Vernon Elliott Stories

[bartley]

Does anyone out there have any interesting stories about Vernon Elliott? I have only seen Vernon play a few times, which was around 1987: one of the times was against Rodney Keown from Morgantown, KY, in which Vernon lost--they were playing 9-ball. Another time was against some drunk in a bar in Bowling Green, KY, in which Vernon obviously won. From what I've heard, he was an amazing player.

I am new to this site and look forward to chatting with all of you!

 

[opposedtwin]

Vernon Elliott stories

Vernon Elliott stories

Vernon is a friend of mine and I see him every couple weeks or so. He has suffered a stroke and his left side is paralyzed but it doesn't affect his storytelling. Recently he told me about going into an all black bar in Louisiana in the mid 80's which he had been advised to stay away from. It was understood that whites were not welcome but Vernon had heard there were high dollar pool games there. He walked in and went to the bar where the bartender asked what he was doing there. (He was the owner also). Vernon said he only wanted to gamble and he wanted to bet high. No cheap games. After deliberating the bartender spoke to one of the players at a table (by this time all play had stopped and everyone was looking at Vernon) who said he would play Vernon. After Vernon had beat the first and second challenger the bartender said if Vernon wanted to play some big money pool he would call someone special to which Bernie(we all know Vernon as Bernie) reaffirmed that was the reason he came there. When "their player" got there and lost several thousand he said he was quitting. The bartender told him "no you're not quitting until I say you can because now you;re getting what you have been giving to everyone else for so long-an ass whipping". Bernie said after he won a couple more thousand, which the bartender staked, the game ended. He said the bartender told him he was the only white person he had ever allowed in the bar but that he was welcome back anytime. Buddy Hall and Bernie were on the road together for a while. Bernie has told me many of their adventures. Ask Buddy if you ever see him about Bernie.

 

[fred bentivegna]

Great Unknown Player

Great Unknown Player

Vernon was one of the all-time great unknown players. Only a few humans could beat him playing banks. He had a series of trick banks only he could make. I have included a few of them in my new bank pool instruction book, Banking With The Beard. He is a good friend of mine also, so please say hello to him for me. We played banks many times against each other and it was always great fun to compete with him. He had an incredible stroke and some of the banks he would call were mind-numbing and couldn't be made by even Eddie Taylor or Bugs. I am not ashamed to say he usually beat me; however I did come 3 games ahead the last time we played in Hot Springs Ar. It was a memorable moment.
freddy the beard bentivegna

Vernon is a friend of mine and I see him every couple weeks or so. He has suffered a stroke and his left side is paralyzed but it doesn't affect his storytelling. Recently he told me about going into an all black bar in Louisiana in the mid 80's which he had been advised to stay away from. It was understood that whites were not welcome but Vernon had heard there were high dollar pool games there. He walked in and went to the bar where the bartender asked what he was doing there. (He was the owner also). Vernon said he only wanted to gamble and he wanted to bet high. No cheap games. After deliberating the bartender spoke to one of the players at a table (by this time all play had stopped and everyone was looking at Vernon) who said he would play Vernon. After Vernon had beat the first and second challenger the bartender said if Vernon wanted to play some big money pool he would call someone special to which Bernie(we all know Vernon as Bernie) reaffirmed that was the reason he came there. When "their player" got there and lost several thousand he said he was quitting. The bartender told him "no you're not quitting until I say you can because now you;re getting what you have been giving to everyone else for so long-an ass whipping". Bernie said after he won a couple more thousand, which the bartender staked, the game ended. He said the bartender told him he was the only white person he had ever allowed in the bar but that he was welcome back anytime. Buddy Hall and Bernie were on the road together for a while. Bernie has told me many of their adventures. Ask Buddy if you ever see him about Bernie.

 

[OldHasBeen]

Vernon could sneak up on ANYBODY!

Vernon could sneak up on ANYBODY!

Vernon was not just a great player (played 1 hole as good as anyone) - But also could play convincingly at 4 or 5 balls under his speed. When wearing a local gas or electric uniform shirt, he could fit into anywhere and take it off - TO THE MAX.
MAYBE THE BEST UN-KNOWN EVER!
& Jack C. before he became well known.

TY & GL

 

[diane]

Vernon's cut shot

Vernon's cut shot

I've always thought the world of Vernon as a great player and man. He was the walking man's friend and the ladie's choice.
Anyway, he used to set up an amazing cut shot! He would put an object ball on the spot and then place the cue-ball in one of the bottom corner pockets, then whack it in backwards into the other corner pocket. Of course this would get all the youngsters in the room going and they would try it until they arms give out and never make it once.
Hats off to one of pool's most colorful characters and a fine player to boot!

 

[piggybank04]

I've always thought the world of Vernon as a great player and man. He was the walking man's friend and the ladie's choice.
Anyway, he used to set up an amazing cut shot! He would put an object ball on the spot and then place the cue-ball in one of the bottom corner pockets, then whack it in backwards into the other corner pocket. Of course this would get all the youngsters in the room going and they would try it until they arms give out and never make it once.
Hats off to one of pool's most colorful characters and a fine player to boot!

Hi,Diane--Ive been practicing that cut shot lately and i make it about half the time,but i cant seem to do it without scratching--do you know how hard he shot it?eventually i WILL master this.....ive only been at it a week or so....i cant wait to see my opponents face when i drill this shot for game ball with some decent money on the line!!!!thanks in advance......

 

[champagne]

opposedtwin, next time you speak to veron.tell him sammy from hot springs,said hello.when veron made his bridge,you couldn t move his hand with a tow truck.it was so solid

 

[luckybreaky]

Hi,Diane--Ive been practicing that cut shot lately and i make it about half the time,but i cant seem to do it without scratching--do you know how hard he shot it?eventually i WILL master this.....ive only been at it a week or so....i cant wait to see my opponents face when i drill this shot for game ball with some decent money on the line!!!!thanks in advance......

medium to hard speed with alil outside english i like to use low but what ever works for ya i made this shot 8 times outa ten one night on a 9 ft Diamond the guy was laying me 200 against 50 i was loving it
i tried it the next day thou and just made it 2 outa ten... o well

 

[fred bentivegna]

slicing it in without a scratch

slicing it in without a scratch

This shot is described in detail on page 174 of my book Banking With The Beard -- I did include some of my favorite shots 1 pocket shots even though they were not banks. It was taught to me many years ago by a great player named Gene Skinner from Fullerton, CA. I made it for the cash many times -- not too many times lately -- and it is a shot that will disembowel your opponent. According to Skinner's instruction, "Hit the shot easy, with no english and "squeeze" the shot off with your stroke hand." In other words, a very controlled, short stroke.
the Beard

 

[jazznpool]

Freddy, with all else equal, why would the type of stroke-- short punch versus a longer smooth stroke, have an effect on making the ball in this case?

Martin

This shot is described in detail on page 174 of my book Banking With The Beard -- I did include some of my favorite shots 1 pocket shots even though they were not banks. It was taught to me many years ago by a great player named Gene Skinner from Fullerton, CA. I made it for the cash many times -- not too many times lately -- and it is a shot that will disembowel your opponent. According to Skinner's instruction, "Hit the shot easy, with no english and "squeeze" the shot off with your stroke hand." In other words, a very controlled, short stroke.
the Beard

 

[fred bentivegna]

Beat the scratch

Beat the scratch

Freddy, with all else equal, why would the type of stroke-- short punch versus a longer smooth stroke, have an effect on making the ball in this case?

Martin

I am not going to try to explain the physics of the 2 strokes. I talked a little (probably too much) about it in a stroke thread on AZ Billiard forum yesterday. Suffice to say, the light stroke doesn't caromas much off the object ball, allowing you to beat the scratch and land on the short rail.
the Beard

 

[jazznpool]

Thanks--I understand it now. Martin

I am not going to try to explain the physics of the 2 strokes. I talked a little (probably too much) about it in a stroke thread on AZ Billiard forum yesterday. Suffice to say, the light stroke doesn't caromas much off the object ball, allowing you to beat the scratch and land on the short rail.
the Beard