I have a Jean Balukas story you might like , or hate , anyway here it is .
I lived in Columbus Ohio most of my life and in 1987 they had the first mens pro tournament I knew of, in about 40 years. I had been traveling all over the country watching tournaments and even back then a decent hotel room for 3 to 5 days was not cheap.
I had gone to one a month previously in Erlanger Kentucky and it cost 150.00 to join. Also the tables were Brunswicks with big pockets, just like I played on every day.
I made up my mind to play at least once in my life , even though I knew the chances of me beating anyone were very slim.
They raised the rate to 300.00 for this tournament and I thought Oh well"I can afford it" then when I got there, Diamond tables are being played on . I had never even seen one , let alone played on it and they gave me fits. I couldn't make a bank to save my life. Also I kept over running shape by about 2 diamonds .
I'm playing and having the time of my life and I'm playing Chris McDonald from California and have him 4 to 3 . My body froze up for some reason, and I never made another ball. It was like I became a zombie and I actually was not afraid or uncomfortable , I don't know what happened.
The way it worked out with a bye , Chris was in the money after our match.
I'm fine with that , nice guy. I go up into the stands and a guy named Mark from around Detroit is up there complaining about all the dead money guys in the tourney and it isn't fair and blah blah blah and he just sat and saw me get beat and knows I am a townie.
Ok
I watch every one of Jeans matches for the next couple of days and shes playing great , she almost beat Sigel if I remember correctly and after that match , the same guy is in the stands , crying about women being able to play in the mens tournament and he can't play in the womens and it isn't fair and blah blah blah and he's talking to Joe Kerr , who doesn't want to hear it , so I thought I would help him out and I said , "I don't understand why you are complaining so much, first it was dead money , and the only thing different between me and you is I went 2 and out and you went 3 and out and the problem with women is , you can't beat her.
I can't remember if I said something about him being delusional about his abilities or if I just thought it , but he had his game waaaaay over rated.
The next day I got to play a real old man named Poochie Sexton.
I had him 4 to 3 and this time I didn't freeze up , he just forgot to miss a ball, the rest of the match. I remember thinking ,man I wish I could play like that.
I made a 3 rail kick shot through clusters once playing him that if you saw it you would not believe it was possible , I got tremendously lucky , it didn't matter I didn't drive it to a rail and it was still a foul but the old guy did say , great shot {that was worth the 300 to me}. By the way , that was the only thing he said our whole match! The next day he has Nick Varner 8 to 3 and then Nick got a shot and never missed another ball ,lol.
I guess it's all relative.
The point of the story is that Jean really could play , she had guts too , I can also understand why those women wanted her off their tour.
A handful of sea hags kept the greatest womens player ever, until Allison Fisher, from even playing with their pettiness ,
I don't know who would have won between those 2 in their primes and it doesn't really matter , but I sure wish I could have watched it.
Best wishes Queen Jean
I lived in Columbus Ohio most of my life and in 1987 they had the first mens pro tournament I knew of, in about 40 years. I had been traveling all over the country watching tournaments and even back then a decent hotel room for 3 to 5 days was not cheap.
I had gone to one a month previously in Erlanger Kentucky and it cost 150.00 to join. Also the tables were Brunswicks with big pockets, just like I played on every day.
I made up my mind to play at least once in my life , even though I knew the chances of me beating anyone were very slim.
They raised the rate to 300.00 for this tournament and I thought Oh well"I can afford it" then when I got there, Diamond tables are being played on . I had never even seen one , let alone played on it and they gave me fits. I couldn't make a bank to save my life. Also I kept over running shape by about 2 diamonds .
I'm playing and having the time of my life and I'm playing Chris McDonald from California and have him 4 to 3 . My body froze up for some reason, and I never made another ball. It was like I became a zombie and I actually was not afraid or uncomfortable , I don't know what happened.
The way it worked out with a bye , Chris was in the money after our match.
I'm fine with that , nice guy. I go up into the stands and a guy named Mark from around Detroit is up there complaining about all the dead money guys in the tourney and it isn't fair and blah blah blah and he just sat and saw me get beat and knows I am a townie.
Ok
I watch every one of Jeans matches for the next couple of days and shes playing great , she almost beat Sigel if I remember correctly and after that match , the same guy is in the stands , crying about women being able to play in the mens tournament and he can't play in the womens and it isn't fair and blah blah blah and he's talking to Joe Kerr , who doesn't want to hear it , so I thought I would help him out and I said , "I don't understand why you are complaining so much, first it was dead money , and the only thing different between me and you is I went 2 and out and you went 3 and out and the problem with women is , you can't beat her.
I can't remember if I said something about him being delusional about his abilities or if I just thought it , but he had his game waaaaay over rated.
The next day I got to play a real old man named Poochie Sexton.
I had him 4 to 3 and this time I didn't freeze up , he just forgot to miss a ball, the rest of the match. I remember thinking ,man I wish I could play like that.
I made a 3 rail kick shot through clusters once playing him that if you saw it you would not believe it was possible , I got tremendously lucky , it didn't matter I didn't drive it to a rail and it was still a foul but the old guy did say , great shot {that was worth the 300 to me}. By the way , that was the only thing he said our whole match! The next day he has Nick Varner 8 to 3 and then Nick got a shot and never missed another ball ,lol.
I guess it's all relative.
The point of the story is that Jean really could play , she had guts too , I can also understand why those women wanted her off their tour.
A handful of sea hags kept the greatest womens player ever, until Allison Fisher, from even playing with their pettiness ,
I don't know who would have won between those 2 in their primes and it doesn't really matter , but I sure wish I could have watched it.
Best wishes Queen Jean
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