Sailor-Frank Stellman Interview--Wins/Losses and more...

C

charley2

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In June 2009, I had a phone conversation with Sailor. He finally told me some of who he played over the years. I’ve been trying to get this from him for years. This is what he told me-wins and losses. I’ve never known Sailor to lie. He is a honorable man. His wife left him with two children. He raised both as a single father; had a small pool room in Racine, Ws. in his younger years; made superb pool sticks and gave lessons later.
Before I took lessons from Sailor, I heard that in his prime some considered him top 10 in the US in 9Ball and straight pool. In the 90s I took many lessons from Sailor. Carter, Wilson have been mentioned. Sailor has coached Ron Dobizinski (WS) and many, many others to run over 100 balls and to play very good to outstanding 9 Ball.
I plan to continue interviewing Sailor, a man that Jeff Carter once said, “probably knows more about pool than anyone on the planet.”

Wins
Musconi in straight pool exhibition match downtown Chicago. Musconi promised him a pool stick if he won-never received it.
Of course some of these may have come back another day and won, although they did not.
Marvin Henderson-9 Ball—Marvin quit
Youngblood-9Ball
Bill Lawson-9 Ball
Joe Sabastion-9 Ball
Eugene Pucket-9 Ball
New York Blackey-9 Ball
Mexican Johnny-9 Ball

Broke Even with:
Broke even with Jimmy Mataya after 36 hours of playing 9 Ball.
Wennie Beanie-9 Ball--Played a long time--Sailor quit.

Losses
Bugs-9 Ball; yes Bugs could also play 9 Ball; Sailor said he was ill and had a bad night.

Written By Lanny Charles
 
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Probably one of the best straight pool players ever. Unheralded, because he never seemed to enter tournaments or gambled. I would have loved to got straight pool lessons from him.

Doug
 
Salamander said:
Probably one of the best straight pool players ever. Unheralded, because he never seemed to enter tournaments or gambled. I would have loved to got straight pool lessons from him.

Doug
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You're right about his skills.

He's still around and still teaching. Pm me for a phone number.
 
You might ask Mike if it is fine to put him in the hall of fame here on this site. Some read it now and then including posts that have been around for years. Fine to post on this forum of course but might consider the Hall of Fame forum too. His exploits certainly warrant it in my opinion,

Hu
 
ShootingArts said:
You might ask Mike if it is fine to put him in the hall of fame here on this site. Some read it now and then including posts that have been around for years. Fine to post on this forum of course but might consider the Hall of Fame forum too. His exploits certainly warrant it in my opinion,

Hu
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Thanks-will do.
 
ShootingArts said:
You might ask Mike if it is fine to put him in the hall of fame here on this site. Some read it now and then including posts that have been around for years. Fine to post on this forum of course but might consider the Hall of Fame forum too. His exploits certainly warrant it in my opinion,

Hu
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Thanks-will do.
 
I grew up in Racine, and played at Sailors as a very, very young man. One of my great regrets is that I didn’t take advantage of the opportunity to buy at least one of his cues when I had every chance to do so back then…
 
Ahh. Racine... Fly fishing the Root River and casting spoons off the breakwater for steelhead. Some stunning homes along the lake front there too. Loved it!

If Frank told you something it was the God's honest truth. My lessons at his shop are something I will never forget. His son Kelly is a great guy like his dad.. The old saying, they don't make em like that anymore, applies to Frank 'Sailor' Stellman...
 
I remember a thread here on AZ where Sailor mentioned it went to the Hill 10 to 10 against Bill Lawson and he didn't play him again
that the action was too tough. If I remember the thread correctly, the eight was down the long rail straight in to the bottom corner, but the cue ball was frozen to the top rail, Sailor Jacked his cue high off the rail and drew the cue ball back down to the same bottom rail he was frozen to and straight in on the 9. Bill Lawson was as good as there was during his heyday, he was tough action.
 
Chip Roberson said:
I remember a thread here on AZ where Sailor mentioned it went to the Hill 10 to 10 against Bill Lawson and he didn't play him again
that the action was too tough. If I remember the thread correctly, the eight was down the long rail straight in to the bottom corner, but the cue ball was frozen to the top rail, Sailor Jacked his cue high off the rail and drew the cue ball back down to the same bottom rail he was frozen to and straight in on the 9. Bill Lawson was as good as there was during his heyday, he was tough action.
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Win or lose those are the match-ups you remember! Danny Medina paid me a visit at the corner bar I hit almost every evening, often again late night. With me having home field advantage we were matched up about as perfectly as humanly possible on a bar table, no spot either way. First time I met him, we were both youngish. We played for hours and when it was over I had a new friend. The young Danny was a lion prowling the pool rooms. He tried to get me to ride with him awhile. One of my regrets these many years later is that I didn't take him up on it.

Hu
 
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