One Pocket Ghost

[NH Steve]

Rataman posted Stardust results and it prompted me to look at some old National Billiard News, and I found this Nick Varner article from 1982 where he describes playing the One Pocket Ghost. My understanding is that The Ghost goes back to Johnston City, because in one of my interviews it was described, where 'Spivey' was offering the Ghost challenge to players there. According to the interview 'Spivey' apparently did pretty well vs the players trying to beat the Ghost, except for Squirrel lol. Squirrel's number had to move up to a level well above the other players. RIP Squirrel. It does not sound like you get any penalty for scratching on the break -- and that is the way I remember it when Jay Helfert ran this at Derby City before the DCC moved to the Horseshoe. In fact Nick mentions it as an advantage here, because you get to start with BIH. I have never seen anyone use the side rail first break for this, but here it is diagrammed...

 

[Ratamon]

Thanks Steve. I think Gabe Owen ran 60 balls in five tries at the 2008 Derby City. It was on the TV table but I don't know whether it was filmed. Would love to see it if it was.

Cheers,
Terry

 

[gulfportdoc]

Thanks Steve. I think Gabe Owen ran 60 balls in five tries at the 2008 Derby City. It was on the TV table but I don't know whether it was filmed. Would love to see it if it was.

Cheers,
Terry

Yeah, Gabe's feat is legendary. Nobody even came close to that. Varner mentions 25-30, and that's where a break scratch didn't count. But that number estimate may still hold. Seems to me guys have gotten into the 40s, but 60 is other-wordly.

 

[NH Steve]

Some of the guys at DCC back then got into the 50’s — Alex for one.

Recently while Filler was holed up in “Roy’s Basement” Filler was going to I believe 44-1/2 as the over/under. From what I watched, Filler was killing that. Once he got to 45 he swept the balls and started again rather than see how many he could run. He got there in the 4th rack one time I was watching . However, he was picking his pocket after the break, and starting with BIH anywhere on the table after every break. Nonetheless, you can see why he was ready to pounce on Tony lol.