Scotty Townsend's Proposition Shot

cuetechasaurus

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I heard that Scotty can shoot a spot shot, with the cueball behind the headstring, and cut the object ball into the side pocket. Has anyone seen him do this? There must be something I'm missing in the description, because that is way more than a 90 degree cut, and he can't even see the contact point. Is there some lame trick to this, or does he really do it?
 
Typically when someone proposes that they can cut a ball more than 90 degrees they are going to jump over the ball and land on the other side of the ball and hit the right contact point that way so yes it could be done. However I would bet him 100 dollars he couldn't do it in 10 tries.
 
cuetechasaurus said:
I heard that Scotty can shoot a spot shot, with the cueball behind the headstring, and cut the object ball into the side pocket. Has anyone seen him do this? There must be something I'm missing in the description, because that is way more than a 90 degree cut, and he can't even see the contact point. Is there some lame trick to this, or does he really do it?
This was said to be a standard proposition shot of Boston Shorty's. Straight into the side without the cue ball hitting a cushion. He shot it as a masse shot. He may have needed more than one try for an even-money bet.

I've seen the shot attempted with some remarkable results, and it's easy in Virtual Pool, but I've never seen it really made. If someone were willing to try it, I'd give them 30 tries.
 
Bob Jewett said:
This was said to be a standard proposition shot of Boston Shorty's. Straight into the side without the cue ball hitting a cushion. He shot it as a masse shot. He may have needed more than one try for an even-money bet.

I've seen the shot attempted with some remarkable results, and it's easy in Virtual Pool, but I've never seen it really made. If someone were willing to try it, I'd give them 30 tries.

I'll give you 30 tries to kick it in the side.
 
that's funny

Bob Jewett said:
I'll take that bet, even on triple-shimmed pockets.

I was about to post the same thing when I came to your post.....ROTFL
 
never bet another man's proposition

Drew said:
I'll give you 30 tries to kick it in the side.


If a man wants to bet you that he can do something, no matter how outrageous it sounds, walk away from it. When the money gets right they will do it.

I see I need to edit this. I was making a general comment about proposition shots. Nothing outrageous about Bob kicking the ball in. Matter of fact I'd have to try it if someone gave me thirty tries on a typical Diamond.

Hu
 
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30 tries to a good golf player that plays on a snooker table like a few friends of mine here in Charlotte NC at the poolroom where Denny Searcy stayed and played would get you broke betting they cant kick a ball on the spot into side pocket on a 9 foot pool table cause they can do it on a big snooker table with super tight pockets. They do play sometimes on a 9 footer and it is nothing to see one of them to run all six holes and more than once sometimes. I learn a lot watching and keep my cash. Leonard
 
I haven't seen this extreme cut shot but would like to but I have seen the spot shot made from the kitchen without the cue ball hitting a rail after or before by Tony Watson and almost made by J R Calvert who hit both sides of the pocket many times just couldn't make the ball. Leonard
 
Bob Jewett said:
I'll take that bet, even on triple-shimmed pockets.

What kind of gambling is this??? You didn't ask how much. I'll pay 5 bucks any day to see it.
 
which shot?

Drew said:
What kind of gambling is this??? You didn't ask how much. I'll pay 5 bucks any day to see it.

If you're talking about the kick shot. I'll video tape it and post it.

Of course I could try it two hundred times on video.
 
Drew's proposition shot: Ball on spot with quarter sitting on top of ball. Shoot the CB 5 rails and hit the OB without knocking the quarter off.
 
"Probably"

Scotty has never said, "I can,__________", you pick the subject. A good scuff doesn't do it like that. He might say, "I might be able to,___________", again, you pick the subject.

If a discussion or argument incurs he will push the subject. If not he might try another, “Or I might even be able to,_______________”. Knowing all the time he can do what ever he says. The good scuff makes you think he is not sure if he can do the feat. Obviously, if he can do a shot in 5 attempts he will ask for 30 and negotiate down.

Sonny Springer was the master of getting out with the money while the guys were still scratching their heads. Never a clue who just snapped them off. Scotty wants you to know who he is. When he says, "I probably can,_______________", yes, believe it.
 
Drew said:
Drew's proposition shot: Ball on spot with quarter sitting on top of ball. Shoot the CB 5 rails and hit the OB without knocking the quarter off.

That's a sucker shot. It's on Danny B's money tape. It's a natural speed shot where there is almost no danger of knocking the coin off, unless you hit it like King Kong...

Russ
 
I will tell you what I have seen Scotty do. It was in response to a statement Earl Strickland made at a tournament many years ago. Earl was playin with a Meucci and bragging on how much power and English it could do. He was shooting spot shots and after the ball goes into the corner the cueball hits the side rail and comes back down table and hits the end rail before any other rail. Well Earl boasts that shot can not be done with any other cue than a Meucci. Scotty was shooting with a Schon at the time. And he walked over and rented himself a table and practiced several hours by himself doing nothing but shooting that shot. He missed it probably a 1000 times before making it the first time. He then got to where he was making it at least half the time before he quit. He was paying $10 table time and turning down all kinds of action in order to prove a point to himself as much as to everyone else. The point? Scotty has a world class stroke.
 
you can also throw it with your hand you will be surprised how fast you can come close to mastering it
 
Drew said:
Drew's proposition shot: Ball on spot with quarter sitting on top of ball. Shoot the CB 5 rails and hit the OB without knocking the quarter off.
I don't shoot that shot, but here is what I will do in 25 tries: Put a ball on the spot and balance a cube of chalk on top of it. I will throw, by hand, not using a cue stick at all, the cue ball which will hit five cushions and FREEZE to the object ball without knocking the chalk off.

It's important to note that I'm not particularly good at finger billiards compared to champions like Massey, Reeves Smith and Cueball Kelly.

And here is a shot from 200 years ago: put a ball by the side pocket and one by the corner pocket. Put the cue ball on the floor. Facing directly away from the ball by the side pocket, place one foot on each side of the cue ball, grip it by pressing your feet together, jump in the air and kick your feet backwards releasing the ball. Pocket both balls on the table.

As Hu said, if someone wants to bet on this, walk away unless the cost of the entertainment is agreeable.
 
hemicudas said:
Scotty has never said, "I can,__________", you pick the subject. A good scuff doesn't do it like that. He might say, "I might be able to,___________", again, you pick the subject.

That reminds me of the time Scotty asked me to play; he followed it up by saying "I should warn you, though, I'm pretty good" LOL. He absolutely kept me in stitches for a couple of hours while putting my wallet on a diet. That guy is scary good, and seemed like a genuinely nice guy as well.

Aaron
 
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ShootingArts said:
If a man wants to bet you that he can do something, no matter how outrageous it sounds, walk away from it. When the money gets right they will do it.

Son, no matter how far you travel, or how smart you get, always remember this: Someday, somewhere, a guy is going to come to you and show you a deck of cards on which the seal is never broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that the jack of spades will jump out of this deck and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not bet him, for as sure as you do you are going to get an ear full of cider.

--Damon Runyon, The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown

Good rolls,
Rasta
 
Rasta said:
Son, no matter how far you travel, or how smart you get, always remember this: Someday, somewhere, a guy is going to come to you and show you a deck of cards on which the seal is never broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that the jack of spades will jump out of this deck and squirt cider in your ear. But, son, do not bet him, for as sure as you do you are going to get an ear full of cider.

--Damon Runyon, The Idyll Of Miss Sarah Brown

Good rolls,
Rasta


I like this quote. I've seen it on here before in threads related to prop shots. What's "The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown"? Is it a novel? Worth reading? Pool-related?

-Andrew
 
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