How sad...

[blud]

taylor

Have you ever seen this?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I've watched and played in jillions of tournament matches and I never seen this but once. Eddie Taylor was playing a Nineball match with Ronnie Allen in Johnston City. Ronnie broke and ran the first 3 racks. Tayor finally got a shot in the 4th game and ran to the nine. He had a super easy shot, a slight cut into the corner. He never hesitated, he got down and blasted the ball cross-corner! It was a sort or reminder to Ronnie as to who he was playing with. A shaken and embarassed Ronnie never won another game in the set. Has anybody else ever seen anybody purposely bank the nine, in a big tournament match, down 3 games to 0, and playing a young Ronnie Allen? That was the Knoxville Bear, and many people on this pool forum dont even know who he was. It was bad enough when 2 guys here were questioning if they ever was a real Cornbread Red! My god, how old am I.

the Beard, just another old "geyser."

Hey Freddy, Blud here. Not many who post here know any of the greats, much less got to see them in action. They just don't know what they missed.
Hope to see you soon.
da blud

 

[freddy the beard]

four short in the corner

I know next to nothing about Eddie Taylor, unfortunately.

But I think many pool fans like myself would appreciate knowing more about past heroes of the game. There is so much classic history and stories to be told.

Please post or link to some stories so his memory can be kept alive.

(This is an excerpt from my book, "Banking With The Beard")

At the legendary Johnston City, IL pool jamboree back in the early 60s. I was privy to a bank pool lesson from the master, Eddie "The Knoxville Bear" Taylor.
Bill "Weenie-Beenie"Staton, Larry "Boston Shorty" Johnson, Marshall "Tuscaloosa Squirell" Carpenter. and a few other top players were attempting a four-rail One pocket bank shot and were having zero success. In spite of a good deal of kibbitzing and theorizing, they were completely frustrated by the shot. None of the approaches they tried seemed to work. They hit it hard, they hit it easy, but the shot kept landing about a diamond long. They used every kind of english and stroke technique they could think of, but no one could shorten that shot that one little diamond.

They finally gave up and decided the shot couldn't be made period.
At this point, Eddie Taylor (who had suggested the shot to begin with) interjected that he could make the shot for a $500 bet. Even with Taylor's frightening reputation, everyone figured the shot couldn't be made without a trick of some kind. When Taylor assured everyone that it would be a legitimate bank, he got a play from millionaire. Bill "Weenie-Beanie" Staton, who said, "If he can make this, it'll be worth $500 just to learn how to shoot it!"

The money was put up and Taylor told someone to open the door near the table and said that he would shoot the shot in a few minutes. It was an Arctic-cold October day and the wind howled through the door, giving everyone a shiver and bringing in much moisture and chill that was absorbed by the cushions. A few minutes later, Taylor set up the shot and drilled it in on the first try to an amazed audience.
the Beard

 

[Colin Colenso]

I know next to nothing about Eddie Taylor, unfortunately.

But I think many pool fans like myself would appreciate knowing more about past heroes of the game. There is so much classic history and stories to be told.

Please post or link to some stories so his memory can be kept alive.

(This is an excerpt from my book, "Banking With The Beard")

At the legendary Johnston City, IL pool jamboree back in the early 60s. I was privy to a bank pool lesson from the master, Eddie "The Knoxville Bear" Taylor.
Bill "Weenie-Beenie"Staton, Larry "Boston Shorty" Johnson, Marshall "Tuscaloosa Squirell" Carpenter. and a few other top players were attempting a four-rail One pocket bank shot and were having zero success. In spite of a good deal of kibbitzing and theorizing, they were completely frustrated by the shot. None of the approaches they tried seemed to work. They hit it hard, they hit it easy, but the shot kept landing about a diamond long. They used every kind of english and stroke technique they could think of, but no one could shorten that shot that one little diamond.

They finally gave up and decided the shot couldn't be made period.
At this point, Eddie Taylor (who had suggested the shot to begin with) interjected that he could make the shot for a $500 bet. Even with Taylor's frightening reputation, everyone figured the shot couldn't be made without a trick of some kind. When Taylor assured everyone that it would be a legitimate bank, he got a play from millionaire. Bill "Weenie-Beanie" Staton, who said, "If he can make this, it'll be worth $500 just to learn how to shoot it!"

The money was put up and Taylor told someone to open the door near the table and said that he would shoot the shot in a few minutes. It was an Arctic-cold October day and the wind howled through the door, giving everyone a shiver and bringing in much moisture and chill that was absorbed by the cushions. A few minutes later, Taylor set up the shot and drilled it in on the first try to an amazed audience.
the Beard

Fantastic story Freddy,
Thanks to you and others who have shared the color and brilliance of Eddie Taylor with those who unfortunately never got to know or know of him previously.

 

[Colin Colenso]

As promised I have collected some good information from these posts and some links and set up a section on my website to honor Eddie "The Knocksville Bear" Taylor.

I hope some of you will find it useful for future reference.
http://www.cuesportcentral.com/Section Links/Players/Legends/EddieTaylor.htm

If anyone doesn't want to be quoted on the website, just let me know and I'll remove it.

Note: The website is in its earliest days. I will continue to add content, particularly as new topics of interest are raised. People are welcome to contribute articles, comments or reviews.
Colin

 

[JAM]

As promised I have collected some good information from these posts and some links and set up a section on my website to honor Eddie "The Knocksville Bear" Taylor....

Thanks for the link, Colin. Great tribute to a fine legend.

BTW, normally I try to overlook typos, but in the POOL world, Eddie Taylor would be The KNOXville Bear. Being a "Knocksville Bear" could be hazardous to one's pool health!

JAM

 

[Samiel]

I don't get out much myself, but I have heard many stories about Eddie Taylor and how he was the best banker that ever lived. I also recall seeing a two-part interview on onepocket.org.

I know quite a few older gentlemen who are now mostly railbirds, but one in particular used to run with Buddy Hall. He has a bunch of stories and would sometimes comment on Eddie Taylor.

He once said that Bank Pool was too easy these days with just 9 balls and the first to 5 winning. He mentioned that the great Eddie Taylor could run all 15 balls!!! That sounds like something to behold!

May he rest in peace.

 

[Roll-Off]

Yeah, I think maybe he was trying for "geezers". I'm not sure what prompted him to make a disrespectful comment like that in the first place, but if he's going to be a little wet-end at least he could learn to spell the disparaging names that he wants to call people. Nothing makes one look stupider than being an illiterate smart-ass.
People like him don't have a clue what guys like Eddie Taylor and Grady Matthews did for the game of pool. Maybe if he would take time to learn from one of the "geezers", he would eventually become a real pool player?
Gerald ~~Yet another "geyser"~~

Hey Gerald (Mr. Prim and Proper),
Ok, I made a spelling error. Big deal! If I was perfect like you, that never would've happened. You probably play perfect pool, don't you? When was the last time you missed?

Roll-off (Glad my name isn't Gerald)

 

[Colin Colenso]

Thanks for the link, Colin. Great tribute to a fine legend.

BTW, normally I try to overlook typos, but in the POOL world, Eddie Taylor would be The KNOXville Bear. Being a "Knocksville Bear" could be hazardous to one's pool health!

JAM

Thanks JAM,
I've fixed the typos

 

[KBP]

Eddie Taylor

When my husband was playing on the Pro Billiards Tour in the early 90's we were lucky enough to get to meet Eddie. He was such a nice man and he signed our sneaky pete we carried with us for the pros to sign. He made jokes while he was signing the stick and put a smile on everyone's face that was within ear shot. It was nice to meet someone so great for the game.
Kay

 

[Matt_24]

When I had been playing pool for about 2 years I worked in a gameroom called "Snookers" in Nashville, TN. An older gambler "Ugly" Dave ran the place. He was formerly the best One Pocket player in Nashville and played other games real sporty. To give you an idea, when Earl Strickland was the World Champion for the first time he came through and gave Dave the 5 ball. They played for 48 hrs and broke even...and 9 ball wasn't Dave's game. The first time I EVER heard about the "Bear" was from Dave (or Squirrel-Marshall Carpenter for that matter). Dave was a road player and was at Johnson City and anywhere else and was full of good stories..quite a few about the Bear. I remember specifically saying he was so tough to beat at One Pocket because he hardly ever missed a bank. RIP Eddie Taylor. Your legend will certainly live on.

 

[GeraldG]

Hey Gerald (Mr. Prim and Proper),
Ok, I made a spelling error. Big deal! If I was perfect like you, that never would've happened. You probably play perfect pool, don't you? When was the last time you missed?

Roll-off (Glad my name isn't Gerald)

Me too.

By the way, it wasn't a spelling error. "Geyser" was spelled perfectly. You used the wrong word. Just thought I'd point that out.....

Now, if you would give some the the old "geysers" in your area a little respect, they might teach you something. Then maybe YOU could play "perfect pool".