Tony Watson Vs. Michael Coltrain

clint3612 said:
I might have guessed that, however, did they ever match up for the cash?
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I don't know, but Tony did play (and gamble with) just about everyone who could hold a cue. Somebody out there knows the answer to this.
 
Tony was one of my hero's for a long time. However, it's funny i never ever saw him play, just heard stories. He had a pretty big, but bad rep. in Dallas. He eventually had to leave town.
 
jay helfert said:
I don't know, but Tony did play (and gamble with) just about everyone who could hold a cue. Somebody out there knows the answer to this.
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CJ's apprx 10-12 yrs ago. Played HIGH but not long. The TRAIN was the little engine that could and played PERFECT.

Common sense dictates this wasn't the only time they played...
 
Tony was a good friend of mine. He played with us in Vegas a few times and i have watched him gamble quite a few times. I would have to say he was better then Michael. I watched Mike play a few times and i just always thought Tony played better. I saw Tony at the DCC but he was not in action. He didn't look very well either but he is going through a few things. I did all i could for him over the years. He was one that could play with the best at one time. I wish him the best
 
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clint3612 said:
Who played better? Did they ever match up in N. Carolina? Who had the higher gear?
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I never saw them play, but when Tony caught that elusive gear, he was awesome, capable of beating a LOT of people. Hasn't seemed too well since his divorce, maybe before.
 
coltrain beat tony multiple times......tony was nowhere near as solid of a player as the TRAIN.........
 
i strongly disagree that coltrain played better than tony. ive seen mike play really good back in the 90s when archer was living in raleigh but little t,s gear was much higher in my opinion. everyone knows if you saw tony get beat(as in "i saw mike beat tony several times" ) that doesn,t mean you were getting tonys best game if you know what i mean. if they were playing on their own money watson would get the cash. period.
 
I watched them play only once at 1 of the many opens i have gone to. this took place at th original Q-masters in Norfolk. Don't remember the street name. But anyway in the back room (that is what i called it) you had to step down a little and was even barely room to move in, Mike Coltrain beat Tony for $3,000.00 playing a race to 10 and Tony could not find a backer for the next set which i found very unusual. Anyway, that is the only time i ever saw them play.............mike
 
The Train & Tony Watson

clint3612 said:
Who played better? Did they ever match up in N. Carolina? Who had the higher gear?
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I got to play both of these guys once. I had Tony 4 to 1 in a race to 5 at Jay's bar table tournament back a few years ago and I was cutting the 8 ball and over cut it and blocked the pocket with the 8 ball. Had I made that ball Tony was out of the tournament. After missing the shot, Tony was able to pocket his balls near the 8 ball in different pockets and then ran 4 racks in a row to beat me. I did break twice after I missed but Tony ran out each time for I never made a ball on the break.

From what I learned about that match is, if you ever get a good lead on someone in 8 ball I would recommend never break the balls hard, break them soft and they cannot string racks on you as easy and get back into the race. At least then, you will get to play some and have a chance to win.

The night before I played Tony, I saw him play King Kong on a bar table like a race to 10 ahead for a $1,000. and Tony was down 2 games and Kong said lets bet another $1,000. and Tony said when I get even with you we can bet. Tony then went over to his girlfriend and I heard him say, "I can beat this guy" and he then proceeded to win 12 games in a row and won the $1,000. The bet never got raised but another guy Easy's son said he would take the bet of a $1,000. and take Kong, so he went to his bedroom to get the money at the Sands and by the time he got back Tony was at 10. Believe it or not, he lost $1,000. and never got to see his player shoot for him.

I also played the Train once, 8 ball in a race to 8. In the match I only won 1 game but had chances to win another 3 but I hooked myself and could not get out. So I lost 8 to 1 in the set.

Billy the Kid, (Billy Aguero) was watching the match for he had to play the winner. I left the tournament and went home but later I saw Billy and asked him how he did against the Train and he said he got beat 8 to 0. After I heard that I didn't feel so bad at my poor showing when I played the Train.

Both players play well but I believe the Train would take Tony for a long ride back then, but Tony may be the best player now.
 
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Yeah definitely tony plays better now because of the certain circumstances. I did see coltrain play busta once in a tournament in tulsa, he played fair, but he missed a easy 8 on the hill. busta won the next 3 games in a row. I've always heard about tony's "gear' but i've never witnessed it. I do remember when he lived in dallas. A young but slightly older pimple faced kid came through and bbq'd tony. Just totally dominated him. That kid turned out to be Danny Harriman. At that time Danny was beating just about everybody he played. No one really knew who he was, he just sneaked up on them.
 
i would have bet on tony, i saw him take out amar kang, tony chohan, danny basavich, alex P with the 7, and benny conway jr giving the 7 and the last 3. all these were in ahead sets. never saw coltrain play for the cash, only in tourneys, but in his defense he had a little shaking going on but it was long before he came out with his disorder
 
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