Uncrowned Champion

having been around all of them to an extent in their primes.

i would rate the two jimmys as about even on their chances

then keith with grady close

then larry and louie.

and mary for sure very close to the top as she belongs and they also should put a woman in very regularly. as most understate their accomplishments just because few played as well as the very top men did.

I spent a great deal of time around all these players, except Bugs, who I knew more by reputation than personal knowledge. The two best all around players on that list are Larry Lisciotti and Jimmy Mataya. Both of them played all games well; championship level players imo. They both won a few big tournaments and many smaller ones. David Howard also had a long and successful career as a tournament player (all 9-Ball), and won his fair share of events. Keith and Louie played tournaments somewhat sporadically, with Keith having more success. Both of them were immensely popular players. Jimmy Reid did win a U.S. Open but not much else of note. Wade Crane did well in tournaments when he had time to play in them and won one of the biggest ones ever held in Atlantic City beating Buddy Hall in the finals. Grady was more well known as a One Pocket player and commentator. He was never one of the top rated 9-Ball players, although he had some good finishes. Bugs was a legendary money player and rarely played a tournament. Mary Kenniston had the bad luck to play in the same era as Jean Balukas when no one could beat her. Mary was a consistent contender and one of the top five women players outside of Jean. All of these players are from my generation and they all played against each other, with the exception of Bugs and Mary.
 
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Keep it in perspective, Jimmy.....all fields of endeavor are like that...scholars,scientists.
writers, inventors...etc
You’re in the right place to get something done about...we had a big drive for Danny
Diliberto and Jose Parica...and they made it....keep visiting.

In this new world of social media, there’s a lot of crap...but voices can be heard to get
things done also.

in the world of pool.. i don't want anything that does'nt belong to me'' you got someone better than me.. i suggest you use them,, you got someone commentates better than me,, i suggest you use them,, pool needs all the help it can get ! i wish the sport well,, and the men and women who play it professionally !!
 
I don’t see how Jimmy compares at all to Pete Rose. I haven’t heard anything about Mataya agreeing to a banishment from pool, did I miss it? Pete Rose got exactly what he deserved. He admitted to gambling, right? He agreed to the punishment he received, didn’t he? Why should he ever be allowed back into baseball? Because he’s an old lying degenerate and about to kick the bucket??

Earlier post: "Is Jimmy Mataya the Pete Rose of Pool? Is Jimmy Mataya being shut out by the BCA Pocket Billiards Hall of Fame because of a conduct issue? A famous 16th Century English poet and scholar once wrote, "In forming a judgment lay your hearts void of foretoken opinions; else, whatsoever is done or said will be measured by a wrong rule." Jimmy Mataya's list of exceptional pocket billiard achievements should be the one and only issue for induction into the Hall of Fame. Let's make it a fair game. Jimmy deserves the recognition and to do otherwise puts him right next to Pete Rose sitting on that proverbial 'bench.'"

Current post: My comparison of Mataya to Rose was figurative. I did not write of banishment. I did not write of gambling. I believe accomplishments and conduct should be separate issues when considering a candidate for the BCA Hall of Fame.
 
Here are some bands/acts not in the Rock & Roll HOF.

Iron Maiden

Pat Benatar

John Coltrane

Tina Turner

Judas Priest

Motorhead

Warren Zevon

Bad Company

Procal Harum

And Slayer. Iron Maiden and Slayer should both be in Hall. It is a Rock and Roll HoF.
 
Clarification

Tate I know no harm was intended but here is my actual post:

I attended the Derby City Classic and I observed Mataya's act. I have been to tournaments for twenty years, (including 5 Derby's) and it was positively,without doubt the funniest thing I have ever seen in pool! I am sorry if he sharked others, but if you don't think a lot of these pros don't shark and pull moves on each other then you are misinformed. I know this is probably not the consensus but I for one think he was a breath of fresh air. Just my opinion.

Second paragraph was someone else's post. I think Mataya definitely belongs in the Hall for his accomplishments, excitement and flavor he brought to the game!
 
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