The day the Bar was Raised for Shooting Pool...

[Agent 99]

Happens occasionally in all sports ... When the four minute mile was broken, when Jack Nicklaus won all those Majors, when the Babe started hitting more home runs in a season than power hitters of the day hit in a career.

Those sports were never the same again. A new standard of excellence was demonstrated, that in time, changed the way their perspective games were played.

In 1983 there was a little known, outside of the pool world, kid playing out of Houston Texas named Earl Strickland. They called him 'Little Earl.'

In the biggest tournament he ever entered, I believe his second tournament ever, He winds up in the finals against Steve Mizerak ... You know, as in 'No Body beats the Miz.'

When 'Little Earl' was done he not only beat the Miz, he completely destroyed him.

Spectators saw shots they never saw before. And the game of pool was never the same.

Here is a link to the first of five parts that cover the entire match.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8vzkWtdP8g

 

[ADAM HENSON]

Thanks for the vid..

 

[Solomon]

Great find. Thanks for sharing. I don't know if I'd consider this Pool's 4 minute mile however. I'd say that Earl winning Busch's Million Dollar Challenge by running ten consecutive 9 ball racks is more along the lines of Pool's 4 minute mile.

 

[pocket]

ty for the link

That cloth color - oy!

 

[BRussell]

ty for the link

That cloth color - oy!

And what's that square in the middle of the table?

 

[AtLarge]

And what's that square in the middle of the table?

It says "Corner Pocket" below a rack. One of the sponsors was Corner Pockets of America, and they also had a banner ad at the head end of the table.

 

[BeiberLvr]

If it weren't for the Filipino Invasion, the majority of players would still be kicking at balls as hard they can.

I'd say that's a pretty big game changer.

 

[trinacria]

ive seen this 10 times, i asked earl if he remembered the match, he said like it was yesterday, he said he couldn't miss if he tried that day, I believed him. the final rack is something else.

 

[Ty-Tanic]

Wow what a great game. Just got done watching it. Thanks for the link.

 

[buckshotshoey]

Pretty good match. Not sure the Miz took him seriously enough. Bet be didn't make the same mistake again.

 

[Dead Money]

Cool video. Makes me miss the old days when they had those kind of broadcasts on ESPN pretty regularly

 

[Charlie Hustle]

The real question is what did he do with the Isuzu Impulse?

 

[Colonel]

The real question is what did he do with the Isuzu Impule?

Read my mind

 

[oldplayer]

thanks for the post, what I did learn was the fact that the 1st tourney win for earl was in ohio in 1982! 42 years ago folks! how's he shootem now?

 

[trinacria]

thanks for the post, what I did learn was the fact that the 1st tourney win for earl was in ohio in 1982! 42 years ago folks! how's he shootem now?

32 years ago, your math is off :thumbup:

 

[Mkbtank]

Thanks for this. Watched the whole match.

Best announcers line (when referring to Earl running out like a freight train)....... "For the folks at home.......it's NOT this easy". Lol.

 

[BRussell]

It says "Corner Pocket" below a rack. One of the sponsors was Corner Pockets of America, and they also had a banner ad at the head end of the table.

I assume it's cloth, but it sure doesn't look like it.

 

[Dead Money]

The real question is what did he do with the Isuzu Impulse?

He probably got stranded in it trying to drive it to the next tournament