Jim Rempe Tribute
My first introduction to Jim Rempe was as a backer pof an opponent , I was 17 or 18 and he came through Columbus Ohio.
I had a friend that played so much better than the rest of us , I thought he was a pro.
I was probably making about 60 dollars a week and on Friday we went to the big time pool room "The Golden 8 ball" to get some of that money.
We spot this young guy all dressed up and looking like a rich kid , so we go after him.
My buddy wasn't as big a noob as I was , and I think he may have smelled a rat, anyway they discuss a game and befoire you know it , my buddys getting the wild 7 and the guy says for how much ?
I said "All of it " !
I think it was a race to 9 and Rempe won the break, he hit the balls like a straight pool break , which I had never seen anyone do and I said "what the hell was that to my buddy?
He tells me it's legal but don't worry , he can play this way.
I don't think my buddy ever got a shot at a ball till it was 8 to nothing and then it was something Efren would have shook his head over.
I used to see Rempe at tournaments all the time after that, he was always a good guy, I got autographs from all the players , including him and Mike Sigel, never a problem back in the old days , but once you see what some people do to the players you start to understand why they say 100.00
I have seen people bring in an armload of books, cues, jerseys, balls all for someone to sign and get mad if they didn't.
I learned about backhand English from having the "Ear" on one of his conversations with another player back in the early 70s .
He caught me and moved away but too late.
I remember the last tournament I saw him at he looked pretty dejected and I went up and asked if he was ok.
He said, they made this equipment so you don't even need a stroke any more . Diamonds with fast cloth.
He said "look at that guy" I used to give guys like him the 7 , straight shooter, but out of line every rack , now I can't beat him.
I understood what he was saying but life go's on , some of it was equipment , but some was age coming on , and the fire going out.
He was a great player at more than 1 game and as far as I am concerned one of the nicer champions I met through pool.
I hope he is doing well.