Whatever happend to Jim Rempe?

jhendri2

Rack'em Sausage
Silver Member
Just curious. I played him in germany in 1990 or 1991. He ran rack after rack of 8-ball. He was one of the nicest guys and most popular players. If anyone knows where he is or how he's doing it would be appreciated.

I was a big fan of King James!

Jim
 
jhendri2 said:
Just curious. I played him in germany in 1990 or 1991. He ran rack after rack of 8-ball. He was one of the nicest guys and most popular players. If anyone knows where he is or how he's doing it would be appreciated.

I was a big fan of King James!

Jim

Last I heard, he had retired some months ago. I believe he still lives in the Scranton, PA area.
 
Somebody mentioned a while back that he has back problems that have restrained him from playing full time or as much as he would like.
 
vader93490 said:
Last I heard, he had retired some months ago. I believe he still lives in the Scranton, PA area.


What do pool players retire to? Fly fishing...gardening...bird watching...game show expert....mall rat....? Seriously...what is that much less strenous than pool or gives the additional pleasure that can't be derived from the game?
Rempe isn't all that old. (also one of my all time favorites)
 
drivermaker said:
What do pool players retire to? Fly fishing...gardening...bird watching...game show expert....mall rat....? Seriously...what is that much less strenous than pool or gives the additional pleasure that can't be derived from the game?
Rempe isn't all that old. (also one of my all time favorites)


i've always wondered this.......since there is a guy about 80 around here......that retired from another job....and is just PLAYING POOL......

do poolpayers retire and get a job, since everyone else retires to play pool???

VAP
 
vapoolplayer said:
do poolpayers retire and get a job, since everyone else retires to play pool???

VAP


Might not be a bad idea for most of them since the majority never contributed enough to social security, an IRA, 401K, or other investments throughout life to sustain them beyond their gambling or tournament days.
Unless you find a sugarmomma...geezerdom might not be too much fun.
 
Hobbies

They play golf, do honey do's, and other things .... and then

They wander into the 'old pool halls' and start playing cards and dominoes,
and evaluate all the new kids showing up, and once n while, will get up
to show that young fella how someone can spot them so much ...
 
drivermaker said:
What do pool players retire to? Fly fishing...gardening...bird watching...game show expert....mall rat....? Seriously...what is that much less strenous than pool or gives the additional pleasure that can't be derived from the game?
Rempe isn't all that old. (also one of my all time favorites)
I too have wondered what Rempe has been up to. If he has retired (and I don't know that he has), it would be understandable. Rempe must be about 60 years old. At that age one's sustainable pool skills have declined significantly. In addition, one's nervous system doesn't withstand the pressure as it does in a 35 or 40 year old. There is no senior tour. At 60, one simply can no longer compete with the hot younger players. I suspect that the older name players still competing --such as Buddy Hall, and perhaps Parica and Varner-- are just barely eeking out a living. Hell, there's barely enough money out there for the TOP U.S. players.

Doc
(60, but still trying)
 
Snapshot9 said:
They play golf, do honey do's, and other things .... and then

They wander into the 'old pool halls' and start playing cards and dominoes,
and evaluate all the new kids showing up, and once n while, will get up
to show that young fella how someone can spot them so much ...


Where does all the money come from to do that? Golf isn't exactly cheap and the other activities bring in no money and everyone doesn't have a "honey" to do for.

("Hello....welcome to Wal-Mart")
 
At the 2005 DCC, I was talking with Billy Incardona and I asked him about Jim Rempe and he stated that he is pretty much retired and that he will only play in tournaments if the money is right.

There is a website I found some time ago that people may reach jim rempe at: www.jimrempe.com It is a nice web site.

These retired pros should get out there and promote professional pool and not just hide on some golf course or on a boat on a lake and fish.
 
Snapshot9 said:
They play golf, do honey do's, and other things .... and then

They wander into the 'old pool halls' and start playing cards and dominoes,
and evaluate all the new kids showing up, and once n while, will get up
to show that young fella how someone can spot them so much ...

Some open their own poolrooms or start making their own cues and become successful at that venture i.e. Mike Sigel.
 
Why not just call and ask him, the number is at the web site.

Geez Drivermaker, every one of your posts were negative; you having a bad day :D

#1

What do pool players retire to? Fly fishing...gardening...bird watching...game show expert....mall rat....? Seriously...what is that much less strenous than pool or gives the additional pleasure that can't be derived from the game?
Rempe isn't all that old. (also one of my all time favorites)

#2

Might not be a bad idea for most of them since the majority never contributed enough to social security, an IRA, 401K, or other investments throughout life to sustain them beyond their gambling or tournament days.
Unless you find a sugarmomma...geezerdom might not be too much fun.

#3

Where does all the money come from to do that? Golf isn't exactly cheap and the other activities bring in no money and everyone doesn't have a "honey" to do for.

I retired at 57 to play pool for the enjoyment of it; I go to tournaments for the competition, with little hope of getting my money back because I simply have enough that I do not need it and also because the "players" are simply better than me. If I practice for two to three hours my lower back is killing me by the time I go to sleep. Rempe is also 57 and 6'2" tall, he was bent over a billiard table for 50 years at about 10 to 12 hours a day; TALL pro players have a terrible back problem in their later career. Sometimes when I wake up the next day I cannot practice because my lower back just hurts too much, so I'm limited to practice every other day for about two hours. Let's just say for example that Jim is in worse condition than me, how could anyone expect a player to compete with the likes of Reyes when he only practices let's say 10 hours a week.

If you think about it, YOUTH takes over everything; let's look at the game of Chess. Nothing physical involved here, is there? Yet, the younger players come into the game and develop different openings, strategies, and tactics that overwhelm the older champions and move into those elite positions held by the likes of Steinitz, Alekhine, Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, and now Kramnik.

Also, a lot of the senior players just got tired of how EASY the game is becoming:

LARGE pockets
FAST clothes
EASIER rule changes

Jimmy quoted Earl as saying; "...use 4 1/2 inch pockets, move the spot up one inch and lets play pool..." Jimmy added; "...let's make the cloth just a bit slower, and let's play pool..." Now you got to "get on the ball" and not rely on long shot making and FAST clothes to make it look like you can play pool. Oh yeah, let's get rid of the Jump stick also; just another tool to make the game easier because of lacked kicking abilities which equals poor billiard knowledge.

As for all the questions, there is an e-mail address at the site; just send Jim and e-mail and I'm sure either Jim or Sally will be glad to answer your questions.
 
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I don't blame the guy at all for not wanting to spend more time and a ton of money travelling to low payout tournements. He's played like God in Reno a couple of years- his duels with Archer are classics, but I don't expect him to fly across the country to compete. Anything less than fourth place and he probably loses money.

Ask Jam how much the tourney trail costs with hotel rates,travel expenses,etc... the guy has competed and carried himself like a champion for decades. Let him fish, damnit... $$ from his training ball and 14.1 tapes should at least cover the bait and license :)
 
DeadAim said:
Why not just call and ask him, the number is at the web site.

Geez Drivermaker, every one of your posts were negative; you having a bad day :D

#1

What do pool players retire to? Fly fishing...gardening...bird watching...game show expert....mall rat....? Seriously...what is that much less strenous than pool or gives the additional pleasure that can't be derived from the game?
Rempe isn't all that old. (also one of my all time favorites)

#2

Might not be a bad idea for most of them since the majority never contributed enough to social security, an IRA, 401K, or other investments throughout life to sustain them beyond their gambling or tournament days.
Unless you find a sugarmomma...geezerdom might not be too much fun.

#3

Where does all the money come from to do that? Golf isn't exactly cheap and the other activities bring in no money and everyone doesn't have a "honey" to do for.


WOW, I'm shocked that you think those posts were negative. Are YOU having a bad day to interpret it as such? They're valid questions and a hell of a dose of reality. Fact is...I think I'll open an entire new thread and beat it around with everyone. Look for the next exciting installment at a theatre near you......
 
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