the slip stroke

billiard man

New member
I have shot billiards since I was 10 year old. I bought my first table 4ft 6inch by 8ft 6 inch brunswich from vandergrift motorcycle club. I kept it outside and everyone helped keep it in shape .This is when I meet Louis A. Kristich, the western P.A . undisputed Billiards Champion who went by name of { Hogan }in 1962 Hogan introduced me to the so call [Slip Stroke} which he copied from the world champ { Willie Mosconi } I had the privelage to meet Mosconi in an exabition game with Hogan in Pittsburge P.A. around 1966 I was 17. I'am very proud that I was shooting with the Slip Stroke.
when talking to the world champ after knowing he also used the slp stroke .My cousins boy was 6years old and got to shoot for Mosconi and I also shot on the same table with Mosconi .I have never went back to straight shot .I now shoot with out even realizing I'am using the Slip Stroke .I've been in the APA.BCA.and Valley League.Alot of players have been amazed at how I shoot using the Slip Stroke I'am 62 and last taked with Hogan in 1993- 4months before he died .He was on vacation with Mosconi in Lase Vages.Hogan kept the Title as Undisputed western P.A Champ He used a Palmer que wich I could have bought from his wife But told her to keep it it was more valuable that what she was asking so she give to her daughter. God Rest and Bless my Friend Lou Hogan.
 
What exactly is the slip stroke? Is there a video out there on youtube a person can watch? Thanks for any info
 
Lot of us older players use it. Back in the day many Champions did...Tom

Some would argue , Willie didn't have it .
But, he sure looked like he held the cue in the middle of the wrap in his practice stroke then slipped down in the final stroke.
 
Cisero Murphy watch his stroke. He was the master.I actually started playing pool again and in the begining I started to slip stroke like i did 25 yrs ago. I feel I lose alittle control so I went back to a regular right hand grip once i found the right place to put my right hand.
 
Hey welcome aboard and nice post there...hey rocky you could ask BlackJack about the slip stroke,as he as taught by Cisero Murphy.
 
Some would argue , Willie didn't have it .
But, he sure looked like he held the cue in the middle of the wrap in his practice stroke then slipped down in the final stroke.

I didn't say that Willie had it Joey. I said many Champions did. Just to name two: Cowboy Jimmie Moore and Cornbread Red. Believe me, in the 60s and 70s it was as common as dirt.

I hear nice things about your cues from Juhn Joey. Is the list getting long ? Is there anywhere I can see some of them ?
 
I believe Mosconi did use a slip stroke. I saw him play a few times, but I was too much a neophyte to notice if he actually did.

I used to play often with Johnny Ervolino. Johnny definitely used a slip stroke and I think somewhere I heard he either learned it from Mosconi or imitated him. Wherever it came from, Johnny was an incredible shotmaker with Zen-like cueball control. Awesome player, even when I knew him, in his late 50's.

Of the modern players, the only one I know of who consistently uses a slip stroke is Larry Nevel. I believe Larry is the most talented player I've ever seen. The power and control Larry achieves with his slip stroke is jawdropping.
 
What exactly is the slip stroke? Is there a video out there on youtube a person can watch? Thanks for any info

Best as I can explain it, while in your stance and holding the cue at about mid wrap or even up closer toward the shaft, on your last pause at the cue ball, you very loosely slide or slip your butt hand backward toward the end of your stick while not moving your stick backward.

In other words the cue tip stays at the CB while your hand slides backward to the end of the butt, then regains a slightly tighter grip on the cue and on your forward stroke you go through the cue ball. :scratchhead:

I read it and I don't know if I explained it well. :shrug:
 
Wayne Norcross running balls

Go to google videos and look up "Wayne Norcross running balls" that is a great example. I would not advise learning this on your own but having an Old timer explain and help you with it.
 
Mosconi didn't use it in his later years. Moore did. Why keep or do a method that has been dead since the 60's. 99% of the pros dont use it.

I always thought is did not make sense. In golf, you never regrip the club, so I think that should be the same in pool. It's main advantage is you are holding the cue light, throwing it at the cue ball. You can do the same thing by just learning to hold super light and maintain more control.
 
Go to google videos and look up "Wayne Norcross running balls" that is a great example. I would not advise learning this on your own but having an Old timer explain and help you with it.

WARNING, THIS VIDEO WILL MAKE YOU SEASICK:grin:
 
Another example of a great player with a slip stroke. Google Pat Howey. There is a video of him at the DCC playing 14.1. Sadly, Pat passed away the same year as the video. One of the barely recognized greats of the game of pool.

Lyn
 
Yeah, that was my first time recording anything. I was trying to run around the table to get a look at his stroking arm.

Did you catch my little joke with him? He was talking to whitey to keep him from scratching, then said, "that camera doesn't have sound on it does it?"

I told him not to worry, I would bleep out all the cuss words. :)
 
Another example of a great player with a slip stroke. Google Pat Howey. There is a video of him at the DCC playing 14.1. Sadly, Pat passed away the same year as the video. One of the barely recognized greats of the game of pool.

Lyn

Here is some video of Pat Howey - he was the smoothest of the smooth.

Pat Howey 2008 DCC

Hey welcome aboard and nice post there...hey rocky you could ask BlackJack about the slip stroke,as he as taught by Cisero Murphy.

Ben,
A slip stroke cannot be taught. It is something that is natural. Its one of those things that can't be copied. You either have it or you don't. Most of what I have learned about pool has been from Cisero Murphy and Cowboy Jimmy Moore - both had very defined slip strokes, but different deliveries. That being said, I would kill to have a silky smooth stroke like Pat Howey had.
 
a heck of a tool

The slip stroke was one more tool in the arsenal of some of the old time pool players. For some it was their primary tool but I can't think of any of them that didn't use the best stroke style for the shot when they needed to swap styles.

The first and foremost reason for using the slip stroke is that it works. Using every other stroke other than actually throwing the cue, we practice stroke using a certain range of motion and then we extend outside that range for the actual shot. It is very possible to never change that range of motion using a slip stroke. That is a huge advantage all by itself. I have worked with the slipstroke some, I will work with it more but it works best with a wrapped cue and my favorite isn't wrapped.

A local shortstop passed by while I was playing with the slipstroke and was amazed at how easy it was to pocket table length shots with the cue ball a few inches from the end rail when he tried the slip stroke.

There are two reasons to learn a slip stroke; one it is a beautiful art, two sometimes it is the best tool for the job.

Hu
 
NineballBEN, a slip stroke can be taught, it was taught to Cornbread Red by C.P. Bruce when Red was around 11 or 12 years old and he used it until the day he died. The slip stroke is a dead art but yet still effective. I have a friend from New York that I took lessons from that has been shooting with a slip stroke since I met him and it is a thing of beauty to watch (while he is doing surgery on me) but hard to master on your own.

Luke Sky Walker was a Master JEDI Knight but he did not get there by himself.

Great Post.
 
Luke Sky Walker was a Master JEDI Knight but he did not get there by himself.

:thumbup: Good one,you caught me off gaurd with that one..:rotflmao:

Heck Dave,I'd kill to my game half as good as yours brother,using a slip stroke,breaststoke,or backstroke...:D
 
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