So you have the distinction of saying you've beaten Shane every time you've played him for money.
Your greatest pool shot/moment
- Thread starter u12armresl
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boogieman
It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that ping.
I went to a local watering hole with one table to have some food and play a bit of bar pool. It's not super serious players, a few league players, but mainly older folks wanting to enjoy some pool with food and drinks, real nice people, no one out for blood so to speak, just casual fun. There's one guy there who is just an ass, but he buys lots of drinks so everyone tolerates him. Well, he had the table, was playing partners, and insisted on a "last pocket and bank the 8" rule. It was his table so whatever, but this bar was where a lot of regulars went to play pool and there was only one table.There were about 8 names (8 teams) on the dry erase board, meaning no one was really getting to play pool as the games lasted so damn long between the "last pocket and bank the 8 shenanigans" and the fact you had to wait for everyone to finish their drink/chat/bathroom break. The dude is ok at pool, but high C, maybe low B at best. He takes several turns to fulfil the winning condition, just relying on everyone else to not be able to bank into last pocket. The 8 ball would literally be on the table for 10 minutes with people just missing every shot on it.
I bought him a draw to butter him up and asked him if he would mind changing it to just regular 8 ball, or last pocket, or bank the 8 since there were a lot of people up on the board waiting to play. I was super respectful, basically walking on eggshells. He just gets belligerent as hell yelling and tells me to mind my own business and it was "my table my rules, if you don't like it leave." I'm not a confrontation dude at all but this just pissed me off good. I told him it won't matter, my team is up next anyway and it would be our table in a few minutes.
He was doing the coin flips for breaks, I still have no idea why. I won the flip. Well, my heart beat is pretty high from the previous encounter, and everyone's eyes is on me since he was loud as hell with his comment. I set up for a side second ball break and unloaded on that rack. The odds were low as hell for it to happen but the 8 got knocked right into the side pocket on break. Instant win. I still can't believe it happened but half the bar started whooping and hollering, he turns around from the bar stool, sees his partner clapping and asks "what happened?" His partner says I got 8 on the break. Dude was pissed. I had to rub it in a bit. I looked at him and said, "well since it's my table now, it's my rules, we're playing regular 8 ball teams." Dude turns around and just chugs the rest of his beer and doesn't say another word. It was kind of funny because I had a couple people come up and say thanks for changing the rules as they just wanted to play with their wife, sick of waiting, etc. The funny part is, this was the second time in my life I had managed to get 8 on the break but I just waved it off and acted like it was a common occurance lol.
I bought him a draw to butter him up and asked him if he would mind changing it to just regular 8 ball, or last pocket, or bank the 8 since there were a lot of people up on the board waiting to play. I was super respectful, basically walking on eggshells. He just gets belligerent as hell yelling and tells me to mind my own business and it was "my table my rules, if you don't like it leave." I'm not a confrontation dude at all but this just pissed me off good. I told him it won't matter, my team is up next anyway and it would be our table in a few minutes.
He was doing the coin flips for breaks, I still have no idea why. I won the flip. Well, my heart beat is pretty high from the previous encounter, and everyone's eyes is on me since he was loud as hell with his comment. I set up for a side second ball break and unloaded on that rack. The odds were low as hell for it to happen but the 8 got knocked right into the side pocket on break. Instant win. I still can't believe it happened but half the bar started whooping and hollering, he turns around from the bar stool, sees his partner clapping and asks "what happened?" His partner says I got 8 on the break. Dude was pissed. I had to rub it in a bit. I looked at him and said, "well since it's my table now, it's my rules, we're playing regular 8 ball teams." Dude turns around and just chugs the rest of his beer and doesn't say another word. It was kind of funny because I had a couple people come up and say thanks for changing the rules as they just wanted to play with their wife, sick of waiting, etc. The funny part is, this was the second time in my life I had managed to get 8 on the break but I just waved it off and acted like it was a common occurance lol.
I were a STAR!
Long ago before 9-11 I was flying out of Atlanta. We had to get there early to allow for Atlanta area traffic and check in and such then had time to twiddle our thumbs. Fortunately there was an old pool hall, not real close but a quick trip on the sled.
Get there and just grab a table by the counter since we don't have much time. Without thinking I offer him a spot I was giving a lot of bar room bangers then. We would play eight ball but my shots had to be kicks, banks, combinations, or caroms, nothing straight in.
I haven't gotten through offering before I realized that was dumb, he was a bar room player that rarely lost in a bar room. Too while close friends, we were extremely competitive with each other. One advantage, I was far from home and could let the ponies run, word would never get back to the people I gambled with.
This was also before tight Diamonds, old nine footers with four and three-quarter or bigger corners that vacuumed balls in like a Hoover. From the first break, no quarter given after that damned fool spot! I beat him like a drum getting out in one, two, or three innings. The only thing slowing me down was it could be difficult to get a legal kick or bank on the eight sometimes.
There wasn't but eight or ten people in the place. I looked up and saw all of them including the counterman gathered around the table. The counterman had spread word of what was happening and they had quit their games to watch. They were excited to put it mildly! "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "Want us to call somebody?"
I told them I was just a pool shooting country boy from South Louisiana where everyone played like that. :thumbup: Also had to explain about the big silver bird, no time for gambling. A shame, I was hotter than a two dollar pistol at the moment. A perfect storm of everything right to bring out my best. I still never gave my friend that same spot again!
Hu
Long ago before 9-11 I was flying out of Atlanta. We had to get there early to allow for Atlanta area traffic and check in and such then had time to twiddle our thumbs. Fortunately there was an old pool hall, not real close but a quick trip on the sled.
Get there and just grab a table by the counter since we don't have much time. Without thinking I offer him a spot I was giving a lot of bar room bangers then. We would play eight ball but my shots had to be kicks, banks, combinations, or caroms, nothing straight in.
I haven't gotten through offering before I realized that was dumb, he was a bar room player that rarely lost in a bar room. Too while close friends, we were extremely competitive with each other. One advantage, I was far from home and could let the ponies run, word would never get back to the people I gambled with.
This was also before tight Diamonds, old nine footers with four and three-quarter or bigger corners that vacuumed balls in like a Hoover. From the first break, no quarter given after that damned fool spot! I beat him like a drum getting out in one, two, or three innings. The only thing slowing me down was it could be difficult to get a legal kick or bank on the eight sometimes.
There wasn't but eight or ten people in the place. I looked up and saw all of them including the counterman gathered around the table. The counterman had spread word of what was happening and they had quit their games to watch. They were excited to put it mildly! "Who are you?" "Where are you from?" "Want us to call somebody?"
I told them I was just a pool shooting country boy from South Louisiana where everyone played like that. :thumbup: Also had to explain about the big silver bird, no time for gambling. A shame, I was hotter than a two dollar pistol at the moment. A perfect storm of everything right to bring out my best. I still never gave my friend that same spot again!
Hu
i know who you are talking about.
He has never asked me to play.
But I'm really glad you beat him I know the story.
I have no idea of my best shot in 60 years of playing.
But I have 4 moments in no particular order.
Playing Willie Mosconi a 14.1 exhibition.
Beating Grady Mathews at straight pool.
Winning a straight pool tournament in Viet Nam.
Running my first 100 in straight pool.
An honorable mention would be seeing all the greats play in the 60's in the NJ/NY area.
But I have 4 moments in no particular order.
Playing Willie Mosconi a 14.1 exhibition.
Beating Grady Mathews at straight pool.
Winning a straight pool tournament in Viet Nam.
Running my first 100 in straight pool.
An honorable mention would be seeing all the greats play in the 60's in the NJ/NY area.
The most "fun" would be playing 14.1 and calling a ball out of the middle of a slightly broken rack, perhaps with a carom or two on the way to the pocket and having people react with amazement or saying, "How did he even see that shot?"
But, one of the best pressure shots may have been one of the best moments. Not a difficult shot, but not easy, either. I was on a BCA team in a traveling league in Houston in the late 80s early 90s. We were playing for the City Championship, with the winning team getting a free trip to Vegas to play in the National Tournament.
We were playing the final match for the Championship, and I was playing the final game. If I won; we went. If I lost; we stayed at home. Now, I can't remember if I just played lousy shape or if I inherited the table, but the cue ball was deep in the corner pocket and the 8-Ball was about 3 inches below the side pocket:
So, we called time and proceeded to discuss what to do. I don't remember the conversations, but I do remember my teammate and good friend, Robert, telling me that I knew how to shoot the shot and to just relax and "feel' the shot.
I walked up to table, lined up the shot and fired it cross-corner dead into the middle of the pocket. My team cheered and the other team crumbled.
We had a great time in Vegas!
But, one of the best pressure shots may have been one of the best moments. Not a difficult shot, but not easy, either. I was on a BCA team in a traveling league in Houston in the late 80s early 90s. We were playing for the City Championship, with the winning team getting a free trip to Vegas to play in the National Tournament.
We were playing the final match for the Championship, and I was playing the final game. If I won; we went. If I lost; we stayed at home. Now, I can't remember if I just played lousy shape or if I inherited the table, but the cue ball was deep in the corner pocket and the 8-Ball was about 3 inches below the side pocket:
So, we called time and proceeded to discuss what to do. I don't remember the conversations, but I do remember my teammate and good friend, Robert, telling me that I knew how to shoot the shot and to just relax and "feel' the shot.
I walked up to table, lined up the shot and fired it cross-corner dead into the middle of the pocket. My team cheered and the other team crumbled.
We had a great time in Vegas!
Not really. There have been so many glorious moments, usually coz i put myself in those positions.
I would say no single shot stands out. have had a few tournaments where I didn't make a single fumble in any match. Usually a win but sometimes not, those are definitely on "my greatest" list.
Several that I remember....
In a collegiate regionals (14.1), I was playing poorly on a tough, slightly crooked table and was frustrated and struggling. We were playing all ball fouls and there was a referee. My opponent fouled a ball. He knew it, I saw it, but the ref was out of position. I quietly said to my opponent, "You fouled the 2." He said, also quietly, "The ref didn't see it." I ran 41 my next inning and won the match.
The first time I made the "impossible" 93-degree cut shot off the spot. Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHf3o6FtNnQ Sorry for the quality, here's a better, later video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSKh1PSqok
From a match four years ago, I played poor position for the last several balls, and was left with a final shot that was jacked up dead straight and was likely to leave a lot if I missed, but I remembered to keep my head down more or less and made it. Here's video (start at 1:53:33 for the shot):
https://youtu.be/L1AQ21-oBmU?t=6813
In a collegiate regionals (14.1), I was playing poorly on a tough, slightly crooked table and was frustrated and struggling. We were playing all ball fouls and there was a referee. My opponent fouled a ball. He knew it, I saw it, but the ref was out of position. I quietly said to my opponent, "You fouled the 2." He said, also quietly, "The ref didn't see it." I ran 41 my next inning and won the match.
The first time I made the "impossible" 93-degree cut shot off the spot. Here's a video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHf3o6FtNnQ Sorry for the quality, here's a better, later video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaSKh1PSqok
From a match four years ago, I played poor position for the last several balls, and was left with a final shot that was jacked up dead straight and was likely to leave a lot if I missed, but I remembered to keep my head down more or less and made it. Here's video (start at 1:53:33 for the shot):
https://youtu.be/L1AQ21-oBmU?t=6813
We can lock this thread now. Beating SVB in anything is impossible to top for the rest of us mortals.
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Bob's cut shot is prettty incredible though...
When I saw he had posted here i initially though he might be claiming it.
Since getting back into pool 2 years ago I've had a couple of good moments.
1) Winning the final match 7-3 in APA Masters to win the trip to Vegas. The team we beat had won it the last 3 years :smile:
2) I don't play in local tournaments that much but the one time I did go to the local hall I went through the winners side. It was late so we chopped the pot with 2nd but I felt unbeatable that night, it was a good night.
3) Taking 2nd in individual stats in BCA - my one and only session for BCA. If my last opponent didn't break and run I had a good chance of taking first...
My favorite though is probably when I was on a break from pool.
I quit in '04 and started again in '18. Sometime around 2014 I took a trip back to Omaha to see family and I stopped in the local hall (to see my other family) and the main gambler in the area was there and asked to play some $5 9B. Prior to this I don't know if I've ever beat him. Using a bar cue I played well and took the first 9 games and he called it quits. I told him to keep it for all the "training" he gave me when I first started
Or shutting down the local "shark" in a little bar in Omaha. A buddy tells me about this bar with a Tuesday 8B tournament and said I should go. I show up and turns out I know a couple of people so I start going there weekly and winning. They keep talking about this smack talker named Ed. After about 2 months Ed finally shows up, turns out I know him to but didn't know he played pool. He was the BF of a girl I knew. As he walked in the door it was one of those moments of "Hey, I know that guy!" and then "Oh, wait, THAT'S the Ed they're talking about". Shit. I ended up winning that tournament and a few more (Ed never finished higher than me) then one night he wants to play race to 5 for $50. I don't remember the final score but I do remember when I was shooting the final 8B he walked over layed the $50 on my shaft as I shot it in. He never gambled with me after that, I'm not even sure he came back to the bar after that?
1) Winning the final match 7-3 in APA Masters to win the trip to Vegas. The team we beat had won it the last 3 years :smile:
2) I don't play in local tournaments that much but the one time I did go to the local hall I went through the winners side. It was late so we chopped the pot with 2nd but I felt unbeatable that night, it was a good night.
3) Taking 2nd in individual stats in BCA - my one and only session for BCA. If my last opponent didn't break and run I had a good chance of taking first...
My favorite though is probably when I was on a break from pool.
I quit in '04 and started again in '18. Sometime around 2014 I took a trip back to Omaha to see family and I stopped in the local hall (to see my other family
) and the main gambler in the area was there and asked to play some $5 9B. Prior to this I don't know if I've ever beat him. Using a bar cue I played well and took the first 9 games and he called it quits. I told him to keep it for all the "training" he gave me when I first started Or shutting down the local "shark" in a little bar in Omaha. A buddy tells me about this bar with a Tuesday 8B tournament and said I should go. I show up and turns out I know a couple of people so I start going there weekly and winning. They keep talking about this smack talker named Ed. After about 2 months Ed finally shows up, turns out I know him to but didn't know he played pool. He was the BF of a girl I knew. As he walked in the door it was one of those moments of "Hey, I know that guy!" and then "Oh, wait, THAT'S the Ed they're talking about". Shit. I ended up winning that tournament and a few more (Ed never finished higher than me) then one night he wants to play race to 5 for $50. I don't remember the final score but I do remember when I was shooting the final 8B he walked over layed the $50 on my shaft as I shot it in. He never gambled with me after that, I'm not even sure he came back to the bar after that?
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Now it's time to share my second greatest moment.
It was the night I became part of the answer to one of pool's more difficult trivia questions. The question is "During the Week of the 1992 US Open 14.1 Tournament, who were the only two players to beat Mike Sigel?" Yes, it's a bit of a trick question, for some of you will correctly recall that Sigel won the event undefeated, highlighted by his 150 and out vs Zuglan.
The night before the event began, there was a benefit event for the National Leukemia Society. The formal event took place at Rusty Staub's restaurant, practically on the doorstep of the Roosevelt Hotel where the US Open would be contested. It began with a short nine ball exhibition match between Mike Sigel and the 24-year old Johnny Archer, who was an unknown to most of the attendees. Archer beat Mike in that one.
I then beat Mike in a nine ball race to two. There had been an auction to see who'd play him and I was the highest bidder. It was a great thrill for me when I beat him that night, even though it cost me some serious money to play him. Of course, that money went to a very worthy cause. I played in my business suit and he played in his tuxedo.
... so the only two players who beat Sigel that week were Archer and SJM.
It was the night I became part of the answer to one of pool's more difficult trivia questions. The question is "During the Week of the 1992 US Open 14.1 Tournament, who were the only two players to beat Mike Sigel?" Yes, it's a bit of a trick question, for some of you will correctly recall that Sigel won the event undefeated, highlighted by his 150 and out vs Zuglan.
The night before the event began, there was a benefit event for the National Leukemia Society. The formal event took place at Rusty Staub's restaurant, practically on the doorstep of the Roosevelt Hotel where the US Open would be contested. It began with a short nine ball exhibition match between Mike Sigel and the 24-year old Johnny Archer, who was an unknown to most of the attendees. Archer beat Mike in that one.
I then beat Mike in a nine ball race to two. There had been an auction to see who'd play him and I was the highest bidder. It was a great thrill for me when I beat him that night, even though it cost me some serious money to play him. Of course, that money went to a very worthy cause. I played in my business suit and he played in his tuxedo.
... so the only two players who beat Sigel that week were Archer and SJM.
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I was playing this well known NYC 'A' even. We were going to go to Cardiff for the WPC the following week, the qualifiers and the tournament itself .He is supposed to give me the 6 and win. We aren't playing a race but after 6 games or so, he hasn't won one and i've run about 5 of the 6 games.
I break again and it's a slug rack. Most of the balls are clustered around the spot but somehow i made a ball and the CB is behind the headstring . It's a complete mess. He says to me if you run those out , I'm putting up $500 for you to enter the WPC qualifiers next week. I had a 3/4 table shot to start with which Florian Kohler would never attempt-No one would.
I had to do a masse with the curve starting about 2 foot away from the spot, maneuver through a gap less than 3.5 inches hit the ball softly and make the one in the corner and break up one of the clusters. It was about a 500/1000-1 shot and i made it to everyone's shock. There was still a mess on the table with multiple break-outs required which i was about 60-1 on but somehow i ran out. He offered the 500 but i refused as that whole night was just one of those monkeys writing the best books night. We had a great time in Cardiff. It was the year Mika won.
I break again and it's a slug rack. Most of the balls are clustered around the spot but somehow i made a ball and the CB is behind the headstring . It's a complete mess. He says to me if you run those out , I'm putting up $500 for you to enter the WPC qualifiers next week. I had a 3/4 table shot to start with which Florian Kohler would never attempt-No one would.
I had to do a masse with the curve starting about 2 foot away from the spot, maneuver through a gap less than 3.5 inches hit the ball softly and make the one in the corner and break up one of the clusters. It was about a 500/1000-1 shot and i made it to everyone's shock. There was still a mess on the table with multiple break-outs required which i was about 60-1 on but somehow i ran out. He offered the 500 but i refused as that whole night was just one of those monkeys writing the best books night. We had a great time in Cardiff. It was the year Mika won.
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This was my most recent greatest/favorite shots. I miscued but made my last shot leaving me the 8-ball. I went 3 rails around just missing the 13 ball. I went around the 15 and came very close to the 10 ball but was able to cut the 8 ball in the corner pocket.
The reason it is special to me is because it was against a guy from another city who came to our room and had been taking money all day. I rolled in right at tournament time and didn't play him. He was very cocky. We met for the hot seat match and I beat him with this shot. He came back through the B side and I beat him again.
One of the best memories I've had was playing with Pat Morita for a few hours one night. I didn't bring up Happy Days or the Karate Kid. He bought my drinks, I bought his drinks and in the end, the manager of the place picked up both of our tabs. Just had a good time
The reason it is special to me is because it was against a guy from another city who came to our room and had been taking money all day. I rolled in right at tournament time and didn't play him. He was very cocky. We met for the hot seat match and I beat him with this shot. He came back through the B side and I beat him again.
One of the best memories I've had was playing with Pat Morita for a few hours one night. I didn't bring up Happy Days or the Karate Kid. He bought my drinks, I bought his drinks and in the end, the manager of the place picked up both of our tabs. Just had a good time
Attachments
Ed is the local champion from Sheboyganwalk County.
Or shutting down the local "shark" in a little bar in Omaha. A buddy tells me about this bar with a Tuesday 8B tournament and said I should go. I show up and turns out I know a couple of people so I start going there weekly and winning. They keep talking about this smack talker named Ed. After about 2 months Ed finally shows up, turns out I know him to but didn't know he played pool. He was the BF of a girl I knew. As he walked in the door it was one of those moments of "Hey, I know that guy!" and then "Oh, wait, THAT'S the Ed they're talking about". Shit. I ended up winning that tournament and a few more (Ed never finished higher than me) then one night he wants to play race to 5 for $50. I don't remember the final score but I do remember when I was shooting the final 8B he walked over layed the $50 on my shaft as I shot it in. He never gambled with me after that, I'm not even sure he came back to the bar after that?[/QUOTE]
Or shutting down the local "shark" in a little bar in Omaha. A buddy tells me about this bar with a Tuesday 8B tournament and said I should go. I show up and turns out I know a couple of people so I start going there weekly and winning. They keep talking about this smack talker named Ed. After about 2 months Ed finally shows up, turns out I know him to but didn't know he played pool. He was the BF of a girl I knew. As he walked in the door it was one of those moments of "Hey, I know that guy!" and then "Oh, wait, THAT'S the Ed they're talking about". Shit. I ended up winning that tournament and a few more (Ed never finished higher than me) then one night he wants to play race to 5 for $50. I don't remember the final score but I do remember when I was shooting the final 8B he walked over layed the $50 on my shaft as I shot it in. He never gambled with me after that, I'm not even sure he came back to the bar after that?[/QUOTE]
Sounds like the masse might have been closer to 100,000 to 1 if you had to go between 3.5 inches.
Great story.
I think I might put Pat above the shot, but the shot is the greatest thing you have done and Pat is your pool story, so I am happy for ya.
I think I might put Pat above the shot, but the shot is the greatest thing you have done and Pat is your pool story, so I am happy for ya.