What was the first time you realized you’re a strong player?

Mustardeer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I remember I felt something when I broke and ran 10-ball on a 9’ with 4” pockets for the first time. But I still felt like I sucked cause I lost sets all the time.

Few years later I ended up at an after hours pool room and stumbled on two players I admired ( I considered them monsters at the time ). They were setting up a set for 500 and omg they were arguing over every tiny thing. One wants Texas express, the other cb fouls only, etc. I’m just excited to watch the action but feels like it’s never gonna happen. Then I say I’ll play if you want. They both turn to me and say “what kind of weight are you gonna give me?”. I was so shocked to hear that, I laughed it off. A week later I played one of them even and won 15-9, I still remember the score. I think that’s the first time I thought to myself maybe I’m decent at this thing.
I also recall practicing solo one day thinking this game is just too hard, feeling down. Some random approaches and wants to talk about his revo. He asks to play a few. We do. He then asks “how did you get so good”. He wanted tips. It was so funny to me, I’m over here thinking I’m garbage and he wants to shoot like me lol.
 

easy-e

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I remember I felt something when I broke and ran 10-ball on a 9’ with 4” pockets for the first time. But I still felt like I sucked cause I lost sets all the time.

Few years later I ended up at an after hours pool room and stumbled on two players I admired ( I considered them monsters at the time ). They were setting up a set for 500 and omg they were arguing over every tiny thing. One wants Texas express, the other cb fouls only, etc. I’m just excited to watch the action but feels like it’s never gonna happen. Then I say I’ll play if you want. They both turn to me and say “what kind of weight are you gonna give me?”. I was so shocked to hear that, I laughed it off. A week later I played one of them even and won 15-9, I still remember the score. I think that’s the first time I thought to myself maybe I’m decent at this thing.
I also recall practicing solo one day thinking this game is just too hard, feeling down. Some random approaches and wants to talk about his revo. He asks to play a few. We do. He then asks “how did you get so good”. He wanted tips. It was so funny to me, I’m over here thinking I’m garbage and he wants to shoot like me lol.
I had the opposite experience last night! I'm usually one of the stronger players in the tournaments I play in. I saw a guy who was clearly playing in his first tournament ever. He was leaning on the table when his opponent was shooting... THAT new. He was using a snooker cue. When he lost his match, I asked him if he was having a good time (I'd like people like him to keep coming back!). I asked about his cue, and he proceeded to tell me how superior a snooker cue is for 9 ball, and that I need to watch some Jimmy White videos and then I'll understand. It was so weird. It was one of those "you don't know what you don't know" things I guess.
 

Get_A_Grip

Truth Will Set You Free
Silver Member
Not yet!
Danny D. told me I was a shortstop for life and I believed him. :rolleyes:
That's the thing. "Strong" is relative. You'll always run into someone who is much better. Nowadays you can throw out a Fargo Rating number where you believe that anyone that is above that number is a "strong" player. Then others can actually debate that number.
 

Quesports

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was 17 in 1969 went to Woodstock for 5 days of fun.

Ran 65 balls in straight pool at Nick's Pool Room in Gloucester, Mass. The same place Hippie Jimmy Reid learned to play. The whole room stopped playing and watched me shoot. Got stuck after a break out shot in the pack.. Still playing pretty well!
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
For me, it was the first time I beat my father at straight pool, which was in September of 1970. I beat him by the memorable score of 50-49. While it's possible I was mistaken at that time, that was the day when I thought I had arrived as a player. I was twelve years old at the time, and probably played pool about an hour a week back then.
 

jimmyco

NRA4Life
Silver Member

What was the first time you realized you’re a strong player?


When I dropped a brand new Predator chalk under a Valley bar box and lifted the cabinet with one hand and grabbed the friggin' little eight sided wheel with the other.
 

Geosnookery

Well-known member
I had the opposite experience last night! I'm usually one of the stronger players in the tournaments I play in. I saw a guy who was clearly playing in his first tournament ever. He was leaning on the table when his opponent was shooting... THAT new. He was using a snooker cue. When he lost his match, I asked him if he was having a good time (I'd like people like him to keep coming back!). I asked about his cue, and he proceeded to tell me how superior a snooker cue is for 9 ball, and that I need to watch some Jimmy White videos and then I'll understand. It was so weird. It was one of those "you don't know what you don't know" things I guess.
Ronnie OSullivsn had never played 9 ball before playing in the
Mosconi Cup in the mid 90’s. He defeated 5time world champion Eric Strickland using a Snooker cue...as did his partner Steve Davis. Ronnie had to ask his partner about the rules between table visits. Re Jimmy White, he and Alex Higgins both played in thr Mosconi Cup in 1995...both were just having fun, drunk the whole time.. and won.

 

easy-e

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Ronnie OSullivsn had never played 9 ball before playing in the
Mosconi Cup in the mid 90’s. He defeated 5time world champion Eric Strickland using a Snooker cue...as did his partner Steve Davis. Ronnie had to ask his partner about the rules between table visits. Re Jimmy White, he and Alex Higgins both played in thr Mosconi Cup in 1995...both were just having fun, drunk the whole time.. and won.

***Earl
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I ran 101 balls when I was 16.
About the same time a pretty good player asked me to play a 9 ball race to 5 for $25.
This was 1963 and a $25 bet was pretty high for me.
I was a kid playing $3 & $5 straight pool and $1 9 ball and 25 cents a way Chicago(1 & 5) with deductions.
Gas was 29 cents a gallon to give some perspective to you young ones.
I beat the guy and figured I could play a little.
I still remember the winning 9 ball shot after all these years.
The 9 was about a foot and a half from the corner pocket and a slight off angle shot with the cue ball about 2 feet away.
It was an easy shot but I was very nervous.
 

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I remember I felt something when I broke and ran 10-ball on a 9’ with 4” pockets for the first time. But I still felt like I sucked cause I lost sets all the time.

Few years later I ended up at an after hours pool room and stumbled on two players I admired ( I considered them monsters at the time ). They were setting up a set for 500 and omg they were arguing over every tiny thing. One wants Texas express, the other cb fouls only, etc. I’m just excited to watch the action but feels like it’s never gonna happen. Then I say I’ll play if you want. They both turn to me and say “what kind of weight are you gonna give me?”. I was so shocked to hear that, I laughed it off. A week later I played one of them even and won 15-9, I still remember the score. I think that’s the first time I thought to myself maybe I’m decent at this thing.
I also recall practicing solo one day thinking this game is just too hard, feeling down. Some random approaches and wants to talk about his revo. He asks to play a few. We do. He then asks “how did you get so good”. He wanted tips. It was so funny to me, I’m over here thinking I’m garbage and he wants to shoot like me lol.
Strong player is a relative term. If you think you are a strong player, then you clearly are not playing against the level of competition you should be!
 
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