I'm still busily digitizing all my pro pool VHS tapes that I captured when they were originally televised during most of the 1980’s and 90’s.
Since my previous ones were so well received, I just Youtubed this 2 hrs 12 mins assemblage of the 3 closing matches of the December 1986 “Last Call for 9-ball” championship held at the Resorts casino in Atlantic City. The top-heavy prize fund (a record for the time) offered $40,000 for first, and $6,258 for second. There were 395 players entered in the tournament.
Mike Sigel, knocked into the losers bracket by Jose Parica, won 10 straight in the losers bracket -- then in these Youtubed semis and final he replays Parica, then plays Jose Garcia, and then matches-up with Nick Varner. The 3 matches were exciting all the way thru.
Jose Garcia -- new to televised pool -- gets cameraman-distracted 3 or 4 times, resulting in misses. But you’ll also even notice more TV experienced Sigel and Varner atypically missing routine shots because of the much-too-up-close camera work. As you’ll already know, this particular kind of distraction (then unavoidable) is now very infrequent – some 29 years later – because of more advanced camera lenses, remotely controlled camera capabilities, and more sophisticated production techniques. However we sure appreciate historically having these earlier (almost experimental) beginnings of videotaped full-color televised tournaments.
Second match -- Sigel-Garcia starts at exactly 44:25
Third match – Sigel-Varner starts at exactly 1:28:00
Couple side notes:
There's a *very* controversial foul call. The shooter naturally disputes the call. Referee Ron O’Brian then consults a TV monitor near the final table — the first instant replay in pool history. The 7-ball didn’t seem to budge upon review, but O’Brian trusted his eyes, and the judgment call stands.
He later said: “From that angle on TV, I admit it looks like the 7 ball wasn’t touched,” he said. “But from where I stood, the cue ball did hit the 7.” (I'm deliberately not mentioning which game was involved, so can experience that instance for yourself, unprepared.
Picture sharpness overall isn’t ideal, and the final rack is more fuzzy than we’d like, attributable to a fading signal thru my then-rooftop-antenna receiving the over the air telecast in my region, plus the vagaries of my early-80’s massive VCR.
Amusing last note: if I never hear a golly-gee-whiz “he’s really going to shatter the rack” ever again from a commentator, I’ll be a happy man. (You’ll see/hear what I mean. Says a version of that for a couple dozen opening breaks.)
Here’s the Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUJ_UW9X3pM
Enjoy.
Arnaldo
Since my previous ones were so well received, I just Youtubed this 2 hrs 12 mins assemblage of the 3 closing matches of the December 1986 “Last Call for 9-ball” championship held at the Resorts casino in Atlantic City. The top-heavy prize fund (a record for the time) offered $40,000 for first, and $6,258 for second. There were 395 players entered in the tournament.
Mike Sigel, knocked into the losers bracket by Jose Parica, won 10 straight in the losers bracket -- then in these Youtubed semis and final he replays Parica, then plays Jose Garcia, and then matches-up with Nick Varner. The 3 matches were exciting all the way thru.
Jose Garcia -- new to televised pool -- gets cameraman-distracted 3 or 4 times, resulting in misses. But you’ll also even notice more TV experienced Sigel and Varner atypically missing routine shots because of the much-too-up-close camera work. As you’ll already know, this particular kind of distraction (then unavoidable) is now very infrequent – some 29 years later – because of more advanced camera lenses, remotely controlled camera capabilities, and more sophisticated production techniques. However we sure appreciate historically having these earlier (almost experimental) beginnings of videotaped full-color televised tournaments.
Second match -- Sigel-Garcia starts at exactly 44:25
Third match – Sigel-Varner starts at exactly 1:28:00
Couple side notes:
There's a *very* controversial foul call. The shooter naturally disputes the call. Referee Ron O’Brian then consults a TV monitor near the final table — the first instant replay in pool history. The 7-ball didn’t seem to budge upon review, but O’Brian trusted his eyes, and the judgment call stands.
He later said: “From that angle on TV, I admit it looks like the 7 ball wasn’t touched,” he said. “But from where I stood, the cue ball did hit the 7.” (I'm deliberately not mentioning which game was involved, so can experience that instance for yourself, unprepared.
Picture sharpness overall isn’t ideal, and the final rack is more fuzzy than we’d like, attributable to a fading signal thru my then-rooftop-antenna receiving the over the air telecast in my region, plus the vagaries of my early-80’s massive VCR.
Amusing last note: if I never hear a golly-gee-whiz “he’s really going to shatter the rack” ever again from a commentator, I’ll be a happy man. (You’ll see/hear what I mean. Says a version of that for a couple dozen opening breaks.)
Here’s the Youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUJ_UW9X3pM
Enjoy.
Arnaldo
