Jim Burke...14.1 player...anybody know him or of him

[cueball1950]

I just started watching a 14.1 Match between Irving Crane and a man named Jim Burke at the 1986 World 14.1 Tournament. I was just wondering if anybody knew of him and maybe what his credentials are. From watching this man play i have to admit that he indeed had a lot of bad luck in this match so far. So far he has missed with ball in hand from behind the head string and has scratched at least 3 times that i can remember. thus i was just wondering what his qualifications were. I am not trying to knock this man. Just trying to figure out if it was just nerves getting the best of him. OH and by the way, Mr Crane was/has not set any houses on fire with his play either. I realize that he is/was much older and past his prime but after about 3/4 of an hour of watching the high run is 13 balls so far............mike

 

[sjm]

I just started watching a 14.1 Match between Irving Crane and a man named Jim Burke at the 1986 World 14.1 Tournament. I was just wondering if anybody knew of him and maybe what his credentials are. From watching this man play i have to admit that he indeed had a lot of bad luck in this match so far. So far he has missed with ball in hand from behind the head string and has scratched at least 3 times that i can remember. thus i was just wondering what his qualifications were. I am not trying to knock this man. Just trying to figure out if it was just nerves getting the best of him. OH and by the way, Mr Crane was/has not set any houses on fire with his play either. I realize that he is/was much older and past his prime but after about 3/4 of an hour of watching the high run is 13 balls so far............mike

Jim was from Weehawken, New Jersey and was a regular on the old Eastern States tour, which later evoloved into the All About Pool Tour. He was a fixrture in the NYC pool scene in the 1970's and 1980's. He was a very capable straight pooler and very knoweldgeable player. His personal career highlight was an 80 ball run on tough equipment against Danny DiLiberto in a World Championship in the early 1980's.

FYI, Crane was over 70 in that match from the 1986 World Straight Pool Championships, which I believe to have been his last or second to last pro event. Jim Burke was probably in his mid-50's at the time. I attended the event in Philadelphia, but I didn't watch this match.

I believe Jim resides in Arizona these day. I last saw him about ten months ago during his visit to NYC.

 

[bruin70]

ervolino didn't think anything of burke. burke always complained about not getting good spreads on the break, and ervolino said "yeah, cuz he's got no stroke".

allz i remember is it was fun watching watching burke and flaco argue.

 

[cueball1950]

Jim was from Weehawken, New Jersey and was a regular on the old Eastern States tour, which later evoloved into the All About Pool Tour. He was a fixrture in the NYC pool scene in the 1970's and 1980's. He was a very capable straight pooler and very knoweldgeable player. His personal career highlight was an 80 ball run on tough equipment against Danny DiLiberto in a World Championship in the early 1980's.

FYI, Crane was over 70 in that match from the 1986 World Straight Pool Championships, which I believe to have been his last or second to last pro event. Jim Burke was probably in his mid-50's at the time. I attended the event in Philadelphia, but I didn't watch this match.

I believe Jim resides in Arizona these day. I last saw him about ten months ago during his visit to NYC.

sjm.....thanks for the info. Good to hear that he indeed was a good 14.1 player with alot of knowledge. Just hard to believe that he had so much bad luck in 1 game. Anyway, I realize that Irving was way past his prime. But it was still enjoyable to watch him work his way around the table. They don't make them like him anymore.........mike

 

[Railbird]

I just started watching a 14.1 Match between Irving Crane and a man named Jim Burke at the 1986 World 14.1 Tournament. I was just wondering if anybody knew of him and maybe what his credentials are. From watching this man play i have to admit that he indeed had a lot of bad luck in this match so far. So far he has missed with ball in hand from behind the head string and has scratched at least 3 times that i can remember. thus i was just wondering what his qualifications were. I am not trying to knock this man. Just trying to figure out if it was just nerves getting the best of him. OH and by the way, Mr Crane was/has not set any houses on fire with his play either. I realize that he is/was much older and past his prime but after about 3/4 of an hour of watching the high run is 13 balls so far............mike

As SJM said, Jim was a very capable Straight Pool player and absolutely loved the game, he does infact now live in Arizona and comes back to Jersey every holiday season to visit his daughters, grandchildren and friends in the New York/New Jersey area.

I don't remember Irving Crane's exact comment during that match, but I believe it was something along the lines of "I have to be careful because I know this guy can play", I think thats a pretty good endorsement.