What is a Shortstop?

r0ttie1 said:
PLEASE DON'T GET ME GOING ON ABOUT "LOUIE" STORIES !!!

I wish you would go on. Stories like this are why I read through the threads. :D
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I feel the same way. I met Louie Roberts in Baton Rouge back in the '70s. I never played him but sat and shot the bull for an hour or so. I would love to hear some more stories about him. Hemi, you have some don't you?


Lunchmoney
 
lunchmoney said:
I feel the same way. I met Louie Roberts in Baton Rouge back in the '70s. I never played him but sat and shot the bull for an hour or so. I would love to hear some more stories about him. Hemi, you have some don't you?


Lunchmoney
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You know, Lunch, I believe the only player on earth that has more "Stories" to be told than Louie Roberts is Keith McCready. And the only reason Keith has more is because he out lived Louie.

Where do you start with the Louie Louie stories? He had to have been the only player ever that could hock his cue to 4 different people playing someone, lose and get out the door with the cue,,,,,,,,,and,,,,,,no one wanted to kill him.

I played Louie only once, Lunch. With a TON of weight, don't ask, it's too embarrassing, at your favorite pool room, the Greenway, in Baton Rouge. I get the money and Louie wants to play on his Joss West cue and Felini case. He wanted $300 and I let him play $200 or $250 on it. But,,,,,I made him play off the wall and I took possession of the cue then, knowing his propensity to get out with the cue after losing it. I win the cue too.

For the next 20 years Louie tried to buy that cue back every time he saw me but I had fallen in love with it and wouldn't sell it back to him.

This happened on the 3rd day of Louie's playing stint. As I'm sure, OldHasBeen, knows, Louie would go on playing binges for 4-5 days before he crashed. On the 3rd day, Louie's speed, literally and figuratively, would start to run down.................
 
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hemicudas said:
You know, Lunch, I believe the only player on earth that has more "Stories" to be told than Louie Roberts is Keith McCready. And the only reason Keith has more is because he out lived Louie.

Where do you start with the Louie Louie stories? He had to have been the only player ever that could hock his cue to 4 different people playing someone, lose and get out the door with the cue,,,,,,,,,and,,,,,,no one wanted to kill him.

I played Louie only once, Lunch. With a TON of weight, don't ask, it's too embarrassing, at your favorite pool room, the Greenway, in Baton Rouge. I get the money and Louie wants to play on his Joss West cue and Felini case. He wanted $300 and I let him play $200 or $250 on it. But,,,,,I made him play off the wall and I took possession of the cue then, knowing his propensity to get out with the cue after losing it. I win the cue too.

For the next 20 years Louie tried to buy that cue back every time he saw me but I had fallen in love with it and wouldn't sell it back to him.

This happened on the 3rd day of Louie's playing stint. As I'm sure, OldHasBeen, knows, Louie would go on playing binges for 4-5 days before he crashed. On the 3rd day, Louie's speed, literally and figuratively, would start to run down.................
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I did see Louie play at the Greenway and somewhat regretted my decision not to play him. I don't have to ask about the weight he gave you, I witnessed him giving some incredible spots and he would bet everything he had. Whatever spot anyone asked for, they got. I saw him lose all his cash, his cue and then his car. I also heard some tales of him walking out with all the cash after giving up TON'S of weight. It seem to me, with Louie, it was all or nothing. Do you still have the cue?

Lunchmoney
 
lunchmoney said:
I did see Louie play at the Greenway and somewhat regretted my decision not to play him. I don't have to ask about the weight he gave you, I witnessed him giving some incredible spots and he would bet everything he had. Whatever spot anyone asked for, they got. I saw him lose all his cash, his cue and then his car. I also heard some tales of him walking out with all the cash after giving up TON'S of weight. It seem to me, with Louie, it was all or nothing. Do you still have the cue?

Lunchmoney
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Unfortunately, no. I sold it about a year ago, Lunch.
 
There will never be another Louie!

A Lotta people say a lotta things about THE St. Louie, Louie - BUT - There will NEVER be another player like him. He Was Truely, a "One Of A Kind" !
 
No Doubt.

OldHasBeen said:
A Lotta people say a lotta things about THE St. Louie, Louie - BUT - There will NEVER be another player like him. He Was Truely, a "One Of A Kind" !
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Never truer words spoken, OldHasBeen. For all the unlucky people who never got to meet, Louie, you missed a true marvel of a player and character........................By the way, OldHasBeen, love the new avatar.
 
hemicudas said:
Never truer words spoken, OldHasBeen. For all the unlucky people who never got to meet, Louie, you missed a true marvel of a player and character........................By the way, OldHasBeen, love the new avatar.
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Hemi, I never had the pleasure of watching Louie, but I've heard Mike Sigel speak very highly of him.

Keep the stories coming. The pool memories you've related in this thread, and in the recent Buddy Hall and Keith McCready threads have been great. Thanks for sharing them!
 
to me a shortstop
is someone who
plays between the bases

not that playing third base
or second or first or outfield
is a better position or more
highly paid, either
 
My understanding has always been that a shortstop is not pool-specific and is a local player who is good enough to make up the numbers either as an individual in a tournament or as a team player when somebody can't make it. In pool this would probably translate as a player who is good enough to give someone a game and keep them warm rather than having them sit out a round with a bye - someone that player should beat but it is never a given.
 
I don’t know but I asked ChatGPT and I assume what it says must be correct,

“Ah, the **shortstop**—a role so critical, yet so intricately woven into the fabric of the game that its importance is often understated. To understand the shortstop is to grasp a deeper concept of defense, agility, and decision-making that few other positions require. Situated between two key zones of action, the shortstop operates with an almost preternatural sense of awareness, adapting to each moment as it unfolds.

Before diving into their duties, let me share an interesting tidbit: did you know that in 1950, a pool hall in Chicago became famous for hosting a 72-hour straight pool marathon? Players came and went, but a few die-hards stayed, perfecting their strokes, adjusting their positions with every subtle shift in the game. In many ways, the shortstop operates in a similar realm—constantly adjusting, responding to the tiniest changes, never losing focus, always in control of their space, just like a seasoned pool player constantly managing the cue ball.

Now, the shortstop’s primary job might seem simple—fielding grounders, making quick throws—but it’s much more nuanced than that. Like a pool player calculating the perfect angle for a bank shot, the shortstop has to constantly anticipate the unpredictable: the path of the ball, the movements of the runners, the trajectory of a hit that might bounce awkwardly. They must balance speed with precision, making rapid decisions in the heat of the moment.

Speaking of heat, I’m reminded of a hot summer day in 1982 when a ballpark was so stifling that the infield dirt seemed to shimmer. There was a crucial ground ball hit, and the shortstop, despite the heat, moved so quickly to field it that even seasoned fans were left stunned. It’s not unlike the way a pool player must remain calm under pressure, their hand steady as they line up a difficult shot despite the tension around them. You see, both require that delicate balance of focus and finesse.

The shortstop is also a master of positioning, much like a pool player who understands that where they leave the cue ball after every shot is just as important as sinking it. Whether it’s cutting off a line drive or turning a double play, the shortstop must be one step ahead, anticipating the ball’s movement, much like predicting the ricochet of a cue ball off the rail in pool. It’s not just about reacting—it’s about positioning oneself perfectly, knowing when to take a risk and when to play it safe.

I can’t help but think of a story from 1976, when a pool shark from New York made an impossible bank shot, only to realize afterward that he had left himself no way to continue the game. It’s a reminder that skill without foresight is often wasted, much like a shortstop who makes a brilliant stop but fails to consider the next move. The best shortstops—and pool players—are always thinking two, three, even four steps ahead.

And finally, the shortstop’s role as a defensive linchpin can’t be overstated. Much like in a pool game where one player controls the tempo by strategically placing the cue ball, the shortstop controls the flow of the game by coordinating the infield, making split-second decisions, and executing plays that seem, to the untrained eye, almost effortless. But much like pulling off a tricky three-cushion shot in pool, it takes years of practice, instinct, and timing to make it look so seamless.

In essence, the shortstop is the pool player of the infield—constantly calculating, adjusting, and executing with precision. Whether it’s fielding a tough ground ball or lining up the perfect shot on the felt, both require a unique combination of skill, strategy, and adaptability that elevates them beyond mere reactionaries to true masters of their craft.”
 
iusedtoberich said:
Yeah, 20 years later with Fargo, I’d put it at;

B = 570 - 640
A = 640 - 700
Shortstop/Open = 700 - 730
Pro = 730+
World class pro = 815+
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My version is this.

700-725 would be a short stop. 725-750 would be an upper short stop. 750-775 would be a low pro. 775-800 would be a pro. 800-825 would be an upper pro. 825-850 would be a world class pro.
 
Wowser, this thread is older than me!

My opinion of a shortstop is pretty literal. He is the guy you don't want to play when you first come to town. You can lose to him, you can win. Either way, unless you are just splashing some cash on full stall in hope to get it back later, playing a shortstop kills your action. You show more speed than almost anyone in the hall can match so forget easy action. Even the players that might be tough action usually aren't willing to risk tangling with someone that beats a top local player.

I drifted into Greenway now and then as a recreational player. Have been known to take a date in there in it's nicer days. One day I grabbed some balls and started hitting on the table alongside the counter. It didn't take long for someone to come from the back. "Want to play some for fifty a game?" That cost me several thousand dollars I figure. I won about $150 before he quit pretty fast but I also killed all of my local action for six or eight weeks. Every time I got in action somebody would drift up to my opponent, "I saw him beat _____ in Greenway." I fought or threatened a few but I couldn't fight them all. If nothing else I would land in the hoosegow.

That was my introduction to the dangers of playing a shortstop.

Hu
 
MattPoland said:
My version is this.

700-725 would be a short stop. 725-750 would be an upper short stop. 750-775 would be a low pro. 775-800 would be a pro. 800-825 would be an upper pro. 825-850 would be a world class pro.
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Ditto.
 
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