Just a Glimpse

Tom In Cincy

Tom In Cincy

AKA SactownTom
Silver Member
I was watching the 'retail' crowd the other night. Not much going on and it was late, no matches or tournaments. Just the 'retail' crowd.

Flashback, 40+ years ago... when I was part of that retail crowd. With my high school buddies down stairs in the bowling alley basement in the mall (yes there were malls back in the early 60s). We were on the waiting list for the first open lane and the kid behind the counter asked if we wanted to play some pool while we were waiting. It only cost 60 cents and hour for all 4 of us.

Well, we didn't know any of the games so we just tried to make balls and whoever made the most when the table was cleared won. Well it took us almost 30 minutes to make all the balls. In those 30 minutes... I got HOOKED. To hell with the bowling, we all kept playing this crazy game that drove us nutz every time we missed and cranked us up everytime we made a ball. We were all equals at this game... we sucked. But, we all became hooked and wanted to play more and more. We ended up playing for about 3 hours and had a ball.

I was reminded of this when I was watching the 'retail' crowd the other night, they seemed to be having so much fun, just hitting that white ball into the rail. LOL
 
I just had this conversation with some of my pool playing friends. We take the game seriously now to the point that if we are losing games/matches we become depressed and stressed out.

I asked them to recollect back in the days where we all sucked at the game but we just loved to play and hang out and drink all night. Pool seemed to be more fun back then. Pool seems like a chore these days and sometimes you need to escape from it for a while and come back to it.
 
Great post Tom! Every poolroom needs a good 'retail' crowd, in the mix, just to make the business go!:thumbup:

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Tom In Cincy said:
I was watching the 'retail' crowd the other night. Not much going on and it was late, no matches or tournaments. Just the 'retail' crowd.

Flashback, 40+ years ago... when I was part of that retail crowd. With my high school buddies down stairs in the bowling alley basement in the mall (yes there were malls back in the early 60s). We were on the waiting list for the first open lane and the kid behind the counter asked if we wanted to play some pool while we were waiting. It only cost 60 cents and hour for all 4 of us.

Well, we didn't know any of the games so we just tried to make balls and whoever made the most when the table was cleared won. Well it took us almost 30 minutes to make all the balls. In those 30 minutes... I got HOOKED. To hell with the bowling, we all kept playing this crazy game that drove us nutz every time we missed and cranked us up everytime we made a ball. We were all equals at this game... we sucked. But, we all became hooked and wanted to play more and more. We ended up playing for about 3 hours and had a ball.

I was reminded of this when I was watching the 'retail' crowd the other night, they seemed to be having so much fun, just hitting that white ball into the rail. LOL
Click to expand...
 
I remember those days, wasn't too long ago at that... then I saw an APA 9 play... and all the joking and good fun went right out the door... I HAD to be that good, one day.
 
Tom In Cincy said:
I was watching the 'retail' crowd the other night. Not much going on and it was late, no matches or tournaments. Just the 'retail' crowd.

Flashback, 40+ years ago... when I was part of that retail crowd. With my high school buddies down stairs in the bowling alley basement in the mall (yes there were malls back in the early 60s). We were on the waiting list for the first open lane and the kid behind the counter asked if we wanted to play some pool while we were waiting. It only cost 60 cents and hour for all 4 of us.

Well, we didn't know any of the games so we just tried to make balls and whoever made the most when the table was cleared won. Well it took us almost 30 minutes to make all the balls. In those 30 minutes... I got HOOKED. To hell with the bowling, we all kept playing this crazy game that drove us nutz every time we missed and cranked us up everytime we made a ball. We were all equals at this game... we sucked. But, we all became hooked and wanted to play more and more. We ended up playing for about 3 hours and had a ball.

I was reminded of this when I was watching the 'retail' crowd the other night, they seemed to be having so much fun, just hitting that white ball into the rail. LOL
Click to expand...


I know what you mean. I was hooked the first time I played, my father took me to play and I didn't have a clue about the game. We played straight pool and he let me shoot twice for every one of his innings but he of course drilled me. I didn't care, I just loved to play, especially making a bank shot was a huge thrill for me. The first time I ever ran in the double digits (11) was to this day my proudest run ever!
 
When I first entered a commercial pool room this older man used to come in and peddle cue sticks. He always wore a nice dark colored suit, slicked back hair and dressed sharp. He then came in one day with this new invention of his called the "super joint", it was none other than Gordy of Viking Cues peddling his way through the Chicago area/suburbs. Only a soda machine in the back, background music, candy and cigarettes at the counter and 16 or 18 Gold Crown I's. We battled and other towns came and battled us and vise/versa.
Then in 1969 played Varner in the Midwest Regional finals at Purdue and he went on to play and beat Carella of FLA for the collegiate 14.1 championships.
 
Really nice post, Tom.

Many years ago a group of old silverbacks spent over an hour chewing the fat at the JC, while watching a group of young Asian girls playing pool. The girls could not hit the cb and make it hit the next ball with anything close to reliability, but every single shot was full of excitement and expectation, followed by jumping up and screaming and laughing. Everything was hilarious- scratches, caroms, banks, seven rail shots that hit nothing but rails and cloth, miscues... They spent an hour trying to make fifteen balls, never quite finished the rack, and had a TON of fun. The silverbacks totally enjoyed watching, and talked about it for weeks.

I think pool is always fun, no matter how well or poorly you play, but the depth, understanding, and satisfaction deepens. There's not a whole lot to giggle about anymore, but the joy is still there- just... deeper and more intense.
 
Us old Grey domed mature 'silverbacks' appreciate the female attempts at executing the finer strokes of pocket billiards.

Ever notice how women express their self verbally when they miss a close shot compared to how men express themselves? OOOOOOOOHHHHH vs %$#%@


blah blah said:
Really nice post, Tom.

Many years ago a group of old silverbacks
.
Click to expand...
 
Tom,

Good post.

My first trip to the local pool hall would have been around 1958. My first shot was a straight-in to a corner and I DRILLED it -- two rails into the side. I was hooked.

Flash forward 50 years. I'm completely back in that mode. I only play for the love of the game. I won't gamble anymore, even for the table time. I don't play in tournaments. I prefer not to keep score. I recommend this approach. The game itself and the comaradarie are what's important.

Mark
 
mbvl said:
Tom,

Good post.

My first trip to the local pool hall would have been around 1958. My first shot was a straight-in to a corner and I DRILLED it -- two rails into the side. I was hooked.

Flash forward 50 years. I'm completely back in that mode. I only play for the love of the game. I won't gamble anymore, even for the table time. I don't play in tournaments. I prefer not to keep score. I recommend this approach. The game itself and the comaradarie are what's important.

Mark
Click to expand...



Fun and new Friendships are at its core.......
 
I never really had a moment when everything just clicked and I was hooked. If anything, it was the thrill of many people watching me play. After winning my first tournament and reaping the respectful benefits from all players watching, I was hooked. It's the feeling that I get when someone is thinking, "Wow! This kid is good!". I have always played more focused under pressure and I believe this has contributed to my speedy climb up the handicap.
 
Great post Tom. I guess most of us were like that in the beginning. I like watching the beginners, not the drunk bangers who come up from the bar downstairs to abuse the equipment and put more balls on the floor than they do in the pockets. But the couples who come in to have a few games.
The clumsy open bridge hand and the awkward stroke. When they do pocket
a nice shot, they get this excited look on their face. The girls let their emotions out and get all giggley and jump up and down. The guys suck their pride in a bit so it doesn't show as much, they look around and get the, I meant to do that look on their face. I get a feel good smile on my face and turn back to my own game.

My wife and I met a couple of young university students one night. They came over to our table to ask a couple of questions. We ended up selling them a couple of sneakys for a good price because they were students and practicing with them for a few evenings. They were hooked and in a very short time, their
game increased amazingly well.
 
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I usually don't offer any help to youngsters. I learned on my own. Why shouldn't they?
Then again, if a youngster asks.. I share what I know.

It's always a kind word when someone comes to me and says they used something I shared with them and it helped them make a tough shot to win a game...
 
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