Video 1989 World 9-ball chmpship Part 2..2 semis + final. Varner; Earl; Mataya; Grady

[arnaldo]

I just analog-to-digital converted and Youtubed my VHS recording of the three closing matches broadcast 26 years ago over a period of several weeks. This forms part 2. Video length is 2 hours, 13 mins. The matches are from the 1989 Caesars Las Vegas US 9-Ball championship. You’ll see the two semifinals + the superb final. More classic “tuxedo” matches from back in the day.

These matches feature Nick Varner, Earl Strickland, Jim Mataya and memorable tournament play by Grady. Good to see him again and hear his marvelous sense of humor that gets a laugh from commentator Mizerak, as well as Joe Kerr and the entire audience. These matches show some great catching-up plus enough pro player mistakes to make our own occasional shortcomings more bearable.

Semi 1: Mathews-Mataya
Semi 2: Varner-Strickland…Start time -- 40:48
Final…..Mathews-Varner….Start time -- 1:26:56

https://youtu.be/6aCoMzfMiTk

To view the 4 quarterfinals of this same tournament (Part 1):
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=399417

Enjoy.

Arnaldo

 

[westcoast]

thank you so much for posting these. Keep doing so whenever you have the time!

 

[westcoast]

seemed like Earl played with a longer than normal cue even back then- not a long as high gigantic cue that he plays with now, but still looked longer than standard

 

[bender_lu]

thanks for sharing these matches with us, had a very nice evening with em :grin:

 

[Matt_24]

I grew up watching these. My dad taped them off of ESPN. That finals between Nick and Grady made me fall in love with pool. Anyone know which model SCHON that was Grady used? Thanks for sharing these!!

 

[pipefitter25]

Thank you for the great video. Can someone explain why that tournament took 7weeks to complete and what players did between matches and did they tear down the tables thanks

 

[arnaldo]

Can someone explain why that tournament took 7weeks to complete and what players did between matches and did they tear down the tables thanks

Glad you enjoyed it, PF. Regarding the tournament's duration, I think you misread the below phrase in my opening post of this thread:

"broadcast 26 years ago over a period of several weeks."

I believe you read the word "several" as "seven".

And the broadcast of the various matches was done over a span of "several" consecutive weeks for obvious commercial reasons on the part of both the sports network and the local stations which carried the network's national feed into which they profitably integrated advertisements for regional merchants.

(Few pool players alive then or now could conceivably afford weeks of hotel and restaurant bills within a given tournament-hosting city.)

Regarding the breaking down of the tables post-tournament -- not infrequently in those days the "Final Game" table was often auctioned off for a fairly high price, if, and only if, it was used at a truly major national- or world-class tournament, generally of record-books consequence. The rest of the tables were of course packed up and returned to whatever entity had originally made them available.

To your question about players activity between matches, it was and still is not uncommon for some pros to be willingly enticed into high-stakes action against local and circuit-traveling sharpshooters who descend upon them at virtually every large tournament, especially venues with abundant tables in an ad hoc practice area, or within nearby commercial rooms that are receptive to "wagering".

Arnaldo

 

[spliced]

Awesome shooting by Grady in that first match against Mataya. Loved every minute of it! Cant wait to watch the rest. Really appreciate you posting these!

 

[pipefitter25]

Thank you Arnaldo for the information that makes sense. And thanks for the hard work on the video i enjoyed it