Does anyone have any stories on Ronnie Wiseman, possibly about his partners play with Alex? I've had an opportunity to see him play a few times, and he was incredible fun to watch. He is one of those people who seems to have total mastery over the table, someone who has achieved some pinnacle from which he can't fall, and I didn't even see his best play! Plus he is very laid back, whistling and singing while he plays and messing around alot off of the table. I saw him and Jose Parica take apart some players during the Viking Nationals, and their performance made me want to practice ten times more.
Ronnie Wiseman
- Thread starter henho
- Start date
Keith McCready
Pro Player
Here's a Ronnie story written by my girlfriend about the Carolinas Open:
The week-long event was wonderful. The one-pocket tournament occurred Tuesday and Wednesday, and then the 9-ball tournament followed. Local folks were grilling out front, and the smell of sausages, pork chops, chicken, and pulled pork sandwiches was appetizing. It was a very well-run tournament with matches starting at designated times, eliminating all that waiting around, wondering when your match will start.
The tournament gossip buzz centered on Alex the Lion. I am sure we are going to be hearing a lot more about this Canadian sweetie. All of the pros seem to be in agreement that Alex is probably one of the best pool players in the world right now. His break is flawless, always pocketing balls, and he runs out effortlessly. His relaxed demeanor complements his style of play, joking with the crowd, cutting up with other players. Nobody wanted to tangle with him in the off hours because it was too hard, if not impossible, to match up with him. Alex came to the tournament with Ron Wiseman and Teddy the Greek. After Ron "Everything is funny when you're winning big money" Wiseman won the one-pocket event, Alex surged forward to win the 9-ball event. First, there was the Filipino Invasion, and now we have the Canadian Invasian, with Alex and Ron leading the way.
There were a lot of name-brand players who came, Earl, Nick Varner, Johnny Archer, Jose Parica, Dave Bollman, Frank Tulles, Tony Watson, and Keith McCready, just to name a few. After the matches were over, it was let the games begin, with Keith doing the most barking.
There were two sessions I will never forget. A guy named Keith Bennett approached Keith McCready, and the two got into a real bark-fest, getting a little heated at times. Keith McCready, who is not happy with his 9-ball break, told Keith Bennett that he would play him even, only if McCready gets to have a designated breaker. Keith Bennett agreed. Well, McCready's designated breaker was a fellow who is 6'7" and about 260 pounds. I think after the first couple of games with this giant breaking the balls for McCready, Bennett knew he was screwed. The big guy would break and Keith McCready just ran out, plain and simple. This race-to-10 was over in minutes, with McCready realizing he is a force to be reckoned with, if only he had a better break.
The next night, after the matches were over, the barking began again. There was a lot of little side games going on, leaving only a few available targets for Keith. Ron Wiseman was also not engaged in any action, and so a brief colloquy ensued with Keith saying, "Well, Ron, I'll play you even, only if I can have a designated breaker," thinking he had the dead nuts again, Ron said, "Fine, no problem. Then I get to have a designated breaker, too. Let's get it going." Keith went to the car to retrieve his cue stick and got the same big guy who broke for him in his Keith Bennett match, feeling pretty confident and cocky. When he came to the table, he looked around to see what big guy Ron Wiseman had chosen to be his designated breaker, and lo and behold, it was little Alex the Lion. How in the world, Keith thought, would Alex be any competition against his big breaker? After winning the flip of the coin, Alex begain with his powerful break in this race to 10. Keith shot four times the whole match, with three of them being safeties that Ron left him. He missed one ball, a difficult long shot on the 4-ball. Meanwhile, as the score came to 10-zip, with Alex pocketing balls on every single break and Ron running out, the game was over in minutes. After the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth game, Keith tried diligently to settle out of court, but Ronnie and Alex wouldn't hear of it and kept it going. They were laughing so hard they could hardly shoot balls in as Keith sat on his perch chirping all the way. After the win, Ronnie, Alex, and Teddy the Greek taunted Keith by saying, "Hey, maybe next time you need to get a better breaker," knowing the guy never got up off the stool. I have to admit, it was a costly, but funny exhibition.
There are some new kids on the block, a young fellow from Tennessee named Hennessee, a guy they call "G.I. Joe" a/k/a B.J. Ussery, and many more. These talented young players will be ones to watch in the future. Hennessee should have beaten Keith in the 9-ball tourney. With the score being hill-hill, Hennessee ran out to the 8-ball with an easy cut in the corner. He made the shot and watched in horror as the cue-ball scratched, giving Keith ball in hand for the match win.
Well, thought I'd give you all a trip report of some of the activities. If you ever get the chance to go to a pool tournament down South, do it. The North Carolineans are some of the nicest people I have ever met. All of the players hung out after the tournament was over, mingling with the crowds, signing autographs, and enjoying the Southern hospitality. Diana Hoppe was there taking pictures for AzB. She also took pictures for folks who wanted their picture taken with players, delivering the photos the next day so that they could have them autographed.
The week-long event was wonderful. The one-pocket tournament occurred Tuesday and Wednesday, and then the 9-ball tournament followed. Local folks were grilling out front, and the smell of sausages, pork chops, chicken, and pulled pork sandwiches was appetizing. It was a very well-run tournament with matches starting at designated times, eliminating all that waiting around, wondering when your match will start.
The tournament gossip buzz centered on Alex the Lion. I am sure we are going to be hearing a lot more about this Canadian sweetie. All of the pros seem to be in agreement that Alex is probably one of the best pool players in the world right now. His break is flawless, always pocketing balls, and he runs out effortlessly. His relaxed demeanor complements his style of play, joking with the crowd, cutting up with other players. Nobody wanted to tangle with him in the off hours because it was too hard, if not impossible, to match up with him. Alex came to the tournament with Ron Wiseman and Teddy the Greek. After Ron "Everything is funny when you're winning big money" Wiseman won the one-pocket event, Alex surged forward to win the 9-ball event. First, there was the Filipino Invasion, and now we have the Canadian Invasian, with Alex and Ron leading the way.
There were a lot of name-brand players who came, Earl, Nick Varner, Johnny Archer, Jose Parica, Dave Bollman, Frank Tulles, Tony Watson, and Keith McCready, just to name a few. After the matches were over, it was let the games begin, with Keith doing the most barking.
There were two sessions I will never forget. A guy named Keith Bennett approached Keith McCready, and the two got into a real bark-fest, getting a little heated at times. Keith McCready, who is not happy with his 9-ball break, told Keith Bennett that he would play him even, only if McCready gets to have a designated breaker. Keith Bennett agreed. Well, McCready's designated breaker was a fellow who is 6'7" and about 260 pounds. I think after the first couple of games with this giant breaking the balls for McCready, Bennett knew he was screwed. The big guy would break and Keith McCready just ran out, plain and simple. This race-to-10 was over in minutes, with McCready realizing he is a force to be reckoned with, if only he had a better break.
The next night, after the matches were over, the barking began again. There was a lot of little side games going on, leaving only a few available targets for Keith. Ron Wiseman was also not engaged in any action, and so a brief colloquy ensued with Keith saying, "Well, Ron, I'll play you even, only if I can have a designated breaker," thinking he had the dead nuts again, Ron said, "Fine, no problem. Then I get to have a designated breaker, too. Let's get it going." Keith went to the car to retrieve his cue stick and got the same big guy who broke for him in his Keith Bennett match, feeling pretty confident and cocky. When he came to the table, he looked around to see what big guy Ron Wiseman had chosen to be his designated breaker, and lo and behold, it was little Alex the Lion. How in the world, Keith thought, would Alex be any competition against his big breaker? After winning the flip of the coin, Alex begain with his powerful break in this race to 10. Keith shot four times the whole match, with three of them being safeties that Ron left him. He missed one ball, a difficult long shot on the 4-ball. Meanwhile, as the score came to 10-zip, with Alex pocketing balls on every single break and Ron running out, the game was over in minutes. After the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth game, Keith tried diligently to settle out of court, but Ronnie and Alex wouldn't hear of it and kept it going. They were laughing so hard they could hardly shoot balls in as Keith sat on his perch chirping all the way. After the win, Ronnie, Alex, and Teddy the Greek taunted Keith by saying, "Hey, maybe next time you need to get a better breaker," knowing the guy never got up off the stool. I have to admit, it was a costly, but funny exhibition.
There are some new kids on the block, a young fellow from Tennessee named Hennessee, a guy they call "G.I. Joe" a/k/a B.J. Ussery, and many more. These talented young players will be ones to watch in the future. Hennessee should have beaten Keith in the 9-ball tourney. With the score being hill-hill, Hennessee ran out to the 8-ball with an easy cut in the corner. He made the shot and watched in horror as the cue-ball scratched, giving Keith ball in hand for the match win.
Well, thought I'd give you all a trip report of some of the activities. If you ever get the chance to go to a pool tournament down South, do it. The North Carolineans are some of the nicest people I have ever met. All of the players hung out after the tournament was over, mingling with the crowds, signing autographs, and enjoying the Southern hospitality. Diana Hoppe was there taking pictures for AzB. She also took pictures for folks who wanted their picture taken with players, delivering the photos the next day so that they could have them autographed.
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Ronnies' biggest talent is the ability to match up good and he's not afraid of the bet whatever it is. He might play good....he might play bad....but either way its not because of the cash.
Think the Detroit/Cornbread attitude and influence about gambling when he first started has a little to do with that. With every loss or win he learned from it, not everybody does.
He chose a rough way to grind out a living cause when its good, its real good.....but when its bad, well it sucks. He'll always be one that will try to be doing something and not just sitting on the side.....he has to.......its his job.
Speaking of that, I seriously mean that.....ITS HIS JOB. I know most people reading on these sites really don't understand that, because when they get a chance to go to a tournament they go to watch good players and have a good time. They really don't realize that this is the office of a pool player and some of them seem aloof or even stuck up, but they ARE at work and most of the time when you're at work you really don't have time to chit-chat and screw around.
Ronnie is one of the few that can be serious at work and still have a good time. He takes it as well as he can dish it out, and he dishes it out pretty good if you've seen him.
For a Canadian he ain't all that bad, eh! Oops, sorry, he's really an American now. Ahhh, either way he's all right.
Think the Detroit/Cornbread attitude and influence about gambling when he first started has a little to do with that. With every loss or win he learned from it, not everybody does.
He chose a rough way to grind out a living cause when its good, its real good.....but when its bad, well it sucks. He'll always be one that will try to be doing something and not just sitting on the side.....he has to.......its his job.
Speaking of that, I seriously mean that.....ITS HIS JOB. I know most people reading on these sites really don't understand that, because when they get a chance to go to a tournament they go to watch good players and have a good time. They really don't realize that this is the office of a pool player and some of them seem aloof or even stuck up, but they ARE at work and most of the time when you're at work you really don't have time to chit-chat and screw around.
Ronnie is one of the few that can be serious at work and still have a good time. He takes it as well as he can dish it out, and he dishes it out pretty good if you've seen him.
For a Canadian he ain't all that bad, eh! Oops, sorry, he's really an American now. Ahhh, either way he's all right.
Keith great story! As the Orphans in old English novels used to say-MORE PLEASE! Heres a Ronnie Wiseman story. I heard Ronnie got real bored after a tournament about these guys talking about "who shot John this and that" but nobody would bet or come up with a game. Ronnie threw out 9 balls on the table and offered to bet anyone they couldnt run out the table for something like $500. Well since it was tough with some clusters no one would take him up on it. And challenged him to do it. Ronnie being a boss gambler with a lot of heart took the bet and proceeded to run out. He then threw out nine more balls but by then the crowd turned into shrinking violets.
I snuck up on him in Kalamzoo and beat him for some jellybeans a few years ago in one hole.
A couple years later, he came through my hometown and we played again. I looked totally different so I dont think he knew who I was, but anyways, he beat the crap outta me that time.
he made everything... 7 foot, inside english, follow 2 rails for perfect shape type shots. i was sick
A couple years later, he came through my hometown and we played again. I looked totally different so I dont think he knew who I was, but anyways, he beat the crap outta me that time.
he made everything... 7 foot, inside english, follow 2 rails for perfect shape type shots. i was sick