How good was Keith McCready?
- Thread starter Magyar19
- Start date
Pathetic Shark
Banned
Doesn't virtually every pro on the planet do that?
No they don't.
The nitty ones....not naming names, but some charge $20 to play fans....
Ken
No they don't.
The nitty ones....not naming names, but some charge $20 to play fans....
Ken
Sigel does this just for an autograph last I knew.
Ok, so he knocks the short rail off once in a while.
Keith was a Monster. one of the best money players ever
You mean on the buzzer table? LOL.
There was no trick table,I've already cleared that up.I also found out when they played in Dallas it was 1979,wright in the prime of Keiths unbeatable career,and Matlock still managed to get 24 games ahead of him in 5 hours.
Is this Matlock's only claim to fame? Beating Keith McCready on time? Poor fellow that David Matlock is. Too bad his friends don't list other accomplishments, if any, in pool. If this is David Matlock's only claim to fame -- defeating Keith McCready on a gaffe table with a buzzer -- then God bless him. He's lucky to have you and Cliff as his buddies. You guys really make him look good. Give him my best, will you?
How was/is he entertaining? All I see are the strange stroke, stance and mannerisms.
I cant find any videos of Keith playing 10 ball or straight pool, just 9 ball and of the matches out there on youtube, none of them have any excellence in play. That might be because he is past his prime in those videos, but I think most pro`s today would run right through him.
I`m not trying to put the guy down, I just don`t see what the fuzz is about, apart from McCready having a role in The colour of money.
I dont know how old McCready is in the videos of him playing that`s on youtube and if that is way past his prime, did something change drastically? Many of the big names in the 80`s and 90`s still play pretty sporty today, look at Earl, Bustamante or Efren.
getting beat by matlock is nothing new
at one time he was the best bar pool player in the world
keith mc c was one heck of a player,i have no idea how he plays today
but at one time he could beat anybody in the world on a given day
it would be interesting to hear all of the old stories
in my opinion he was a very good one pocket player as well
i think jam was having fun with her comments about madlock
madlock was the best player of the 80s bar box,and great at most other games too
for my money,or his stakehorse,if you took him out day after day he would just keep winning
i doubt that anyone ever had as good a track recoord
he went to any town,played anybody and won
at one time he was the best bar pool player in the world
keith mc c was one heck of a player,i have no idea how he plays today
but at one time he could beat anybody in the world on a given day
it would be interesting to hear all of the old stories
in my opinion he was a very good one pocket player as well
i think jam was having fun with her comments about madlock
madlock was the best player of the 80s bar box,and great at most other games too
for my money,or his stakehorse,if you took him out day after day he would just keep winning
i doubt that anyone ever had as good a track recoord
he went to any town,played anybody and won
I have my mental flame suit on Lou.
I know how loved Keith is on azb, my question is actually based on what I can find on youtube and while it may be unpopular to say, I don't see world class play there.
As I said, I'm not trying to put Keith down, I'm just trying to get to the heart of the question: "how good was he?"
How eager he was to gamble or how much of a risk taker he was isn't really the point here, apart from it can lead to good stories for posterity.
thought Keith Played some matches with Efren
that are televised
I was at a tournament,possibly world championship
in Las Vegas.
Keith made the quarter finals along with Mike Sigel and 2 other guys
I believe this was the same tournament that Jean Balukas made her final appearance
Any way,i think there was a time when Keith was underdog to buddy,sigel and maybe a few others not many,and these guys did not have to win
I bet on him against anyone,why? well he just looked totally unafraid,loose as a goose
everything I would have liked to be
that are televised
I was at a tournament,possibly world championship
in Las Vegas.
Keith made the quarter finals along with Mike Sigel and 2 other guys
I believe this was the same tournament that Jean Balukas made her final appearance
Any way,i think there was a time when Keith was underdog to buddy,sigel and maybe a few others not many,and these guys did not have to win
I bet on him against anyone,why? well he just looked totally unafraid,loose as a goose
everything I would have liked to be
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Keith played all games and could gamble high without losing his cool. He had a ton of heart as he'd sometimes give up the nuts to make a game and overcome the game to prevail. By the time I met him in 1982/83 most of the top players in California were terrified to put up their own cheese to play him. He was entertaining because he would make funny comments or observations whether playing or not. Was told by many including Grady that when Keith was a teenager he was taking off the Payball game over at Vern Petersen's place in Bellflower--and that game always had great players rotating in and out. On the bar box with big cue ball very few wanted to tangle with him. It was the Mexican players that gave him the nickname "Evil" which is what some of us would call him then. As a teen Keith went into Detroit with a colorful and no nonsense backer "Charlie the Ape." Probably during summer break from school. I didn't know Keith then but I had heard about him from friends that went to the Rack a lot at that time (that's where I'm from) and witnessed some of his action. Of course their were others across the country who were at or slightly above Keith's level depending on the game and time. Again Keith gambled at most games. Time and young people's poor choices take their toll on most of us. Really glad to hear Keith is doing well these days with a different relationship to pool. Helfert would have the best overall assessment of Keith's skills in relation to others, IMO. There is no doubt at all though...Keith McCready was a great player. Oh, I've never met anyone in this game that didn't book some losers.
I respect your posts on cue building, but I would guess you've never seen Keith play in person, in his prime. In that era, it took a lot to take him down, maybe a Strickland. He shot fast, had a lot of energy, and didn't miss. But I think you had to be an adult in the 80s, to understand. Not meant as a gotcha, but there is a bit of a generation gap here.
All the best,
WW
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Here's the bottom line - Keith struck a little fear into EVERYONE! No matter what the bet or how important the match, Keith looked like he was just practicing. sauntering around the table, standing in all kinds of funny positions and whacking balls into the pockets!
You could not out gamble him, because he would bet the farm at any given moment and run out behind it. Keith devoured pressure! Was he the greatest player ever, probably not. Was he one of the best players to ever hold a cue, probably. What he was, was the most naturally gifted athlete to ever put a cue in his hands. He made a difficult game look like child's play. Keith never had to get down in a rigid stance or lock down solid on each shot. He was loose as a goose, all arms and elbows flying here and there and miraculous shots coming off his cue like tasty little morsels. You had to see it to believe it.
Through it all, Keith kept up a funny banter that kept his audience as loose as he was. People hung on his every word and stared in awe at his shot making. Keith was performance art, you had to be there to see it. Never one like him before and never one like him since.
Was he the greatest of all time, no. Was he the most colorful and most talented, yes. Our generation was fortunate to see Ronnie Allen, Louie Roberts and Keith McCready at the same time. All three had more charisma than the whole lot of them today!
That's my take on things. :yeah:
You could not out gamble him, because he would bet the farm at any given moment and run out behind it. Keith devoured pressure! Was he the greatest player ever, probably not. Was he one of the best players to ever hold a cue, probably. What he was, was the most naturally gifted athlete to ever put a cue in his hands. He made a difficult game look like child's play. Keith never had to get down in a rigid stance or lock down solid on each shot. He was loose as a goose, all arms and elbows flying here and there and miraculous shots coming off his cue like tasty little morsels. You had to see it to believe it.
Through it all, Keith kept up a funny banter that kept his audience as loose as he was. People hung on his every word and stared in awe at his shot making. Keith was performance art, you had to be there to see it. Never one like him before and never one like him since.
Was he the greatest of all time, no. Was he the most colorful and most talented, yes. Our generation was fortunate to see Ronnie Allen, Louie Roberts and Keith McCready at the same time. All three had more charisma than the whole lot of them today!
That's my take on things. :yeah:
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