poolplayindad
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i know he likes to bet it up , from the greenville,sc days, but he was very young
Tony Watson road stories
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Saw him at age 16 playing Frank Tellis. Frank was playing some pro events at the time. Frank and tony race to 11 for 300. Well Frank beats Tony and they go to pay the pool time. Tony asks Frank if he could catch the pool time since he won.
Franks says "If your gonna play the road kid then youll have to learn to pay your own pooltime" and laughs...
Well Tony says well lets play another set for 500...Frank says sure...BIG MISTAKE FRANK..
Tony dusted him off the 1st set, then Frank says bet a thousand. Tony says sure..
Tony beats him another set...very easily i might add..Frank says bet another thousand!
Tony says sure...well needless to say Tony waxes old man Frank again..
So frank attempts to leave and the bartender said,"hey Frank, need some pooltime buddy"
Franks says huh and looks at tony...thats when tony says..."well old man if your gonna play the road then you got to learn how to pay your pooltime"
I thought Frank was gonna have a heart attack...
I'll never forget that...haaaahaha!!
Franks says "If your gonna play the road kid then youll have to learn to pay your own pooltime" and laughs...
Well Tony says well lets play another set for 500...Frank says sure...BIG MISTAKE FRANK..
Tony dusted him off the 1st set, then Frank says bet a thousand. Tony says sure..
Tony beats him another set...very easily i might add..Frank says bet another thousand!
Tony says sure...well needless to say Tony waxes old man Frank again..
So frank attempts to leave and the bartender said,"hey Frank, need some pooltime buddy"
Franks says huh and looks at tony...thats when tony says..."well old man if your gonna play the road then you got to learn how to pay your pooltime"
I thought Frank was gonna have a heart attack...
I'll never forget that...haaaahaha!!
Don't know him, heard many stories about him, but the only time I watched him play Watson played like an animal. Leaning over the table two stroking combo's with the balls 2 feet apart.
When he is on, he plays like a monster. Reminded me of Rafael Martinez...the balls WILL go in the hole, even if he only takes two seconds to shoot.
Whatever else might be said about him, there is no doubt he has a talent for the game that very few have.
When he is on, he plays like a monster. Reminded me of Rafael Martinez...the balls WILL go in the hole, even if he only takes two seconds to shoot.
Whatever else might be said about him, there is no doubt he has a talent for the game that very few have.
He's kin to Del Ballard the bowler. Is he kin to Earl Strickland ? Saw him as a young guy at CJ's in Dallas , Del Ballard with him . He was flashing his bankroll , played fast , real skinny then , bout 91.
What happened to Tony? Haven't seen or heard about him in years. I'm almost afraid to ask. 
I've known him since he was a little kid running around with old time hustlers. He was maybe 13 or 14 just learning how to play then. By age 16 he had become a player! Maybe he's in his late 30's now, I'm guessing.
I've known him since he was a little kid running around with old time hustlers. He was maybe 13 or 14 just learning how to play then. By age 16 he had become a player! Maybe he's in his late 30's now, I'm guessing.
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I saw him the first time in about '93. He showed up at a 25.00 dollar entry tournament in Jackson,Tn,and woofed at everyone in the building. You could tell he was already a phenom,but didn't win tournament due to playing too loose and trying to suck people in.
He did offer Ray Schultz,who was a touring pro at the time the 7 ball,but no game took place.
He is even more impressive than normal when his mixture is right AND freshly administered. Tommy D.
He did offer Ray Schultz,who was a touring pro at the time the 7 ball,but no game took place.
He is even more impressive than normal when his mixture is right AND freshly administered. Tommy D.
If it is the baby faced guy that I remember he was in So. Calif with Shannon and played and beat Keith while getting weight. The next night I heard Keith and I believe Hatch, woofing at the kid soooo hard to get a game and not give up the same weight. The kid sat through all of the woofing stoically and finally Keith gave up the same weight. Kid won both nights. Meanest woofing I have ever heard!
Tony is still playing and might I also add he's still playing real good and giving up the eightball or more quite often.--Leonard
I was fortunate to meet him many years ago at The Sands Regency Tournament in Reno. He was fresh from "the road" and had banked $57k along the way.
As mentioned earlier, he reminds me of Rafael Martinez also.
Great Player. Love to catch him in action again.
As mentioned earlier, he reminds me of Rafael Martinez also.
Great Player. Love to catch him in action again.
Watched him play Jimmy Reed in the early nineties. Tony won the toss and ran out the set for 6K and Jimmys cues. This was at the infamous Lucky Break in Greenville sc
What happened to Tony? Haven't seen or heard about him in years. I'm almost afraid to ask.
I've known him since he was a little kid running around with old time hustlers. He was maybe 13 or 14 just learning how to play then. By age 16 he had become a player! Maybe he's in his late 30's now, I'm guessing.
I heard he did some time but must have got out early from what I've heard recently.
I saw Tony and Alex woofing at each other at the Open in 2000 or 2001. Alex wound up giving Tony the 7 and the last three, if I remember right. Tony won two sets in about 20 minutes and that was the end of that. I don't remember the bet.
Tony is awesome beyond doubt when he's on, alright.
Tony Watson is a gentle soul. He's the epitome of sweet Southern charm when you hear him talk. I love his accent. 
In the early 2000s, Tony Watson traveled with a backer that had deep, deep pockets. He'd put Tony in the box with just about anybody, and at that time, Tony really could beat just about anybody on the face of the earth in an action game. His secret ingredient was that he had endurance, which brought him to the finish line. It was a beautiful marriage for a long while between Tony and his backer, Steve.
I was standing next to Tony and his lady at the Executive West in Louisville in 2004, I think it was, when Greg Sullivan informed him that he won the Louie Roberts A&E Award. Tony had been up all night long gambling and looked confused. He hadn't heard of that award before, so we explained to him the significance of it, and he was happy as a clam to have received this honor. :smile:
After the Derby City Classic one year, Tony and his backer went to the Music City Open which occurred the next week after the DCC. He came into the pool room boasting about wanting to play anybody in the joint, and they could stack it as high as the Georgia pine. His mistake, though, was that he pulled out two boodles of cash and flashed it for all to see, hoping to attract some high-stakes action.
Later that night at about 3 a.m., Tony and his backer went to Waffle House to get a bite to eat. They were followed. As soon as they stepped out of their car, a gun was pointed at their face, and they were robbed of all their cash. Rumor has it that it was about $40,000 and some change. :angry:
Playing pool on the road has many occupational hazards. Some players get over them and keep themselves intact, but others fall victim to these demons. Tony could outrun the nuts on a field of green, but he did suffer from substance abuse, and it did affect his life in some unpleasant ways. I heard that his backer and his lady ended up falling in love, leaving Tony alone with no backer and no lady. Things began to spiral downward for him at that time.
I haven't seen Tony in a long while, but I consider him a friend. I hope he has rid his life of those awful demons. He really is a sweet man. Some folks are late bloomers, and they're able to rise to the top, learning from their mistakes. I would like to think Tony is back on top again. I'd love to run into him someday again.
Tony and Keith are good friends. I snapped this photo at the U.S. Open in 2002. Tony was telling Keith about an action match he was trying to get down at Q-Masters later that evening. He's so comical to watch when he expresses his enthusiasm about action. :thumbup:
In the early 2000s, Tony Watson traveled with a backer that had deep, deep pockets. He'd put Tony in the box with just about anybody, and at that time, Tony really could beat just about anybody on the face of the earth in an action game. His secret ingredient was that he had endurance, which brought him to the finish line. It was a beautiful marriage for a long while between Tony and his backer, Steve.
I was standing next to Tony and his lady at the Executive West in Louisville in 2004, I think it was, when Greg Sullivan informed him that he won the Louie Roberts A&E Award. Tony had been up all night long gambling and looked confused. He hadn't heard of that award before, so we explained to him the significance of it, and he was happy as a clam to have received this honor. :smile:
After the Derby City Classic one year, Tony and his backer went to the Music City Open which occurred the next week after the DCC. He came into the pool room boasting about wanting to play anybody in the joint, and they could stack it as high as the Georgia pine. His mistake, though, was that he pulled out two boodles of cash and flashed it for all to see, hoping to attract some high-stakes action.
Later that night at about 3 a.m., Tony and his backer went to Waffle House to get a bite to eat. They were followed. As soon as they stepped out of their car, a gun was pointed at their face, and they were robbed of all their cash. Rumor has it that it was about $40,000 and some change. :angry:
Playing pool on the road has many occupational hazards. Some players get over them and keep themselves intact, but others fall victim to these demons. Tony could outrun the nuts on a field of green, but he did suffer from substance abuse, and it did affect his life in some unpleasant ways. I heard that his backer and his lady ended up falling in love, leaving Tony alone with no backer and no lady. Things began to spiral downward for him at that time.
I haven't seen Tony in a long while, but I consider him a friend. I hope he has rid his life of those awful demons. He really is a sweet man. Some folks are late bloomers, and they're able to rise to the top, learning from their mistakes. I would like to think Tony is back on top again. I'd love to run into him someday again.
Tony and Keith are good friends. I snapped this photo at the U.S. Open in 2002. Tony was telling Keith about an action match he was trying to get down at Q-Masters later that evening. He's so comical to watch when he expresses his enthusiasm about action. :thumbup:
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on a lighter note
I heard from 2 diff people that ran with Shrimpboat & 1st one said that they were in motel room together & when Tony came out shower...well as he put it...his junk looked like a baby's arm...another time he was in New Orleans for a extended stay & he was running with lil Sal & SAl told me he had hooked up with a girl he knew & Sal asked her...what u doing ? & she told him..I'm going get me sum mo...He hung like a brutha...lol:thumbup:
I heard from 2 diff people that ran with Shrimpboat & 1st one said that they were in motel room together & when Tony came out shower...well as he put it...his junk looked like a baby's arm...another time he was in New Orleans for a extended stay & he was running with lil Sal & SAl told me he had hooked up with a girl he knew & Sal asked her...what u doing ? & she told him..I'm going get me sum mo...He hung like a brutha...lol:thumbup:
I heard the same story from other sources. I was going to include that in my post, but I'm glad you did it instead of me. :embarrassed2:
Somebody posted on this forum that Tony would sometimes challenge people in the pool room, stating nobody could top him.
To date, I don't think anybody ever has. :yikes:
Here's Tony with his big stick [pun intended].
This was a brand-new Josey cue that was custom-made for him. :smile:
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![Tony%20Watson%20and%20Josey%20cue[1].JPG](/data/attachments/143/143462-487b7ea089739a843609adf5973f6e25.jpg?hash=SHt-oIlzmo)
Here's Tony with his big stick [pun intended].
This was a brand-new Josey cue that was custom-made for him. :smile:
Tony always had gamble...nobody can deny...I remember years back he came to a 2 day tourney here in Houma years back & he wound up winning tourney which i didn't mind..i had him in 1st calcutta & Gary Abood in both in which Tony won & Gary got 2nd...Tony went flat bust giving this guy from Lake Charles the 7 & Tony had to shoot behind his back...Same guy was drunk that Saturday & wanting to bet arm wrestling & I called my buddy Rj that is on the show swamp people..he couldn't make it that night but came the next day but guy wasn't drunk that Sunday & wasn't as eager to bet the next day...I tried stressing to RJ how important it was to come night before ...but he had family commitment for that night & couldn't make it...I was real deppressed cuz car lot owner was real drunk & ready to go off...lol
I've heard some funny ones about that. One said it looked like a baby arm holding a tennis ball. Another said they swore that thing had a ribcage. He's yanked it out a few times around town so to speak.
My first trip to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, I was enthralled with the behind-the-scene activities. The tournament itself was awesome, but it was the after-hours action at Q-Masters that seemed to be the big attraction for many a player.:smile:
In fact, every table was hopping in the back room. I had never seen anything like it. They had bleachers for railbirds like me to sit back and enjoy all the festivities. It was pool heaven for my sore eyes that hadn't seen this much action since the '70s.
Tony Watson was in the thick of it, and he had an entourage of side-betters wanting to get down on every single game he played. They knew that where Tony went, action was soon to follow.
The North Carolinian kid moseyed on up Keith McCready and began to bark. I was a little green at this time on handicapping. I wasn't used to people giving spots. Back in the day when we went on the road, everybody played Even Steven, so I didn't know about the little handicapping strategies and had to lean on my partner's wisdom in this regard. :embarrassed2:
Keith and Tony put on a show with their barkfest trying to match up, much to the delight of all those in attendance. The crowd drew near and seemed to hang on their every word. Finally, a game was agreed upon with Keith spotting Tony in 9-ball. But before they could begin to play, the side-betters started their barkfest establishing who was going to bet on who. Michael Coltrain, a well-known pool figure around these parts, bet a big chunkie on Tony. Shannon Daulton bet on Tony. In fact, the majority of the bets were in Tony's favor playing against Keith. At this point, I wasn't liking our end too much. :angry:
If only I had known then what I know now, I would have spoke up and stated no jumped balls allowed. Keith had no problem making the tough shots, and he ran out a few times as well. When he didn't have an out, he left Tony a tough shot. Well, Tony jumped balls like they had eyes, one after another after another. You couldn't give Tony a tough leave. The side-betters were licking their chops as Tony proceeded to shoot Keith full of holes like Swiss cheese. :blush:
When the dust settled, Tony made a nice score, as did those who bet on him. And as far as Keith? Well, it only hurt for a little bit. :kiss:
From Hickory, North Carolina, Tony's been playing pool since he was a kid. It's in his blood. In fact, North Carolina sure does produce some strong pool players. :wink2:
In fact, every table was hopping in the back room. I had never seen anything like it. They had bleachers for railbirds like me to sit back and enjoy all the festivities. It was pool heaven for my sore eyes that hadn't seen this much action since the '70s.
Tony Watson was in the thick of it, and he had an entourage of side-betters wanting to get down on every single game he played. They knew that where Tony went, action was soon to follow.
The North Carolinian kid moseyed on up Keith McCready and began to bark. I was a little green at this time on handicapping. I wasn't used to people giving spots. Back in the day when we went on the road, everybody played Even Steven, so I didn't know about the little handicapping strategies and had to lean on my partner's wisdom in this regard. :embarrassed2:
Keith and Tony put on a show with their barkfest trying to match up, much to the delight of all those in attendance. The crowd drew near and seemed to hang on their every word. Finally, a game was agreed upon with Keith spotting Tony in 9-ball. But before they could begin to play, the side-betters started their barkfest establishing who was going to bet on who. Michael Coltrain, a well-known pool figure around these parts, bet a big chunkie on Tony. Shannon Daulton bet on Tony. In fact, the majority of the bets were in Tony's favor playing against Keith. At this point, I wasn't liking our end too much. :angry:
If only I had known then what I know now, I would have spoke up and stated no jumped balls allowed. Keith had no problem making the tough shots, and he ran out a few times as well. When he didn't have an out, he left Tony a tough shot. Well, Tony jumped balls like they had eyes, one after another after another. You couldn't give Tony a tough leave. The side-betters were licking their chops as Tony proceeded to shoot Keith full of holes like Swiss cheese. :blush:
When the dust settled, Tony made a nice score, as did those who bet on him. And as far as Keith? Well, it only hurt for a little bit. :kiss:
From Hickory, North Carolina, Tony's been playing pool since he was a kid. It's in his blood. In fact, North Carolina sure does produce some strong pool players. :wink2:
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![tonywatson[1].JPG](/data/attachments/143/143463-55e455eaf526349bf57becae313f17fb.jpg?hash=VeRV6vUmNJ)
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