Who are the Top 5 Bar Box players

longhair said:
I don't have any idea who is best on a bar table. However, a Diamond with a regular cueball is not a bar table. I know it's the same size, but it's a totally different experience than a valley cougar with a big ball, huge corner pockets and smaller side pockets.
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Great post...first person in 5 pages to note the differences....2 completely different games in my opinion.


true bar box - slow cloth, huge cue ball, dirty balls, huge corner pockets, tiny side pockets, no pocket shelves.

new diamond bar box - Basically a shrunk PRO-AM. simonis cloth, shiny new balls, red circle cue ball, tight pockets, deep shelves.


Any player that plays good on a 9ft diamond with simonis is gonna play great on those 7 ft diamonds. They are the exact same conditions, only shrunk.

Ian
 
xianmacx said:
Great post...first person in 5 pages to note the differences....2 completely different games in my opinion.


true bar box - slow cloth, huge cue ball, dirty balls, huge corner pockets, tiny side pockets, no pocket shelves.

new diamond bar box - Basically a shrunk PRO-AM. simonis cloth, shiny new balls, red circle cue ball, tight pockets, deep shelves.


Any player that plays good on a 9ft diamond with simonis is gonna play great on those 7 ft diamonds. They are the exact same conditions, only shrunk.

Ian
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Not that I'm around the bar action much anymore, but I hear a lot about the "big ball" and I haven't seen one in quite a while. It is hard for me to imagine today's generation even knowing much about the "big ball" game.

I went to a state BCA event in Texas a few weeks ago and grante the iamond bar table is a little tougher than the Valey, but, it was hardly what you would call tight. I've always believed that the old Fisher Table with the big ball was real bar pool.
 
xianmacx said:
Great post...first person in 5 pages to note the differences....2 completely different games in my opinion.


true bar box - slow cloth, huge cue ball, dirty balls, huge corner pockets, tiny side pockets, no pocket shelves.

new diamond bar box - Basically a shrunk PRO-AM. simonis cloth, shiny new balls, red circle cue ball, tight pockets, deep shelves.


Any player that plays good on a 9ft diamond with simonis is gonna play great on those 7 ft diamonds. They are the exact same conditions, only shrunk.

Ian
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Quite a big difference actually.

But yes, a valley and a Diamond play much differently. When I started this thread, I wasn't implying big cue balls, huge pockets, and dirty balls. I was just implying the size of the table.
 
Eddie4269 said:
How in the world you throw out ten names of world's best barbox players and Dave Matlock isn't in there I surely don't know.

I'll stake Matlock against anyone in the world playing short-rack banks on a barbox.
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Matlock belongs on there some where I will agree with you on that. As far banks on a bar box I'll take Brian Gregg. I think their a whole lot of strong bar box players out there. Anyone of them can be beat at any given time depending on who they are playing and how the game is set up. Winner break, loser break, rotation of the break there are alot of factors in there. Dee Adkins is pretty darn strong on a bar box player did not here anyone mention him.
 
ironman said:
Not that I'm around the bar action much anymore, but I hear a lot about the "big ball" and I haven't seen one in quite a while. It is hard for me to imagine today's generation even knowing much about the "big ball" game.

I went to a state BCA event in Texas a few weeks ago and grante the iamond bar table is a little tougher than the Valey, but, it was hardly what you would call tight. I've always believed that the old Fisher Table with the big ball was real bar pool.
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And a nightmare for many....
 
ribdoner said:
[/COLOR]
And a nightmare for many....
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Ahhh, memories..... :)

Well, it's like this - learn to draw the MUD BALL on that NAPPY cloth and you'll be friggin amazed on what you can do on a big table.

Back to the original question - DAVE MATLOCK gets my vote.

Of course Keith was phenomenal back in the day, but he had, ummm, distractions at the time. Well, he's still phenomenal.

Best Roadie on a Bar Box who never played big Tournies (for fear of killing his action)? JERRY BENTO.

And who was the big guy from Chatt Cue Club, later moved to Nashville? He was one of the best bar box players in the country. Used to coach several teams, won the BCA...crap, his name escapes me.

For a grip, he would ONLY play on Fishers, blue dot or mud ball. 5-10K action was his norm ---stakehorse of the month willing, that is. :D

(If the above sentence doesn't make sense to you - get out and gamble more!!)

-von
 
jimmymac said:
Matlock belongs on there some where I will agree with you on that. As far banks on a bar box I'll take Brian Gregg. I think their a whole lot of strong bar box players out there. Anyone of them can be beat at any given time depending on who they are playing and how the game is set up. Winner break, loser break, rotation of the break there are alot of factors in there. Dee Adkins is pretty darn strong on a bar box player did not here anyone mention him.
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Very true. I would stake Brian Gregg against ANYONE playing banks on ANY table.
 
Interesting post...not that I care who the best on any table is. What's interesting is some of the snobbery. Smaller table = not pool. HA! That's like saying, playing a golf course under 7200 yards (like the pros do on TV) isn't golf. I can play a local muni (6400-6800 yrds), and it's still golf to me.

I don't play much pool, but I got talked into playing a second night this session of 8 ball league. 4 of the venues we travel to have Diamonds, and the rest are Valley tables. I can't believe some make such a big deal between the two. I don't see much difference in my overall game (not that I have much of one), but there is a little adjustment speed wise between ALL the tables....BIG DEAL, I adjust for different greens (speed and slope) all the time.

Oh, and for those 9 footer only folks....the team I play for is a poolhall, and we get a 9 fter to practice on during league....I think 8 ball is easier on the big table.
 
xianmacx said:
Great post...first person in 5 pages to note the differences....2 completely different games in my opinion.


true bar box - slow cloth, huge cue ball, dirty balls, huge corner pockets, tiny side pockets, no pocket shelves.

new diamond bar box - Basically a shrunk PRO-AM. simonis cloth, shiny new balls, red circle cue ball, tight pockets, deep shelves.


Any player that plays good on a 9ft diamond with simonis is gonna play great on those 7 ft diamonds. They are the exact same conditions, only shrunk.

Ian
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I guess you missed post #32..........

(Or I could just be on Ignore by every other poster...:rolleyes: )
 
VonRhett said:
Ahhh, memories..... :)

Well, it's like this - learn to draw the MUD BALL on that NAPPY cloth and you'll be friggin amazed on what you can do on a big table.

Back to the original question - DAVE MATLOCK gets my vote.

Of course Keith was phenomenal back in the day, but he had, ummm, distractions at the time. Well, he's still phenomenal.

Best Roadie on a Bar Box who never played big Tournies (for fear of killing his action)? JERRY BENTO.

And who was the big guy from Chatt Cue Club, later moved to Nashville? He was one of the best bar box players in the country. Used to coach several teams, won the BCA...crap, his name escapes me. For a grip, he would ONLY play on Fishers, blue dot or mud ball. 5-10K action was his norm ---stakehorse of the month willing, that is. :D

(If the above sentence doesn't make sense to you - get out and gamble more!!)

-von
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Larry Ayler?? He was from those parts and he PUNISHED a few champions with big muddy;)
 
That's him! Good job, Ribdoner! Last time I was at JOBs (a few years ago), Larry was there and we tried to play a few sets. I wanted to go play on the Diamond 9-ft and of course Larry likes the BBs out front, so we shook hands, had a drink and told some lies.

Someone else has mentioned that Gene the Machine is back?!? Way cool! He was definitely one of the Top 5 Road Players 20 years ago. One of the Masters of Disguise, he has 7 gears and will only play in the one needed to barely beat you --- over & over again! First time I bumped into him was at The Green Room and I offered him a spot! That didn't last long as his true speed became quite apparent. I left with my pride intact, but nothing but lint in my pockets :p

-von

ribdoner said:
Larry Ayler?? He was from those parts and he PUNISHED a few champions with big muddy;)
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"Surfer Rod" Curry was pretty strong with the big ball in the Late 70's, 80's and very early 90's. Buddy might be the best ever on the box with the big cue ball.
 
belmicah said:
Very true. I would stake Brian Gregg against ANYONE playing banks on ANY table.
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You must not be advertising that very hard, because he can get open games against a ton of players.

Both Tony's will play him. He can go to Kentucky and get a few games.
 
best i have seen are Kirkwood,Bowman,Shane VB,Vilmont,and Walden in no particular order.i know there are many others but these are the best 5 i have seen.there are 2 herein Nashville where i live that play just a step or two under them,Bobby Pickle and John Hennessee.
 
I cant believe no one has mentioned Richie Richeson playing eightball on the BB.
 
ginsu said:
"Surfer Rod" Curry was pretty strong with the big ball in the Late 70's, 80's and very early 90's. Buddy might be the best ever on the box with the big cue ball.
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Surfer was a good player, but not near Buddys speed. Surfer was a go-off artist and rarely beat any of the big guns. Wouldn't even play 9-ball.
 
I would say all the players mentioned were good choices. It probably depends on who is having a good day between the top 20 or 30 barbox players. Here's a couple more from the past that played sporty:
Joe Salazar
John Shuput
Gary Nolan
Clyde Childress
Steve Oaks
Weldon Rogers
Larry Price (still plays good).
"One eyed Tony"
 
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