I read somewhere that he missed an off-angle bank on the one ball in the 12th rack.
So, which one happened?
Jay Helfert - 'The Million Dollar Tournament Director"
- Thread starter CJ Wiley
- Start date
I read somewhere that he missed an off-angle bank on the one ball in the 12th rack.
So, which one happened?
Truth is I don't remember. He did run eleven racks though, not ten!
After that tournament, the casino general manager asked me to open a poolroom on the premises. That is how Jay's Billiards at Hollywood Park came to be. I was there until 2005 when HP was bought out by Churchill Downs and they would not renew my lease/option. Pretty good little room with 18 tables (16 - 9' and 2 bar tables), 15 video games, ping pong, fast food snack bar plus beer and wine. We were busy every night and packed on the weekends. Since HP was open 24 hours we could stay open as late as we wanted. Sometimes 10 to 12 tables might be going until 4 or 5 AM (at $10/hr each).
Best of all I could play poker downstairs and be only two minutes away if they needed me. There was a direct line from my poolroom to the poker room! The games were damn good back then, and many weeks I did better downstairs then upstairs. I was working two jobs in the same location and both were going good. I hated to leave that situation and they had to buy me out of the remaining three years of my lease. That's another story.
The moral of the story is that all good things must come to an end.
Loved that stache there Jay!
You are definitely a shining light in the Industry. I admire your humble down to earth approach to things.
Ray
Earl barely missed both pockets on the 12th rack.
He played a bank shot and a carom on the 9 Ball at the same time, (barely missing both pockets) on the 12th rack.
He played a bank shot and a carom on the 9 Ball at the same time, (barely missing both pockets) on the 12th rack.
CJ is right, he made a ball on the break and just missed a bank on the one ball. I believe it was the only rack that he did not have a clear shot on the one.
Robin Adair and John McChesney were also tournament directors (assisting Jay Helfert)
That's right, Robin.
By the way, Robin Adair and John McChesney were also tournament directors (assisting Jay Helfert and the PCA) for the Million Dollar Challenge.
We were all teamed up trying to make something BIG happen. My schedule was composed of 12 Events in the 'Million Dollar Challenge Tour' and all of them were to be televised....this of course was before Earl ran the racks to change the course of history. I've thought many times, it was the best and the worst thing that could possibly happen AT THE SAME TIME!
Jay played the "lead Referee role," and the PCA had a strategic partnership with the McDermott Tour that John and Robin were running, which had good sized tournaments all over the country.....some had as much as $45,000 Added.
The deal was that players would qualify into the PCA Events by winning the McDermott Tour Tournaments - seemed like the plan was synergistic.
Is this how you remember it, Robin? I actually read the press release written by John on this subject a few days ago. Unfortunately, John McChesney is no longer living, he was one of the most active tournament promoters of the 90s featuring 'The McDermott Tour'. We were also partners in CHAMPS BIlliards in Dallas before it became CJ's BIlliard Palace.....lot's of history from "The Good Ole Days".
That's right, Robin.
By the way, Robin Adair and John McChesney were also tournament directors (assisting Jay Helfert and the PCA) for the Million Dollar Challenge.
We were all teamed up trying to make something BIG happen. My schedule was composed of 12 Events in the 'Million Dollar Challenge Tour' and all of them were to be televised....this of course was before Earl ran the racks to change the course of history. I've thought many times, it was the best and the worst thing that could possibly happen AT THE SAME TIME!
Jay played the "lead Referee role," and the PCA had a strategic partnership with the McDermott Tour that John and Robin were running, which had good sized tournaments all over the country.....some had as much as $45,000 Added.
The deal was that players would qualify into the PCA Events by winning the McDermott Tour Tournaments - seemed like the plan was synergistic.
Is this how you remember it, Robin? I actually read the press release written by John on this subject a few days ago. Unfortunately, John McChesney is no longer living, he was one of the most active tournament promoters of the 90s featuring 'The McDermott Tour'. We were also partners in CHAMPS BIlliards in Dallas before it became CJ's BIlliard Palace.....lot's of history from "The Good Ole Days".
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That's right, Robin.
By the way, Robin Adair and John McChesney were also tournament directors (assisting Jay Helfert and the PCA) for the Million Dollar Challenge.
We were all teamed up trying to make something BIG happen. My schedule was composed of 12 Events in the 'Million Dollar Challenge Tour' and all of them were to be televised....this of course was before Earl ran the racks to change the course of history. I've thought many times, it was the best and the worst thing that could possibly happen AT THE SAME TIME!
Jay played the "lead Referee role," and the PCA had a strategic partnership with the McDermott Tour that John and Robin were running, which had good sized tournaments all over the country.....some had as much as $45,000 Added.
The deal was that players would qualify into the PCA Events by winning the McDermott Tour Tournaments - seemed like the plan was synergistic.
Is this how you remember it, Robin? I actually read the press release written by John on this subject a few days ago. Unfortunately, John McChesney is no longer living, he was one of the most active tournament promoters of the 90s featuring 'The McDermott Tour'. We were also partners in CHAMPS BIlliards in Dallas before it became CJ's BIlliard Palace.....lot's of history from "The Good Ole Days".
I miss Big John, loved working with him! Robin was a good partner too. Thanks for giving me a good team to work with.
You Must Get Off your A$$ to Make a Buck"
Yes, John McChesney was sharp and a hard worker on organizing and operating that McDermott Tour. I learned many things from him that I still use today..."wisdom is timeless"...... I wish he was still around to brainstorm with, he would not like what's going on these days and I'd like to hear his "spin" on a solution.
Robin was solid too, they also worked with Randy G. if memory serves me correctly.
John McChesney would tape one dollar bills to the bottom of his chair before a meeting, then half way through he'd ask everyone to stand up and look under their chair. They'd all see the dollar bills and he'd say -
"the morale of the story in promotions is: You Must Get Off your A$$ to Make a Buck".
Yes, John McChesney was sharp and a hard worker on organizing and operating that McDermott Tour. I learned many things from him that I still use today..."wisdom is timeless"...... I wish he was still around to brainstorm with, he would not like what's going on these days and I'd like to hear his "spin" on a solution.
Robin was solid too, they also worked with Randy G. if memory serves me correctly.
John McChesney would tape one dollar bills to the bottom of his chair before a meeting, then half way through he'd ask everyone to stand up and look under their chair. They'd all see the dollar bills and he'd say -
"the morale of the story in promotions is: You Must Get Off your A$$ to Make a Buck".
An Ideal Situation for a Pool Room Location
That sounds like an ideal situation for a pool room.....in a casino. hmmm.
Now that you mention it I do remember someone telling me you had that pool room at the Hollywood Casino and I just never made it out to see it. After those PCA tournaments my pool playing took a "back seat" to my night club marketing and promotions.
Maybe when pool gets hot again they'll want to give a pool room another chance....if not in that casino, I'm sure there will be another.
After that tournament, the casino general manager asked me to open a poolroom on the premises. That is how Jay's Billiards at Hollywood Park came to be. I was there until 2005 when HP was bought out by Churchill Downs and they would not renew my lease/option. Pretty good little room with 18 tables (16 - 9' and 2 bar tables), 15 video games, ping pong, fast food snack bar plus beer and wine. We were busy every night and packed on the weekends. Since HP was open 24 hours we could stay open as late as we wanted. Sometimes 10 to 12 tables might be going until 4 or 5 AM (at $10/hr each).
Best of all I could play poker downstairs and be only two minutes away if they needed me. There was a direct line from my poolroom to the poker room! The games were damn good back then, and many weeks I did better downstairs then upstairs. I was working two jobs in the same location and both were going good. I hated to leave that situation and they had to buy me out of the remaining three years of my lease. That's another story.
The moral of the story is that all good things must come to an end.
That sounds like an ideal situation for a pool room.....in a casino. hmmm.
Now that you mention it I do remember someone telling me you had that pool room at the Hollywood Casino and I just never made it out to see it. After those PCA tournaments my pool playing took a "back seat" to my night club marketing and promotions.
Maybe when pool gets hot again they'll want to give a pool room another chance....if not in that casino, I'm sure there will be another.
Yes, John McChesney was sharp and a hard worker on organizing and operating that McDermott Tour. I learned many things from him that I still use today..."wisdom is timeless"...... I wish he was still around to brainstorm with, he would not like what's going on these days and I'd like to hear his "spin" on a solution.
Robin was solid too, they also worked with Randy G. if memory serves me correctly.
John McChesney would tape one dollar bills to the bottom of his chair before a meeting, then half way through he'd ask everyone to stand up and look under their chair. They'd all see the dollar bills and he'd say -
"the morale of the story in promotions is: You Must Get Off your A$$ to Make a Buck".
CJ, you have that correct.
John, Robin & Randy were partners.
randyg
Wow....cleary may have just solved a bit of a mystery.
Jay does "sneak out of the country from time to time." Hmmm.
http://whiteshoe.org/archive/001016gallagher.html
Billiard's biggest miss
Thanks, Randy, I didn't remember exactly, it seemed like your were part of the 'Texas Promotions Group' and all three of you ran the McDermott Tour. John was the one I talked to most of the time, and that seems like "two lifetimes" ago.
That McDermott Tour would have been a fantastic qualifying system for the Pro Tour, and looking back we had all the right formula in place to take pool to the ultimate heights. Only one thing went wrong, and it was a 7.8 Million to 1 Shot.....Earl Strickland running 11 racks in a row.....I still can't believe that "miracle" could happen.
BILLIARD'S BIGGEST MISS
Thanks, Randy, I didn't remember exactly, it seemed like your were part of the 'Texas Promotions Group' and all three of you ran the McDermott Tour. John was the one I talked to most of the time, and that seems like "two lifetimes" ago.
That McDermott Tour would have been a fantastic qualifying system for the Pro Tour, and looking back we had all the right formula in place to take pool to the ultimate heights. Only one thing went wrong, and it was a 7.8 Million to 1 Shot.....Earl Strickland running 11 racks in a row.....I still can't believe that "miracle" could happen.
BILLIARD'S BIGGEST MISS
"Sledge o Matic" break cues
Jay, maybe you can have your own line of "Sledge o Matic" break cues.
My alter ego.
Jay, maybe you can have your own line of "Sledge o Matic" break cues.
Finally a little love. Thanks......
Maybe a little history lesson is in order, I once wrote an article about our beginnings in the tour biz back in the early 80's. It might be time to refresh everyones memories and let the young guns and people new to our sport have a look at how we put things together.
Maybe a little history lesson is in order, I once wrote an article about our beginnings in the tour biz back in the early 80's. It might be time to refresh everyones memories and let the young guns and people new to our sport have a look at how we put things together.
Doing this Documentary has brought back a lot of memories and it's amazing how ......
Yes indeed. You guys had it going on with that McDermott Tour and if things would have worked out with the PCA we might have grown exponentially with all the TV Coverage we were going to get.
We would like to see what you have, Robin, and I'm sure many others would enjoy seeing how well things were organized back in the height of pocket billiard's popularity.
Doing this Documentary has brought back a lot of memories and it's amazing how close we actually came to making a break through. We had ESPN, FOX SPORTS, and probably would have ended up with a reality show if the momentum had a chance to naturally develop. We just have to accept is "wasn't meant to be".......at that time anyway, I believe the right time is coming soon. 'The Game is the Teacher'
Yes indeed. You guys had it going on with that McDermott Tour and if things would have worked out with the PCA we might have grown exponentially with all the TV Coverage we were going to get.
We would like to see what you have, Robin, and I'm sure many others would enjoy seeing how well things were organized back in the height of pocket billiard's popularity.
Doing this Documentary has brought back a lot of memories and it's amazing how close we actually came to making a break through. We had ESPN, FOX SPORTS, and probably would have ended up with a reality show if the momentum had a chance to naturally develop. We just have to accept is "wasn't meant to be".......at that time anyway, I believe the right time is coming soon. 'The Game is the Teacher'