Keith McCready coming out of retirement!

He hasn't been hitting him, but this recent turn of events has him hitting balls downstairs, just in case something develops.

Keith right now has to match up accordingly to what he can defend and what he can't. He needs to play games to where he can slow down the straight shooters. I don't think 9-ball or 10-ball is in his repertoire right now. Therein lies the rub.

Action is on the horizon, though, in the D.C. Metropolitan Area, I'm afraid. His nostrils look a little wider. He's starting to smell that money. :D

Keith is not a basement dweller.. he will come to the surface soon!
 

And you assign wha degree of certainty to that? This is serious shiit here...permanent record serious-like.
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I think full-time players who take a hiatus, the only way to get in stroke is to be engaged in combat, whether short action sets or all nighters.

Tournaments are okay, but they don't let you broaden your wing span, so to speak.

I would think aside from the eyes, it would also be muscle memory. They still have the same arsenal of shots, and you can't lose the wisdom, but it would take a couple hundred or more hours of hitting balls daily before one could get close to the same fluidity they once had.

There is no doubt in my mind that if Keith can find the patience to prepare himself, he'll be able to play again at a very high level. He'll have to respect his stamina limits though and avoid marathon sessions. He's like a champion horse that has been resting on the farm. Properly prepared he'll have his magic IMO. I hope to see it happen.

Martin Bick
 
[/QUOTE] Action is on the horizon, though, in the D.C. Metropolitan Area, I'm afraid. His nostrils look a little wider. He's starting to smell that money. :D[/QUOTE]

See you at SBE in April :D
 
I like the idea of them matching up at the SBE! You'd definitely draw a crowd. (railbirds). Maybe even stream it. I'm seeing posters and
tee-shirts.......:cool:
 
I think full-time players who take a hiatus, the only way to get in stroke is to be engaged in combat, whether short action sets or all nighters.

Tournaments are okay, but they don't let you broaden your wing span, so to speak.

I would think aside from the eyes, it would also be muscle memory. They still have the same arsenal of shots, and you can't lose the wisdom, but it would take a couple hundred or more hours of hitting balls daily before one could get close to the same fluidity they once had.

Its more than this i'm afraid. Sure you have to practice, but Is there still the killer instinct, nerves and heart to be able to play at a high level any more? The mental side of the game is the number one thing once one already knows how to play. I think Keith will agree with this. With that said, when they play I'll bet a few hundred on Keith.
 
Good to see James Jr. getting some recognition. His father James Sr. aka 'Bastrop' was an exceptional player as well. I remember Sr. putting the hurt on people passing through Eric's late 80s early 90s along with Smokey Bartlett, Little David Henson, Gilbert Martinez, etc. Those were good times with two women's world champs Belinda and Vivian playing regularly in the weekly tournaments too.
 
Austin Texas Pool Scene

Good to see James Jr. getting some recognition. His father James Sr. aka 'Bastrop' was an exceptional player as well. I remember Sr. putting the hurt on people passing through Eric's late 80s early 90s along with Smokey Bartlett, Little David Henson, Gilbert Martinez, etc. Those were good times with two women's world champs Belinda and Vivian playing regularly in the weekly tournaments too.


Those were some action packed days in the Texas "Pool World". Smokey Bartlett was/is sure a "character", what happened to him? I heard a rumor he may have had something bad happen to him in Florida over a pool game. Anyone know if he's still alive or playing anywhere recently?

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Those were some action packed days in the Texas "Pool World". Smokey Bartlett was/is sure a "character", what happened to him? I heard a rumor he may have had something bad happen to him in Florida over a pool game. Anyone know if he's still alive or playing anywhere recently?

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I remember when Smokey used to work in a place in Austin, Tx, called Strokers, I think Flyboy may have been a partner/owner. I haven't seen him in at least 10 years, he used to come through Beaumont, Texas, as he had a daughter that lived here.
 
Smokey was a "jump shot expert" and could just balls an inch apart

I remember when Smokey used to work in a place in Austin, Tx, called Strokers, I think Flyboy may have been a partner/owner. I haven't seen him in at least 10 years, he used to come through Beaumont, Texas, as he had a daughter that lived here.

Yeah, Smokey was a "jump shot expert" and could just balls an inch apart with a shaft. Now that doesn't seem like much of a feat, but back then it was "cutting edge". He was also good friends with David Keith (Officer and a Gentleman), David came to a tournament one year to watch him play and hung out for a couple of days. Joe Ely and Willy Nelson were two other guys I met through Smokey back in "the day". Willy used to have a heck of a party on Fourth of July down by Austin. I think they're "commercialized" now.

I hope what I heard about Smokey isn't true and he's ok, still hitting jump shots and telling "war stories".
 
Those were some action packed days in the Texas "Pool World". Smokey Bartlett was/is sure a "character", what happened to him? I heard a rumor he may have had something bad happen to him in Florida over a pool game. Anyone know if he's still alive or playing anywhere recently?

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He lives in Jacksonville FL.
 
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