Steve "The Miz" Mizerak Truly Inspired My Life - Who Has Influenced Yours?

CJ Wiley

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
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It's amazing to look back on our life and see the positive and negative reinforcements that shaped the future. We all have those types of people that are at the right place at the right time and seem to say "just what we need to hear" to accomplish our greatest goals.

Who made a positive influence on your life that you'd like to recognize? (Please Keep it Positive Folks) :D

My high school principal took me in his office to scold me about my future one day and the conversation went something like this:

Principal - "CJ, you're not taking school serious and now you're off the basketball team, what are you going to do with your life?"

"I'm going to be a professional pool player and beat Steve Mizerak some day"

"that's ridiculous, what if you get an eye put out?"

"what if YOU get an eye put out?.....besides, I gotta spare"

"get out of here and go back to your teacher"

"I thought you'd never ask"

The Game IS my Teacher ;)
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The picture below is being signed for me by my child hood hero Steve "The Miz" Mizerak - he was an inspiration to me and many players through the years.
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The ironic thing is I was kicked off the basketball team for going to see Steve Mizerak do an exhibition in Quincy Illinois .....what the Coach took me in the office to "kick me" for missing a game and a practice I told him "I'm never going to be an NBA basketball players, but one day I will be a professional pool player!" ---- now, over 30 years later I look back and in 1992 the Legendary Steve "The Miz" and I had the best selling video of the year of a match in Reno NV that came down to the last game (I was fortunate to win 11/10 in that epic match, it's on Accu Stats with Buddy Hall, Billy Incardone and the late Dave Bollman doing commentary).........the next ironic thing is STEVE MIZERAK JR.("MIZ"s son) "liked" this post earlier on Face Book. Thanks, Steve, your father was an inspiration to me and many other players, he will always be known as a Legend among legends in my heart and mind.
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CLICK PICURE TO SEE THE MIZ "JUST SHOWIN OFF"
 
CJ Wiley said:
It's amazing to look back on our life and see the positive and negative reinforcements that shaped the future. We all have those types of people that are at the right place at the right time and seem to say "just what we need to hear" to accomplish our greatest goals.

Who made a positive influence on your life that you'd like to recognize? (Please Keep it Positive Folks) :D






CLICK PICURE TO SEE THE MIZ "JUST SHOWIN OFF"
Click to expand...
It ws about 1971-72 abd I was barely 21 years old and living in little magnolia Arkansas, I was aching, burning to be a big time pool player and not even very good.
I got up one day to open the Shreveport TimesP The largest paper near the rural area) to see an artivle about Ceci9 Buddy Hal and was hynotzed. IT repeted he hug out and played at Guys& Dikks ub Shreveport and I knew where I was going that weekend.
A friend and I drove down that Friday night and he was nowhere to be found, but we heard of a match he had on Sunday. So we stayed and got there Sunday morning to finid he was palying St Louis Louie Roberts who I had never heard of.
tHEY PLAYED IN A LITTLE SIDE ROOM WHER lOUIE WAS GETTING THE CALL7 AD 8 AHEAD SETS FOR $2500. i WAS IN HEAVEN AND SAT AND WATCHED bUDDY WIN FOUR SETS IN ABOUT 26 HOURS lOUIE WAS SO COLPORFULand falbotant wile Buddy was intense ad methodical. BUddy ended up winning four sets and I had a new hero. I wanted to do everything like Buddy Hall.
We drove back to Arkansas and the next weekend returned to Shreveport where I was going to get lessons from Buddy.
I found him and went up and begged him for lessons and he took me to a table and said,"Let's see what we got here"?
I hit a few balls and he said,"Stop"1
He then told me to return home ad not hit a ball for one week and come back the next weekend. IT was the longest week of my life.
We returned the following weekend ad went to the pool room shere I found him and went up saying I was ready to go.
He looked at me rather confused and then rememberd and said"Oh yeah kid"
I havent hit a ball all week like you said, and I am ready to go"!
"Okay now what I want you to do is quit" He said.
Crushed, I said" Do what"?
"Quit, you have no talent for the game" He said
He turned and walked away and I wanted to jump of the top of that tall building.
I often feel it was good advice.
 
ironman said:
It ws about 1971-72 abd I was barely 21 years old and living in little magnolia Arkansas, I was aching, burning to be a big time pool player and not even very good.
I got up one day to open the Shreveport TimesP The largest paper near the rural area) to see an artivle about Ceci9 Buddy Hal and was hynotzed. IT repeted he hug out and played at Guys& Dikks ub Shreveport and I knew where I was going that weekend.
A friend and I drove down that Friday night and he was nowhere to be found, but we heard of a match he had on Sunday. So we stayed and got there Sunday morning to finid he was palying St Louis Louie Roberts who I had never heard of.
tHEY PLAYED IN A LITTLE SIDE ROOM WHER lOUIE WAS GETTING THE CALL7 AD 8 AHEAD SETS FOR $2500. i WAS IN HEAVEN AND SAT AND WATCHED bUDDY WIN FOUR SETS IN ABOUT 26 HOURS lOUIE WAS SO COLPORFULand falbotant wile Buddy was intense ad methodical. BUddy ended up winning four sets and I had a new hero. I wanted to do everything like Buddy Hall.
We drove back to Arkansas and the next weekend returned to Shreveport where I was going to get lessons from Buddy.
I found him and went up and begged him for lessons and he took me to a table and said,"Let's see what we got here"?
I hit a few balls and he said,"Stop"1
He then told me to return home ad not hit a ball for one week and come back the next weekend. IT was the longest week of my life.
We returned the following weekend ad went to the pool room shere I found him and went up saying I was ready to go.
He looked at me rather confused and then rememberd and said"Oh yeah kid"
I havent hit a ball all week like you said, and I am ready to go"!
"Okay now what I want you to do is quit" He said.
Crushed, I said" Do what"?
"Quit, you have no talent for the game" He said
He turned and walked away and I wanted to jump of the top of that tall building.
I often feel it was good advice.
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Your story did not end as I expected. :eek:

My teenage fish lips got hooked after watching Hopkins roast The Miz in a South Philly hall in'74.
 
Recently, two people really have made me get excited about playing pool. Most recently, you sent me a care package to help jump start my game, get me started off with a solid foundation. The DVDs will be a great help to me and I am anxious to work on the things in them. A few months back, Jeremy Jones was in the main bar I shoot pool in and someone asked him to play a few games. He was splitting quarters with us, taking pictures, showing us a few pointers, just being a true gentleman and representative of the game.
 
CJ Wiley said:
It's amazing to look back on our life and see the positive and negative reinforcements that shaped the future. We all have those types of people that are at the right place at the right time and seem to say "just what we need to hear" to accomplish our greatest goals.

Who made a positive influence on your life that you'd like to recognize? (Please Keep it Positive Folks) :D






CLICK PICURE TO SEE THE MIZ "JUST SHOWIN OFF"
Click to expand...


Mizerak autographed a picture of himself signing autographs? Now, that's classic!
 
Steve had a dry sense of humor, almost British-like. I met him a few times, and I could ascertain after several minutes of conversation that he was extremely intelligent. His sense of humor, though, was a wee bit dry. For some, it was hard to know whether he was serious or just kidding. ;)
 
Two guys who had a very positive influence on me were Jack Colavita and Irving Crane, both of them gone but not forgotten.

Jack Colavita

As a teen, I would play straight pool with Jack Colavita from time to time. We bet so low (split the table time, $5 per race to 125, I got 85 on the wire) that the game was light and social and Jack was happy to offer comments on my play and some free instruction. Jack Colavita taught me a lot about self-presentation. Jack always dressed nicely when he played pool. As a professional, he viewed the poolroom as one of his places of business and he viewed dressing presentably as a way of showing respect for his opponents and the game. I met Jack in 1974 and in the forty years hence I haven't gone into a poolroom dressed sloppily.

Jack also taught me not to blow off my misses. If I dared, after a bad miss, to say to Jack "I shouldn't have missed that," he often responded with "you should if you hit it THAT bad." At first, this bothered me, but I came to realize that I needed to hold myself more accountable for my mistakes. This helped me both at and away from the table.

Irving Crane

I saw Irving Crane play a few times when I was very young and actually got to meet him briefly. When he unexpectedly showed up at the 1978 ACUI 14.1 Championships, inn which I competed, I told him I was that little kid who used to watch him and, to my amazement, he remembered me and we developed a friendship. What had changed was that in 1978 I was an Ivy League student and he was pleased to learn that I was prioritizing my education over playing pool. Although I didn't have nearly the skills to even consider pool as a profession, I took his words of wisdom about keeping my priorities in order to heart.

In 1987, I decided that the life of going to the poolroom every night after work wasn't allowing me to focus properly on my career in corporate finance and was holding me back in my personal life. I was losing my sense of priority and I knew it. Irving wouldn't have liked that, and I knew it. He would, however, have liked the fact that I took nearly seven years off from the game to focus on my personal and professional life. My personal life developed well and my career took off, and in 1994 I came back to the game, recognizing that playing pool would never be the focus of my life. None of my love for the game was gone, but knowing that the other parts of my life were stable helped me to enjoy pool even more than I had previously.

To sum, both Jack and Irving helped me learn how to keep things in a proper perspective.
 
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.the Game opened up a lot of doors that would have never opened......and such is life

eprince said:
Recently, two people really have made me get excited about playing pool. Most recently, you sent me a care package to help jump start my game, get me started off with a solid foundation. The DVDs will be a great help to me and I am anxious to work on the things in them. A few months back, Jeremy Jones was in the main bar I shoot pool in and someone asked him to play a few games. He was splitting quarters with us, taking pictures, showing us a few pointers, just being a true gentleman and representative of the game.
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No matter what anyone tells you, don't ever give up on your dreams, my friend. I posted this Steve Mizerak story on Face Book and many people commented on what happened to me in my home town. (Here's a Link that tells more about my early career)

NO ONE wanted me to play pool and quit baseball and basketball. The sports people around there were determined to see me pitch in the "majors," but that's not what I wanted to do......I wanted to be a professional pool player, and I obviously made the right decision (for me)....the Game opened up a lot of doors that would have never opened......and such is life.

'The Game is the Teacher'
 
..those were the "Golden Years" and I'm so fortunate to get to see all these players

JAM said:
Steve had a dry sense of humor, almost British-like. I met him a few times, and I could ascertain after several minutes of conversation that he was extremely intelligent. His sense of humor, though, was a wee bit dry. For some, it was hard to know whether he was serious or just kidding. ;)
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You're right, Steve had the "prankster" side to him, it did surprise me a few times.

It's a strange experience going from seeing someone as an icon to having to play them in a tournament, or for money. Keith McCready was the same way with me, the first time I saw Keith was in Clinton Iowa and it was like being in a movie.

There in Clinton at a bar table tournament was Rempe, Sigel, Louie Roberts, Jimmy Reid, Keith McCready, Omaha John, Dallas West, Ray Martin, Mizerak, Hall, Billy Johnson (Wade Crane), Matlock, Bushwhacker, Strickland, on and on and on.......those were the "Golden Years" and I'm so fortunate to get to see all these legendary players in one room.
 
Wade (Billy Johnson) Crane--he worked with me and we sparred and ran with him--he helped me hone my game into something I was proud of back in the day. He and a couple of others were upset with me leaving the scene,,but that was the choice I Made..One of the greatest compliments I ever got,,last time I saw Billy,,he told me I would have made my mark,,I thanked him for that,,but I have a family,, and in my own way I did. 3 years have gone by now--still get the feeling he's gonna call up and put the bite on me--LOL:smile:
 
I remember being given a box of video tapes back in the 90's (I ran a TV/VCR repair shop at the time). In this box was an instructional video by 'The Miz'. I wore that cassette out playing it and studying it...over and over and over again... I don't learn well from videos or watching it on TV, but with the detailed instruction, I did learn a few tricks.

FWIW while on the subject of The Miz, I beat a guy out a Steve Mizerak cue at a pool hall when I was 19 or so. I still have it to this day, I'm 40 now. It is in the case with my GC5 in my signature image. It was my favorite cue until my wife bought me my new one this past Christmas.
 
the miz

You where quite impressionable at 16 CJ.I was fortunate enough to have had the Mizz going to ST.Ambrose university in Davenport Ia. 30 miles south . He often played at the Buckhorn . own by John S. who was from N.J. The Bar rag shootout and all of those champions ,road players,and guys like Jay Helfert who brought Keith (who along with Louie created 24 hr action)and gave me alot of help .Pat Flemming just starting accustats.Dallas 1.000 match against Omaha John. Buddy 1.000 against Allen Hopkins. Really its the challenge of yourself that iswhats alluring .Dan Gable says look into a mirror and say i tried my best. You cant lie to yourself.There is only 100%you will never get there but85-90 will probably be pretty good.the road there is work but fun.great pool still excites this oldtimer.
 
JAM said:
Steve had a dry sense of humor, almost British-like. I met him a few times, and I could ascertain after several minutes of conversation that he was extremely intelligent. His sense of humor, though, was a wee bit dry. For some, it was hard to know whether he was serious or just kidding. ;)
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Think Steve had a Polish sense of humor , it just translated dry in to English .
 
Luther Lassiter - I was fortunate to see an exhibition between Lassiter and Eddie Taylor in 1967 at Oxon Hill High School, Oxon Hill, Maryland, when I was 12. Lassiter and Taylor played straight pool, and Bill (Weenie Beenie) Staton did some trick shots. The event was organized by pool enthusiast Red Jones. Lassiter's shotmaking was incredible, and Taylor played well too. I wonder if anyone else here had the pleasure of seeing that exhibition.
 
As far as my current occupation goes I would have to say, seeing Leonard Bludworth working on cues at those pro tournaments in the 80's and seeing how easy he made repairing cues look really inspired me. I had been replacing tips by hand for years, but when I saw him doing it on a lathe and how nice the job was, the bug bit me. Others had a lot of influence through the years also, but Leonard gets the credit for getting a lot of us interested in repairing cues.

As far as making me understand my childhood aspirations to be a professional pool player were probably not going to happen. I will give Railroad John Williams credit for that. I entered a pro qualifier when I was in my mid 20's and drew Railroad John first round. His stroke was so smooth and he trounced me real good. Once I realized he was a good bit under the top pro's I knew I would probably never have that much game. I later went on and played in many open events and got in the bottom of the money in some, and beat a few pro's along the way. But seeing how smooth his stroke was and how well he moved the cue ball, I just did not have the confidence I would ever be that good. But it was also Railroad John who got me to come set up at my first pro tournament to repair cues. So he unintentionally made me aware that I could not make a living at playing pool and helped open the door for something I could make a living at and still be involved in pool.
 
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the passion changes over the years, but it can never be removed.

Rico said:
You where quite impressionable at 16 CJ.I was fortunate enough to have had the Mizz going to ST.Ambrose university in Davenport Ia. 30 miles south . He often played at the Buckhorn . own by John S. who was from N.J. The Bar rag shootout and all of those champions ,road players,and guys like Jay Helfert who brought Keith (who along with Louie created 24 hr action)and gave me alot of help .Pat Flemming just starting accustats.Dallas 1.000 match against Omaha John. Buddy 1.000 against Allen Hopkins. Really its the challenge of yourself that iswhats alluring .Dan Gable says look into a mirror and say i tried my best. You cant lie to yourself.There is only 100%you will never get there but85-90 will probably be pretty good.the road there is work but fun.great pool still excites this oldtimer.
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Are you talking about the Clinton Iowa tournaments? That's when I first started running around with Omaha John and Dallas West ran the "9 and Out" before playing Buddy.

Yes, the passion changes over the years, but it can never be removed. I don't regret anything I've ever done for the Game of pocket billiards. I just don't want to die thinking I could have done more.......and didn't try. 'The Game is the Teacher'
 
Wade Crane was a master of practical wisdom

Billy Johnson aka Wade Crane was another positive influence on my life and pool game.

Wade was a powerful man and though all the years of knowing him I never saw him show any weakness. We spend many hours together when he was living in Dallas and he was a regular presence at CJ's Billiard Palace.

I'm sure he made an impression on many other players/people through the years. I miss Wade and there's seldom a week that goes by that I don't remember something he said .....he was a master of practical wisdom.

RIP Wade, you are gone, and not forgotten Bud.

542413_502073203152054_1969833971_n.jpg
 
I never saw him lose his composure

Jimmy Rempe is another player that was a positive influence on many of us players. He dressed and acted like a champion ALL the time. I never saw him lose his composure and rarely didn't see him in a suit and tie.

I hope he's doing well, we always enjoyed having his presence at tournaments.

14365_101689996523712_5032169_n.jpg
 
Stu...What an inspiring story! Thanks for sharing it! Jack White felt the same way as Jack C, and was quite vocal about the "dressing up" part. I've been fortunate to have many mentors who influenced my "pool life", starting with Jack, who started me playing pool in 1971, after seeing him in an exhibition at my college (little did I know that 25 years later I would take over his tour! :eek:). Also, my first real teacher, Frank Oliva gave me a love of teaching, and a sincere respect for the game. Along the way, I got very close to Jerry Briesath and Bill Marshall (Willie Jopling), who became one of my best friends (I treasured my friendship with him, and miss him dearly still). Becoming a compatriot with Randyg was a crowning touch for me, and the last 15 years have seen me grow as a teacher, where Jerry mentioned me, along with Mark Wilson and Randy as someone anyone can learn from...high praise indeed, from the master himself! If I can help influence anyone the way these men have influenced me, I will consider myself successful! Love the game!

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

sjm said:
Two guys who had a very positive influence on me were Jack Colavita and Irving Crane, both of them gone but not forgotten.

Jack Colavita

As a teen, I would play straight pool with Jack Colavita from time to time. We bet so low (split the table time, $5 per race to 125, I got 85 on the wire) that the game was light and social and Jack was happy to offer comments on my play and some free instruction. Jack Colavita taught me a lot about self-presentation. Jack always dressed nicely when he played pool. As a professional, he viewed the poolroom as one of his places of business and he viewed dressing presentably as a way of showing respect for his opponents and the game. I met Jack in 1974 and in the forty years hence I haven't gone into a poolroom dressed sloppily.

Jack also taught me not to blow off my misses. If I dared, after a bad miss, to say to Jack "I shouldn't have missed that," he often responded with "you should if you hit it THAT bad." At first, this bothered me, but I came to realize that I needed to hold myself more accountable for my mistakes. This helped me both at and away from the table.

Irving Crane

I saw Irving Crane play a few times when I was very young and actually got to meet him briefly. When he unexpectedly showed up at the 1978 ACUI 14.1 Championships, inn which I competed, I told him I was that little kid who used to watch him and, to my amazement, he remembered me and we developed a friendship. What had changed was that in 1978 I was an Ivy League student and he was pleased to learn that I was prioritizing my education over playing pool. Although I didn't have nearly the skills to even consider pool as a profession, I took his words of wisdom about keeping my priorities in order to heart.

In 1987, I decided that the life of going to the poolroom every night after work wasn't allowing me to focus properly on my career in corporate finance and was holding me back in my personal life. I was losing my sense of priority and I knew it. Irving wouldn't have liked that, and I knew it. He would, however, have liked the fact that I took nearly seven years off from the game to focus on my personal and professional life. My personal life developed well and my career took off, and in 1994 I came back to the game, recognizing that playing pool would never be the focus of my life. None of my love for the game was gone, but knowing that the other parts of my life were stable helped me to enjoy pool even more than I had previously.

To sum, both Jack and Irving helped me learn how to keep things in a proper perspective.
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