What is pool to you?

Missing Link

Missing Link

Lock N Link
Silver Member
I thought it would be entertaining to see what this game we play means to the members here. How did you start? Why do you still play? Where do you want your game to go?

I started playing at 13 on a family vacation...I picked up a cue and could make a few balls. I played as just an after school banger for a few years...pool was "my time" to clear my head and think, to gamble some, and just relax. The local pool hall had quarter a game valleys (Red's...it still does ;) ) and a bunch of us spent many afternoons ruining or youth.

I never cared much about improving until I reached legal drinking age...went to a place called Spanky's where I met solid teachers that cared about pool. The owner and manager were SL7 level players that took the time to teach fundamentals and try to make players out of us bangers. These guys became like family...11 years later and we still all shoot together. Spanky's closed and the owner passed away, but he haunts us on the tables everywhere...I think we try to improve and teach because we remember all being bangers at one time.

I took a break for a while due to work and life...until my phone rang one night about my old friends needing a player for league night. I walked in the door and it was like coming home. The friends I've met, the pros I've met, the places I've gotten to see...I wouldn't trade it for anything. I continue to improve this game by teaching those who were where I once was...and I have never stopped learning.

I play because I can't not play...14.1, 10-ball, 9-ball, 8-ball...heck, I don't care. :grin-square:

So that's me...what say you?

Regards, Lock N Link.
 
Last edited:
Pool for me is replacement therapy.I gave up booze 16 years ago.I was bored and could no longer converse with the folks at my home lounge so I wandered next door to a small bar with 4 Murreys.The guys in there could make the white ball go backwards after it struck and pocketed another ball!These people would actualy pocket all the balls of one set and the 8 in the same turn at the table?This wasn't anything like the drunken pool with my buddies that I one enjoyed an average of 10 minutes a week.

Well I am still spinning the CB on every shot lol but I play better then most thought I ever would.My playing time varies from 2 to 60 hours a week.
 
Missing Link said:
I thought it would be entertaining to see what this game we play means to the members here. How did you start? Why do you still play? Where do you want your game to go?

I started playing at 13 on a family vacation...I picked up a cue and could make a few balls. I played as just an after school banger for a few years...pool was "my time" to clear my head and think, to gamble some, and just relax. The local pool hall had quarter a game valleys (Red's...it still does ;) ) and a bunch of us spent many afternoons ruining or youth.

I never cared much about improving until I reached legal drinking age...went to a place called Spanky's where I met solid teachers that cared about pool. The owner and manager were SL7 level players that took the time to teach fundamentals and try to make players out of us bangers. These guys became like family...11 years later and we still all shoot together. Spanky's closed and the owner passed away, but he haunts us on the tables everywhere...I think we try to improve and teach because we remember all being bangers at one time.

I took a break for a while due to work and life...until my phone rang one night about my old friends needing a player for league night. I walked in the door and it was like coming home. The friends I've met, the pros I've met, the places I've gotten to see...I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I play because I can't not play...14.1, 10-ball, 9-ball, 8-ball...heck, I don't care. :grin-square:

So that's me...what say you?
Click to expand...

Missing Link,
I thought you were in the world famous Lock Society?
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Lock N load, I was granted the name "Lock N Link."

Is there something I should be aware of as a new member?
 
Besides a hobby it helps to fulfill my competitive desire. I grew up with a table in our basement but completely quit playing when I was 18 or so and started racing which consumed me for 20+ years. Fast forward 28 years later and a friend asks me to sub on his league in Nov. 2011 which turned into a permanant place on his team. I cleaned out some space in the basement and set-up my childhood table in late Nov. then realized what a P.O.S. it was and had to burn it, but I found a beautiful Gold Crown 1 Dec. 2011 which I use almost daily. I love every minute of it but its hard to find people to shoot with, nearest pool hall is 60 some miles away, and Im having a hard time finding an APA or simialar league in my area. I wont give up though, Im really enjoying the challenge of trying to improve and I have found the AZB website and its great members to be a wealth of information.
 
I started when i was about 8. my mom managed a bar in my small town in MT. My dad was driving truck all day and night. My day care was the only pool table in town. My mom taught me the basics. I was a banger all through highschool learning things here and there from the others around town. I thoguht i was good untill i went to college. Got beat alot in college and told myslef if i Moved to a place with a the pool hall i will step up my game. Well i have done that i am now a solid shooter and have gotten my friends out of a couple binds in the bar with my billiard playing. I would say i have more of an addiction to pool than anything, i play to feed that and to just get my hear right. I bit of action isnt bad either..
 
I started playing at age 7 or 8 to give me and my cousins something to do. My Uncle had a snooker table in the rec room. Currently pool is 100 percent entertainment and for recreation. It's a distraction from life's twists and turns. Love to play and probably will play until I can't get to the table or can't hold a cue. It's a great game.
 
Missing Link said:
I thought it would be entertaining to see what this game we play means to the members here. How did you start? Why do you still play? Where do you want your game to go?

I started playing at 13 on a family vacation...I picked up a cue and could make a few balls. I played as just an after school banger for a few years...pool was "my time" to clear my head and think, to gamble some, and just relax. The local pool hall had quarter a game valleys (Red's...it still does ;) ) and a bunch of us spent many afternoons ruining or youth.

I never cared much about improving until I reached legal drinking age...went to a place called Spanky's where I met solid teachers that cared about pool. The owner and manager were SL7 level players that took the time to teach fundamentals and try to make players out of us bangers. These guys became like family...11 years later and we still all shoot together. Spanky's closed and the owner passed away, but he haunts us on the tables everywhere...I think we try to improve and teach because we remember all being bangers at one time.

I took a break for a while due to work and life...until my phone rang one night about my old friends needing a player for league night. I walked in the door and it was like coming home. The friends I've met, the pros I've met, the places I've gotten to see...I wouldn't trade it for anything. I continue to improve this game by teaching those who were where I once was...and I have never stopped learning.

I play because I can't not play...14.1, 10-ball, 9-ball, 8-ball...heck, I don't care. :grin-square:

So that's me...what say you?

Regards, Lock N Link.
Click to expand...


Reality...................................parallels life and work in all aspects.
 
What is pool to me.......?

Pool, is my life, I'm not a pro, I own a billiard store in michigan. It puts a roof over my familys head, food in there bellys, and for the most part makes me happy.......:smile:
 

Attachments

  • 401118_388277607865281_878551461_n.jpg
    401118_388277607865281_878551461_n.jpg
    99.3 KB · Views: 363
I just started playing pool a few months ago at age 58. My back and neck don't want to play but they don't call the shots. Between work and family I get to play about 2-3 hours a week, but mostly by myself practicing. I'm lucky that the community center just 3 minutes from home has a decent, playable table.

At my age and skill level, pool will always be a hobby; nothing more. But it's lots of fun. I'll still choose fishing before pool, but it's a close race (and fishing puts dinner on the table, something my pool game could never do:))

Later this week my cue should arrive via UPS. Nothing fancy, just a Player's HXTE10...but I'm pretty excited about it.
 
i grew up in a town that one pool hall with 2 9ft tables, 4 8 ft tables and 3 snooker tables. Nine ball for 50 cents per ;game was pretty common. A dollar a game was not far from reach. Two dollars was rare and $5 drew a big crowd.
only 90 miles from Shrevepot Louisiana, I opened the Shreveport times one day and there was a story about Buddy Hall. They had even opened a little sode room in his honor and they markedted him to be the best in the world.
A new joint opened on the River between Shreveport and Bossier City and promoted an exhibition with Minnesota Fats. We drove down to see it and he began his act of talking and missing and then challenged anyon to gamble. Eddie Taylor was there and remained silent, but Buddy jumped right up, The police got invovked and squashed the match before it started which mostw knew would have never happened anyway.
We left and went to Guys & Dolls downtown where I met Buddy and he instantly became my new idoil.
I watched him play about 20 times in that pool room and he nver lost and rarely played anyone even. In fact I watchedhim give Louie Roberst the call 7 and
bust him over 28 hours.
That was about 37 years ago adn very few practice sessions have gone by where i didnt dream of beating Buddy in the finals of some event. At 60, I have resolved it ain't gonna happen!
One of his bestlines of advice? "Son if you hit it and wonder where it's goin, you ain't ready"!
His other was " You had better learn to play like you practice, or practice like you play"!
 
Pool is a warm gun

and pool is.......what the Greyghost is made of.


-Greyghost
 
Last edited:
Pool is everything to me. Not just playing but helping others improve their own game.

It's amazing when I see all these beautiful tables in all these homes.

Once the pool bug bites you your hooked for life. You might quit but you always go back.

Even John Shuppit.................
 
genomachino said:
Pool is everything to me. Not just playing but helping others improve their own game.

It's amazing when I see all these beautiful tables in all these homes.

Once the pool bug bites you your hooked for life. You might quit but you always go back.

Even John Shuppit.................
Click to expand...

Really, thought his back problems wouldn't let the Omaha boy back.
 
Pool runs through my veins like every other pool player I know. We are so lucky. Haters, go play golf or something else please.
 
Pool is a burning passion to me. I find myself most happy when I play soccer and pool. I can go out to the pool hall with no friends and just ask any stranger for a friendly set of games. I can also play pool alone. I think that I will never quit pool even if there are no one to play with :D
 
Pool to me is the best mental and physical challenge there is. There are more shot variations at the table then there are layout variations in a Rubiks Cube. You can always solve a Rubiks Cube, but your never guaranteed to solve a layout at a pool table, even more so when your in a competitive match. That challenge keeps my interest up, and gives me the drive to keep playing and improving my physical skills against the mental challenge offered at the table.

In my 30+ years of playing I have learned that there is always something new to see and be suprised by in playing pool. That can never be said when playing with a Rubiks Cube or some other physical puzzle. Afterall, you can learn multiple solutions to a Rubiks Cube and solve it thousands of times, but the end result is always the same, and after awhile solving the cube gets boring. But every game at a pool table is different, and every layout at a table that you practice against is different, and so the finish at the end is different which keeps things exciting as far as playing goes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top