Champagne Ed Kelly

[Skin]

I came across this video (very choppy) of Ed Kelly playing Mike Massey an 8b match. Just thought I'd post it for those, like me, who never saw Kelly play.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1468708555&channel=1396512451

There is just something about watching players from his era at the table that is much different than watching the great young players today. The old timers seem to have a kind of density to their game that the youngsters don't. To me they just seem like better, tougher pool players that in their prime could take the young guys in their prime today.

Of course, I also am a fan of San Methuselah Dick. :) Did you ever play Kelly, Dick?

Skin

[gulfportdoc]

I came across this video (very choppy) of Ed Kelly playing Mike Massey an 8b match. Just thought I'd post it for those, like me, who never saw Kelly play.

There is just something about watching players from his era at the table that is much different than watching the great young players today. The old timers seem to have a kind of density to their game that the youngsters don't. To me they just seem like better, tougher pool players that in their prime could take the young guys in their prime today.


Well, Skin, you just happened to pick one of the most stylish and classy players with one of the most beautiful strokes, to ever play the game. He's in a group with Buddy, Rempe, and Kim Davenport in that regard.

I agree that Kelly and those of his ilk had a presence at the table that is not much in evidence in modern times.

Kelly is the kind of player whom one never gets tired of watching!

Doc

[SJDinPHX]

I came across this video (very choppy) of Ed Kelly playing Mike Massey an 8b match. Just thought I'd post it for those, like me, who never saw Kelly play.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1468708555&channel=1396512451

There is just something about watching players from his era at the table that is much different than watching the great young players today. The old timers seem to have a kind of density to their game that the youngsters don't. To me they just seem like better, tougher pool players that in their prime could take the young guys in their prime today.

Of course, I also am a fan of San Methuselah Dick. :) Did you ever play Kelly, Dick?

Skin Don't hold your breath guys,but Kelly has a computer. I told him how much fun we had on here and he said he may chime in someday. I think I have him lurking anyway.

Skin,

Ed and I first met in NOLA when he was 18 or 19 and I was 23.
At that time, neither of us knew how to even spell one pocket. We matched up a session of each (for our own small bankroll) 9 ball and 14.1. He was at the time allready a solid 14.1 player and according to the knockers in the joint, I had the best of the 9 ball.
Wouldnt you know it, I won the 14.1 and he won the 9 ball. We hit it off pretty well, (both Irish, both liked to drink :)) and decided to throw in together and became good friends. We hustled around New Orleans for a while, but party animals that we were, we had trouble staying in money.
Our paths crossed many times over the years, but we always tried to help each other, and never played for $$ again. (lucky for me)
We did butt heads a few times in Jansco 1P division tournaments (one of which is detailed in Robbin's SMAS. (pg.232) Our Tourn. record is 2-0 Ed. The one in the book should have made it 1-1. but it was not to be.
Just talked on the phone to Ed for about an hour last week, Incardona put us back in touch. We had not talked in 25-30 years.
He no longer plays, but in his prime I never saw a better stroke, or attitude for the game of pool (all discplines)
He has my vote for one of the best of all time. I'm glad I got to know him as a friend.

San Meth Dick (for short)

PS Thanks for the clip Skin. Both guys look a little long in the tooth. I guess that was shot in '05 huh ? I think Eddie hung it up shortly after that. (he always was smarter than me too.)

[Skin]

Don't hold your breath guys,but Kelly has a computer. I told him how much fun we had on here and he said he may chime in someday. I think I have him lurking anyway.

Skin,

Ed and I first met in NOLA when he was 18 or 19 and I was 23.
At that time, neither of us knew how to even spell one pocket. We matched up a session of each (for our own small bankroll) 9 ball and 14.1. He was at the time a solid 14.1 player and according to the knockers in the joint, I had the best of the 9 ball.
Wouldnt you know it, I won the 14.1 and he won the 9 ball. We decided to throw in together and became good friends.
Our paths crossed many times over the years, but we always tried to help each other, and never played for $$ again. (lucky for me)
We did butt heads a few times in Jansco 1P division tournaments (one of which is detailed in Robbin's SMAS. (pg.232) Our Tourn. record is 2-0 Ed. The one in the book should have made it 1-1. but it was not to be.
Just talked on the phone to Ed for about an hour last week, Incardona put us back in touch. We had not talked in 25-30 years.
He no longer plays, but in his prime I never saw a better stroke, or attitude for the game of pool (all discplines)
He has my vote for one of the best of all time. I'm glad I got to know him as a friend.

Meth Dick (for short)

Let's see..hmmm..."Shots, Moves, and Strategies", p. 232...as I recall it with my perfect memory...

"San Jose Dick" McMorran vs. Eddie "Champagne" Kelly, 1967 - I thought everybody knew that shot!

It was Eddie "Champagne" Kelly vs. Richard (ugh) "San Jose Dick" McMorran in a race to 4 for who would advance to the final at the 1967 Hustler's Tournamnet in Johnson City, IL. The match was 3 games to 3 with San Jose Dick leading when Kelly approached the table to face this one-pocket nightmare.

http://cuetable.com/P/?@3ABEm3BEGm3CGjl3DJlm3EYvd3Faco3GGKU3HDQV4IAOR4PCSl3UBEm4UJDb3WGjl3WaYH3XKCn3XKSo3XYvK3XMmt3XMNs3YYvd3YcAq3YcYt3aaco3aXvL3aXvL3aXfG3bGKU4bAuU3cDQV3cDXV3dAOV3dAWU4dAnU4dAWU2dapl2dRUa4dcIq4dcIq4dcpu4kCSl4kBto4kAWj4kAWj@


"Seeing no better way out of the trap, Kelly elevated his cue and slammed into the cluster of balls, sending them toward my pocket. The hanging ball went in, but the rest somehow flew over to Kelly's side of the table. A ball not only dropped in his pocket, he was left straight in on another for an easy run out to win the match."

Dick McMorran

Just the look of the man as he came to the table in that video would have been enough for me to have a heart attack were I playing him, Dick.


Skin

[SJDinPHX]

Let's see..hmmm..."Shots, Moves, and Strategies", p. 232...as I recall it with my perfect memory...

"San Jose Dick" McMorran vs. Eddie "Champagne" Kelly, 1967 - I thought everybody knew that shot!

It was Eddie "Champagne" Kelly vs. Richard (ugh) "San Jose Dick" McMorran in a race to 4 for who would advance to the final at the 1967 Hustler's Tournamnet in Johnson City, IL. The match was 3 games to 3 with San Jose Dick leading when Kelly approached the table to face this one-pocket nightmare.

http://CueTable.com/P/?@3ABEm3BEGm3CGjl3DJlm3EYvd3Faco3GGKU3HDQV4IAOR4PCSl3UBEm4UJDb3WGjl3WaYH3XKCn3XKSo3XYvK3XMmt3XMNs3YYvd3YcAq3YcYt3aaco3aXvL3aXvL3aXfG3bGKU4bAuU3cDQV3cDXV3dAOV3dAWU4dAnU4dAWU2dapl2dRUa4dcIq4dcIq4dcpu4kCSl4kBto4kAWj4kAWj@


"Seeing no better way out of the trap, Kelly elevated his cue and slammed into the cluster of balls, sending them toward my pocket. The hanging ball went in, but the rest somehow flew over to Kelly's side of the table. A ball not only dropped in his pocket, he was left straight in on another for an easy run out to win the match."

Dick McMorran


Skin

Sure Skin, you had to torture me again. You must have a pool history library like Terry Ardeno. But Terry's like me...computer illiterate. Thanks for the mem's. Now I think I'll go get drunk, just like Eddie and I did that night 41 years ago.:rolleyes:

Ugh Dick

PS Kelly was NOT a fun drunk. But he tells me he gave up the sauce a few years ago. Now I have to drink for both of us ? :eek: (what will I do if RA decides to quit ?)

[Skin]

I would have bet on that leave being a winner for you. Who's going to sink one and get position out of that!?

Well at least no reporter wrote it up as a loss for "San Jose Slim" (SMS, p. 299). :eek:

You have some good tales, Dick.

Skin

[Fast Lenny]

To the top. :)

[jay helfert]

Is there anyone else on here who saw the great match between Kelly and Cornbread in the finals of Grady's tremendous One Pocket tourney held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno in 1991? Over 100 of the top One Pocket players in the world and these two oldsters made it to the finals. I wrote a story for Billiards Digest about this event that I was very proud of. Too bad they saw fit to edit it down to one page. I was so pissed.

Anyway, Eddie and Red played a great match (they both had total flashbacks!), and Eddie eked it out in the case game. He won twenty grand and Red got ten for second. That was the last tourney I know of Kelly playing in. All the One Pocket players on here, someone else must have been there in Reno.

[jrhendy]

I came across this video (very choppy) of Ed Kelly playing Mike Massey an 8b match. Just thought I'd post it for those, like me, who never saw Kelly play.

http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1468708555&channel=1396512451

There is just something about watching players from his era at the table that is much different than watching the great young players today. The old timers seem to have a kind of density to their game that the youngsters don't. To me they just seem like better, tougher pool players that in their prime could take the young guys in their prime today.

Of course, I also am a fan of San Methuselah Dick. :) Did you ever play Kelly, Dick?

Skin

Ed Kelly was playing Richie Florence in a nine ball tournament in So. Cal in the late 70's or early 80's and there was a little good natured barking going on before their match started. "Ed Champagne Kelley" says Ritche, "They will call you Budwiser Kelly when I get done with you". Kelly beat Ritchie 11 to 3 or 4.

[Cowboy Dennis]

Let's see..hmmm..."Shots, Moves, and Strategies", p. 232...as I recall it with my perfect memory...

http://cuetable.com/P/?@3ABEm3BEGm3CGjl3DJlm3EYvd3Faco3GGKU3HDQV4IAOR4PCSl3UBEm4UJDb3WGjl3WaYH3XKCn3XKSo3XYvK3XMmt3XMNs3YYvd3YcAq3YcYt3aaco3aXvL3aXvL3aXfG3bGKU4bAuU3cDQV3cDXV3dAOV3dAWU4dAnU4dAWU2dapl2dRUa4dcIq4dcIq4dcpu4kCSl4kBto4kAWj4kAWj@


Skin

I clicked on the WEI table link here 30 minutes ago and it's still trying to open. I can't close it and it hasn't opened yet. Do yourselves a favor and leave this link alone.

Dennis

[gulfportdoc]

Grady, what was the name of your tournament in Reno in '91? How was the turnout? Any memorable recollections?

Thanks~ Doc

Helfert: "Is there anyone else on here who saw the great match between Kelly and Cornbread in the finals of Grady's tremendous One Pocket tourney held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno in 1991?"

[wincardona]

Grady, what was the name of your tournament in Reno in '91? How was the turnout? Any memorable recollections?

Thanks~ Doc

Helfert: "Is there anyone else on here who saw the great match between Kelly and Cornbread in the finals of Grady's tremendous One Pocket tourney held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno in 1991?"

Kelly is one of my favorite players, in terms of ability and knowledge. He played a beautifull shot against Red to win the tournament, it was a carom off a spotted ball sending the cue ball two cushions and striking a ball positioned near the rail close to Red's pocket. Kelly was in trouble before the shot, but turned the game around, and off that shot he won the tournament.

[gulfportdoc]

I'm wondering if Accu-Stats or someone else recorded any of that event. I checked the A-S catalog and Library, and couldn't find any listings. I'd like to see the Kelly/Cornbread final. Was it actually in Reno in 1991?

Doc

[jay helfert]

I'm wondering if Accu-Stats or someone else recorded any of that event. I checked the A-S catalog and Library, and couldn't find any listings. I'd like to see the Kelly/Cornbread final. Was it actually in Reno in 1991?

Doc

Doc, It may have been a year or two later. It was definitely at the Flamingo Hilton. Doubtful there is any video of that match. Too bad since it was a great one. I did do a write up for BD, that was heavily edited. :(

[gulfportdoc]

Doc, It may have been a year or two later. It was definitely at the Flamingo Hilton. Doubtful there is any video of that match. Too bad since it was a great one. I did do a write up for BD, that was heavily edited. :(
Jay, I'd love to read that article. I wonder if it's available in BD's archives? Otherwise, if you still have a computer copy, perhaps you'd consider sharing it with us-- either version.

The Flamingo Hilton was downtown, wasn't it? The Reno Hilton, where you had your U.S. Bar Table event, was east of town.

Doc

[jay helfert]

Jay, I'd love to read that article. I wonder if it's available in BD's archives? Otherwise, if you still have a computer copy, perhaps you'd consider sharing it with us-- either version.

The Flamingo Hilton was downtown, wasn't it? The Reno Hilton, where you had your U.S. Bar Table event, was east of town.

Doc

The U.S. Bar Table started out at the Flamingo Hilton (the first four or five years), and yes it was downtown. I don't have a copy of the article (maybe buried away somewhere), but I'm sure BD does. If you can find out the issue. I'm thinking now it was early in 1992 that the event was played, maybe January. That would make the article appear in the March issue. I wish I would have saved the entire piece I wrote. I felt like it was my best tournament report ever.

[gulfportdoc]

The U.S. Bar Table started out at the Flamingo Hilton (the first four or five years), and yes it was downtown. I don't have a copy of the article (maybe buried away somewhere), but I'm sure BD does. If you can find out the issue. I'm thinking now it was early in 1992 that the event was played, maybe January. That would make the article appear in the March issue. I wish I would have saved the entire piece I wrote. I felt like it was my best tournament report ever.
A quick glance at their site shows that their online archives go back only to 2006. You must still have a little pull with them. Why don't you call or Email them and ask how to get the article?

Doc

[One Pocket Ghost]

Kelly is one of my favorite players, in terms of ability and knowledge. He played a beautifull shot against Red to win the tournament, it was a carom off a spotted ball sending the cue ball two cushions and striking a ball positioned near the rail close to Red's pocket. Kelly was in trouble before the shot, but turned the game around, and off that shot he won the tournament.


Billy.....I'm trying to get a clear picture of this shot...in this shot that you're describing...are you saying that Eddie caromed off the spotted ball, and then the cueball spun out of the corner 2 rails into the ball near the rail close to Red's pocket, sending that ball and maybe some other balls towards Eddie's pocket?

- Ghost

[mr3cushion]

Is there anyone else on here who saw the great match between Kelly and Cornbread in the finals of Grady's tremendous One Pocket tourney held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno in 1991? Over 100 of the top One Pocket players in the world and these two oldsters made it to the finals. I wrote a story for Billiards Digest about this event that I was very proud of. Too bad they saw fit to edit it down to one page. I was so pissed.

Anyway, Eddie and Red played a great match (they both had total flashbacks!), and Eddie eked it out in the case game. He won twenty grand and Red got ten for second. That was the last tourney I know of Kelly playing in. All the One Pocket players on here, someone else must have been there in Reno.

Jay; You can thank me with buying my book and DVD, HA HA. I don't know if many of the members on this site are aware of the fact that I used to write instructional articles for the BD from 1991-1994. For this reason I have all the issues framed on my office walls.
Your memory has failed you slightly, Grady's "Legends of One Pocket" Tournament was held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno,NV Jan. 5-9, 1993. Here is the ad in the 1992 BD December issue.

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Jay, the article you wrote for BD appeared in the 1993 April issue, nice photo of Kelly.

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Hope you enjoy the Articles.

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

P.S. Maybe Calired can clean this up a little, so its easier to read.

[wincardona]

Billy.....I'm trying to get a clear picture of this shot...in this shot that you're describing...are you saying that Eddie caromed off the spotted ball, and then the cueball spun out of the corner 2 rails into the ball near the rail close to Red's pocket, sending that ball and maybe some other balls towards Eddie's pocket?

- Ghost

That's correct, it was a beautifully exexcuted shot, which was also an agressive shot because he had an option to drop behind the ball that was positioned on the foot rail fairly near to Red's pocket.

[gulfportdoc]

Jay; You can thank me with buying my book and DVD, HA HA. I don't know if many of the members on this site are aware of the fact that I used to write instructional articles for the BD from 1991-1994. For this reason I have all the issues framed on my office walls.
Your memory has failed you slightly, Grady's "Legends of One Pocket" Tournament was held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno,NV Jan. 5-9, 1993. Here is the ad in the 1992 BD December issue.

Jay, the article you wrote for BD appeared in the 1993 April issue, nice photo of Kelly.

Hope you enjoy the Articles.

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

P.S. Maybe Calired can clean this up a little, so its easier to read.
Bill, what a great find! I appreciate your scanning in the articles and flier. As you said, the print is too grainy to read everything, so hopefully Red can clean it up.

It's remarkable that they got 101 players (or was it 111) to pony up $1100 for a single elimination tournament in 1993! Grady's events always paid deep, and the flyer for this one said it would pay $1000 even to last place. So if that's the case, then the most a guy could lose on his entry would be $100. I'd love to see the final rankings and payout list on that one! Maybe Grady will chime in here.

"The Super Tournament", as opposed to Grady's typical "Legends of One Pocket" evidently was not recorded by Accu-Stats. Too bad, as all the top one-pocket players were there! I know that in those days Pat Flemming was reluctant to truck all his equipment out to Nevada from NJ to record an event that might not bring him sufficient sales. The report from an event of which most of us would froth at the mouth to watch was probably met by yawns from the nervous, twitching 9-ball community.:rolleyes:

Doc

[mosconiac]

Did anyone save the video? brightcove went dim & I'd like to see the video. Please rehost if you can.

TIA!!!

[lll]

I know that in those days Pat Flemming was reluctant to truck all his equipment out to Nevada from NJ to record an event that might not bring him sufficient sales. The report from an event of which most of us would froth at the mouth to watch was probably met by yawns from the nervous, twitching 9-ball community.:rolleyes:

Doc
doc those words are sad but so true.

[SJDinPHX]

Bill, what a great find! I appreciate your scanning in the articles and flier. As you said, the print is too grainy to read everything, so hopefully Red can clean it up.

It's remarkable that they got 101 players (or was it 111) to pony up $1100 for a single elimination tournament in 1993! Grady's events always paid deep, and the flyer for this one said it would pay $1000 even to last place. So if that's the case, then the most a guy could lose on his entry would be $100. I'd love to see the final rankings and payout list on that one! Maybe Grady will chime in here.

"The Super Tournament", as opposed to Grady's typical "Legends of One Pocket" evidently was not recorded by Accu-Stats. Too bad, as all the top one-pocket players were there! I know that in those days Pat Flemming was reluctant to truck all his equipment out to Nevada from NJ to record an event that might not bring him sufficient sales. The report from an event of which most of us would froth at the mouth to watch was probably met by yawns from the nervous, twitching 9-ball community.:rolleyes:

Doc

Doc,

The "$1100 entry fee/ last place pays $1000" was a clever ploy Grady used at most of his casino related tournaments. It supposedly insured that there would not be a bunch of broke pool players, (on the bite) after the tournament was over.
It was probably the brainchild of some casino big wig. Because as you well know...most pool player's, (or even their stakehorse's)...would fire it at the tables before they left town..:cool:

[CaliRed]

Jay; You can thank me with buying my book and DVD, HA HA. I don't know if many of the members on this site are aware of the fact that I used to write instructional articles for the BD from 1991-1994. For this reason I have all the issues framed on my office walls.
Your memory has failed you slightly, Grady's "Legends of One Pocket" Tournament was held at the Flamingo Hilton in Reno,NV Jan. 5-9, 1993. Here is the ad in the 1992 BD December issue.

Jay, the article you wrote for BD appeared in the 1993 April issue, nice photo of Kelly.


Hope you enjoy the Articles.

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

P.S. Maybe Calired can clean this up a little, so its easier to read.

Bill,

I would be happy to post it so we can read it... but you got to send me some better files. Did you scan them large and then shrink them down to post? If so, do you have the originals you scanned? If so, send them to photos@oldpoolhall.com and I'll get them up here. Maybe if they're really large, send one in a email and then the other in another email.

[gulfportdoc]

Doc,

The "$1100 entry fee/ last place pays $1000" was a clever ploy Grady used at most of his casino related tournaments. It supposedly insured that there would not be a bunch of broke pool players, (on the bite) after the tournament was over.
It was probably the brainchild of some casino big wig. Because as you well know...most pool player's, (or even their stakehorse's)...would fire it at the tables before they left town..:cool:
Couldn't be better! The free market in action.;)

Doc

[CaliRed]

I was able to do this one better, but the article would need to be scanned again. It appears it was scanned at 96 dpi and should be scanned at 200 dpi or so. I would very much like to read that article, as others I'm sure, if you could rescan it.

Here is the poster though.

1158

[mr3cushion]

I was able to do this one better, but the article would need to be scanned again. It appears it was scanned at 96 dpi and should be scanned at 200 dpi or so. I would very much like to read that article, as others I'm sure, if you could rescan it.

Here is the poster though.

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Greg; Chk your regular Email!

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

[CaliRed]

and here is the article, that you can read.

Wow... I see Todd Marsh was mentioned for beating Larry Liscotti and said "a up and coming" player. He was a Seattle player that hung around with Zimmerman and Cress. He loved one pocket and was a great student of the game. I was always jealous of him, he was younger than I was and he got to live the life I wanted to at the time. Living with real pool players and no job except to play pool. I was the poor schmuck working the 50-60 hr weeks and then going to the pool hall. I'm glad I didn't do that in retrospect, as I would have never been able to do anything with it. But I still wish I would have did it for a few years, to say I did it

1159

[mr3cushion]

and here is the article, that you can read.

Wow... I see Todd Marsh was mentioned for beating Larry Liscotti and said "a up and coming" player. He was a Seattle player that hung around with Zimmerman and Cress. He loved one pocket and was a great student of the game. I was always jealous of him, he was younger than I was and he got to live the life I wanted to at the time. Living with real pool players and no job except to play pool. I was the poor schmuck working the 50-60 hr weeks and then going to the pool hall. I'm glad I didn't do that in retrospect, as I would have never been able to do anything with it. But I still wish I would have did it for a few years, to say I did it

1159

Nice work Greg!

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion":)

[gulfportdoc]

Thanks to Bill and Red for posting a nice legible copy of this article!

And Jay, that was a fine piece of writing; very vivid and descriptive. I can just imagine the expanded piece which, unfortunately, was edited down by BD.

Doc