JDB said:
I like everyone you posted and I think I have played them all. But I would take Tom Vanover (Cigar Tom) over almost any one of them in an even race.
I haven't seen him play in a couple of years, but Cigar Tom is definately top 5 in the area. I know he doesn't play in the Planet Pool Tournaments because of work, I believe, but he would place or win a lot of them if he did.
Another good player not mentioned in the area is Kevin West. He is as good or nearly as good as everyone on the above list.
The above list is a very good representation of the area, as they are all extremely strong players, but I would definately put Tom Vanover above them. Kevin West is debatable, but he plays strong.
I'm posting under Keith's account because my newly acquired AzBilliards membership as JAM is in "moderation queue."
Twenty years ago or more, the BEST players in the "immediate" Maryland/D.C. area were Cigar Tom Vanover, Strawberry, the late Michael "Geese" Gerace, youngsters Timmy Crown and Stu Levy, the late Steve Gumphreys before he got married and moved, Bus Driver Ronnie, Bobby Hawk and Quick Vic, Tom-Tom Wirth, Freddy and Scottie Boggs, Nate and his Uncle Jake, and Korean Lee. Baltimore, in particular, had the majority of good players, and the action always began after midnight at the old Bill and Billie's in Glen Burnie, Maryland, now named "Jack and Jills." Linda Haywood (now Linda Shea) was the best lady pro and maintained the title of Maryland State Champ for years.
Cigar Tom enjoys a sterling reputation as a great player to this day and has a good following. Whenever he plays, there is always a huge crowd. He still plays by appointment at Running Out Billiards in Dundalk, Maryland. I saw him play a guy a few years ago at Hot Shots on Pulaski Highway for a few jellybeans, and the table was surrounded by onlookers, to include me!
Cigar Tom always played with a very narrow shaft, like a pencil, claiming that he could execute more english on his shots. He has a brother who lives in Texas, I think, who is also a strong player. The last Maryland State Championship held in Maryland was in 1986 at Champion Billiards in Silver Spring. Ironically, it was won by Mike Sigel, a Towson resident at that time, the same year "The Color of Money" came out. Cigar Tom came in second, and Ted Wilson third.
Today, if I had to pick the best players in D.C., I can think of only two that come to mind, Jack McGinnis and Keith McCready!
Currently in Maryland, my picks for best players would be Ryan "Genie Man" McCreesh, UPA Touring Pro Mike Davis, Shawn "The Shirt" Wilkie, Gerry Slivka who recently moved to the Baltimore area, and Bobby Hawk. Mark "Donut Man" Ford has recently made a strong comeback (IMO) after taking a small hiatus. Bus Driver Ronnie, Ed Gast, Cigar Tom, Strawberry, Left-Handed Ronnie, Don Gibson, Sterling, Bobby Leggs, and Tom-Tom Wirth can still be seen around town occasionally. I just saw Bobby Leggs last week playing on the front table at Hot Shots during the day.
In Virginia, my picks for best players would be Young Gun Pookie, APA Champion Jim "Shorty" Henson, Jimmy Mack, Billy Stephens, Richmond's Larry Kressel, Virginia State 9-Ball Champ Chris Laur, and much to my surprise at a couple of recent tournaments, AzBilliards' own Water Koch from Manassas.
Kevin West (I think) is from Delaware and always is a strong contender in any tournament I've seen him play. He doesn't get to compete as much as he would like because he is dedicated to his family business of a chicken farm. I remember him telling me one time that he was unable to make a Planet Pool 9-ball tourney because it was egg-hatching time. Kevin West is definitely capable of beating any of the above-referenced players on any given day. Here's a picture of Ralf Souquet, Keith, and Kevin West.
JAM
While in "moderation queue," I have to post under KM's account.
