They say in show biz, never follow a kid or an animal act. Here I am in direct violation of both, following Jesse's beautiful Max showing off his bridge hand, and, well, pt109.
When I started this thread I didn't intend for it to become an episode of Dr. Phreakin' Phil, but you guys took it in that direction, so I'll keep the trend alive.
First, I gotta know, Tramp, was it pre-flag master chalk you used on your fingertips? :grin-square: They say it's the best for grabbing onto slippery fat girls.
I, like many of us here, have my father to thank for introducing me to pool. I would say he was a ball or two below shortstop speed, real capable of showing a snotty-nosed 10 year old how to move around a little on a pool table. I appreciated his tutelage and looked forward to our Saturday sessions at our local pool hall.
In high school, my buddy Mike and I would regularly skip out of classes in favor of what was being taught at Sam's Pool Hall. It was a dank, smokey, 2nd floor joint with all sorts of characters coming and going. This is where I fell in love with pool. By the time I was 14 or 15, Mike and I were playing and occasionally beating up on some of the stronger regulars at Sam's.
I went into the Army at 18 and was delighted to learn that almost everywhere I went, Uncle Sam supplied a pool table so I could keep working on my game. :wink:
After my hitch in the service, I played a whole lot of barbox pool with some good success. This went on for years until life got in the way.
Started a biz that required so much of my time that, unfortunately, pool was pushed way off to the sidelines. This was the case for about 10 years until I became sick, and I do mean sick!
Did you know that while looking for your poorly hit golf ball in the brush, you could get bit by something, and nearly die as a result?
Couldn't talk or think straight for months

, many more months spent in 6 different hospitals in three states, hallucinations, couldn't be in sunlight, etc., etc., etc... I used to pay good money to get this way (temporarily) in high school.

I, too, was a child of the 70's.
Fast forward about 12 years still suffering some nasty lingering effects that have now made my vision go very wavy. The treatment involves getting medicine injected directly into the eyeballs. :yikes: I can say with absolute certainty, this is neither better or worse than a needle in the eye - it is exactly the same as.
Even Dr. Phil must now be saying in his smarmiest (is that a word?) voice, 'bring it home chicken, I know you can do it'. :grin-square:
Chill Phil, I'm just getting to the good part.
So, I thought, what would Charlie Sheen do if he had a medical problem, say, involving his groin? He'd get him some 'goddesses'.
So, I have a medical problem with my eyeballs, what should I do? Get me some goddesses, right? Yeah, that ain't gonna be happening.
The next best thing would be to get something to help rehab my eyeballs? You guessed it, a gold crown 1. :thumbup: I know it may not be very scientific but I figured I'd give it a try. Working on thin cuts can't hurt, right?
With the aid of my home table I got my game back to a respectable level and for the first time ever in my life, I joined a league, played some tourneys, joined azb, and am having a great time with all of it.
I have met some truly outstanding people in the world of pool, made some real friendships. and I look forward to the opportunity to make some more.
I consider myself very lucky to have been able to make a nice tall glass of lemonade from the lemons thrown my way.
I love pool!
And am immensely appreciative for all of the friends I've made as a result of my (re)exposure to this sport. :thumbup: Very positive, indeed!
Thanks to everyone who shared their positive pool thoughts/experiences.
Best,
Brian kc