Should have been a no-brainer. Am I the only one who feels this way?
The title's a little off. Sorry.
The title's a little off. Sorry.
Why Isn't Bugs Rucker in BCA The Hall of Fame
- Thread starter PhilosopherKing
- Start date
The same reason Ronnie Allen ain't in the BCA's Hall of Fame.
It's an industry member-driven organization. They induct people in the Hall of Fame sometimes who may benefit them monetarily and/or financially. Each year, depending on who's at heading the BCA, the Hall of Fame nominees are selected in a different manner. If you don't think this is politics at its finest, then you may never understand.
Legends of pool are usually unsung heroes.
In some Halls of Fame, it depends on who you know and what region of the country you live in. If you're from some region(s) of the country, you're a lock to get in, especially if you're friends with those who are already inducted.
That's the way I see pool halls of fame. They may bring joy to those who devoted their lives to pool, but they don't put one penny in the players' pockets.
i'm guessing it's because not enough people are pushing for it to happen. i bought his banking instructional dvd. he showed off some cool shots
Never happen
The BCA frowns on people who received their status through gambling and not tournaments. Bugs didnt like tourns, and preferred to play the winners for money instead. However, Bugs is in both the OnePocket and Bank Pool Hall of Fame. The organization headed by Steve Booth at Onepocket.org that honors those after hours legends who ducked the limelight.
BEard
The BCA frowns on people who received their status through gambling and not tournaments. Bugs didnt like tourns, and preferred to play the winners for money instead. However, Bugs is in both the OnePocket and Bank Pool Hall of Fame. The organization headed by Steve Booth at Onepocket.org that honors those after hours legends who ducked the limelight.
BEard
I hadn't seen where Bugs had done an instructional bank DVD. Could you provide anymore info on it? Thanks a lot.
He's probably thinking of "Freddie 'The Bugs' Bentivegna" or "Bugs 'The Beard' Rucker."
j/k,
-Sean
He's probably thinking of "Freddie 'The Bugs' Bentivegna" or "Bugs 'The Beard' Rucker."
j/k,
-Sean
Nope, Bugs has a video. Its probably mid 80's.
Bugs is in the One Pocket Hall of Fame both for One Pocket and Banks. The One Pocket Hall of Fame has developed into a significant alternative to the BCA HOF. Think of the two faces of the pool world, as old as the sport itself -- and that would be the industry/tournament/wholesome recreation side of the game, and the BCA HOF represents that side of pool very well. Then think of the action/gambling/hustling side of the game, well that is where the One Pocket Hall of Fame takes over.
Naturally, we don't get as much publicity as the BCA HOF, which is very cozy with the establishment media. But, that doesn't take away from the fact that the One Pocket HOF event is one hell of a good party, and truly represents "being honored by one's peers", because of the outstanding turnout every year of major players, backers and fans of the whole action side of the game. Coming up in January during the middle of the Derby City festivities is our 6th annual dinner. I am working on a more formal press release as we speak.
Here are a couple of youtube clips to give you some flavor of what it is like. The clip from 2006 includes Bugs, who was there with our first class of HOF inductions in the Bank category -- so we had a big crop of players that year.
Ask anyone who has been to our HOF dinner -- it is a blast! Thank you, Greg Sullivan for your support of pool action and the One Pocket HOF over the years.
2006 HOF highlights put together by Bill Porter
A clip from BCN the first year Bugs came to the Derby for his One Pocket HOF induction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V71W9nQo4xg
Inside Pool interviews from last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-N9zsRa2m0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_L9jGWSjyI
Naturally, we don't get as much publicity as the BCA HOF, which is very cozy with the establishment media. But, that doesn't take away from the fact that the One Pocket HOF event is one hell of a good party, and truly represents "being honored by one's peers", because of the outstanding turnout every year of major players, backers and fans of the whole action side of the game. Coming up in January during the middle of the Derby City festivities is our 6th annual dinner. I am working on a more formal press release as we speak.
Here are a couple of youtube clips to give you some flavor of what it is like. The clip from 2006 includes Bugs, who was there with our first class of HOF inductions in the Bank category -- so we had a big crop of players that year.
Ask anyone who has been to our HOF dinner -- it is a blast! Thank you, Greg Sullivan for your support of pool action and the One Pocket HOF over the years.
2006 HOF highlights put together by Bill Porter
A clip from BCN the first year Bugs came to the Derby for his One Pocket HOF induction:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V71W9nQo4xg
Inside Pool interviews from last year
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-N9zsRa2m0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_L9jGWSjyI
Steve I find it hard to believe that any magazine couldn't benefit from adding an article reporting your banquet and possibly even doing an interview with those selected. Do they not realize that A LOT of their subscribers love hearing about the ACTION side of it even more so than the tournament coverage? Those magazines are dropping the ball if they are not doing so.
this ball was dropped many, many years ago!!
Bugs Rucker
Freddy's on the right track. Standards for inclusion into the BCA's hall include having won at least one national- or world-class tournament, and Bugs didn't play tournaments. Rucker's exclusion does not have a great deal to do with politics, as JAM suggests, but he's absolutely right that inclusion into a HoF - ANY HoF - does nothing whatsoever financially for the players. GF
Freddy's on the right track. Standards for inclusion into the BCA's hall include having won at least one national- or world-class tournament, and Bugs didn't play tournaments. Rucker's exclusion does not have a great deal to do with politics, as JAM suggests, but he's absolutely right that inclusion into a HoF - ANY HoF - does nothing whatsoever financially for the players. GF
It's not that they have done nothing, but some for sure have done very little. I'm not one to complain -- I just think for the inductee's, getting a little more coverage would be nice for them. They do have a real good time at the dinner; nothing can take that away from them!
Uh. Hey, Baby Cakes, I'm a she. I'm the one on the left in my avatar.
:embarrassed2:
:grin-square::thumbup:
Apologies, but you're still right. And it's been since the SEVENTIES that anybody called me Baby Cakes. (Thanks!) GF
You bring to mind an interesting point, when you consider the tradition of pool in America. Bugs, of course, was black, and when he came of age as a champion caliber player, the color barrier had not yet shifted to include "colored players" in the major tournaments. So when Bugs came up, the game was all about action. Why wouldn't he specialize in games that he could actually make a living at? Once the color barrier did come down, he was already firmly established as a money player, so although he later played in Grady's Legends of One Pocket tournaments (not recognized as "major" by the BCA anyway), he never embraced the established tournament scene. Black players like Bugs -- especially before Bugs -- stood no chance of making their name in the "major national and international tournament" scene necessary to qualify for the BCA HOF. Just ask Satchel Paige; I guess that makes four strikes