Ray Martin..."The Man"
- Thread starter tonyboy59
- Start date
I have had a few interactions with Mr. Martin in my travels with Keith McCready. I do remember one time, the two of them had to play each other in a tournament. It was in the 2000s era. I am pretty sure it was at the Carolinas Open. The place was packed, and it was standing room only. In fact, if you didn't get a chair to sit in, you were stuck walking around the perimeter of the pool room like a lost refugee with no home. My feet were so damn swollen. I was in pain.
Finally, Keith's match with Ray comes on, and there was a chair for Keith to sit in. He knew I was in pain and let me sit there. I parked myself in the comfortable, sought-after chair. It was like heaven to sit down. What a relief.
Up walks Ray to his designated corner, and as he sets his cue case down, he looks at me and motions with his index finger, as if to say,"Uh-huh. Move it," without ever uttering the words. But I knew what he meant. He thought I was a shark, I guess. One thing about players from this era, they know all the tricks in the book, and I guess with Keith, he figured we were a team and that I was Keith's secret weapon to shark. But I wasn't.
Here's a vintage photo taken in 1979. Who can name all the players?
(L-R) Larry Hubbart, Vicki Paski, Paul Brienza, Minnesota Fats, Jimmy Mataya, Willie Munson, Buddy Hall, Louie Roberts and Terry Bell.
What was the occasion, and what is the patch on their jackets?
That's at the Busch 9-Ball Open held annually at Dwaine Bowman's pool room in Moline, IL. (I forget the name of his place right now). It was like a $15,000 Guaranteed purse back in the late 70's to early 80's, with 5K on top, a good prize back then.
They are all wearing Busch beer patches on their blazers. Terry, Larry and Louie were formulating plans for their Busch Pool League right about then, which eventually became the modern day APA.
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Thanks, Jay.
windKnott
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Ray’s talent goes far beyond just playing pool. I’ve been lucky to have spent months (every Saturday) taking private lessons at Ray’s house. He is an amazing teacher his lessons go far beyond just shot making. During that time he was instrumental in developing what was to become the Moscone cup team. He was captain of the first team to travel to Europe to take on Europe’s best players.The team consisted Jim Rempe, Alan Hopkins & Nick Varner with Ray as Captain ( I’d post a photo but don’t know how) When the new Straight pool Hall if Fame started the very first inductees were Jerome Kehoe the inventor of the game 14.1, and Ray Martin! He went in Before Moscone and all others. That alone speaks for his talent. Ray also wrote a monthly column on Snap Magazine. Rays article was 9 ball safety’s. Ray is a very special person who still teachers to this day. He taught me more than just shot making but how to conduct oneself in competition.
That's Larry Hubbart? I played him once and didn't know who he was.
:smile:
It's Mosconi not Moscone.
Very cool. Thanks for sharing your info. Pictures can be tough but there is a section on this forum that lets you experiment and practice. No one there to poke fun of you except other practicers
Somebody told me the other day that Ray Martin and I share the same birthday, along with Ewa Laurance, Jackie Gleason, and Johnny Cash.
Listen to what Steve Mizerak had to say in May 1981 about how he got selected for the Miller Lite beer commercial for which he is fondly remembered:
When I was picked, they said we're all going to go over one morning and read the script at McCann-Erickson and shoot pool. I never got a script until I got there. Everyone else got a script beforehand, but me.
Now I got there, and I was the last. I don't know whether I was last on purpose or what, but the other three guys already had done their takes...one guy had 15, one had 21, and the other had 31...I took over 50 takes...I was in there 3-1/2 hours. Because I had so many takes, I figured I would never make it, but I got it!
The four pool players who read for the parts that Mizerak is referring to were, of course, Mizerak, and Ray Martin, Peter Margo, and Allen Hopkins. Just another interesting little American pool factoid.
Ray Martin has a Wiki page, but, unfortunately, as it is with most American champions from the past, there is not much data to gather to plant on his page. Everything in Wikipedia must be backed up with references. It's a real PITA to go to the trouble to create and add to a Wiki page only to have some bot delete everything you posted because you didn't back it up with references. Well, there aren't many references in American pool from Ray's era, other than the Natonal Billiards News, BD, and P&B Magazine. :sorry:
Ray Martin's Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Martin_(pool_player)
Did you know our own AzBilliards digitized the National Bililards News, what issues they could find? Check it out: http://www.azbilliards.com/goldmine/publications/1-the-national-billiard-news/
According to Wiki: Ray Martin (born 1936) is an American professional pool player, nicknamed "Cool Cat". He acquired his nickname when he calmly won a world title in 1971 in California when during the event an earthquake was in progress.
One thing for sure, at least at one time, the BCA and their industry darlings recognized his greatness and admitted him in their Hall of Fame. I guess he helped put money in their pockets.
the story i heard was at the 14.1 tournament in Asbury Park N.J. in 1976 or so the event was held in the convention center on the beach and a big storm blew the doors open and Ray didn't stop playing.
Hence cool cat.
Martin may have won most of his big titles in the 1970’s, but you’d better believe he cut his teeth gaining valuable knowledge and perfecting his trade playing in the 1960s against the likes of Joe Balsis, Luther Lassiter, Irving Crane and others of that era, before all those other younger players you mentioned were old enough to compete on that level, with the possible exception of Dallas West.
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Just so no one misunderstands -- you must be talking about an event prior to the actual Mosconi Cup series, which started in 1994. Ray has never played on a Mosconi Cup team. The other 3 you named did play eventually -- Hopkins in 1996, Rempe 3 times (1997-1999), and Varner 4 times (1997-1998 and 2001-2002).
You may be right. I actually do not remember where I learned of this. Thanks for the post.
Ray Martin used to post on AzBilliards. It would be so nice if he'd chime in.
Here’s a link to a 2011 article in the Tampa Bay Times about Ray’s induction and his win over Ortmann. Pretty neat stuff.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.ta...t-was-a-very-good-day-for-ray/?outputType=amp
You may be right. I actually do not remember where I learned of this. Thanks for the post.
Ray Martin used to post on AzBilliards. It would be so nice if he'd chime in.
Keithly could have told you all of them just as easily as me. Among that group, the only ones who Keith didn't torture at one time or another were Fats, Vicki, Buddy and possibly Hubbart who may have been too smart to tangle with Keith. Larry would have put Sigel in on him and after that didn't work out he would have taken a pass himself. I never saw or knew of Larry playing Keith. Ask him. Even Buddy had a healthy respect for Keith if he drew him in a tournament. They all did! Keith may have been the most feared player of his generation. All the top players waited for him to have a weak moment (drinking or partying/gambling all night) before contemplating gambling with him. Only Louie was ready to jump in there anytime with Keith. Louie loved playing Keith. He admired his abilities. I can remember seeing Louie shake his head after Keith made one of his crazy shots. He would smile and say something like, "How did you do that!"
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It was hard for him to get a game first of all and when he showed up at a tournament he was all business. He was trying to win the tournament and staying up all night gambling was a good way to insure he wouldn't.
I guarantee you that if someone caught him away from a tournament they could get played and get their ass handed to them. Ray was one of those rare Straight Pool players who could gamble and play just as good as he did in tournaments. Like I said not many hustlers were looking to mess with him. At least not those that wanted to hang onto their bankroll.
Buddy Hall looks so thin in that picture