Phoenix tournaments
- Thread starter ledrums
- Start date
Phx tourneys
Check these out: http://www.azbilliards.com/azbn/showissue.cfm?issue=0207&page=25
You will find big tournaments like the dust off posted in the AZ news also.
-Jimmy
Check these out: http://www.azbilliards.com/azbn/showissue.cfm?issue=0207&page=25
You will find big tournaments like the dust off posted in the AZ news also.
-Jimmy
Check out http://www.azpoolscene.com/.
He has all of the dates and descriptions of upcoming tournaments, including the AZ All-Around tournaments (now the Olhausen All-Around Tour, I think).
He has all of the dates and descriptions of upcoming tournaments, including the AZ All-Around tournaments (now the Olhausen All-Around Tour, I think).
The reason I ask is because my wife had seen something about a "Desert Classic" or something like that in September in Phoenix and we want to vacation there so I figured I'd watch or play in this tournament and now we can't find the website that she saw the tourney info on. Son any possible info would be appreciated.
ledrums said:
This was the pro tournament that the UPA Tour was going to have in Phoenix (the new UPA president, Frank Alvarez III, currently resides in Phoenix). I believe they were trying to capitalize on the recent success of the Desert Dustoff Tournament at Alexander's, here in Phoenix, that drew players (both pro and amateur, and everywhere in between) from all over. And the UPA was even having mini-qualifiers for this tournament at a couple locations here in town, however, the UPA moved the event from Phoenix to a casino in California. Apparently a better deal on a venue, according to Kevin Lewis, when I called to inquire about the cancelled event.
The turnout for the qualifiers was quite poor as the UPA did nothing to advertise these tournaments, or the pro tournament itself. Only small flyers and brief, non-descriptive blurbs on the UPA's website. Not sure anyone can just sign up for this tournament, but I'm sure you can send the UPA your questions. You might even get an answer (although I wouldn't hold my breath).
As JimmyM pointed out though, there are quite a few larger weekend tournaments that should give you most, or all, of the action you'd want. Just don't plan on coming to AZ for the UPA tournament though, since it has been relocated to CA.
Hope this helps.
AzDave said:
Dave, did you play as Arizona Dave in 60's and 70's in Arizona?
Jack Madden said:
Jack, do not want to publish that info. We know each other from those days. I still have the winners trophy from the '70 Stardust Open Qualifier and Arizona State Championship...The Cue Stick on Indian School.
Will share this little story with you...was hired as the house pro at a rather large room on Mill Ave in Tempe in '71. The deal was to host that year's Stardust Qualifier and state championship. Came time for the tournament and the owners informed me I was not allowed to play, but would referee the final match.
The final match was between Jack Breit and Verne Peterson (player on Brunswick staff, at the time). 'Red' took the opening break 'leave' and ran about 5 or 6 racks. While jacked up with one leg stradlin' the table he fouled an object ball. I called the foul. He knew he'd fouled but disputed the call. After a rather big ruckus, Peterson got up and went 150 and out.
Much later and after the dust had cleared, I was in a rather long discussion with Verne. We hit it off...Basically he said, kid, what are you doing in this game sitting in a pool room at 3AM and doing nothing for your future. I protested that I'd played four years on the road and twice on TV and that TV was going to change the game and we would no longer have to go on the road and hustle a living. He scoffed at the idea and said the game will never change. He said I should quit tournament pool and go back to school...that if the game drew me back, it would be best to be a background player, pick spots and stay under the radar.
Several days later I had that epiphany and KNEW he was right. I enrolled back in school and have never regreted that decision. Homes, boats, cars and the good life followed. My 'game' has followed the Jack Cooney model ever since that epiphany.
Dave
I will pm you with my cell phone number - did we ever match up - if so for what kind of action? Would love to shoot the breeze with you. I have a Verne Peterson story for you to: I was working in LA in the 80's, played at Hardtimes, was playing lawdy dawdy and everybody, got in dead punch. When I was done one day, Verne had been watching me, I went over and talked to him (still missing part of his ear), I was playing with a couple Joss East cues so we talked cues - he was building a few cues at the time.
I will pm you with my cell phone number - did we ever match up - if so for what kind of action? Would love to shoot the breeze with you. I have a Verne Peterson story for you to: I was working in LA in the 80's, played at Hardtimes, was playing lawdy dawdy and everybody, got in dead punch. When I was done one day, Verne had been watching me, I went over and talked to him (still missing part of his ear), I was playing with a couple Joss East cues so we talked cues - he was building a few cues at the time.
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Jack Madden said:
PM'd you back. Will call when can.
BTW, good story. He told me he made cues outta his home. Was it in Anaheim? Did you ever see his cue making settup? I take it your game picked up after the Golden Cue days and you went tournament on us. True? I did a bit of running with Little Al in those days. Did you ever hook up with him?
Another tidbit you might find interesting...HOF cuemakers, Harvey Martin's cue makin' setup. In his small LA style backyard he built an 8'x10' shed for manufacturing cues. The shed was so small that the lathe chuck has to be mounted to the shed's wall. Cues would extend *outside* his shed from the chuck when doing joint and tip work...and that wooden chuck...musta been over 2' in diameter. The man truly built his masterpieces by hand...and his cue lathe...built by hand!
I to this day believe he built the best balanced cues ever made for players. He explained the reason he settled on a 3/8x10 aluminum pin against non metal insert was for **natural balance**. Gawd, I wish he was around today.
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