Shannon Daulton for the 1 Pocket AND Banks H.O.F.

[Terry Ardeno]

I know it's early, but there's a reason why I'm posting this now.

At Steve Booth's excellent site OnePocket.org, besides being a historical reference point for banks and one pocket, he also has a Hall of Fame for the legends of 1 pocket and bank pool.

Every October, he opens up the forums there for nominations as to who should be on the ballot for enshrinement. That event takes place at the Derby City Classic.

The reason I'm posting this now is that ONLY VERIFIED MEMBERS are eligible to nominate and then vote for the inductess they deem worthy.
Here's a link explaining this in detail......
http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222

I've lobbied for Shannon Daulton for several years now and what held him back before was Steve wanted at least 20 years in pooldom before being placed on the ballot.

My thinking has been that Shannon, who was born in 1972 and started playing pool at age 5, has more than 20+ years "in service" at pool. His father Gerald staked him in money matches for $300.00 a game by the time he was 11. (Turning 38 on April 5, this means Shannons now has 27 years of gambling and tournament seasoning to his credentials.)

At 19, he won the 1992 Legends of One Pocket, beating the likes of Steve Mizerak, Gary Spaeth and Bugs Rucker on his way to the championship.

Besides winning several other major championships in both 1 pocket and banks, Shannon also has 2 Derby City Classic 9 Ball Championships as well as being the 2001 Derby City Classic All-Around Champion.

And while still being one of America's best all-around and most elite players, Shannon (and Marge) also started and run their own tour....http://www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com/. Very few players have the willingness to work that hard to keep a successful tour running. Shannon is setting a great example to his fellow pros that it CAN be done.

If, like me, you feel that Shannon Daulton has EARNED a rightful place along side the other great pool champions and should be enshrined into the One Pocket and Banks H.O.F.'s (two seperate catagories), then please take a moment to go to http://www.onepocket.org/forum/index.php and sign up as a new member. Then, you'll be certain to be eligible to nominate whoever you feel is worthy into the respective H.O.F.s and vote once the ballot is completed.

Shannon has many other fans here and I want to make certain that he's not over looked any more.

One more thing....Steve Booth has really created a wonderful site. His labor of love has resulted in a forum that has the likes of Grady Mathews, Bill Incardona, SanJose Dick McMorran, Freddy the Beard, etc. The collective wisdom of the seasoned veterans who regularly post there is amazing. The stories and humor is second to none. Steve Booth is to be thanked for all the work he's put into his site. Guys like him and Mike Howerton do so much work behind the scenes to provide us fans really super sites. I'm grateful and very appreciative to both Steve and Mike.

Bottom line, if you're a fan of Shannon Daulton, take a minute to become a member over at 1Pocket.org and then come time to to vote, let's landslide him into the Hall of Fame(s)!

 

[Fast Lenny]

I like Shannon Daulton and his game, I think he will make a fine member but I do think some members who are around twice his age should be inducted before him as there time is limited. San Jose Dick is one of those guys who is about 103 years old and should be in by now, he was playing Ronnie Allen like 9-8 in the prime of their careers! He was playing in the past year for over 24 hours straight too in a gambling session.

 

[cuesmith]

I know it's early, but there's a reason why I'm posting this now.

At Steve Booth's excellent site OnePocket.org, besides being a historical reference point for banks and one pocket, he also has a Hall of Fame for the legends of 1 pocket and bank pool.

Every October, he opens up the forums there for nominations as to who should be on the ballot for enshrinement. That event takes place at the Derby City Classic.

The reason I'm posting this now is that ONLY VERIFIED MEMBERS are eligible to nominate and then vote for the inductess they deem worthy.
Here's a link explaining this in detail......
http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222

I've lobbied for Shannon Daulton for several years now and what held him back before was Steve wanted at least 20 years in pooldom before being placed on the ballot.

My thinking has been that Shannon, who was born in 1972 and started playing pool at age 5, has more than 20+ years "in service" at pool. His father Gerald staked him in money matches for $300.00 a game by the time he was 11. (Turning 38 on April 5, this means Shannons now has 27 years of gambling and tournament seasoning to his credentials.)

At 19, he won the 1992 Legends of One Pocket, beating the likes of Steve Mizerak, Gary Spaeth and Bugs Rucker on his way to the championship.

Besides winning several other major championships in both 1 pocket and banks, Shannon also has 2 Derby City Classic 9 Ball Championships as well as being the 2001 Derby City Classic All-Around Champion.

And while still being one of America's best all-around and most elite players, Shannon (and Marge) also started and run their own tour....http://www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com/. Very few players have the willingness to work that hard to keep a successful tour running. Shannon is setting a great example to his fellow pros that it CAN be done.

If, like me, you feel that Shannon Daulton has EARNED a rightful place along side the other great pool champions and should be enshrined into the One Pocket and Banks H.O.F.'s (two seperate catagories), then please take a moment to go to http://www.onepocket.org/forum/index.php and sign up as a new member. Then, you'll be certain to be eligible to nominate whoever you feel is worthy into the respective H.O.F.s and vote once the ballot is completed.

Shannon has many other fans here and I want to make certain that he's not over looked any more.

One more thing....Steve Booth has really created a wonderful site. His labor of love has resulted in a forum that has the likes of Grady Mathews, Bill Incardona, SanJose Dick McMorran, Freddy the Beard, etc. The collective wisdom of the seasoned veterans who regularly post there is amazing. The stories and humor is second to none. Steve Booth is to be thanked for all the work he's put into his site. Guys like him and Mike Howerton do so much work behind the scenes to provide us fans really super sites. I'm grateful and very appreciative to both Steve and Mike.

Bottom line, if you're a fan of Shannon Daulton, take a minute to become a member over at 1Pocket.org and then come time to to vote, let's landslide him into the Hall of Fame(s)!

I like Shannon. I've known him since he was a kid and I'm certainly for him being in the HOF, BUT, Joey Spaeth really should be there before Shannon. No Doubt Shannon has secured a place but I'm afraid the memory of the old timers fades too quickly and Shannon is still an active player, still adding to his accomplishments. He'll be there soon enough but let us not forget the guys who came before.

 

[cuesmith]

I like Shannon Daulton and his game, I think he will make a fine member but I do think some members who are around twice his age should be inducted before him as there time is limited. San Jose Dick is one of those guys who is about 103 years old and should be in by now, he was playing Ronnie Allen like 9-8 in the prime of their careers! He was playing in the past year for over 24 hours straight too in a gambling session.

I gotta ask because I'm from the midwest and don't know a lot of the West Coast players unless they ventured east of the Mississippi. I've heard of San Jose Dick but was really curious if you were exaggerating his age as "103", or if this was his actual age? The fact that he played a 24 hour session at such an advanced age boggles my mind. George Rudd from the Dayton area is still playing pretty sporty into his 90's and frankly I would have bet anything that no one his age could stay with him, but if your facts are accurate it's nothing short of amazing!

No disrespect at all to Shannon, he's a lock for the HOF, but it's the old timers we have to recognize before they're forgotten.

 

[Terry Ardeno]

I like Shannon Daulton and his game, I think he will make a fine member but I do think some members who are around twice his age should be inducted before him as there time is limited. San Jose Dick is one of those guys who is about 103 years old and should be in by now, he was playing Ronnie Allen like 9-8 in the prime of their careers! He was playing in the past year for over 24 hours straight too in a gambling session.

Lenny,
Since Shannon was not on the ballot last year, I voted for for SJDinPHX. He'll no doubt be on the ballot again for 2011 and I really hope he gets inducted also. Besides being a great player, he's one of the nicest and funnist guys you could ask for.

You know how much you like Scott Frost? That's how much I like SD. And I don't think it would be fair to have super-great, upper cream-of-the-crop champions like SD and SF wait until they're in their 50's or 60's to be enshrined. These special players EARNED their right to be inducted at an early age because their credentials are so exceptional compared to others whose greatness came while in middle-age or beyond.

Scott will get my vote the very first time he's on the ballot. Him and Shannon deserve to be first round inductees. But at this point in his career, Daulton has as many major championships or MORE than many who are already inducted. I look at it like this..... if SD was to match up with _____________(fill in the blank w/ any other player not inducted), who would win? Of all the men NOT yet inducted, I'd say SD would be the favorite matching up in 1P or banks.

Doesn't seem fair to penalize him for being so good so often just because he's so young.

 

[Terry Ardeno]

I gotta ask because I'm from the midwest and don't know a lot of the West Coast players unless they ventured east of the Mississippi. I've heard of San Jose Dick but was really curious if you were exaggerating his age as "103", or if this was his actual age? The fact that he played a 24 hour session at such an advanced age boggles my mind. George Rudd from the Dayton area is still playing pretty sporty into his 90's and frankly I would have bet anything that no one his age could stay with him, but if your facts are accurate it's nothing short of amazing!

No disrespect at all to Shannon, he's a lock for the HOF, but it's the old timers we have to recognize before they're forgotten.

Sherm,
San Jose Dick is about 29 years younger than "103". He's still alive and shooting and he is a prolific poster over at 1P.org. Him and the Beard joust each other with some of the funniest cracks you'll ever read. He was indeed a great player yet unlike so many other great players, he actually worked and retired from a full time job at UPS. And he STILL played super strong.

Accu-Stats features him here beating Cliff Joyner in 1998 at the age of 64.....http://www.accu-stats.com/Qstore/Qstore.cgi?CMD=011&PROD=000509&BACK=A0004A1

 

[Voodoo Daddy]

I know it's early, but there's a reason why I'm posting this now.

At Steve Booth's excellent site OnePocket.org, besides being a historical reference point for banks and one pocket, he also has a Hall of Fame for the legends of 1 pocket and bank pool.

Every October, he opens up the forums there for nominations as to who should be on the ballot for enshrinement. That event takes place at the Derby City Classic.

The reason I'm posting this now is that ONLY VERIFIED MEMBERS are eligible to nominate and then vote for the inductess they deem worthy.
Here's a link explaining this in detail......
http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222

I've lobbied for Shannon Daulton for several years now and what held him back before was Steve wanted at least 20 years in pooldom before being placed on the ballot.

My thinking has been that Shannon, who was born in 1972 and started playing pool at age 5, has more than 20+ years "in service" at pool. His father Gerald staked him in money matches for $300.00 a game by the time he was 11. (Turning 38 on April 5, this means Shannons now has 27 years of gambling and tournament seasoning to his credentials.)

At 19, he won the 1992 Legends of One Pocket, beating the likes of Steve Mizerak, Gary Spaeth and Bugs Rucker on his way to the championship.

Besides winning several other major championships in both 1 pocket and banks, Shannon also has 2 Derby City Classic 9 Ball Championships as well as being the 2001 Derby City Classic All-Around Champion.

And while still being one of America's best all-around and most elite players, Shannon (and Marge) also started and run their own tour....http://www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com/. Very few players have the willingness to work that hard to keep a successful tour running. Shannon is setting a great example to his fellow pros that it CAN be done.

If, like me, you feel that Shannon Daulton has EARNED a rightful place along side the other great pool champions and should be enshrined into the One Pocket and Banks H.O.F.'s (two seperate catagories), then please take a moment to go to http://www.onepocket.org/forum/index.php and sign up as a new member. Then, you'll be certain to be eligible to nominate whoever you feel is worthy into the respective H.O.F.s and vote once the ballot is completed.

Shannon has many other fans here and I want to make certain that he's not over looked any more.

One more thing....Steve Booth has really created a wonderful site. His labor of love has resulted in a forum that has the likes of Grady Mathews, Bill Incardona, SanJose Dick McMorran, Freddy the Beard, etc. The collective wisdom of the seasoned veterans who regularly post there is amazing. The stories and humor is second to none. Steve Booth is to be thanked for all the work he's put into his site. Guys like him and Mike Howerton do so much work behind the scenes to provide us fans really super sites. I'm grateful and very appreciative to both Steve and Mike.

Bottom line, if you're a fan of Shannon Daulton, take a minute to become a member over at 1Pocket.org and then come time to to vote, let's landslide him into the Hall of Fame(s)!

I like Terry's post, they are normally well thought out and very informative. Shannon is a great player but if he gets in before San Jose Dick or Johnny Ervolino in the One Pocket division, something is very wrong in life. I have no problem with his induction in the Banks HOF as a current player at all but there are so many elder statesman to concider in the One Pocket portion. Just my 2 pennies

 

[Fast Lenny]

Lenny,
Since Shannon was not on the ballot last year, I voted for for SJDinPHX. He'll no doubt be on the ballot again for 2011 and I really hope he gets inducted also. Besides being a great player, he's one of the nicest and funnist guys you could ask for.

You know how much you like Scott Frost? That's how much I like SD. And I don't think it would be fair to have super-great, upper cream-of-the-crop champions like SD and SF wait until they're in their 50's or 60's to be enshrined. These special players EARNED their right to be inducted at an early age because their credentials are so exceptional compared to others whose greatness came while in middle-age or beyond.

Scott will get my vote the very first time he's on the ballot. Him and Shannon deserve to be first round inductees. But at this point in his career, Daulton has as many major championships or MORE than many who are already inducted. I look at it like this..... if SD was to match up with _____________(fill in the blank w/ any other player not inducted), who would win? Of all the men NOT yet inducted, I'd say SD would be the favorite matching up in 1P or banks.

Doesn't seem fair to penalize him for being so good so often just because he's so young.

I think Shannon will be inducted within 5 years, the 1 pocket HOF is very new and there are a bunch of older players alive and deceased who belong in it. I think we should be trying to get some of the older guys deserving of it in first and then get some of the younger guys like Shannon in it, Shannon and Scott are already shoe-ins to be in the HOF, they know it and we all know it, its just a matter of time. I would like to see Johnny Ervolino and San Jose Dick in it for this coming year for sure but we shall see what happens.

P.S. Dick is in his 70's, was just ribbing about him being 103, he and I are going to play for some cash on my live stream in a month along with a bottle of Yukon.

 

[Terry Ardeno]

I like Terry's post, they are normally well thought out and very informative. Shannon is a great player but if he gets in before San Jose Dick or Johnny Ervolino in the One Pocket division, something is very wrong in life. I have no problem with his induction in the Banks HOF as a current player at all but there are so many elder statesman to concider in the One Pocket portion. Just my 2 pennies

Voodoo D,

Thanks for the kind remarks. Same to you my friend!

Now, down to business!

I was as big a fan of the beloved "Velvet Foghorn" as anyone. If you run a search on him, you'll find I have posted nothing but glowing accolades about Johnny. That being said, it's my belief that the majority of his legendary status came from his 14.1 skills, followed by his one pocket.

It's also my belief that any H.O.F. should be for the BEST player not yet inducted. It should NOT be based on sentimentality or who's getting too old or who's already passed on, etc. It should be about who is the best player at that particular discipline not yet inducted.

If I had to have Ervolino or Daulton shooting a set of One Pocket or Banks for my life, I'd pick Shannon in a heart-beat (no pun intended )

Shannon Daulton would lose to Johnny Ervolino in 14.1, as "The Cannon" doesn't partake of straight pool. But honestly, do you think that Johnny, in his prime, could have beaten Shannon at 1 pocket? Or banks?

So shouldn't the BEST players be inducted before others who we may be very fond of but lack the credentials or major championships that others have won?

Take the MLB, for example. They vote on who had the BEST stats, who was the BEST player, who was most valuable to their teams, championships won, etc. Lots of very worthy players wait, some for many years, while younger but BETTER players are inducted ahead of them. Why should pool be any different?

Going on sentimentality, I would have Grady, Billy, Shannon, Schmidt, Hubert Cokes, Bennie Allen, Ervolino, DiLiberto, Chao, etc inducted into the BCA H.O.F. with the others who are already enshrined. And, truth be told, there are 3 players in the BCA H.O.F. that I personally believe DON'T belong there, as many have better credentials and have won more major championships.

Another great example....loook how long it took Earl Strickland and Allen Hopkins to be inducted. Earl, probably the greatest tournament 9 baller ever, was passed over for years before being inducted. Total 'politics" and totally unfair. He was the very best living player and he was passed over again and again.

My bottom line...Of all the top 1 pocket and bank pool players not yet inducted in those respective H.O.F.'s, who (living or dead) is the very best player not yet inducted? Shannon Daulton. To skip over him for a lesser player, no matter how much we enjoyed that player, is just plain unfair.

One more thing....Mike Carella, Tony Ellin, Louie Roberts, Harold Worst, Gary Spaeth, John "Rags" Fitzpatrick and several other noteworthy players died while pretty young. Who's to guarantee that all the great younger players will all live to their 60's or 70's or beyond?

Let's reward the BEST player available for these inductions. That's the very fairest way and best criteria for enshrinement.

 

[1pktfool]

One thing to remember here: there is a deceased players category and a living players category each year for the onepocket.org One Pocket HOF. This came up during the discussion on the induction of Fats this year, and what it means simply is that the deceased player with the highest number of votes is inducted along with the living player with the highest number of votes. So, someone like Ervolino doesn't have to compete with Shannon for votes. Unfortunately, someone like SJD does have to compete with Shannon and Cliff for voting...in a few years. You can see here that Shannon is considered to be eligible in 2011 and Cliff is eligible in 2012 or 2013:
http://onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222&page=3

 

[Terry Ardeno]

One thing to remember here: there is a deceased players category and a living players category each year for the onepocket.org One Pocket HOF. This came up during the discussion on the induction of Fats this year, and what it means simply is that the deceased player with the highest number of votes is inducted along with the living player with the highest number of votes. So, someone like Ervolino doesn't have to compete with Shannon for votes. Unfortunately, someone like SJD does have to compete with Shannon and Cliff for voting...in a few years. You can see here that Shannon is considered to be eligible in 2011 and Cliff is eligible in 2012 or 2013:
http://onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222&page=3

Good post 1pktfool.

Here's another question I have though.....why was Shannon's "eligibility" started 20 years after his first major win? He was 'in action" for years and years before that 1st major championship. Other players have been inducted solely for being "Action Players". Why isn't SD afforded the credit of being a money man also in addition to his tournament winnings?

I know you have no say in that, but I wanted to put it out there anyway for potential voters to consider.

 

[cuesmith]

One thing to remember here: there is a deceased players category and a living players category each year for the onepocket.org One Pocket HOF. This came up during the discussion on the induction of Fats this year, and what it means simply is that the deceased player with the highest number of votes is inducted along with the living player with the highest number of votes. So, someone like Ervolino doesn't have to compete with Shannon for votes. Unfortunately, someone like SJD does have to compete with Shannon and Cliff for voting...in a few years. You can see here that Shannon is considered to be eligible in 2011 and Cliff is eligible in 2012 or 2013:
http://onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222&page=3

If I were aware of this I would have posted no objections to Shannon's inclusion. I just hate to see the older guys get looked over because the computer aged players weren't around to see them in action or have forgotten them over time.

I remember the first time I saw Shannon play. My road partner Gary Spaeth gave him 9-7, the breaks and his fouls didn't count. Also he could climb on the table to reach any shot. Shannon was 13 I think. He couldn't win at the game but he played his heart out and learned a lot playing a top flight player that way so young. If he'd have figured out how to "use" the "fouls don't count" spot he'd have lost the spot, but he didn't take any intentionals. Or maybe he was smart enough to know that:scratchhead:

 

[1pktfool]

Good post 1pktfool.

Here's another question I have though.....why was Shannon's "eligibility" started 20 years after his first major win? He was 'in action" for years and years before that 1st major championship. Other players have been inducted solely for being "Action Players". Why isn't SD afforded the credit of being a money man also in addition to his tournament winnings?

I know you have no say in that, but I wanted to put it out there anyway for potential voters to consider.

I'm not sure about the specifics regarding Shannon's or Cliff's eligibility. That's more of a topic for discussion on onepocket.org I would think, and I'm sure Steve will be happy to discuss it as he's always looking for input from all of us, or he may chime in here. That being said, Shannon's eligibility is almost moot at this point as we're only one year away from being able to vote him in.

One good thing that does come out of having someone like Shannon or Cliff wait for the HoF is that it gives all of us even more time to recognize those "old-timers" who are still around and/or playing today. There's been a lot of catching up to do with the One Pocket HoF as it's still relatively young. I'd say in 5-10 more years, the rate of inductions may need to slow down so as not to water down the meaning of the HoF. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it though I guess.

 

[DRW]

Shannon D

Dalton should be in at his first eligibility. Youngest Legends of 1-pocket winner and also holds the most wins of anyone, living or dead, in that tournament.

 

[cuesmith]

Pool Cue Donations

I know it's early, but there's a reason why I'm posting this now.

At Steve Booth's excellent site OnePocket.org, besides being a historical reference point for banks and one pocket, he also has a Hall of Fame for the legends of 1 pocket and bank pool.

Every October, he opens up the forums there for nominations as to who should be on the ballot for enshrinement. That event takes place at the Derby City Classic.

The reason I'm posting this now is that ONLY VERIFIED MEMBERS are eligible to nominate and then vote for the inductess they deem worthy.
Here's a link explaining this in detail......
http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3222

I've lobbied for Shannon Daulton for several years now and what held him back before was Steve wanted at least 20 years in pooldom before being placed on the ballot.

My thinking has been that Shannon, who was born in 1972 and started playing pool at age 5, has more than 20+ years "in service" at pool. His father Gerald staked him in money matches for $300.00 a game by the time he was 11. (Turning 38 on April 5, this means Shannons now has 27 years of gambling and tournament seasoning to his credentials.)

At 19, he won the 1992 Legends of One Pocket, beating the likes of Steve Mizerak, Gary Spaeth and Bugs Rucker on his way to the championship.

Besides winning several other major championships in both 1 pocket and banks, Shannon also has 2 Derby City Classic 9 Ball Championships as well as being the 2001 Derby City Classic All-Around Champion.

And while still being one of America's best all-around and most elite players, Shannon (and Marge) also started and run their own tour....http://www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com/. Very few players have the willingness to work that hard to keep a successful tour running. Shannon is setting a great example to his fellow pros that it CAN be done.

If, like me, you feel that Shannon Daulton has EARNED a rightful place along side the other great pool champions and should be enshrined into the One Pocket and Banks H.O.F.'s (two seperate catagories), then please take a moment to go to http://www.onepocket.org/forum/index.php and sign up as a new member. Then, you'll be certain to be eligible to nominate whoever you feel is worthy into the respective H.O.F.s and vote once the ballot is completed.

Shannon has many other fans here and I want to make certain that he's not over looked any more.

One more thing....Steve Booth has really created a wonderful site. His labor of love has resulted in a forum that has the likes of Grady Mathews, Bill Incardona, SanJose Dick McMorran, Freddy the Beard, etc. The collective wisdom of the seasoned veterans who regularly post there is amazing. The stories and humor is second to none. Steve Booth is to be thanked for all the work he's put into his site. Guys like him and Mike Howerton do so much work behind the scenes to provide us fans really super sites. I'm grateful and very appreciative to both Steve and Mike.

Bottom line, if you're a fan of Shannon Daulton, take a minute to become a member over at 1Pocket.org and then come time to to vote, let's landslide him into the Hall of Fame(s)!

I'd like to throw something else out there on a slightly related subject. If this is inappropriate to post here the mods have my blessing to remove the post, don't want to offend anyone

Every year I donate a cue for the One Pocket & Bank Pool HOF Banquet at the Derby. I'm not saying this to toot my own horn, but I'd like to challenge or shall I say invite other cuemakers from the forum to consider doing likewise. Steve Booth is a regular guy doing an amazing thing! He takes these cues and sometimes has the HOF'ers sign them and raffles the cues off. He uses the funds to help some of the elder statesmen of our sport get by when they're between a rock and a hard place. Bugs Rucker was one of the receipients when he was in real need. The cues don't have to be fancy, anything you could spare would help, I'm sure, and you can actually give something back to the sport and the players who made it great. You can probably talk Steve out of a free ticket for the banquet as well but I can't promise anything, Steve has to lay out a TIDY SUM to put this together and must sell enough tickets to cover the costs! He's not there trying to make a profit, but as I said he's a regular guy, I don't think he could swing paying the tab for everyone. I'm just asking for you to help Steve help promote the sport and give recognition to Pool Players who deserve it so much. Hell you should even be able to write it off on your taxes.

Sherm

 

[Terry Ardeno]

Thank you Sherm!

I'd like to throw something else out there on a slightly related subject. If this is inappropriate to post here the mods have my blessing to remove the post, don't want to offend anyone

Every year I donate a cue for the One Pocket & Bank Pool HOF Banquet at the Derby. I'm not saying this to toot my own horn, but I'd like to challenge or shall I say invite other cuemakers from the forum to consider doing likewise. Steve Booth is a regular guy doing an amazing thing! He takes these cues and sometimes has the HOF'ers sign them and raffles the cues off. He uses the funds to help some of the elder statesmen of our sport get by when they're between a rock and a hard place. Bugs Rucker was one of the receipients when he was in real need. The cues don't have to be fancy, anything you could spare would help, I'm sure, and you can actually give something back to the sport and the players who made it great. You can probably talk Steve out of a free ticket for the banquet as well but I can't promise anything, Steve has to lay out a TIDY SUM to put this together and must sell enough tickets to cover the costs! He's not there trying to make a profit, but as I said he's a regular guy, I don't think he could swing paying the tab for everyone. I'm just asking for you to help Steve help promote the sport and give recognition to Pool Players who deserve it so much. Hell you should even be able to write it off on your taxes.

Sherm

Sherm,
There's nothing inappropriate about your post at all! As a matter of fact,
you're to be commended for being such a great friend of pool! You're a great example that hopefully, others will follow.

And big time kudos also to Steve Booth and Mike Howerton for their love for our great sport.

Pool has got some really, really fine people!

 

[Voodoo Daddy]

Voodoo D,

Thanks for the kind remarks. Same to you my friend!

Now, down to business!

I was as big a fan of the beloved "Velvet Foghorn" as anyone. If you run a search on him, you'll find I have posted nothing but glowing accolades about Johnny. That being said, it's my belief that the majority of his legendary status came from his 14.1 skills, followed by his one pocket.

It's also my belief that any H.O.F. should be for the BEST player not yet inducted. It should NOT be based on sentimentality or who's getting too old or who's already passed on, etc. It should be about who is the best player at that particular discipline not yet inducted.

If I had to have Ervolino or Daulton shooting a set of One Pocket or Banks for my life, I'd pick Shannon in a heart-beat (no pun intended )

Shannon Daulton would lose to Johnny Ervolino in 14.1, as "The Cannon" doesn't partake of straight pool. But honestly, do you think that Johnny, in his prime, could have beaten Shannon at 1 pocket? Or banks?

So shouldn't the BEST players be inducted before others who we may be very fond of but lack the credentials or major championships that others have won?

Take the MLB, for example. They vote on who had the BEST stats, who was the BEST player, who was most valuable to their teams, championships won, etc. Lots of very worthy players wait, some for many years, while younger but BETTER players are inducted ahead of them. Why should pool be any different?

Going on sentimentality, I would have Grady, Billy, Shannon, Schmidt, Hubert Cokes, Bennie Allen, Ervolino, DiLiberto, Chao, etc inducted into the BCA H.O.F. with the others who are already enshrined. And, truth be told, there are 3 players in the BCA H.O.F. that I personally believe DON'T belong there, as many have better credentials and have won more major championships.

Another great example....loook how long it took Earl Strickland and Allen Hopkins to be inducted. Earl, probably the greatest tournament 9 baller ever, was passed over for years before being inducted. Total 'politics" and totally unfair. He was the very best living player and he was passed over again and again.

My bottom line...Of all the top 1 pocket and bank pool players not yet inducted in those respective H.O.F.'s, who (living or dead) is the very best player not yet inducted? Shannon Daulton. To skip over him for a lesser player, no matter how much we enjoyed that player, is just plain unfair.

One more thing....Mike Carella, Tony Ellin, Louie Roberts, Harold Worst, Gary Spaeth, John "Rags" Fitzpatrick and several other noteworthy players died while pretty young. Who's to guarantee that all the great younger players will all live to their 60's or 70's or beyond?

Let's reward the BEST player available for these inductions. That's the very fairest way and best criteria for enshrinement.

I guess Johnny winning the Stardust One Pocket event TWICE ('71-'73) a decade + before I met him is very sentimental, . Do I think Johnny could have beaten Shannon both in their prime playing One Pocket? I think thats a question for someone over the age of 60 that saw both Johnny and Shannon in their prime and isnt "biased", either way !!

Regardless of my feelings towards Johnny...HE belongs in the HOF, period.

 

[Fast Lenny]

I guess Johnny winning the Stardust One Pocket event TWICE ('71-'73) a decade + before I met him is very sentimental, . Do I think Johnny could have beaten Shannon both in their prime playing One Pocket? I think thats a question for someone over the age of 60 that saw both Johnny and Shannon in their prime and isnt "biased", either way !!

Regardless of my feelings towards Johnny...HE belongs in the HOF, period.

I agree, Johnny certainly belongs in there, him and Dick have my votes for this coming 1 Pocket Hof! :thumbup:

 

[know it all]

Hof

Shannon should be in the one pocket HOF,and be in the beer drinkers HOF also,he should have been a rock starrrrrrrrrrrrr. Rich

 

[Terry Ardeno]

Don't you be rollin them eyes in that post!

I guess Johnny winning the Stardust One Pocket event TWICE ('71-'73) a decade + before I met him is very sentimental, . Do I think Johnny could have beaten Shannon both in their prime playing One Pocket? I think thats a question for someone over the age of 60 that saw both Johnny and Shannon in their prime and isnt "biased", either way !!

Regardless of my feelings towards Johnny...HE belongs in the HOF, period.

Listen my friend, you put a LOT of guilt on me in that post of yours! I had the distinct feeling that, had Johhnny still been alive and read my post, he would have uttered his time honored phrase..."That Ca&@ S#%&@$ don't know %$#@ about 1 pocket!"

But I'll see Johnny's 2 Stardust Championships and RAISE them by all Shannons wins! And it's NOT that I'm demeaning John's accomplishments or great, great talent one bit. It's just that in 1P, I think SD has just a wee bit more. Ervolino, as I said, destroys SD in 14.1. But Shannon has the edge in 1P. And banks also by the way.

I really liked Johnny, and, you're not a bad guy either D), so there's only one way to settle this....

Let's ask Jay Helfert! He seen 'em ALL play and both of us know that he calls it like he sees it.

Wait, Jay's still in the Philippines. He'll have to see this thread when he gets the time.

I got another idea!! Let's put the question up on a pole! Er, I mean "poll". AND, to keep it as honest as possible, I'll put it up over at 1P.org. There's a lot more 1P & bank specialists knowledge over there, as you know. Shannon is much more known here at AZB, and I don't want ANYBODY (*Insert rolling eyes here......)
thinking the playing field ain't a level one!

If you want me to put it up over at 1P.org, just say the word!

Just 3 more quickies...
1. Thanks for the good rep & nice comments you left me. I hope you saw the good rep comments I had also left you.

2. "Sentimentality" to me means we all hope and wish the best for our favorite players. I know how much you appreciated & liked Johnny. I read your posts at 1P.org. Same with my friend Lenny. He is close to Scott Frost and we both love San Jose Dick. Jay Helfet has always been high on Parica. I've like Shannon for years. So we're all affected in some way by are favorite champions.

3. Ain't THIS the funnest part of AZB? Debating as buddies as who's the best or most deserving? Great stuff!