Top 10 sweetest strokes of all time

Sorry if this is a repeat - I didn't read all the posts....

Cliff Joiner belongs on the list....watching his stroke, and delicate touch, when he is playing One Pocket is a beautiful thing.


-Ghost
 
Bustie No dout has a monster game but his stroke ? I feel is among the ugliest looking ones, But it is effective for him its no where close to text book its not at smooth as Dallas West Buddy Hall.
 
The only game I really enjoy watching for any appreciable length of time is straight pool. And IMHO there is nothing quite like watching Mizerak play that game.

Just the other day I gathered up all the 14.1 tapes I had with him playing and I sat there watching pure poetry in motion. I'm not ashamed to say tears came to my eyes realizing what a tremendous loss to this game his passing was.
 
I've seen some great strokes, but in my opinion, if you were going to choose one in particular, it would be Jim Rempe. That stroke is as close to perfection as I have ever seen.
 
SlickRick_PCS said:
Women:
1) Jean Balukas/Jasmin Ouschan
2) Allison Fischer
3) Jeanette Lee
4) Ewa Mataya Laurence
5) Anna Kostanian

Men:
1) Buddy Hall
2) Larry Nevel
3) Thorsten Hohmann/Niels Feijen (tied)
4) Shane Van Boening
5) Efren Reyes
6) Earl Strickland
7) Rafael Martinez
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i've heard a lot of good things about how anna kostanian plays. anyone know where i can find a video?
 
poolplayer2093 said:
I'm really surprised to see Keith McCready's name on this list.

i'd vote for jeremy jones corey duel and SVB
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Keith could make the cue ball move in ways that I had never believed possible. It may not look pretty, but it was accurate, flawless and effective. Just ask anybody that sat in the chair and became a victim of that stroke. It was a nightmare!
 
I like earl's for the supreme confidence of it. It's not just the stroke itself, which is smooth. It's the one-two-swing sequence that makes it nice to watch. He never looks like he could miss a ball even when he does.

Efren's rollercoaster motion during his practice swings is hypnotic, even if violates some pool textbooks. It's the opposite of the mechanical pausing robostroke you see from a lot of younger players with perfect fundamentals. They seem to drive or chop into the ball while efren actually seems to slow down on his final swing. He's definitely a spin guy instead of a speed guy.

Larry Nevel's is just sick, smooth and powerful.

I'm liking Kim Davenport's from what I'm watching of it right now on the live stream.

Two strokes that work but I don't like as much:
Alan Hopkins - short bridge, jabby stroke. Gets the job done anyway.
John S. - One of my favorite players, and has amazing position skills. Obviously shoots 'straight as a martian' to paraphrase earl. His practice strokes are quick and choppy, but the final stroke has good follow through. Still, it looks like he 'worries in' the ball sometimes.
 
If we're talking smooth, powerful, and a thing of beauty I'll take the Miz.

Honorable mention to Buddy Hall and Cowboy Jimmy Moore.
 
bchilton said:
I've seen some great strokes, but in my opinion, if you were going to choose one in particular, it would be Jim Rempe. That stroke is as close to perfection as I have ever seen.
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If I made a list:grin:, he would be #2 after Buddy Hall. Talk about repeatable!
 
I'm just giving a top 5 please keep in mind I started playing and watching pool in the early 90's


10 Cole Dixson(pardon any spelling errors)
9 Buddy
8 John Schmidt
7 Ronnie Alcano
6 SVB
5 Earl
4 Shannon Daulton
3 Efren
2 Larry Nevel
1 Corey Deuel

My list is based on sheer ability to move the cue ball, nothing else. The top 2 are in a class by themselves I think. I would also like to mention Semih Sayginer if he were a pool player that competed with these guys he might trump them all.

just my opinion
 
PoolBum said:
If we're talking smooth, powerful, and a thing of beauty I'll take the Miz.

Honorable mention to Buddy Hall and Cowboy Jimmy Moore.
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Definitely the most powerful stroke ever was Miz's. He could make the cue ball smoke! Second may have been Cornbread's. Remember they're both from the era of slow cloth where having a powerful stroke was a big advantage.
 
jay helfert said:
Definitely the most powerful stroke ever was Miz's. He could make the cue ball smoke! Second may have been Cornbread's. Remember they're both from the era of slow cloth where having a powerful stroke was a big advantage.
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I'll join in here too Jay, Miz's stroke simplicity, and the Corn (smooth slipper), then I see Busta's and Cowboy Jimmy (slipper maximus), then Ciscero Murphy, but I'm with Grady on Searcy and St Louie Louie, the old rag non directional cloth did bring out the power strokes "swing it" espression.... back in the day.
 
All the good ones are picked, so I'll throw in an oddball- Al the plumber Winchenbaugh. Commence to scratching head.
 
sweetest stroke for a specific type of stroke...Roberts

Grady Matthews' pick of Louie Roberts is interesting and a good argument really and here's why for those of you who think opinions should have a reason. ANYONE REMEMBER A TAPE CALLED "LEARN FROM THE BEST?" Each type of shot or stroke had a different pro player demonstrating on tape. LOUIE ROBERTS' contribution was the POWER DRAW stroke. It was a beautiful exhibition, so good Grady could win the argument just on the video. Although I stick with Efren Reyes, here is my Roberts story.
ANYONE KNOW A GUY FROM OKLAHOMA CITY CALLED CHRIS MCCREARY? Funny bastard if there ever was one. He watched that BEST tape at my place and became fascinated by LOUIE ROBERTS' DRAW STROKE. McCreary developed an unbelieveable draw stroke based on ROBERTS' instruction. The funny part is that when he does a killer draw shot he verbally mimics Roberts' every word: "head down, and aim low, very very low....and snap the wrist, always snap the wrist." Something like that. I once saw someone break badly at 8 ball against McCreary. The guy asked if he should re-rack. Although the balls were only a bit separated (but still in the general shape of a triangle, Chris went into the Roberts chant and fired the most killer draw stroke I ever witnessed. The Q pocketed a ball and like straight pool went into the stack and "fought" its way through the whole rack of balls like pinball and never seemed to stop spinning and pinging off balls til they all scattered and he ran out. Someone who say that spaz play at Jamaica Joe's please back me up on how this guy could draw! And all from the lessons of St. Louis Louis Roberts! Congrats Grady on a quality choice of sweetest stroke. Too bad all Chris could do was draw...... "like an artist," as he would say... funny bastard!
 
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sweetest stroke for a specific type of stroke...Roberts

Grady Matthews' pick of Louie Roberts is interesting and a good argument really and here's why for those of you who think opinions should have a reason. ANYONE REMEMBER A TAPE CALLED "LEARN FROM THE BEST?" Each type of shot or stroke had a different pro player demonstrating on tape. LOUIE ROBERTS' contribution was the POWER DRAW stroke. It was a beautiful exhibition, so good Grady could win the argument just on the video. Although I stick with Efren Reyes, here is my Roberts story.
ANYONE KNOW A GUY FROM OKLAHOMA CITY CALLED CHRIS MCCREARY? Funny bastard if there ever was one. He watched that BEST tape at my place and became fascinated by LOUIE ROBERTS' DRAW STROKE. McCreary developed an unbelieveable draw stroke based on ROBERTS' instruction. The funny part is that when he does a killer draw shot he verbally mimics Roberts' every word: "head down, and aim low, very very low....and snap the wrist, always snap the wrist." Something like that. I once saw someone break badly at 8 ball against McCreary. The guy asked if he should re-rack. Although the balls were only a bit separated (but still in the general shape of a triangle, Chris went into the Roberts chant and fired the most killer draw stroke I ever witnessed. The Q pocketed a ball and like straight pool went into the stack and "fought" its way through the whole rack of balls like pinball and never seemed to stop spinning and pinging off balls til they all scattered and he ran out. Someone who say that spaz play at Jamaica Joe's please back me up on how this guy could draw! And all from the lessons of St. Louis Louis Roberts! Congrats Grady on a quality choice of sweetest stroke. Too bad all Chris could do was draw...... "like an artist," as he would say... funny bastard!
 
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