Mike Carella a real monster player

[macguy]

Mike was at the Dayton tourneys in 1973 and 1974. Hell, everyone was!

Here is my memory because I was betting on Mike. He played, I am almost certain, Freddy. All four tables started at the same time and Mike made a ball on his own break and ran out. Freddy broke and Mike banked a ball and ran out. Mike broke, Freddy played safe. Mike banked a ball and ran out. Freddy broke, Mike cut in a ball and ran out winning 4 to 0. I don't think any balls had been made on any of the other tables yet. The match could not have taken more then 15 minutes.

 

[wincardona]

almost right

I knew him since he was 15 yrs old. He was an obnoxious little brat then, and his disposition never improved. You speak of Detroit and all the money he won, that was true, but even tho he came from wealth to start with, you would have a better chance of finding the light on in the bathroom of a Chinese restaurant than getting eating money from him. In the Rack, Bugs kept the game (refeereed) for Mike for 24 hours. Mike won about 20k, when it was over and Bugs asked for his "gapper," the munificent Mike told him that Romberg owed him $200 and if Bugs could get that he could keep it. Another little known story is when Carella left Detroit he went to Calif and played Ronnie Allen. Ronnie gave him 9 to 7 and roasted his cods. Great player and shotmaker, miserable human.

the Beard

Your story is almost right, with the exception of where Ronnie and Mike played. They played in Mobile Alabama, after Ronnie gave him 9/7 and beat him Carella called me up and asked me to stake him,I said that I would stake him only if I could be there when they played, so I could stop Ronnie from sharking him, he said please come down. When I arrived in Mobile and asked Ronnie if he wanted to play Carella some more the same way, with the clause that the shark was out, he said no. He then said that he would give him 9/8 with no sharking, I agreed and they played.Carella won his money back and Ronnie quit. Carella would of beat him even with no sharking. Ronnie was like a fish out of water.

 

[wincardona]

I won't deny that Mike had an opinion about most everything, most of it bad. It probably had something to do with him getting killed. He didn't know how to be nice and polite. Or when!

I saw part of one match Ronnie played with Mike at Big Momma's in the Valley. Freddie, I think you could have beaten Mike at One Pocket that day. He was shooting at flyers, Ronnie had him so exasperated. This was the day after Ronnie drilled him the first time and he had to reload. For Ronnie, giving up 9-7 was nothing. Only the greatest players (like Jersey Red or Kelly) could ever hope to win a game on Ronnie's break. So now Ronnie was winning half of all the games, so what good was that spot for Carella.

Ronnie used to give excellent players 10-6 and take the break. I NEVER saw him lose giving up this game, even though I thought he was insane sometimes. He would also frequently play top players his one hand to their two, EVEN. That's after he beat them getting 10-8! Now he would beat them playing even, for good measure. :thumbup:

Jay your recollection of things are unequalled, but you have this one wrong. Ronnie and Mike played in Mobile,and if Ronnie took the break and gave top players 10/6 he was on drugs, because even Ronnie wouldn't do that.

 

[wincardona]

Jay your recollection of things are unequalled, but you have this one wrong. Ronnie and Mike played in Mobile,and if Ronnie took the break and gave top players 10/6 he was on drugs, because even Ronnie wouldn't do that.

Jay do you consider a player like Keith McCreedy at that time an excellant player? If so then you're correct, but a player like Jersey Red or Boston Shorty, then your mistaken. Ronnie may have given a player like Keith 10/6 but not the other two.

 

[JAM]

Jay do you consider a player like Keith McCreedy at that time an excellant player? If so then you're correct, but a player like Jersey Red or Boston Shorty, then your mistaken. Ronnie may have given a player like Keith 10/6 but not the other two.

California players, they sure don't ever seem to get respect from time to time for their triumphs and capabilities.

I guess if you're from Chicago or the East Coast, then that makes all the difference in the world as far as memories go. :thumbup:

I'm thinking that when Ronnie Allen, Jersey Red, and Boston Shorty were in their prime, Keith was still wiping down tables and hanging with the track rats at Bob's Billiards.

 

[JAM]

Written in The Snap Magazine:

Mike Carella
March 1950-January 1979

When Mike Carella was a young boy, he used to get himself barred from the local pool room in his home of Miami about once a week, and each time this happened, Danny Diliberto, who owned the room at that time, would get a call from Mike's parents, and they would beg him to let Mike back in because he was so depressed about not being able to play that they couldn't do anything with him.

"The kid loved the game so much," says the legendary Diliberto, "I just couldn't stay mad at him for long. I'd play him for hours and shout at him all the time about the correct way to play, but the kid learned. He learned well."

With all that great training provided by Danny, Mike went on to become one of the top one-pocket players in the world, and he was an excellent 9-ball player as well. This he proved in 1974 by placing second behind Jim Rempe in Burlington, Iowa, at the World 9-Ball Championships in a field of 165 of the top players in the world.

In 1973, Mike moved to Tallahassee, Florida, and along with good friends, Howard Barrett and Larry Knox, proceeded to put Tallahassee on the pool map. Players came from all parts of the country to try their luck with Mike, and very few survived.

The table he made famous, a 4-1/2-by-9 Brunswick, still stands at Pastime Billiards in Tallahassee, and there's a plaque attached to it that reads "Im Memory of Mike Carella."

Mike died a harsh death under unexplained circumstances on the 29th of January 1979, and we Tallahassee folks miss the well-liked young man.

Ask any of the great players like David Howard, Buddy Hall, Larry Hubbart, or Danny Diliberto for their opinion of Mike's abilities, and they'll tell you that had he lived, he would probably have ended up being one of the true super stars of the game.

And if you ever meet up with Howard Barrett or Larry Knox, they'll tell you a dozen delightful stories of this high-rolling player who rose to fame at such an early age.

We miss you, Mike, and thanks for all the good times and memories.

Written by Kreole Freddie in the December 1989/January 1990 issue of The Snap.

 

[lunchmoney]

Quote from Jay Helfert about Buddy Hall "Only guy who I ever heard of beating him for the cash was Dan Louie on an 8' table".

I can confirm that. It took place at Greenway Billiards in Baton Rouge in 1977. Danny beat him a set on a 7-foot Fischer Table and then another set on the 8-footer. Both sets using a huge cue ball. I was there as was Hemicudas. That was back when Danny was in his absolute prime. I can remember watching him practice in his Kirkland, WA pool store. I wished I would have kept track of how many racks he ran. I do remember that I sat so long on a hard stool that my butt was numb and he still hadn't missed.

Jay, thanks so much for "Pool Wars", I loved it. I read it in one sitting and enjoyed that fact that, for the most part, all the stories revolved around my generation of players. My only complaint is that it is too short. Waiting for the next one.


Lunchmoney

 

[crawfish]

That "harsh death"? What happened?

 

[jay helfert]

Jay your recollection of things are unequalled, but you have this one wrong. Ronnie and Mike played in Mobile,and if Ronnie took the break and gave top players 10/6 he was on drugs, because even Ronnie wouldn't do that.

Good players, not top players. I may have mis-worded that part Billy. He did give that game to many players. Carella came to California either with Danny or met him here in about 1969 or '70. He was here for about two weeks, and beat everyone he played, except Ronnie. This was way before Mobile. Mike was just a kid. I didn't know him then. Pancho sic'd him on me and I lost about $50.

Maybe I was on drugs.

 

[jay helfert]

Jay do you consider a player like Keith McCreedy at that time an excellant player? If so then you're correct, but a player like Jersey Red or Boston Shorty, then your mistaken. Ronnie may have given a player like Keith 10/6 but not the other two.

YOU ARE CORRECT my esteemed friend. Ronnie could never give players like Red and Shorty a game like that. He saved that 10-6, take the break game for One Pocket shortstops and many of them went for it. Guys like Philly Joe Veasey and Ray Booth maybe. Good players but not great ones.

Ronnie did give Red 9-8, but that's all. If he tried to make it 9-8, 10-8, it was too much. Red would not play Ronnie even and you know that. Neither would anyone else including your man Kelly. Only exception was Marvin Henderson. He actually beat Ronnie even one time.

 

[jay helfert]

That "harsh death"? What happened?

Mike was also a pilot. He went to work moving "contraband" for a cartel. He got caught in Florida, after landing a loaded plane. His "employers" bailed him out of jail and took him to a motel, where he was later found dead, a bullet to the head. That's the short version of a sad story about a great player.

 

[jay helfert]

California players, they sure don't ever seem to get respect from time to time for their triumphs and capabilities.

I guess if you're from Chicago or the East Coast, then that makes all the difference in the world as far as memories go. :thumbup:

I'm thinking that when Ronnie Allen, Jersey Red, and Boston Shorty were in their prime, Keith was still wiping down tables and hanging with the track rats at Bob's Billiards.

Don't worry Jam, by the time Keith was 18, none of these "great" players wanted any part of Keith playing 9-Ball. He was at least their equal by then. It did take Keith another few years to learn the intricacies of One Pocket.

 

[wincardona]

wasn't quite there yet.

California players, they sure don't ever seem to get respect from time to time for their triumphs and capabilities.

I guess if you're from Chicago or the East Coast, then that makes all the difference in the world as far as memories go. :thumbup:

I'm thinking that when Ronnie Allen, Jersey Red, and Boston Shorty were in their prime, Keith was still wiping down tables and hanging with the track rats at Bob's Billiards.

Jam, the era Jay is referring to was when Keith was a young kid with very little one pocket experience. Yes even at that age he shot as straight as anyone, but he couldn't figure out the correct shot playing one hole.So I have to put him at least 10/7 under upper echelon onepocket players, like Ronnie, Kelly, and possibly Jersey Red.With that understanding Ronnie could have taken the break and spotted Keith 10/6 and won. Incidentally, even at 15 years old Keith was an excellent player, but not onepocket.

 

[wincardona]

could of been that way.

Mike was also a pilot. He went to work moving "contraband" for a cartel. He got caught in Florida, after landing a loaded plane. His "employers" bailed him out of jail and took him to a motel, where he was later found dead, a bullet to the head. That's the short version of a sad story about a great player.

The way I heard it, from reliable sources is that he ran out of gas in South America and had to land on the beach, was arrested and bailed out. He then returned to Fla. when someone asked him to attend a meeting at the Holiday Inn, or a Howard Johnston, I don't know which, but he never made it out of the meeting alive. I attended his funeral.

Mike was a great onepocket player, and if he could of controlled his emotions he might of been the best.

 

[macguy]

The way I heard it, from reliable sources is that he ran out of gas in South America and had to land on the beach, was arrested and bailed out. He then returned to Fla. when someone asked him to attend a meeting at the Holiday Inn, or a Howard Johnston, I don't know which, but he never made it out of the meeting alive. I attended his funeral.

Mike was a great onepocket player, and if he could of controlled his emotions he might of been the best.

You got it right, it was the Howard Johnson on Hollywood Blvd. I was questioned that day as they were trying to track Mike's movements. As it was, no one had seen him or even knew he was in town. Interestingly enough, his body was found by the mother of a well known pool player who was a maid there. I knew a lot of cops in Hollywood and as far as I know, other then asking a few question, there was little or no investigation.

 

[JAM]

Jam, the era Jay is referring to was when Keith was a young kid with very little one pocket experience. Yes even at that age he shot as straight as anyone, but he couldn't figure out the correct shot playing one hole.So I have to put him at least 10/7 under upper echelon onepocket players, like Ronnie, Kelly, and possibly Jersey Red.With that understanding Ronnie could have taken the break and spotted Keith 10/6 and won. Incidentally, even at 15 years old Keith was an excellent player, but not onepocket.

See below. EDITED TIA!

 

[JAM]

Jam, the era Jay is referring to was when Keith was a young kid with very little one pocket experience. Yes even at that age he shot as straight as anyone, but he couldn't figure out the correct shot playing one hole.So I have to put him at least 10/7 under upper echelon onepocket players, like Ronnie, Kelly, and possibly Jersey Red.With that understanding Ronnie could have taken the break and spotted Keith 10/6 and won. Incidentally, even at 15 years old Keith was an excellent player, but not onepocket.

One more thing, I was just informed that Jack Cooney tried to give him 8 to 7 when Keith was 16 years of age, and Keith "shot Jack full of holes."

I wonder what Ronnie would have given Jack Cooney at this same time period? LOL!

My room mate had all the respect in the world for Ronnie's one-pocket game. Who didn't back then? Ronnie was the One-Pocket King. That said, he wishes Ronnie would have given him 10 to 6 "break about" at 16 years of age. He believes that he would have shot Ronnie down. Too much firepower. My room mate sends his best regards to you, Billy, and he said to wake up and smell the coffee!

 

[wincardona]

One more thing, I was just informed that Jack Cooney tried to give him 8 to 7 when Keith was 16 years of age, and Keith "shot Jack full of holes."

I wonder what Ronnie would have given Jack Cooney at this same time period? LOL!

My room mate had all the respect in the world for Ronnie's one-pocket game. Who didn't back then? Ronnie was the One-Pocket King. That said, he wishes Ronnie would have given him 10 to 6 "break about" at 16 years of age. He believes that he would have shot Ronnie down. Too much firepower. My room mate sends his best regards to you, Billy, and he said to wake up and smell the coffee!

Break about, Keith probably would of won, But if Ronnie had all the breaks keith would of probably ran second, but I still love him.

 

[JAM]

Break about, Keith probably would of won, But if Ronnie had all the breaks keith would of probably ran second, but I still love him.

Truth be told, Billy, I don't even know what "break about" means! :embarrassed2:

 

[dirtypool40]

great thread.

I STILL say we need a "Legends of the Game" catagory so we can have threads like this on ALL the greats in an easy to find format.

I wanna hear more about WIncardona, Buddy, Grady, Jimmy Reid..... ALL OF 'EM!!!! :happydance::happydance:

Half of my interest in pool is the great road stories from before I started. I am a junkie for this stuff!!!