My introduction to pool was in a bowling alley in a small town in Arizona. My Dad bowled in a weekly league and would let me go with him. My first games were with him and it was love at first sight. There were no really good players in town so everything I learned was pretty much on my own. I had a natural knack for the game and couldn't get enough. My mother would check my hands for "pool dust". She didn't want me hanging around a pool hall. She might as well as hypnotized me in to going. Money games were really low stakes, but high anxiety. Except for the occasional foray in to room, I quit for almost 25 years. Drugs, alcohol and then a family kept me away from the game that I had craved. About 13 years ago I decided I would try playing again. The dying ember caught fire and while I don't play as much as I once did, I still manage to play a couple of times a week. I play in every tournament I get a chance to. It has been a terrific learning experience. I want my ashes spread over a 9' Diamond, Jim.Mike the Bike said:
Where did you first play pool, who taught you?
- Thread starter Mike the Bike
- Start date
I learned from a older man named Rex Case ... Never knew the game before I met him and I fell in love with it once I saw it... I thought it looked easy who could not put a ball in that big of a pocket. My first try I could hardly hold the cue straight. lol... It was the beginning of me learning a great game that would bring me many great friendships. And many golden memories. I hung with Rex for probably 17 years with life interupting my tutoring the biggest hitch was when I was in the Navy ...
There three of us that travel the west coast looking for action Rex , Woody and I ... I have many fond memories from them times and some that are not so great ...
At the age of thirty I moved to Georgia to be closer to family and settled down when my son was born. I did not play for the next 18 years . But when my son turned 18 I pulled my Schon out of the closet and started playing again. It's been close to a year now since I have been back at it and I love the game just as much. I'm making many more friends and alot more memories as it is a great game we share. I'm trying to soak up as much as I can as if at the age of 49 (just turned that in JULY) it is as if I don't have much longer to learn the game and I'm rushing to soak up all the knowledge I can ... As oppossed to when I was younger and had my whole future ahead of me ...lol...
I read the forum and I guess I'm a little surprised to see how many posters here at AZ share similar stories .. So many of us started playing at a young age and stopped to raise kids or life just got in the way of playing pool so we hung it up . And now here we are a little older and starting to play all over again. I guess that is part of the beauty and the pull of the game that we can never get away from it ... I see younger kids that play pretty good and we have one that travels with us . I also see how life is starting to have that same effect on them and can see where soon they will give up the game to pursue life I guess you call it ...
Just funny to me, I guess it is one of lifes patterns ... As I am older now I see the game from a whole different perspective one that I use to swear I would never do ... And now I hear the younger kids that play good swearing that they will never give the game up to get married or have kids ... Yeah yeah ... I've heard it before ... I use to say the same things ... It is life ... And I guess in lifes chain I am becoming a old man ... lol...never thought I would be one of those either...
There three of us that travel the west coast looking for action Rex , Woody and I ... I have many fond memories from them times and some that are not so great ...
At the age of thirty I moved to Georgia to be closer to family and settled down when my son was born. I did not play for the next 18 years . But when my son turned 18 I pulled my Schon out of the closet and started playing again. It's been close to a year now since I have been back at it and I love the game just as much. I'm making many more friends and alot more memories as it is a great game we share. I'm trying to soak up as much as I can as if at the age of 49 (just turned that in JULY) it is as if I don't have much longer to learn the game and I'm rushing to soak up all the knowledge I can ... As oppossed to when I was younger and had my whole future ahead of me ...lol...
I read the forum and I guess I'm a little surprised to see how many posters here at AZ share similar stories .. So many of us started playing at a young age and stopped to raise kids or life just got in the way of playing pool so we hung it up . And now here we are a little older and starting to play all over again. I guess that is part of the beauty and the pull of the game that we can never get away from it ... I see younger kids that play pretty good and we have one that travels with us . I also see how life is starting to have that same effect on them and can see where soon they will give up the game to pursue life I guess you call it ...
Just funny to me, I guess it is one of lifes patterns ... As I am older now I see the game from a whole different perspective one that I use to swear I would never do ... And now I hear the younger kids that play good swearing that they will never give the game up to get married or have kids ... Yeah yeah ... I've heard it before ... I use to say the same things ... It is life ... And I guess in lifes chain I am becoming a old man ... lol...never thought I would be one of those either...
Upstairs
My dad had a 9ft. gold crown upstairs. I used to watch him play for hours. Saw a ton of good players play on that table, Nick Varner, Frank Tullos, George Breedlove. My mom tells me of a story where she got real upset with my dad because he matched me up in a game where all I had to do was shoot the balls in without the cueball. I was about 5 or so.
My dad had a 9ft. gold crown upstairs. I used to watch him play for hours. Saw a ton of good players play on that table, Nick Varner, Frank Tullos, George Breedlove. My mom tells me of a story where she got real upset with my dad because he matched me up in a game where all I had to do was shoot the balls in without the cueball. I was about 5 or so.
I never had any instruction by anyone ever. When I was about 14 I went to the WMCA. My brother and a friend went there to play pool. What the heck I decided to give it a try. I really remember almost nothing from that day except one thing. That one thing popped up a few years later in high school. I thought why did that happen? That one thing was a missed ball. OK sure I missed plenty of them but I only remember one shot.
That was a slight cut to the corner on a 6 ball. I mean I aimed at the thing so why did it no go in. Well obviously I did not have an aiming system or know how to pivot. LOL JK but none the less that shot bugged me so I had to try to figgure out why I failed.
Well I still don't have a system or know a damn thing about piviots but I can make balls and lots of them. That is, when I play a little. The guys that had Fathers to help them and a table to play on you were/are blessed. My experience started with winning quarters from the old guys then loosing it to the better players. Add to that I'm sure well over a million balls pocketed. If you don't play real well by that time I think its time to find another form of recreation. Well not really some just like to play without being serious.
Rod
That was a slight cut to the corner on a 6 ball. I mean I aimed at the thing so why did it no go in. Well obviously I did not have an aiming system or know how to pivot. LOL JK but none the less that shot bugged me so I had to try to figgure out why I failed.
Well I still don't have a system or know a damn thing about piviots but I can make balls and lots of them. That is, when I play a little. The guys that had Fathers to help them and a table to play on you were/are blessed. My experience started with winning quarters from the old guys then loosing it to the better players. Add to that I'm sure well over a million balls pocketed. If you don't play real well by that time I think its time to find another form of recreation. Well not really some just like to play without being serious.
Rod
I was lucky. My Mom had a cafe in south Seattle, with pool tables in it. It was open 24 hours a day. All the local gamblers would go there after the bars close and buy the guy they beat out of a bunch of cash breakfast. And beat them out of more cash after that. Some guys would play all weekend. The best player in Washington State came in often. He was Tacoma Whitey. He spent 2 years with me and taught me how to play. I still play every day.
Rod.
Rod.
I shot my first pool balls around in old American Legion hut game room. I was 12 at the time. Two years later I started playing alot in a game room named Shorty`s. The cost was 10 cents per game and my allowance was 25 cents a day. There was my motivation, since we all played challenge the table as long as I kept winning I could continue to play. The other player in the room were of various ages from 13 to 25 years old. In about a two months span I was one of the better ball makers ( had to be or would have ran out of money, and the game would have been over.) Self taught.
started at age 66
I wish I had started when I was age12. My only option in this small town was a noisy, smoke filled saloon. I got as far as I could with various books & watching the masters on you-tube & then was fortunate enough to take Stan Shuffett's course. I'm still pitiful, but holding my own in the saloon. I purchased an 8' antique Brunswick Madison table, which I got set up & delivered for $700. I am now holding my own with neighbors who come by to play & started in their youth.
Stan accelerated my learning curve by decades! He is extremely scientific, highly advanced & innovative in his pedagogy, patient, sensitive, & thoroughly dedicated to his students. He is obviously motivated by his love for the game rather than the tuition. He still answers the ignorant questions I send him in e-mail.
I am thoroughly infected by the pool bug & also appreciate the wisdom & generousity on this Forum. I'm looking forward to observing the Derby City Classic in Louisville, which is only 60 miles from me.
I wish I had started when I was age12. My only option in this small town was a noisy, smoke filled saloon. I got as far as I could with various books & watching the masters on you-tube & then was fortunate enough to take Stan Shuffett's course. I'm still pitiful, but holding my own in the saloon. I purchased an 8' antique Brunswick Madison table, which I got set up & delivered for $700. I am now holding my own with neighbors who come by to play & started in their youth.
Stan accelerated my learning curve by decades! He is extremely scientific, highly advanced & innovative in his pedagogy, patient, sensitive, & thoroughly dedicated to his students. He is obviously motivated by his love for the game rather than the tuition. He still answers the ignorant questions I send him in e-mail.
I am thoroughly infected by the pool bug & also appreciate the wisdom & generousity on this Forum. I'm looking forward to observing the Derby City Classic in Louisville, which is only 60 miles from me.
I'll chime it too. It was first at Jocko's poolroom in Harrodsburg, KY back in the early to middle 1960s. My dad got me started. But really my story began in earnest in 1968, at The Hungry Stick in Clairemont in San Diego. My early mentors were: Max Olds, Maury Sarver, Ken Johnson, Tex Woolly, "Tower Bill" Jahnle, and my best friend, Jay "Swanee" Swanson. Also contributing to my PhD in pool were Amondo Gomez, Billy Graves, Roy "The Cook" Stanzione, Rick Lingley, Scott Slayton, and Ken Brock. To some extent Chet Higby and Terry Dapper contributed too.
From Los Angeles there was also Keith McCready, Cole Dickson, Ronnie Allen, Richie Florence, "Popcorn" (can't remember his real name now), & Waterdog (can't remember his real name either) who was actually from Connecticut or something like that.
Jack Cooney and Billy Aguero from the bay area were there too.
My graduate degree came from Verne Petersen's famed "Billiard Palace" in Bellflower, CA, not far from where Hard Times is today, The World's 14.1 Invitational Championships hosted by Fred Whalen at the Elk's Club in downtown Los Angeles, and finally The Stardust All-Around Championships at The Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas hosted by the Jansco brothers of Johnson City lore.
Greg
From Los Angeles there was also Keith McCready, Cole Dickson, Ronnie Allen, Richie Florence, "Popcorn" (can't remember his real name now), & Waterdog (can't remember his real name either) who was actually from Connecticut or something like that.
Jack Cooney and Billy Aguero from the bay area were there too.
My graduate degree came from Verne Petersen's famed "Billiard Palace" in Bellflower, CA, not far from where Hard Times is today, The World's 14.1 Invitational Championships hosted by Fred Whalen at the Elk's Club in downtown Los Angeles, and finally The Stardust All-Around Championships at The Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas hosted by the Jansco brothers of Johnson City lore.
Greg
Doc Fletcher on his basement 8 ft. table.
After that it was Jerry Briesath, owner of Cue Nique Billiards.
Both were located in Madison, WI.
After that it was Jerry Briesath, owner of Cue Nique Billiards.
Both were located in Madison, WI.
AdChalk
Banned
Way back when...
I do remember a long time ago - I was a single mother and my son was at his dads for the weekend. I was bored! I decided to check out the local pool room. I continued to go there every other weekend for a few months.
Then I decided to call my father and the conversation went something like this: "Dad, have you ever played pool?" He replied, "I've been know to shoot a time or two" So I asked him to meet me and play a few games.
Well he did and I then realized there was much I didn't know about my Dad. He was one hell of a pool player. He kicked my butt over and over - each time we met to play for years. Now you would think I would have gotton tired of this... No, this was the thing that brought us closer in our relationship.
I did end up beating him and in the long run became a much better player than him. My dad passed away in 2002 but even in his 80's, he could out shoot most people.
You made my day by posting this thread... Thank You...
I do remember a long time ago - I was a single mother and my son was at his dads for the weekend. I was bored! I decided to check out the local pool room. I continued to go there every other weekend for a few months.
Then I decided to call my father and the conversation went something like this: "Dad, have you ever played pool?" He replied, "I've been know to shoot a time or two" So I asked him to meet me and play a few games.
Well he did and I then realized there was much I didn't know about my Dad. He was one hell of a pool player. He kicked my butt over and over - each time we met to play for years. Now you would think I would have gotton tired of this... No, this was the thing that brought us closer in our relationship.
I did end up beating him and in the long run became a much better player than him. My dad passed away in 2002 but even in his 80's, he could out shoot most people.
You made my day by posting this thread... Thank You...
When I was 14, 1962, I was sent away to a Catholic boarding school in Santa Fe, run by the Christian Brothers, to get "straightened out". After they beat the crap out of you, they would confine you to the school campus for weeks at a time. Once I got campused "indefinitely". Fortunately, they had a rec room with two full size tables and a snooker table. I spent a lot of time in the rec room...we used to play for cigarettes, and the Brothers were happy to give us lessons for free.
I was 8 when my dad (Johnny Webb) opened a pool room in my home town. My dad taught me to play. He loves pool and opened up a room for him and his friends to go. I started out w/ "my" house cue, then another cheepy for a couple of months. My first real cue came after that one and it was a mali. Then I graduated to a joss & maybe 8 yrs. ago started playing w/ the judd that I play w/ now.
By the time I was 12 I was playing for money and would do pretty well on the weekends. Under my dads watchful eye of course. When a good player would come in town my dad would have my mom drive me up to the pool room and take a lesson or watch the action. Even if I was sleeping. You can never miss an opportunity to learn something in pool.
By the time I was 12 I was playing for money and would do pretty well on the weekends. Under my dads watchful eye of course. When a good player would come in town my dad would have my mom drive me up to the pool room and take a lesson or watch the action. Even if I was sleeping. You can never miss an opportunity to learn something in pool.