What got you interested in pool?

[Cornerman]

I've posted this story before, but I always come back to it when someone ask the question:
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I think I was 9 or 10. I went with my Dad to pick up my sister at the
Masonic Temple. She was waiting at the Temple in a rec. room playing 8-ball on this 9' table. I'd never really played before but was fascinated by the click of the balls. Neither my sister nor her friend had a clue as to what they were doing, but occassionally, one of them would catch a ball just right. The ball would hit the leather pocket with that wonderful *thwap* sound.

My sister let my father and me play a bit before we went home. For a guy who never plays, my dad has some obvious natural talent. Being Filipino, my father only knew one game: rotation. So that was the first game that I knew, as far as rules go.


In that first magical rack, I couldn't make a straight shot to save my life. I was able to make all of two balls: a bank on the 5, and a kick on the 13. My father apparently feeling no need to praise his young son on these accomplishments rewarded me with "lucky shot" on each.


And such was the spark that lit my burning desire. I never wanted to hear him tell me "lucky shot" again.
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Now, I don't tell people that I've been playing pool since I was 9. That would be horseshit. I actually got my real start when i was 16. I worked in the kitchen of a summer camp for the whole summer. There was a 9' Brunswick in the basement of that kitchen, so I spent most of my free time on that table. I ran a 36 in straight pool, not having a clue about pattern play. And we played "call all the ridiculous details" including rubbing the approach cushion, playing 8-ball. Good times.

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[ddg45]

Pool is different then major sports because there is no age limit.

Learning to play play doesn't depend on your age, there is no peak age for pool.

However what I liked about playing pool recreationally when I started is entirely different now.

In the beginning it was about winning as much as possible. Now its lately been about enjoying the game more.

I'm 64 and just came to the game about a year ago. The best pool hall in the city of Charleston SC is in the same strip mall as the Gold's Gym where I work out, so one day I walked in to check it out. The bar tender was friendly and a couple of what he described as "the best players in the city" stopped to say hello and offer advice. Would that happen at a country club? Probably not. I bought a cheap cue on line and have absolutely fallen in love with the game, now playing a couple hours 4-5 times per week, and so far I'm 17-10 playing as a 4 in my local APA league and having bought and sold several better sticks. I love the geometry, the physics, and the strategy of position play as I've improved. Even more, compared to something like golf (which I've basically given up) you can play for as little or as long as you want, rain or shine, day or night, and there's a bar a few steps away. It's the perfect recreation and I feel lucky to have discovered a new hobby I love so much at this point in my life. Cheers to all!

 

[hang-the-9]

Pool is different then major sports because there is no age limit.

Learning to play play doesn't depend on your age, there is no peak age for pool.

However what I liked about playing pool recreationally when I started is entirely different now.

In the beginning it was about winning as much as possible. Now its lately been about enjoying the game more.

I'm too short for baskeball and it seemed like a cool thing to do that made you look both elegant and dangerous when you played :grin::wink:

I don't remember my exact first day or first few days of playing, was about 1987 I think, but I remember walking about 1.5 or maybe 2 miles to Mr Billiards which was a pool hall that was new in my area, only one close enough for a 16 yr old without a car to get to.

I am pretty sure my first cue was a plain red McDermott with a black plastic wrap, probably a D model. My first custom cue was a few years later, I paid $500 for in a few installments and it was stolen maybe 10 years later from some place my wife was playing APA at along with her Viking hat she won in an APA Vegas tournament for being best woman finisher in it. Started doing pretty well in the local tournaments at the place, did some in-house leagues there and got to a low B level. Many years later, I'm still a B LOL, although now a good one instead of a bad one.

 

[hang-the-9]

I'm 64 and just came to the game about a year ago. The best pool hall in the city of Charleston SC is in the same strip mall as the Gold's Gym where I work out, so one day I walked in to check it out. The bar tender was friendly and a couple of what he described as "the best players in the city" stopped to say hello and offer advice. -- snip --

This is exactly why I like to approach players that seem interested in actually playing at my regular pool halls, grab them to play in the weekly tournaments, show them the league flyers, etc... If a new player has a great experience and has someone explain concepts to them, they are a lot more likely to come back to play again.

 

[Koop]

I was in the Air Force and spouted off to a buddy of mine how I would kick his ass in pool. Well, turns out he was an A player at the time and I barely knew which end of the stick to shoot with.
From that point, watching how effortless it was for him, I was hooked.

 

[hang-the-9]

I was in the Air Force and spouted off to a buddy of mine how I would kick his ass in pool. Well, turns out he was an A player at the time and I barely knew which end of the stick to shoot with.
From that point, watching how effortless it was for him, I was hooked.

Someone my son knew at school was doing some stuff in gym and my son was beating him. So the kid said "I'd kick your butt in pool" because he had a table at home. At the time my son has been finishing in top 12 or top 16 in the country at junior nationals for 3 years LOL

They don't know that you know that they don't know what they are about to come up against. I would have loved to have seen the look on your face when you started playing him, must have been exactly what this other kid was like LOL.

 

[Koop]

Someone my son knew at school was doing some stuff in gym and my son was beating him. So the kid said "I'd kick your butt in pool" because he had a table at home. At the time my son has been finishing in top 12 or top 16 in the country at junior nationals for 3 years LOL

They don't know that you know that they don't know what they are about to come up against. I would have loved to have seen the look on your face when you started playing him, must have been exactly what this other kid was like LOL.

My look was pure horror and admiration at the same time. Had no idea the game could be played like that. Needless to say I spent a LOT of time on the table with him picking his brain.

 

[Runner]

Rack 'em, Sausage...

My next door neighbor growing up had a Gold Crown in his family room.. he'd let me play on it when I could barely stand over it. There was also an all-ages 'family' pool hall near where I lived... used to go play there and watch guys that were good players.

Then I saw "The Hustler".... game over. It's been in my blood ever since.

 

[michael4]

the MILLIONS of dollars a year the pros on tour make !

 

[Icon of Sin]

My father.

 

[Chopdoc]

the MILLIONS of dollars a year the pros on tour make !

Here, let me fix that for ya:

The MILLIONS of dollars a year the tours make on pros.

.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

My granddad had a small storefront pool room in the Los Angeles area where I grew up. I'd go there on weekends and sweep up for candy bars while the "elders" played poker and dominoes.

I never actually played in those younger years - played occasionally starting in my teens and only regularly after 40. Didn't become clinically obsessed until I was 50 (about *cough* years ago).

pj
chgo

 

[tonyboy59]

My roommate was the Air Force and Armed Forces champ...he said, "if you want to hang out with me you have to learn how to shoot pool. Because I play for money or beer". The rest is history...

 

[Pacecar]

Freshman college student at Sam Houston State in 1969. My dorm buddy saw the local pool hall a couple blocks up the street. After we played for about 30 minutes, I stayed and watched a serious 4-hour gambling match of 9-ball between an old man in his 70's, taking on the 3 best college players -one at a time. One of the college guys broke even; the old man took the money from the other two. I was hooked, watching the skills of these players - young vs old.

 

[pwd72s]

Women and beer, primarily. Went to a tavern for beer and to check out the women. Bored, I began watching people play pool on the bar box.

I thought it looked like fun and it didn't look too difficult...

 

[nataddrho]

Dr. Dave's articles and instructions.

Actually I don't think I ever told him that. I should.

 

[Michael Andros]

I was 5, summer before 1st grade, at the bowling alley. My parents bowled league Friday and Saturday nights. The snack area had a 7' bar box and it was the sounds of the balls clicking against each other that initially drew me to the table. Then seeing the colors of the balls and the way they flew around the felt. I was mesmerized. And hooked.

Then, in 1st grade, my best friend's parents had a 9' Gold Crown with gold cloth. Every day for hours after school we would play. We didn't even know if you made 8 balls you won. We would shoot 'til the balls were gone and would put each one made on one side of the couch or the other, then count them up at the end, most balls won. Yup... I was hooked. Lifetime.

 

[westcoast]

A friend of mine in college got me playing and then I really got into it when I played in tournaments at the 8 ball saloon in Ann Arbor, Michigan after college

 

[jay helfert]

Paul Newman! I wanted to be just like Fast Eddie. I was a tennis player in high school (played second singles) and didn't take up pool seriously until my freshman year in college. I was 18 and way behind the curve. I made up for it by playing every day for the next ten years!

It took me three years to become a competent player. Pool was much harder to master than golf or tennis, the other two sports I played as a teen. I liked the challenge and became obsessed with learning how to play. My first trip to Johnston City in 1964 (I was 20) pretty much sealed the deal for me. I was hooked for life!

 

[Michael Andros]

Paul Newman! I wanted to be just like Fast Eddie.

FATS: (from his seat) Shoot pool, Fast Eddie...

EDDIE: I'm shootin' pool, Fats. When I miss, you can shoot.