Rick Schroder
your favourite player of all time...
- Thread starter poolprince
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You hit the mark, everything got WAYYYYYYYYYY more interesting when RA was around. My first sighting of him was at Johnson City 67 to I think 70 when the treasury dept busted the place (I was there) RA just happened to be somewhere else, I'm sure he knew something wasn't right. His tone of voice, the way he talked too and about Whitey, his fundamentals, the way he dressed, he reminded me of Jack Niklaus, and at the time it was said he was the only pool player that could get a loan from the bank because of his skill
, it was probably true. He had the gift of gab "in his own way" equal to the Fat man, and that's saying allot. He was not brash or in your face or rude, but his southern style drew you "in" he stood alone amongst his peers. He once said he hadn't missed a ball months and the only way he did miss was if the ball skidded or rolled off, he was probably correct. He played one pocket differently than all others, way agressive and the balls always seemed bigger when ronnie played, like they had more places to be hit than his opponent.
One Pocket - Efren
Banks - Bugs
9 Ball - Buddy
10 Ball - SVB
14.1 - Holman
All Around - Varner
Entertainment- RA
Banks - Bugs
9 Ball - Buddy
10 Ball - SVB
14.1 - Holman
All Around - Varner
Entertainment- RA
You hit the mark, everything got WAYYYYYYYYYY more interesting when RA was around. My first sighting of him was at Johnson City 67 to I think 70 when the treasury dept busted the place (I was there) RA just happened to be somewhere else, I'm sure he knew something wasn't right. His tone of voice, the way he talked too and about Whitey, his fundamentals, the way he dressed, he reminded me of Jack Niklaus, and at the time it was said he was the only pool player that could get a loan from the bank because of his skill
Couldn't agree more. I've seen em all the last forty years and Ronnie stands alone atop the heap. He was clever as a fox, funny as a comic and talented as they come. And he would bet sky high and never miss a beat. In fact the bigger the bet, the better he played. "Pressure", Ronnie used to say, "is what I put on the other guys." And he did, from beginning to end.
To this day, I've never seen a player with Ronnie's skills at One Pocket. He had a unique way of playing. Yes he was aggressive, but balls were going toward his hole on every turn at the table. Artie may have been a "smarter" player, but he couldn't do what Ronnie could. Other top players may have made similar shots from time to time but Ronnie did it EVERY time. He had a relentlessly aggressive style that wore out his opponents. Just when you thought you had him in a trap, he would pull off some extraordinary shot from nowhere that would win the game. Kind of disheartening if you were his opponent.
I liked betting on Ronnie, particularly if it was one game for all the marbles. He may have been the best "big game" player of all time. Under pressure with a do or die shot, he had no equal. He was actually a big favorite to make a shot like that, whether it was cutting a ball down the rail or playing some off angle combination. I saw him make so many difficult shots under duress that after a while I "knew" he was going to make it. He just didn't miss big shots for all the cash. EVERYONE else I ever saw play One Pocket missed tough ones from time to time. But not Ronnie. He got that cash!
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Keither
How was Keith for the cash? For hight betting? and for huge pressure shots?
I think he has to be up there as well
How was Keith for the cash? For hight betting? and for huge pressure shots?
I think he has to be up there as well
Mike Zuglan and Nick Vlahos, they beat me to death, for years. I would have loved to see Boston Shorty,(Larry Johnson), in his prime.
Keith McCready, because he was super talented and also entertaining
Jay Swanson, because he had the sweetest stroke I've ever seen
Jack Cooney, because he was clearly the smartest pool player I've ever seen
Angel Paglia, because ... because ... awww, shucks ... you knowwww
Honorable mention:
Buddy Hall
Mark Tad
Steve Mizerak
Jim Rempe
Jennifer Baretta :grin:
Folks I wish I could've seen in their prime that could've been my favorite:
Don Willis
Denny Searcy
Luther Lassiter
Harold Worst
Jay Swanson, because he had the sweetest stroke I've ever seen
Jack Cooney, because he was clearly the smartest pool player I've ever seen
Angel Paglia, because ... because ... awww, shucks ... you knowwww
Honorable mention:
Buddy Hall
Mark Tad
Steve Mizerak
Jim Rempe
Jennifer Baretta :grin:
Folks I wish I could've seen in their prime that could've been my favorite:
Don Willis
Denny Searcy
Luther Lassiter
Harold Worst
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Ronnie was Keith's mentor and it showed. Keith in some ways was a Ronnie clone. Like Ronnie, no bet phased him and no shot bothered him. Playing big money 9-Ball, only Buddy (and Swanee) may have been in Keith's league. Like Buddy, Keith gave weight to the world, at least on a big table playing 9-Ball.
I never saw anyone run out and make it look quite as easy as Keith. When those balls were in the open, it was all over and fast! Shots that most mortal players would study for a while, Keith barely blinked at. He took one look, saw what he had to do and fired the ball in the hole and got position. He was a very intimidating player to go up against. It was hard to fade someone running out so quickly and efficiently rack after rack. Probably the most deadly tough shot player to ever play the game. He could execute any shot with precision and accuracy.
Even in tournaments NO ONE wanted to draw Keith. And if they did, they hoped he'd had a bad night and was hung over, or maybe didn't show up at all. Unfortunately that happened more than a few times. Keith's downfall was matching up bad and giving too much weight. And his fondness for the ponies also cost him many big bankrolls.
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Earl - AMAZING shot making abilities and pattern play...Also fun to watch.
Fransico - I would give my left leg for his stroke!!!!
Efren - Does anybody remember THE SHOT in the Reno Open Finals in 95??? Nuff Said :thumbup2:
Karen Corr for the women - The only thing that moves when she hits the ball is her forearm. WoW
Ronnie O'Sullivan for Snooker - The man runs Centuries accurately left or right handed!!!! He's not from this world!!!!
Fransico - I would give my left leg for his stroke!!!!
Efren - Does anybody remember THE SHOT in the Reno Open Finals in 95??? Nuff Said :thumbup2:
Karen Corr for the women - The only thing that moves when she hits the ball is her forearm. WoW
Ronnie O'Sullivan for Snooker - The man runs Centuries accurately left or right handed!!!! He's not from this world!!!!
Alex, Efren, and Yang.
Man this is a hard one. May as well ask me which drop of water I like the most in the Pacific Ocean. There are so many players past and present running through my mind. If I could pick a dozen or more I'd still feel an injustice to so many! Then there are those young guns coming up --- my-o-my!
Dirty old man!! But I like your choices.
8ballEinstein said:
Me thinks 8ballEinstein would be doing the (click-->)Pagila Dance if .....
Bob <---Likes 8balEinstein's choices too, especially ..... you knowwww!
Favorite
Jimmy Matz was a monster at 9-Ball and Straight Pool.
He wasn't greatly interested in Tournaments in his best shooting days of the late '70's.
His personality was so strong, he could have sold ice to an Eskomo.
It's too bad the entire pool world never got to see Jimmy play.
A very, very talented player to be around and watch.
Quite obviously, my favorite.
Jimmy Matz was a monster at 9-Ball and Straight Pool.
He wasn't greatly interested in Tournaments in his best shooting days of the late '70's.
His personality was so strong, he could have sold ice to an Eskomo.
It's too bad the entire pool world never got to see Jimmy play.
A very, very talented player to be around and watch.
Quite obviously, my favorite.
