SJM Sizes Up 2021 in Pro Pool

[sjm]

Great write up, Stu as always. But, can we get a little something on our new Hall of Famer inductees Thorsten Hohmann and Kelly Fisher?

Yeah, the oversight is especially odd given that I spent some time with Thorsten yesterday. In case anyone cares, I wrote a lot about the Hall of Fame dinner and the inductees in my writeup on the International, but to summarize:

Kelly Fisher was inducted first and she related a story of which few were aware. Kelly had never aspired to a career in pro pool, but when the ladies snooker tour folded in the UK in 2003, she decided to follow in the footsteps of Allison Fisher and Karen Corr, both of whom came to America and learned American pool AFTER they arrived. Kelly, fittingly, joined Allison and Karen in the BCA Hall of Fame.

Thorsten Hohmann was the second inductee and he related that he'd spent a year in a mental hospital as a youth, and that it worked. He spoke of the rigors of his early days on tour in America, dwelling on the cheap hotels and the fairly tough lifestyle that came with following the tournament trail.

Both Kelly and Thorsten spoke of the bumps in the road along the way. It made their accomplishments in pool all the more impressive to the attendees, as well as more meaningful to them.

 

[pt109]

Pt, what are the chances you'd ever get a pro player to lug a heavy camera around for hours ))).

We needed more guys like you in the game, William.
There’s a lot of magic going on when a player spins and powers a shot...I’ve seen the arm and hand do some crazy things. I never knew how I did a power follow shot until a photographer caught it in one of those pics where you see more than one image. The loop opened right up and only the tip of my index finger was touching the cue.
At the end it closed up again and just looked like a normal loop bridge.

 

[pt109]

Stu....there’s a book in you.

 

[Cuebuddy]

Stu forgot one:

XI All Around Good Egg of the Year

Clearly this goes to SJM!!

Stu....there’s a book in you.

I agree, and there is a book in you also.

Cuebuddy>>> does not read much, makes exceptions

 

[sjm]

Wow, that’s an impressive post. If there’s anyone as knowledgeable or more knowledgeable about what’s going on in professional pool, I would be shocked!

Thanks, Chris, for your kind words.

 

[jay helfert]

When I was a kid, you could always tell which side of the border an NHL game was being played on...
...the American camera work was much superior.
I feel pool camera work tends to be at the old Canuck level....we need cameramen that can play.
I’d like to see more action shots of the players...with a little stroke analysis....like golf.

Even more important is a director who understands the game. He is the one who directs the cameramen and choses what camera is live.

 

[jay helfert]

Pt, what are the chances you'd ever get a pro player to lug a heavy camera around for hours ))).

It would definitely be a raise in pay, at 500-750 a day!

 

[sjm]

Stu....there’s a book in you.

LOL, but thanks for the thought.

 

[The_JV]

When I was a kid, you could always tell which side of the border an NHL game was being played on...
...the American camera work was much superior.
I feel pool camera work tends to be at the old Canuck level....we need cameramen that can play.
I’d like to see more action shots of the players...with a little stroke analysis....like golf.

ya... you had that ridiculous blue/red streaks so the viewers of that superior camera work could see where the puck was...lol

 

[sjm]

Cuebuddy>>> does not read much, makes exceptions

If an occasional reader chooses to read my stuff, I guess I should be flattered. Thanks.

 

[Island Drive]

Won't hurt....