
- Thread starter the Professor
- Start date
That is horrible.
That's why traveling pool players should always have some kind of really good protection!
When players are going to strange places and throwing around money left and right, They better either meet a local or came prepared !
One thing about James no one has mentioned is his game has ZERO flash.... His mechanics, demeanor, look in general, shape he plays, ZERO flash. You would swear you're watching an APA 5, except for the straight running out and playing perfect. But if James was in OKC or where people knew him and he wasn't undercover he was straight pimp, strut and all! He was just one of those guys that loved to torture people and make big money doing it, kind of like Bart says "It's what I do.....".
I would have to agree with this.
I went into Shooters once in Olathe and there he was, just like a regular guy bunting balls around and he nodded at me like I was someone when I was not. He just recognized me from somewhere. He was a no nonsense tothebizaness... killer. Just didn't look it.
Lou Figueroa
he simply didn't recognize the "toi position style"....until it was too late.
Jimmy was one of the best "action men" of the 90s and we played well over 100 hours of gambling matches......he never thought I played shape well enough to give him the "8", although he simply didn't recognize the "toi position style"....until it was too late.
Jimmy was one of the best "action men" of the 90s and we played well over 100 hours of gambling matches......he never thought I played shape well enough to give him the "8", although he simply didn't recognize the "toi position style"....until it was too late.
That was a tough game between James and Jimmy,I remember them playing in OK city and Jimmy won.Shannon Daulton was with Jimmy but James didn't want no part of him.
One other James incident I saw first hand was probably the strongest "woofing" episode I've ever seen.
James was always a soft-spoken type in the times I've seen him,but he also had a quality about him that let you know he meant business.
At the original Q-Masters in Norfolk,I was talking to Grady and a guy named Loren in the tournament room when James started trying to stir up a game with EFREN of all people. Efren didn't say a word,his buddy Rolando did all the talking as far as speaking English,but they spoke amongst themselves in Tagalog.
The game never took place,but the games James asked for went like this.
James offered to play a "cheap" set (5-10k I believe) dead even.
He said if Efren would give him the 8,he would make arrangements to post 100k.
Then,he said if Efren would give him the 7,he could bet 2 COMMAS. I asked Grady what he meant by that and it was explained to me that he meant if he was getting the 7,the bet would be 7 figures.
I don't know what the reason was,but Efren declined all 3 games. Tommy D.
James was always a soft-spoken type in the times I've seen him,but he also had a quality about him that let you know he meant business.
At the original Q-Masters in Norfolk,I was talking to Grady and a guy named Loren in the tournament room when James started trying to stir up a game with EFREN of all people. Efren didn't say a word,his buddy Rolando did all the talking as far as speaking English,but they spoke amongst themselves in Tagalog.
The game never took place,but the games James asked for went like this.
James offered to play a "cheap" set (5-10k I believe) dead even.
He said if Efren would give him the 8,he would make arrangements to post 100k.
Then,he said if Efren would give him the 7,he could bet 2 COMMAS. I asked Grady what he meant by that and it was explained to me that he meant if he was getting the 7,the bet would be 7 figures.
I don't know what the reason was,but Efren declined all 3 games. Tommy D.
Jimmy was with Shannon, the stake horse, and Amarillo slim. The game was pre set with Jimmy though. I don't think he was scared of Shannon by any means.
I think James would have been the favorite over Shannon in rotation..
I will ask Keith when he rises and shines. I do know they are very, very good friends today. I think Keith's prime was before James' prime, but I could be wrong. I'm sure they have played against each other, though.
In 2003 at the old Executive West Inn, Keith and Harry Platis matched up against James and an unknown blond-headed dude on the TV table during the wee hours of the morning. Most everybody was asleep at this time. I think they were playing for a nickel or a dime per set as partners.
While they were playing, a stranger came up to me on the rail and said Keith and Harry have no shot at winning because of who the blond dude was. To this day, I still don't know who that was, but the stranger was correct. Keith and Harry lost two sets.
I hope James is doing okay today. I haven't seen him since Vegas in 2006. He was in good spirits then, but he was suffering from some health problems at that time. I also hope he is not with that same girlfriend who came on this forum a few years ago and tried to ruin James' reputation.
James is good peeps. Always like seeing James.
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Rusty C is right.
Rusty is right, Jimmy beat James at the ole Chesters back in the late 90's on James' favorite table. The pool hall was called another name that I can't think of but it happened there. Shannon was with all of them and at that time Shannon was off limits. James had no interest in playing him. Jimm beat James in like 12 hrs if I remember correctly? Anyways, James played/plays great and it took a top champion to beat him in anything. Rusty saw James give Coltrain the 8 in Tulsa and win a pretty big score.
Rusty is right, Jimmy beat James at the ole Chesters back in the late 90's on James' favorite table. The pool hall was called another name that I can't think of but it happened there. Shannon was with all of them and at that time Shannon was off limits. James had no interest in playing him. Jimm beat James in like 12 hrs if I remember correctly? Anyways, James played/plays great and it took a top champion to beat him in anything. Rusty saw James give Coltrain the 8 in Tulsa and win a pretty big score.
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James and I were friends during many of the years spoken here. During one of our talks he was building himself his own home, I'm sure its completed by now. This was after he broke up with that gal that traveled with em allot during the early eighties??? I remember black hair and stocky is all. James was always James, hard man not to like.
That gal ^^^^ has been in the Dallas area for a while now. She can be a sweet person but she is crazier than a shit house rat!!!!
I don't think talking about matches that happened like 15 years ago is much of a concern.
I met James in 2000 when he came down to Port Arthur Texas to play Tommy Sanders , Tommy was by far the best in Southeast Texas and a top flight money Player , JW beat him 9-7 on the big Table for 1 10K set , and Tommy beat Jame's Road Partner on the Bar box for 5K 9/6 for 1 set , It was some of the best 9 ball I have ever seen played . James did tell Tommy afterwards that he would play him for 50K if Tommy would come to OK City to play , and give him 5K show up money , James is a great guy I spent about two hours talking with him after that match trading pool stories one of my better pool memories
I was at a thanksgiving tournament at Shooter's in Wichita one year and there was a great field. James Walden and Gabe Owen were there, as were Danny Medina, Dave Gomez, Dave Matlock, Coy Lee, Junior Brown, Terry Young, and youngsters Chad Vilmont and Jamie and Jesse Bowman were there. I think they were still teenagers.
Danny Medina draws Walden first round and beats him. When he comes up to the TD desk to report the score a young kid from Tulsa heard him and couldn't believe it. "You beat James Walden? You just beat James Walden? Do you know who he is?" And Danny looked at me, I was cracking up and he just told the kid "Yeah, I know him" and walked away.
I think ironically James lost to Jamie Bowman his next match to go out in two.
Great tournament. Gabe ended up winning it.
Of course my first round match was the guy I travelled out from Denver with...amazing how often that happens.
A friend of mine in Tulsa said that Gabe was sparring with James a lot leading up to his US Open victory. I don't know who had the better of it but I'm sure it helped them both.
Danny Medina draws Walden first round and beats him. When he comes up to the TD desk to report the score a young kid from Tulsa heard him and couldn't believe it. "You beat James Walden? You just beat James Walden? Do you know who he is?" And Danny looked at me, I was cracking up and he just told the kid "Yeah, I know him" and walked away.
I think ironically James lost to Jamie Bowman his next match to go out in two.
Great tournament. Gabe ended up winning it.
Of course my first round match was the guy I travelled out from Denver with...amazing how often that happens.
A friend of mine in Tulsa said that Gabe was sparring with James a lot leading up to his US Open victory. I don't know who had the better of it but I'm sure it helped them both.
another super solid "road player" that plays superb for "the cash".
That seems accurate to me, Shannon (Shannon and I first played for money when he was 12 and I was 18) was a solid 8/7 better player and they all played rotation similarly. I also played Reid Pierce several times, he's another super solid "road player" that plays superb for "the cash".
That seems accurate to me, Shannon (Shannon and I first played for money when he was 12 and I was 18) was a solid 8/7 better player and they all played rotation similarly. I also played Reid Pierce several times, he's another super solid "road player" that plays superb for "the cash".