Was Rodney Morris really in the 1990 US Open?

PocketSpeed11

PocketSpeed11

AzB Long Member
Silver Member
I watched a PPV accustats video of him from the '94 US Open 9ball. He was only 23 years old and this was 2 years prior to him pulling off the big win in the same event against Efren. The two commentators, and I believe Grady was one of them, were talking about how he had been on the road and taking down just about anybody who went up against him against him. I was under the impression that he was new to the pro tournament scene.

Well, I was checking out his profile on this very site and looked at his tournament history. It had him as placing 13th in the 1990 US Open (he would have been 18). The next tournament listed was the '94 US Open (quite a big gap).

I tried "googling" a list of the '90 US Open results, but to no avail. Did he really place 13th in the '90 US Open, or was this an error? Rodney began playing at 16, so if this isn't an error then that is incredible. It's an obvious testament to the man's talent.

Is there anybody that can corroborate this?

Thanks.
 
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PocketSpeed11 said:
I watched a PPV accustats video of him from the '95 US Open 9ball. He was only 23 years old and this was the year prior to him pulling off the big win in the same event against Efren. The two commentators, and I believe Grady was one of them, were talking about how he had been on the road and taking down just about anybody who went up against him against him. I was under the impression that he was new to the pro tournament scene.

Well, I was checking out his profile on this very site and looked at his tournament history. It had him as placing 13th in the 1990 US Open (he would have been 18). The next tournament listed was the '95 US Open (quite a big gap).

I tried "googling" a list of the '90 US Open results, but to no avail. Did he really place 13th in the '90 US Open, or was this an error? Rodney began playing at 16, so if this isn't an error then that is incredible. It's an obvious testament to the man's talent.

Is there anybody that can corroborate this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

You can ask Rodney directly on Facebook. But one thing to consider is that he had excellent mentors to include Hawaiian Brian Hashimoto who was and probably still is a world beater. If a guy like that teaches you then why wouldn't you get good really fast?
 
JB Cases said:
You can ask Rodney directly on Facebook. But one thing to consider is that he had excellent mentors to include Hawaiian Brian Hashimoto who was and probably still is a world beater. If a guy like that teaches you then why wouldn't you get good really fast?
Click to expand...

I actually think I'm one of the last Facebook holdouts on Earth.

As for having a renowned mentor, you make a great point. I'm sure that serves as a shortcut to greatness.
 
JB Cases said:
You can ask Rodney directly on Facebook. But one thing to consider is that he had excellent mentors to include Hawaiian Brian Hashimoto who was and probably still is a world beater. If a guy like that teaches you then why wouldn't you get good really fast?
Click to expand...

John, on top of being mentored by a great player like Hawaiian Bryan Rodney was blessed with so much natural ability. He makes the game look easy when he plays and he's one of my favorite players to watch. I got to see him play in person at the US Open when he first started playing in that tournament (sorry I can't remember the year) and he pocketed balls and moved the cue ball effortlessly. I told my friend "that guy is going to be a champion" and I was right!

James
 
OH SHIT NATURE VS NURTURE ROUND 37!!!

Well anyway.

The new features on this website are pretty sporty -
no idea they actually list player accomplishments that far back.
Link for those who hadn't noticed: http://www.azbilliards.com/people/2207-rodney-morris/results/1990/

Mike Sigel won it at 21, so I can totally buy rodney placing 13th at that age.
He got up to 7th a few years later.

I see he also had a pretty solid year in 2011. Would like to see him take this 10b event down today.
 
Brian brought Rodney to the Ballroom in Toms River N.J. for 2 weeks during the winter of 1988 (?)(could have been 1990 It was a while ago) to have him play good New Jersey players as part of his pool education. I watched him play several times and I put his speed at 1 notch under the very best of that era. He could really play. I played in a 15 ball rotation game with Brian and he ran 2 racks 1 to 15 in a row. I paid and quit.
 
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All the Champions respect Rodney

PocketSpeed11 said:
I watched a PPV accustats video of him from the '94 US Open 9ball. He was only 23 years old and this was 2 years prior to him pulling off the big win in the same event against Efren. The two commentators, and I believe Grady was one of them, were talking about how he had been on the road and taking down just about anybody who went up against him against him. I was under the impression that he was new to the pro tournament scene.

Well, I was checking out his profile on this very site and looked at his tournament history. It had him as placing 13th in the 1990 US Open (he would have been 18). The next tournament listed was the '94 US Open (quite a big gap).

I tried "googling" a list of the '90 US Open results, but to no avail. Did he really place 13th in the '90 US Open, or was this an error? Rodney began playing at 16, so if this isn't an error then that is incredible. It's an obvious testament to the man's talent.

Is there anybody that can corroborate this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Rodney was a prodigy and his mentor was the road partner, Hawaiian Bryan, who was the road partner of one of my mentors Dalton Leong. Make no mistake, Rodney is one of the best money players in the world.....bar none. He struggles with the fast, Diamond/Simonis Tables and is better suited for slower equipment (which actually means he has a powerful game).

Rodney and I had an epic gambling match at the US OPEN one year and to this day he is one of the toughest players I've ever faced. I'm happy to see Rodney do well despite the equipment disadvantage he's been facing these days....I know it's frustrating to play under these conditions. He remembers the "good ole days" when the players had to have power to compete well and everyone could "let their stroke out".

All the Champions respect Rodney, he's certainly one of the all time best in the world.
 
Rodney Morris / Face Book info

franko said:
No there are two of us holding out.
Click to expand...

Rodney Morris
14 hours ago
Ok so there's gonna be a Filipino and Hawaiian in the finals at the US Open 10 Ball Championships here at the Rio after I won 9-2 against a great champion in Lee Van Corteza.........I play either he or Dennis Orcullo tomorrow at 2pm:)
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Rodney an amateur in '91?

measureman said:
Brian brought Rodney to the Ballroom in Toms River N.J. for 2 weeks during the winter of 1988 (?)(could have been 1990 It was a while ago) to have him play good New Jersey players as part of his pool education. I watched him play several times and I put his speed at 1 notch under the very best of that era. He could really play. I played in a 15 ball rotation game with Brian and he ran 2 racks 1 to 15 in a row. I paid and quit.
Click to expand...

I played in and watched Rodney win a rather large purse in an "amateur" tournament, I believe it was 1991. The event was run by one of the big time promoters, and we wondered how Morris was allowed in...
 
Donny Lutz said:
I played in and watched Rodney win a rather large purse in an "amateur" tournament, I believe it was 1991. The event was run by one of the big time promoters, and we wondered how Morris was allowed in...
Click to expand...


He snuck up on Breedlove 2 years after that -Got the 8 and drilled him.
 
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