first time you ever played one pocket

[BrookelandBilly]

First Time One Pocket

First Time One Pocket

Cornbreads on Westheimer in the mid 90s with a guy who called himself Super Mike.

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

John Ling and I stopped in at Beautiful Billiards, Long Beach, ca. '69, 18 yrs old. I was pretty much a newbie, probably under a year under my belt. Ran into Artesia Kenny and he explained One Pocket to me and gave me 8-5. We battled for a while then a partner of his came in, I guess he got a call from Kenny, It was Butch. I later found out he owned the Palace in Bellflower. Butch is the one that gave me my name of "Whitey". Well, after a couple of hours it was a draw. So we put all the money on the next game and played for it all. I got a shot up table and worked in 3 up table shots, and laid on my out ball which was up table with a back cut down the long rail to the hole. He had a ball by his pocket, 1st diamond side rail. So I back cut the ball with reverse so the cue ball would come off the opposite side rail and spin down so he would not have a shot if I missed. The cue ball pushed a little because of that reverse English and I over cut it, and missed. But the cue ball went safe on his ball but he made a good cross corner bank on the ball I missed, made his ball and a ball up table for the cash! Nice out, but what a nightmare!
I learned just pocket the ball when it is out ball. After that when that shot would come up, my side kick John Ling, would say; "the shot" !

My first experience playing 9-ball, never played, had only played 8-ball, was against a guy called Hollywood Joe, he wore huge glasses, tall slender. I was really a newbie, robbed my piggy bank and was going out to make some money. Well, I thought I was watching god himself for I did not know about moving the cue ball all around the table, it was truly amazing watching him pocket long shots and going three rails for position, I had never seen anything like that before, sure different than 8-ball, Wow! I mention this for maybe someone here maybe knew him. He would be about 30 in '69. Whitey

 

[Erik]

The first time I played one pocket I was 18 years old, I had been playing pool for a couple of years but only played nine ball. At the time I was living in Lancaster county, PA and played at a pool room called Diamond Billiards Room, which has long since closed. It was a nice place and a fairly good size, they used to have a Joss tour stop there, it was run by Coby Atkins, a strong regional player. There was a gentleman I used to play named Spanky, can't remember his actual first name. We played nine ball together a lot, just friendly games. One day we were playing races to seven and I beat him like 7-3, 7-4, and he said "kid I can't beat you at this game, lets play some one pocket." I had heard of the game but had never seen it played. So he gave me a short primer and we got to it. The first game I double banked a ball near the foot end of the table into my hole. I only knew of this shot from seeing how the ball reacted when I banked short playing nine ball. He said, "that was a great shot but you shouldn't have played it, look at all the balls you left me if you missed." I hadn't considered missing it . Anyhow he beat me every game. Shortly after that I started college and really kind of quit playing pool for about 12 years.

When I started playing again about two years ago, I started watching one pocket matches on youtube for some reason and got hooked on the game. Now its my favorite game to play.

 

[poolisboring]

lancaster pa--isnt that amish country over there?

 

[FrenchAT]

Man, some of y'all have really good memories. My first game of 1 pocket was probably around 3 years ago but i couldn't tell you the date or Important part is that it drove me absolutely insane, and I love it.
I retired from the Army in Jan 2013 and became a full time student which allowed me some free time during the day. I wasnt even what I would consider a half ass pool player at the time and truth be told not much better now. I'm just aware of a lot more things within the game that I'm not good at.lol The old man at the pool hall that cleaned the parking lot and cleaned the tables would always be in there finishing up his duties when i arrived around lunch. Man's name was Larry ?. Rumor has it that Larry owned a hell of a room back in the day called Shooters here in Augusta, Ga. I wasn't around during that time period but a lot of locals seem to have fond memories of the place. One day Larry got my ear when no one else was in the place and talked me into playing 1 Pocket for lunch. I didn't mind buying his lunch which I was well aware I was about to do. And.. so it began, everyday after that when I would come in, we would play a race to 5 in 9 ball for the first break in 1 pocket race to 3. I cant count how many times Larry left me straight-in to my hole from the head rail nor can I tell you how many months I shot at it and couldnt figure out why he was laughing even when i made it. lol This went on for about a year before I was invited into the old guy's doubles game that starts at 3 on the dot almost everyday. The old guys play a very tight game. They arent shooting at anything thats not a half table shot with a less than a half ball hit angle and they never shoot at 1 ball runs even if the one ball is in their pocket. They'd move so many balls to their hole before shooting that they couldnt get a clean shot sometimes. Larry disappeared about 18 months ago to God only knows where and I dont make it to play in the old guy's doubles game much although it taught me a lot. The bottom line is that Im hooked, just like everyone else here!

 

[twister]

First time I played one-pocket was (way) back at school in Urbana-Champaign in the Union (before they moved the tables into the space with the bowling alley). Played my first one-pocket games with "Bad Boyd" (there was also "Big Boyd"), and got some relatively cheap lessons. Same for banks. Went to an early DCC back when it was in KY and have loved both games ever since. I also learned how to play a little 3-cushion in the Union, at the feet of a professor we affectionately called "the old man" and who just happened to have learned to play from Charlie Peterson. Good times.

 

[Billy Jackets]

My first games of one pocket were against a guy they called Old John, he couldn't see to the end rail.
He kept barely beating me , even though each time I played him I had spent a couple of weeks learning the game , finally I realised he was actually a really good player and I was probably going to stay broke if I kept fooling with him.
My first "teacher " was Little George Dog, I think he was from Wisconsin , maybe Michigan
He didn't really show me, as much as talk about strategy ,and philosophy of the game, my game went up 4 or 5 balls in one year.
i wonder what ever happened to him, he was actually a decent guy.
I thought he played pretty good also.
Although most of the people around here didn't think so because he didn't beat Kenny McCoy.
I think George had just lost the drive by the time he came to Ohio,
and Kenny was a handful for any human at 5 or 10 dollars a game.

 

[Knuckles54]

My first OP game was in SF at Delbert's Family Billiards in 2010 or 11. I was hanging out shooting 9 ball tournaments in the bay area, met Cole Dixon there and someone ask if I played OP. I’m like no.... but if it takes a cue I’ll give it a shot. Did not take long watching the day time user to see who was the best shooter, but not knowing much about the game they had no time for me. Had to work my way up to them I guess. It was worth it, Dan the Dragon was the day time best and lucky me he did not gamble. Monthly membership and time was all I envested. I have revisited Family Billiards a few times to only have Dan hand me my A$$ back to me. OnePocket has got a hold on me and if I were exposed to it when I was young I too might have 40 yrs of experience. But I am a late bloomer and see I have a ways to go. I’ll suit up and show up just give me a chance.

 

[wgcp]

First time to play was in camp arifjan Kuwait against James (bubba) brown. 2007
Joined one pocket.org same year, posted some really goofy questions. Cowboy Dennis started sending me one pocket dvds while I was there one a week for a year, great guy miss him posting. Learned a little never played enough to be decent.
Came home went and stayed with Freddy the beard for a week slept on a couch next to his gold crown. Had my first realization that I couldn’t play when the ghost beat me 10 in a row at 12 to 8 for 20 a game. First bad beat I guess you would say. Still in the green at the time and started going to derby. 2 and out for 10 years at derby. Finally broke through last derby and went to the sixth round.
Since retiring in 14 I have played or practiced every day. Still can’t play worth a damn but have become a stone cold pool junkie. Probably play better now at 60 than I have ever played in my life and am approaching hitting a million balls which is what the beard said I would need to understand the game. Funny how smart that guy was. So now I know how to make the damn balls but can’t execute.