How many (not 'active pro') strong players are in your area?

LightsOut

Jason
Silver Member
Hello fellow straight pool lovers,

I was wondering how many players are in the rooms you frequent that have regular, let's say daily runs of 80+ balls in a game to 150?

In the few years I have been playing in pool rooms here in the Philadelphia area I have seen only a few of this caliber. I believe there must be more but so far I have only really seen/heard of a couple guys. Florida Bob (Maidhof), owner of Drexeline billiards here in SE PA, whom I have never played who's high run is over 300 and personally told me he's running 100 daily.

I have so far only encountered one other opponent who can plant you in your chair for an extended period of time...local to Downingtown and resident 14.1 master Andy Toth. Typical games, we play to 150, I get 100 point spot. I have won some of those games, when I play well and get to 50 in 2 or maybe 3 innings. That's about all the chances you get though. We played the other day, two games. I got 25 balls total. His inning counts were: 62, miss, I made 8 or 9 balls, he run's a 92 (88 and out, four more trying to get 100 just for fun, got hooked at 92). End of first game. Second game, he breaks, I miss the long first shot and he runs a 110. I get a turn and run 16 or 17 and miss, he runs 40 and out. Ouch. This is about what you can expect on any given day. The pressure is large playing someone of this caliber although I consider it invaluable training as I am never going to personally practice sitting in a chair for 45 mins in the middle of my 2hr practice sessions and then get up and try and run a couple racks! Plus the learning from watching someone of this experience level run rack after rack after rack. So many little intricacies especially during the end of rack patterns.

How many players in your area are playing at level consistently, really consistently? I know many on this forum are 100+ ball runners but how many people do you play or come across that are a legitimate threat to give you a world class beating like this in every game? Thanks to all for posting here and sharing your love and fascination with this incredible game of straight pool.
 
Our league is pretty young; I think it started 2 1/2 years ago. Our best players might do a 50 ball run but don't do that every week. But I see great improvement every season so we might see those higher runs one day. We do have some strong players but they mostly play 9 ball so it takes a while to sort out 14.1. In our defense I believe it was Irving Crane who they called Mr. 14. He liked to run 14 balls and then go on a safety war. Some said he would never take a shot unless his grand mother could make it. I have sort of taken the same philosophy and have done well against stronger players. Of course it might not work as well against someone who can run 90 or 100 balls. I am still plugging away and maybe I will get there someday.
 
Our league is ok, but we do not have any monsters like what you are talking about. We have three guys whose high runs are over 200 and another 3 or 4 guys with high runs over 100. bunch of guys who have highs between 50-75. Most of the guys in our league who play well are 50-60 years of age or more. Some of them do not play very often, but still can put up a good number on you.

Last session, the three high runs were about 75,65 and 55.

This session in week three, the high runs so far are 89,71 and 49. We have players that can put a pretty big number up on you, but usually don't. Multiple 30s and 40s are usually what we get treated to by the top players.

Here is Bobby Hunter's 89. It comes on his first shot after his opening safe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PskCFAqlDbs&feature=share
 
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Our league is ok, but we do not have any monsters like what you are talking about. We have three guys whose high runs are over 200 and another 3 or 4 guys with high runs over 100. bunch of guys who have highs between 50-75. Most of the guys in our league who play well are 50-60 years of age or more. Some of them do not play very often, but still can put up a good number on you.

Last session, the three high runs were about 75,65 and 55.

This session in week three, the high runs so far are 89,71 and 49. We have players that can put a pretty big number up on you, but usually don't. Multiple 30s and 40s are usually what we get treated to by the top players.

Here is Bobby Hunter's 89. It comes on his first shot after his opening safe. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PskCFAqlDbs&feature=share


Sounds like a pretty strong league to me.
 
Hello fellow straight pool lovers,

I was wondering how many players are in the rooms you frequent that have regular, let's say daily runs of 80+ balls in a game to 150?

In the few years I have been playing in pool rooms here in the Philadelphia area I have seen only a few of this caliber. I believe there must be more but so far I have only really seen/heard of a couple guys. Florida Bob (Maidhof), owner of Drexeline billiards here in SE PA, whom I have never played who's high run is over 300 and personally told me he's running 100 daily.

I have so far only encountered one other opponent who can plant you in your chair for an extended period of time...local to Downingtown and resident 14.1 master Andy Toth. Typical games, we play to 150, I get 100 point spot. I have won some of those games, when I play well and get to 50 in 2 or maybe 3 innings. That's about all the chances you get though. We played the other day, two games. I got 25 balls total. His inning counts were: 62, miss, I made 8 or 9 balls, he run's a 92 (88 and out, four more trying to get 100 just for fun, got hooked at 92). End of first game. Second game, he breaks, I miss the long first shot and he runs a 110. I get a turn and run 16 or 17 and miss, he runs 40 and out. Ouch. This is about what you can expect on any given day. The pressure is large playing someone of this caliber although I consider it invaluable training as I am never going to personally practice sitting in a chair for 45 mins in the middle of my 2hr practice sessions and then get up and try and run a couple racks! Plus the learning from watching someone of this experience level run rack after rack after rack. So many little intricacies especially during the end of rack patterns.

How many players in your area are playing at level consistently, really consistently? I know many on this forum are 100+ ball runners but how many people do you play or come across that are a legitimate threat to give you a world class beating like this in every game? Thanks to all for posting here and sharing your love and fascination with this incredible game of straight pool.

well, as far as philly and p.a. goes there really are only a few active solid 100 ball runners , and a hundred guys who have runs over a hundred that are retired or just passt thier prime. Just yesterday stevie wonder ran 90 in a half hour then got bit by a side pocket point, he was lookin like he had a 200 in em if that dont happen.
n.y. has to have the most active 100 ball runners on duty.
in my house league i think the high run is about 45.
 
Thanks for all the responses. Dennis, your league sounds really strong with five 200+ ball runners and people running regular 30/40's back to back in a game. I wish I could've made it down to Red Shoes back in May when i was in Chicago but I spent my 40th Birthday at Chris's instead as it was more reachable from my hotel. Maybe next time i can come down and play with you and/or others there. Sounds like a real hotbed for straight pool.

Thanks for posting the video's too. Wouldn't you say that Bobby Hunter is as dangerous an opponent as Andy is here in PA? I think i would feel similar pressure playing him based on what I know of watching his play and hearing about it.

I am going to try and tape my next session with him and if any sizable runs appear i will post the video for sure...
 
Hello fellow straight pool lovers,

I was wondering how many players are in the rooms you frequent that have regular, let's say daily runs of 80+ balls in a game to 150?

In the few years I have been playing in pool rooms here in the Philadelphia area I have seen only a few of this caliber. I believe there must be more but so far I have only really seen/heard of a couple guys. Florida Bob (Maidhof), owner of Drexeline billiards here in SE PA, whom I have never played who's high run is over 300 and personally told me he's running 100 daily.

I have so far only encountered one other opponent who can plant you in your chair for an extended period of time...local to Downingtown and resident 14.1 master Andy Toth. Typical games, we play to 150, I get 100 point spot. I have won some of those games, when I play well and get to 50 in 2 or maybe 3 innings. That's about all the chances you get though. We played the other day, two games. I got 25 balls total. His inning counts were: 62, miss, I made 8 or 9 balls, he run's a 92 (88 and out, four more trying to get 100 just for fun, got hooked at 92). End of first game. Second game, he breaks, I miss the long first shot and he runs a 110. I get a turn and run 16 or 17 and miss, he runs 40 and out. Ouch. This is about what you can expect on any given day. The pressure is large playing someone of this caliber although I consider it invaluable training as I am never going to personally practice sitting in a chair for 45 mins in the middle of my 2hr practice sessions and then get up and try and run a couple racks! Plus the learning from watching someone of this experience level run rack after rack after rack. So many little intricacies especially during the end of rack patterns.

How many players in your area are playing at level consistently, really consistently? I know many on this forum are 100+ ball runners but how many people do you play or come across that are a legitimate threat to give you a world class beating like this in every game? Thanks to all for posting here and sharing your love and fascination with this incredible game of straight pool.

I live in California and most of the rooms I go to have very tight pockets and you hardly ever see anyone playing straight pool. I am sure if a lot of the top guys played the game there would be a few 100 balls runners but maybe not on the Hardtimes tables as they are very tight 4 inch pkts. Parica for instance is a 100 ball runner and of course John Schmidt. I believe if more of the good players made a go of straight pool you would see some good runs, but like I said no one really plays it. It's the only way I practice...I love the game and I'm a westcoaster who thinks straight pool rules:thumbup:
 
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I live in California and most of the rooms I go to have very tight pockets and you hardly ever see anyone playing straight pool. I am sure if a lot of the top guys played the game there would be a few 100 balls runners but maybe not on the Hardtimes tables as they are very tight 4 inch pkts. Parica for instance is a 100 ball runner and of course John Schmidt. I believe if more of the good players made a go of straight pool you would see some good runs, but like I said no one really plays it. It's the only way I practice...I love the game and I'm a westcoaster who thinks straight pool rules:thumbup:

I guess I should read closer, you said non-active pros, ooppss...:rolleyes:
 
Thanks for all the responses. Dennis, your league sounds really strong with five 200+ ball runners and people running regular 30/40's back to back in a game. I wish I could've made it down to Red Shoes back in May when i was in Chicago but I spent my 40th Birthday at Chris's instead as it was more reachable from my hotel. Maybe next time i can come down and play with you and/or others there. Sounds like a real hotbed for straight pool.

Thanks for posting the video's too. Wouldn't you say that Bobby Hunter is as dangerous an opponent as Andy is here in PA? I think i would feel similar pressure playing him based on what I know of watching his play and hearing about it.

I am going to try and tape my next session with him and if any sizable runs appear i will post the video for sure...

Sounds like Andy is playing a little tougher than Bobby right now, but Bobby sometimes is only playing once a week these days and is a little past his prime.

Red Shoes has been supporting Straight Pool from its beginning and it is starting to pay off in terms of the quality of players playing there. Red Shoes is actually more a hotbed for One Pocket and Banks, if truth be told.
 
I live in California and most of the rooms I go to have very tight pockets and you hardly ever see anyone playing straight pool. I am sure if a lot of the top guys played the game there would be a few 100 balls runners but maybe not on the Hardtimes tables as they are very tight 4 inch pkts. Parica for instance is a 100 ball runner and of course John Schmidt. I believe if more of the good players made a go of straight pool you would see some good runs, but like I said no one really plays it. It's the only way I practice...I love the game and I'm a westcoaster who thinks straight pool rules:thumbup:

Mark: Too bad some of you straight pool fanatics could not develop a league out there. I know your schedule has you all over the place. Maropulos is in Simi Valley not far from Sal Butera's place and Sal plays a little. If you are near there, you guys ought to set up some matches and see what develops.
 
Area...hm ;-)

If i would talk about an area from about til max 50-100 km i would say 10 guys. No pro. All normal working ppl who just play in team league. Could maybe more. Just counted sth together and thats the number my memory worked out.

No pure straight pool league here.


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Area...hm ;-)

If i would talk about an area from about til max 50-100 km i would say 10 guys. No pro. All normal working ppl who just play in team league. Could maybe more. Just counted sth together and thats the number my memory worked out.

No pure straight pool league here.


Gesendet von meinem GT-I9100 mit Tapatalk 2
Germany as a nation has a lot of very very strong players that are just below pro level. Infact, many could compete on the pro stage, but choose not to for what ever reason.

The UK, too has some very strong players, but none of which choose 14.1 and opt for 9 ball. Quite a shame really. I have tried finding very good players to play 14.1 with here but can't. So in my area, or country for that matter we have 0! Very good players that if they chose to play 14.1 would take to it very well, but unfortunately don't give it the time of day.
 
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