Who is or was your favorite pool player ever?
- Thread starter richiebalto
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Billy Steele
I'd have to go with Efren, too.
But I like that a few are naming the not-so-famous names.
Back in the early '70s, I met a kid named Billy Steele.
At 6-foot, 145 pounds, he wasn't physically impressive. Long pony tail, and a wispy little goatee that took him several years to grow!
Quiet and humble, he didn't hustle, but would play anybody. He never owned a car, and besides shoes and underwear, bought all his clothes at the Salvation Army store. Quit drinking BEFORE he came of age and never smoked a cigarette. He was a lefty, but could play pretty well from the other side, too. And I never saw him lose his temper or even raise his voice...
He always gave me credit as one of his teachers, though all I taught him was a bit about safety play. Like me, he began playing on the 9-footers, but became a bar box monster. His fame was limited to the upper midwest, though he did travel a bit, once with me to Florida and many times to Vegas, where he was a legend at national amateur events. He never won an national amateur singles title, but he didn't much like singles tournaments. One of our teammates, a four-time national champion wanted no part of him for the $.
Nobody I ever met who saw Billy play really "wanted" to play him. I saw him lose only once gambling. He was playing a pretty strong player from Minnesota for $100 a rack. The guy ran five racks and Billy was out of bullets, but I believe he won that and more back from the guy at a later date.
On a road trip to Vegas, he took off a well-known gambler for $19,000 on the guys home table!
In our home town it was generally accepted that the ONLY way to beat him was to break and run every rack. Billy was however, unable to beat an infected ulcer, and was gone far too young.
I'd have to go with Efren, too.
But I like that a few are naming the not-so-famous names.
Back in the early '70s, I met a kid named Billy Steele.
At 6-foot, 145 pounds, he wasn't physically impressive. Long pony tail, and a wispy little goatee that took him several years to grow!
Quiet and humble, he didn't hustle, but would play anybody. He never owned a car, and besides shoes and underwear, bought all his clothes at the Salvation Army store. Quit drinking BEFORE he came of age and never smoked a cigarette. He was a lefty, but could play pretty well from the other side, too. And I never saw him lose his temper or even raise his voice...
He always gave me credit as one of his teachers, though all I taught him was a bit about safety play. Like me, he began playing on the 9-footers, but became a bar box monster. His fame was limited to the upper midwest, though he did travel a bit, once with me to Florida and many times to Vegas, where he was a legend at national amateur events. He never won an national amateur singles title, but he didn't much like singles tournaments. One of our teammates, a four-time national champion wanted no part of him for the $.
Nobody I ever met who saw Billy play really "wanted" to play him. I saw him lose only once gambling. He was playing a pretty strong player from Minnesota for $100 a rack. The guy ran five racks and Billy was out of bullets, but I believe he won that and more back from the guy at a later date.
On a road trip to Vegas, he took off a well-known gambler for $19,000 on the guys home table!
In our home town it was generally accepted that the ONLY way to beat him was to break and run every rack. Billy was however, unable to beat an infected ulcer, and was gone far too young.
Among the men pro's my favorites have been Jim Rempe, Johnny Archer, and Francisco Bustamante.
Among the women pro's my favorites have been Jeanette Lee, Ewa Laurence, Ga-Young Kim, and Allison Fisher.
Among the women pro's my favorites have been Jeanette Lee, Ewa Laurence, Ga-Young Kim, and Allison Fisher.
blakeshot27
Banned
Willie, number one.
The guy who i used to love watching practice 14.1 at the cue club in Vegas was Johnny Ervolino, the man used to run 50-150 every day like it was nothing. Made the game look sooooo easy and i would step up after watching him and i couldnt run 10 balls !! Used to drive me nuts. (Still does).
The guy who i used to love watching practice 14.1 at the cue club in Vegas was Johnny Ervolino, the man used to run 50-150 every day like it was nothing. Made the game look sooooo easy and i would step up after watching him and i couldnt run 10 balls !! Used to drive me nuts. (Still does).
You know, I've always heard that...but never got to see him play. No videos, just pictures.
Efren Reyes. I've got a lot of favorites (all mentioned here), but I gotta say no one really comes close in my mind. He's the ultimate beast in all games.
In his youth I had rather watch Tony Watson giving the world the 6 ball on
the Barbox than watch anyone play
the Barbox than watch anyone play
Fun player to watch for sure!
Word to the wise when in action with Tony. Jump cues not allowed, or you can't win.
Attachments
The guy had some style, anyway. I get to play pool with people wearing t-shirts with the f-bomb and not-very-subtle sexual innuendos all over them. Awesome :thumbup:
Irving Crane, pure class in all aspects..
Better Tony picture.
Did this Tony wear glasses when he was about 14 and kinda nerdy looking and from the Carolinas ? I had Jimmy Wells with me when he was 15, around 1989 and he gave a young kid that looked around 14 the 8 in Raleigh N.C that could really play. I quit for over 15 years and heard he made a top player.
The youngsters...god love 'em
There are many ways of defining "favorites" in the game. Allison Fisher, my dear friend, couldn't give more reasons to be a favorite. She's mega talented and a sweetheart on or off the table. I love her.
But, for favorites in the realm of talent, it's obvious some of you posters never watched Taylor bank balls or Jimmy Moore demolish the ten-ball game in Johnston City, hour after hour. You probably never saw Wimpy Lassiter cut a ball so thin that he made another great player break down in sobbing tears. And, of course, if you never witnessed the one and only Cecil hall run out without missing one ball for hours on end, you haven't seen pool.
Oh God! Now i sound like one of those other old codgers. Forgive me.
Keep it nice. Alfie
There are many ways of defining "favorites" in the game. Allison Fisher, my dear friend, couldn't give more reasons to be a favorite. She's mega talented and a sweetheart on or off the table. I love her.
But, for favorites in the realm of talent, it's obvious some of you posters never watched Taylor bank balls or Jimmy Moore demolish the ten-ball game in Johnston City, hour after hour. You probably never saw Wimpy Lassiter cut a ball so thin that he made another great player break down in sobbing tears. And, of course, if you never witnessed the one and only Cecil hall run out without missing one ball for hours on end, you haven't seen pool.
Oh God! Now i sound like one of those other old codgers. Forgive me.
Keep it nice. Alfie
He wore glasses when he was young and was a beast
He did look like a nerd in his younger days with those glasses lol
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