Who Is/Was The Best With Own $$?

Jimmy Mataya was at one time thought to be one of the best money players when betting his own. True story: I was walking with a good player from the Detroit area after a big 14.1 tourney ended (all the champions were there) and Jim Rempe was walking with us. My friend said that he felt Mataya was the best money player for his own dough and Rempe got all bent out of shape thinking he was one of the best; I think if Mataya was there they would have probably played.

My point is there were several great players that played on their own dime in the 70's that I knew of...but they liked getting staked too. If they had the money, it was in play. When they got broke, they always seemed to have a stake to keep things rolling.

Dave
 
Parica and Pagulayan are probably at the top for betting their own.
They are legitimate high rollers.

In the action days, there were a lot who would bet their own.....

...and there were a lot who wouldn't.
 
seven_7days said:
From what I hear/read, I would say Keith Mcready






...then Hulk Hogan.
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Keith was in action so much that he'd swing both ways. If he had money in his pocket, he was all-in with his own dough. If he was busted, he had numerous stakehorses he could call to get in action. If that failed, he'd muster up a committee of backers to get in action. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, stops Keith if he wants to gamble.

Besides, everybody knows that Keith beat Dave Matlock, so Keith's the best player who bets his own money. That's for sure. :grin-square:

To the person who mentioned Grady Mathews, I'd have to agree. Grady always bet his own.
 
Johnnyt said:
Shane is pretty good playing on his dime, but gets staked a lot also. I've been around pool for 60+ years and I don't remember very many big name players playing on their own dime for big stakes. Can you name some top players over the years that almost always played on their own $?

I always played with my own $. Granted I stayed clear of any bar or poolroom that had top players in it. I was a very low level hustler @$5-$20 a game. Anything more than $200 a set with someone even in speed with me, I would get a little case of the bow-wow's. But staying under the radar was easy back in the day...and that's how you made scores. Johnnyt
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I think most all players play on their own dime and have no problem doing so. Often they may be broke or not have the money for a bigger bet and may look for a backer. I would not for a minute think if say, Buddy Hall was betting his own money he would fall apart and dog it. The reason so many are always involved with outside guys and money is because in most cases they set up the action. A lot of times the player almost functions as an employee more then a partner.
 
JAM said:
Keith was in action so much that he'd swing both ways. If he had money in his pocket, he was all-in with his own dough. If he was busted, he had numerous stakehorses he could call to get in action. If that failed, he'd muster up a committee of backers to get in action. NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, stops Keith if he wants to gamble.

Besides, everybody knows that Keith beat Dave Matlock, so Keith's the best player who bets his own money. That's for sure. :grin-square:

To the person who mentioned Grady Mathews, I'd have to agree. Grady always bet his own.
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From my small experience around him he pretty much always won with backers money. Unlike a lot of players who would just take a shot even in a bad game with a backers money, Keith was more careful with a backer then he was with his own money.
 
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Most I have seen personally is Shane. Alex will send it in as well.

Heard Grady always bet high with his own money.
 
Brass Tap

SCCues said:
Before his accident, Kim Davenport was one tough customer on his money.
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I only saw KD in action one time. At the Brass Tap in '90 or '91, over the loud speaker it was announced anyone in the room had the 8 ball. A chubby young fellow from your neck of the woods took him up. KD had a "tiger" on his hands that night. When I left he had lost two sets. Tony Ellin was still unheard of in many circles at that time. He had heart!
 
Paul Bruesloff

Jimmy Spears

Minnesota Fats

Billy Cardone

Jimmy Mataya

Grady Mathews

Allen Hopkins


Honorable mention: Mark Betor (stakehorse of the stars, lol)
 
SouthernDraw said:
I only saw KD in action one time. At the Brass Tap in '90 or '91, over the loud speaker it was announced anyone in the room had the 8 ball. A chubby young fellow from your neck of the woods took him up. KD had a "tiger" on his hands that night. When I left he had lost two sets. Tony Ellin was still unheard of in many circles at that time. He had heart!
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Tony would bet it up and Kim didn't have to like giving him the 8 ball. Tony was under the radar for a long time until he started having success in the big 9 ball tournaments. He finished second to Earl Strickland in the US Open and he could have won the Open if he hadn't hooked himself playing position near the end of the match with Earl down. He also finished second to Nick Varner in the Tournament of Champions for 50K and he should have won that one also, but he missed an easy ball that he'd make all day normally at the end of the match and Nick beat him. Tony was a strong player and he beat all the top players at the time in tournaments before his accident. He lived near where I live and he was a good guy. Nobody wanted to play him that knew him around this area!

James
 
Best I've seen in action, Mark Tadd. I'm sure he didn't play exclusively on his own dime. But, often he did. He made lots of money in poker to fund his game.

Heard more stories about Keith and Worst playing, tho. Of course, Worst was wealthy and had plenty of money to not worry about rent, food, etc. Also, diagnosed with a terminal sickness, he played all out while his body allowed. As for Keith, I've seen play but past his genuine prime. I've heard he just wanted to prove he was the best, whose ever money, really didn't matter.

FYI, Denny Searcy (whom I saw past his prime) played with backers, but it was only a way to keep count. Who ever ended up with all the money was the winner. The money was simply the measuring stick. One of his backers told me about him cleaning out a room one night with both of them with pockets filled full. He wanted to count the money and split it in the hotel room. Denny didn't care about the money. He just wanted to relax, have a drink and rest.
 
SouthernDraw said:
FYI, Denny Searcy (whom I saw past his prime) played with backers, but it was only a way to keep count. One of his backers told me about him cleaning out a room one night with both of them with pockets filled full. He wanted to count the money and split it in the hotel room. Denny didn't care about the money. He just wanted to relax, have a drink and rest.
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And, whats wrong with that ? A man after my own heart. :wink:..Besides, with 'some' stakehorse's, that could be the only way to get them to buy a drink ! :rolleyes:
 
punter said:
Chris Bartram bets his own, right Chris?
He plays hard for the money and will matchup pretty tough, i.e., not stealing most of he time.
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Most of my life I bet my own money
Over the past few years I have got backed more then I use to.
 
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