Who is "Super Stroke"?? From the 90's....

jay helfert said:
Bingo! That guy is not Bruce Christopher. Bruce is a blonde who would be near 60 years old now. He was around way back in the 70's and promoted himself as "Superstroke". He claimed to be a great player and actually got himself on TV with Fats once. He was a C player who was all hype and had no play. A "pool imposter" we used to call guys like him. More of a con man than a pool player. He saw what Fats was able to accomplish and he tried to do the same thing. He did manage to get some publicity in the pool media 25-30+ years ago. That's about it. Unlike Fats who was the real deal, a lifetime pool hustler who knew everyone, and really gambled for high stakes.

Bruce was a phony all the way. In the early 90's, he did come out and challenge anyone to play for a million dollars. He DIDN'T say he was going to win, just play them for a million. Do you see the con he had planned? Now I'll tell you some things you don't know and very few people do. Bruce was one of the best "short change" artists alive (and probably still is). That's how he made his living all these years. He would resurface from time to time around poolrooms and let everyone know Superstroke was in town, but he would NEVER play anyone who could play. That would have been way too risky.

He has been in trouble with the law more than once, and for all I know, could be in jail today. Superstroke was one of the most inept pool con man of all time. Trudough reminded me of him when he started making claims of running 200 balls. Another egocentric liar.
Click to expand...

Yep, I gave him a ride once back to his room, he said, stop in here I wanna get cigs/whatever, before I knewn it he was back in the car sayin/ LETS GO and QUICK, he short changed the cashier. I too think he's probably in jail somewhere, but I did like his quirckiness and seeing him every once in awhile, a one of a kind, kinda like a tweaker but NOT because of drugs, thats just the way he was, and pretty harmless.
 
That youtube link was painful to watch. Literally, I hurt now. He skipped the four and shot the six, while making up a quote attributed to Mosconi.
 
Those interviews of his....I had to turn them off. After hearing so much bullsh*t, I actually felt sick. Dishonest people *really* bother me.
 
Cameron Smith said:
Yeah, theres more too lol. At around 6:50 starts explaining how to play.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4JUpUKLEd0&feature=channel_page


It all kind of reminds me this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ql1rPiNDiEQ&feature=channel_page (this is one of the funniest things I've ever seen)
Click to expand...

hahaha, the quote he said about Mosconi was this:

"I'm going to attempt to pocket the ball as Mosconi would say, because if I don't make it, at least it is out of the way." That does NOT sound like Willie nor does it make any sense.

You could hear the people in the crowd say "Hey what about the four?!" while he banged the six around the table and declared it a nice shot after he left himself safe.
 
UrackmIcrackm said:
The guy in the picture is not "Bruce Christopher". My memory isn't what it used to be but if I remember correctly, the "Superstroke" in the photo is named "Steve". He used to live in the Dallas area and could be found hanging around CJ's pool room. I recall seeing him carry around a little notepad at a few tournaments and if I'm not mistaken, he was a small time bookie making lines on the matches. I recall him talking about the lines on a few matches in his notepad but I can't remember for sure if he was making them or betting on them.
Click to expand...


That's exactly the way I remember it too. Couldn't miss those big sunglasses.

Another pool-hall character gone missing...
 
hi

ironman said:
He set up a booth and did an exhibiton at the Denver Livestock Show in Denver way back when. He was promoting a cue that wighed like 30 ounces or something like that. I picked it up and it felt more like a war club.

The TV crew was there and listening to his line of crap when he offered to play Buddy on Tv for some amount. I was in the crowd and asked when this would happen and said I would like to bet $5000 on Buddy in this match. The TV guy came over and asked who I was and I responded with, "Buddy Hall". Bruces eyes got about as big as a Frisbee.
Click to expand...

i see this alot at the pool expos.
im not saying who but i see huge crowds following around people who put on a good show and to the naked eye look like great players.

meanwhile theres 100 people in the building that could spot them big weight.

anyway guys like superstroke make me laugh sad part is guys like him and fats somehow get on tv ,make money etc .its a shame .


the real stars of the game mostly go unnoticed and die broke .

what a bummer ,theres con men everywhere and i think people who go around putting on pool exibitions like their world champs while never winning anything are basically conmen or conwoman too.
 
John...I'm not standing up for Bruce Christopher, but I will stand up for exhibition players (of which I am one, as well as an instructor). Your comment doesn't hold water, I'm sad to say. I've tried to tell the pros, for YEARS, that if they want to make any real money at pool, they should be doing exhibitions. That's the ONLY place where 'making a living' playing pool is not only possible, but for some of us, quite profitable (I'm pretty sure Mike Massey, and Tom Rossman, aka Dr. Cue, are doing quite well). The problem with many of the top players, sadly, is that they (like you), seem to hold the concept of doing a pool exhibition in contempt (apparently because gambling and tournament play is the only place where REAL poolplayers go...LOL). The sad truth is that many couldn't even DO a good exhibition, because they have to be more than just a good players...you have to be a "showman". You have to have some common business sense, some manners, some communication skills, and (imo) a dress code. Fats was one of the best showmen, and Jack White was another. Jeanette Lee commands five figures for her exhibitions...and gets it! If you could quit living in the dark ages, you guys could make a real living, instead of living 'hand to mouth'.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

john schmidt said:
i see this alot at the pool expos.
im not saying who but i see huge crowds following around people who put on a good show and to the naked eye look like great players.

meanwhile theres 100 people in the building that could spot them big weight.

anyway guys like superstroke make me laugh sad part is guys like him and fats somehow get on tv ,make money etc .its a shame .


the real stars of the game mostly go unnoticed and die broke .

what a bummer ,theres con men everywhere and i think people who go around putting on pool exibitions like their world champs while never winning anything are basically conmen or conwoman too.
Click to expand...
 
Scott Lee said:
I've tried to tell the pros, for YEARS, that if they want to make any real money at pool, they should be doing exhibitions.

The problem with many of the top players, sadly, is that they (like you), seem to hold the concept of doing a pool exhibition in contempt (apparently because gambling and tournament play is the only place where REAL poolplayers go...LOL).

If you could quit living in the dark ages, you guys could make a real living, instead of living 'hand to mouth'.
Click to expand...

This is simply my opinion but I think this post for the most part was done in bad taste. Telling guys they live in the dark ages, they have no showmanship etc...

The really sad part is that someone that plays a sport on a professional level would have to resort to trick shot exhibitions in order to make a decent living. You don't see Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Tony Stewart, Peyton Manning, or Manny Ramirez out doing gimmick shows at an expo in order to feed themselves. Pro pool players shouldn't need to do these things in order to feed themselves and the fact that they do, is what's sad.

Don't knock 'em because because they feel contempt at having to lower themselves to gimmicks to get paid when they should be paid because of their skill on the table in a tournament against another pro player.
 
john schmidt said:
...the real stars of the game mostly go unnoticed and die broke ...
Click to expand...

Some folks choose to work for a living, some choose to play for a living. Few can 'make it' by playing for a living. It ain't rocket science.

One rolls the dice dice, one takes one's chances...
Choose a hobby for a career and get paid like it.
 
Black-Balled said:
Some folks choose to work for a living, some choose to play for a living. Few can 'make it' by playing for a living. It ain't rocket science.

One rolls the dice dice, one takes one's chances...
Choose a hobby for a career and get paid like it.
Click to expand...

I used to play in a baseball league and that was a hobby for me. If I had played well enough to be a pro, it would've been a lucrative career. :cool:
 
hi

UrackmIcrackm said:
This is simply my opinion but I think this post for the most part was done in bad taste. Telling guys they live in the dark ages, they have no showmanship etc...

The really sad part is that someone that plays a sport on a professional level would have to resort to trick shot exhibitions in order to make a decent living. You don't see Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Tony Stewart, Peyton Manning, or Manny Ramirez out doing gimmick shows at an expo in order to feed themselves. Pro pool players shouldn't need to do these things in order to feed themselves and the fact that they do, is what's sad.

Don't knock 'em because because they feel contempt at having to lower themselves to gimmicks to get paid when they should be paid because of their skill on the table in a tournament against another pro player.
Click to expand...

exactly good post .
 
We'll be right back in 2minutes and 2seconds...

And now back to the Superstroke thread... :thumbup:
 
UrackmIcrackm...I call 'em as I see 'em. Whether or not you believe that it's a shame that very few top players can make a living PLAYING tournament pool, or gambling is not the issue. I agree with you. However, pool is not golf, tennis, NFL football, or NASCAR...and the reality is that there is NO $$$ in playing pool, except in the exhibition market...which is very deep, and very lucrative. You, John, and others, can sit here and whine and moan about the sad state of the pay level of professional pool...OR...they could take my advice, and start looking at ANY way to make a living playing pool. Many of the really smart pro players have a real job...and play pool on the side. If you want to make a living playing pool, the way I suggested is ONE plausible way. Exhibitions are popular, and there's room for thousands of them every year. You won't see Archer, Varner, or Strickland come on here badmouthing exhibitions. They've done plenty of them, and know it's a way to get a paycheck. Those pro players who believe that they are "lowering themselves" in doing exhibitions is where the problem lies. It's just like the unemployed guy who says, "I'll take a job, when they'll pay me what I think I'm worth." Good luck with that attitude. If you can't see that, then I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

UrackmIcrackm said:
This is simply my opinion but I think this post for the most part was done in bad taste. Telling guys they live in the dark ages, they have no showmanship etc...

The really sad part is that someone that plays a sport on a professional level would have to resort to trick shot exhibitions in order to make a decent living. You don't see Tiger Woods, Andre Agassi, Tony Stewart, Peyton Manning, or Manny Ramirez out doing gimmick shows at an expo in order to feed themselves. Pro pool players shouldn't need to do these things in order to feed themselves and the fact that they do, is what's sad.

Don't knock 'em because because they feel contempt at having to lower themselves to gimmicks to get paid when they should be paid because of their skill on the table in a tournament against another pro player.
Click to expand...
 
hi

Scott Lee said:
John...I'm not standing up for Bruce Christopher, but I will stand up for exhibition players (of which I am one, as well as an instructor). Your comment doesn't hold water, I'm sad to say. I've tried to tell the pros, for YEARS, that if they want to make any real money at pool, they should be doing exhibitions. That's the ONLY place where 'making a living' playing pool is not only possible, but for some of us, quite profitable (I'm pretty sure Mike Massey, and Tom Rossman, aka Dr. Cue, are doing quite well). The problem with many of the top players, sadly, is that they (like you), seem to hold the concept of doing a pool exhibition in contempt (apparently because gambling and tournament play is the only place where REAL poolplayers go...LOL). The sad truth is that many couldn't even DO a good exhibition, because they have to be more than just a good players...you have to be a "showman". You have to have some common business sense, some manners, some communication skills, and (imo) a dress code. Fats was one of the best showmen, and Jack White was another. Jeanette Lee commands five figures for her exhibitions...and gets it! If you could quit living in the dark ages, you guys could make a real living, instead of living 'hand to mouth'.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Click to expand...

i said i wasnt naming names.so i wasnt actually talking about you.

nevertheless since your name has popped up, my friend told me about one of your shows ten years ago.


she said you were saying how you would have played on the pro tour but their was no money in it etc blah blah.


she then went on to beat you in front of everyone which embarrassed and pissed you off .since your such a great showman im sure nobody noticed you were mad for a female c player beating you several games in a row.

look its simple jeanette lee should do shows because she is great in her sport . i simply think to justify doing exibitions you should be a proven great in your sport .otherwise its kinda cheating the people who show up to watch since they dont know any better.


thats how it works in any other sport but everyone knows pools a joke. i mean how else could a b player like yourself make 6 figures as you claim.

ive stood in the background at a so called exibition by guys like you .
you go to schools ,churches,leagues,etc
you will advertise yourself as a instructor, trick shot artist,proplayer and usually the words world champion are thrown in there for good measure.

since nobodys around but beginners you can get away with such claims.

all im saying is its a shame that pool is so unorganized that anybody can go around and claim anything ,or that they they are world classs and nobody checks them on it.

look scott i got no problem with you doing lessons and maybe even your shows .the thing that bothers me is when a friend of mine calls me up and says they talk to you and you say things like i would play the pro events but there is no money in it,instead of telling the truth which is your light years from being good enough to play the pro events and winning.


maybe after one of your shows when everyone in the room thinks your one of the greatest poolplayers ever because you said so lol. ill pop up and say hey scott how about you and i play a race to 30 ten ball.

if you beat me im going to give everybody in the room 100 dollars a piece.
anyway scott i think your a joke and if you get under my skin anymore ill make a point to do a pool exibition and it will be at your expense.
 
hi

futhermore youve completely misunderstood what im saying scott.

i think exibitions are great i just think the real pros are the ones who should do them.thats all .

like mosconi did .
 
Thanks everyone for their responses, I knew it wasn't Bruce Christopher (as I said in my original post).

As for the posts about exhibitions, can't we move on to some other nice and friendly topic?

How about Fatboy's "not being back" but posting all the time?

Or maybe who is going to buy Jeanette Lee in the next calcutta?

Perhaps if there is anyone willing to let Tony Chohan borrow their car for a short trip across state lines?

I would like to discuss the rep system for a change....

Have fun.....
 
This thread just turned real ugly. John, perhaps you crossed the line a bit there. I have met Scott and know him to be nothing short of a true gentleman full of modesty and sincerity.
 
John Schmidt

John, you seem to be a pretty smart guy and dead on the money about pool players dying dead broke. It makes me wonder why more pro players don't have regular jobs. Since the majority of tournaments are weekend affairs, it would seem there would be plenty of time to work a regular job.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top