I'm Jan Sabo & I grew up in Reading, Pa & was good friends with Jimmy Matz. He was as good a player as anyone in the world. Best shot, best position player & best safety player I ever saw. Add tothat he was FEERLESS! He felt he could not miss & played that way! How do you beat a player like that? Jimmy Caras was giving an exhibition at Kutztown College & he said I hear that some kid thinks he can beat me. Matz won 125 to 71! Caras was embarrassed & didn't like it. Probably the 1st & only time a 5 time world champion had his butt ki ked by a young college student! Jimmy visited me in Miami & we went to Congress Billiards because Larry Liscotti played there. Larry didn't know who Jimmy was & gave him 2 balls in a race to 11 for $ 1,000 that I put up. Jimmy ate him up! After Larry told Jimmy , kid you can play with & win against anyone in the world. Jimmy beat Steve Mizerak in a tournament. I was a pretty good player but Jimmy would spot me 75 in a 100 pt game with.mw breaking. We played countless games for the time & I never won a game! Once after I broke Jimmy played about in the pack shot but had a scratch. Score e 95 Matz -1. Final score Matz 100 me 95.He could run 100 at will as he did more often than not against me I recruted him to play ib a bar league on 7 ft bar tables we could have toured the country! Supposedly he ran 284 before he walked away because.he was tired. There is a tape out yhere that shows a match between him & Jimmy Fusco. I don't know whi won but ny i et is in Matz. If anyone has seen ir has that video please call me at (239)572-3488. I'm also contributing to the post re: dementia. I have Parkinson's & have neen having problems that effect my game. Ina 8 ball tournament I played the wrong ball 2 matches in a row. Another time I was playing 9 ball & playing great! All of a sudden I lost it. It wS like a short circuit.& I couldn't do anything. Very discerning! I'm going to post .y ongoing issues on the main forum in hopes it helps other players. All contributions & questions are welcomed. Peace, Jan Sabo
! I heard he and Rempe had some good go rounds when they were youngsters. Made them both get better. Matz didn't like to tell people his name was Jimmy because they confused him with Jim Rempe who was very well known by the time he was 18.
