New York State Annual Pool Championship

[jjohnson]

New York State Annual Pool Championship

Does the state of New York still put on an annual championship?
I met a guy, I think his name was Rick, around 1975 and hung out with him for a while.
He told me that he came in second place in the New York State Annual tournament.
Am I right thinking it was straight pool?
When I met him he was probably about 27 years old. So I figure he came in second
some time around 1966 or so. I remember playing him 9 ball and he rolled the cue ball
right up behind an object ball kissing it and hooking me. He did this three times in a row.
All so smooth. And I was so so pissed.

 

[Pushout]

The Pocket Billiard Lounge in Binghamton, NY hosted the NYS 9 Ball Championship from, I think, late '70s/early '80s into the late '90s. It was held every year. I moved in 1997 so I'm not sure how long after that it was held. But it didn't start until the late '70s, at least.

 

[jjohnson]

I have been rethinking. I met "Rick" in early 1975 at Cherry Point MCAS. He was a Staff Sgt. His specialty was EOD Explosive Ordinance Disposal. He worked with high explosives. This sort of work would require a very delicate touch. And he had that. I figure this specialty provided a large bonus for reenlisting and perhaps a promotion so he might have been just about my own age so on thinking more maybe he was about 23. And his time in service could have been about only 5 years. So that would have just put him coming in second in NY pool tournament around 1970. So this revised timeline could be correct. Does anyone know if there are any records of these tournaments?

 

[sjm]

Really can't answer this, but ,,,,,

..... in the 1970's and early 1980's, there was a tour called the Eastern States Tour, a regional tour which was a de facto forerunner of both the All About Pool Tour and the Joss Tour. It is distinctly possible that the New York State Championship was a stop on the Eastern States tour. There are a few I can think of who are still around who probably played on that tour in Ray Martin, Dan DiLiberto, Pat Fleming, Pete Margo and Allen Hopkins. Those might be the guys to talk to if you want a definitive answer.