US One Pocket Players Only- 70's to Present

[Jimmy B]

Ronnie Allen
Steve Cook
Shannon Daulton
Scott Frost
Buddy Hall
Allen Hopkins
Cliff Joyner
Ed Kelly
Eddie Taylor
Nick Varner

That's pretty close for me anyways....
[/QUOTE]


I like this list pretty good..Except Artie is left off... Back when Buddy won that world op title and the Derby One Pocket title, he would play about anyone even. He had a one pocket style of his own.. Nobody considers Grady?.. Didn't he give Cooney 9-8? Cooney wanted 10-8 from Artie, after they played some in a partner game ... Any stranger that walked into Grady's pool room in Colorado got spotted two, he said, if they would bet something, that is.. Hopkins was definitely considered the best in the world for a while, before Efren, and when Ronnie and Bugs were in a bit of decline. Nick Varner throughout college, would not play One Pocket, but Hubert Cokes took him over as backer/mentor and then, look out.. San Jose Dick and Steve Cook were one ball behind Ronnie,Bugs,Artie, I heard.. And Daulton was special. Nine Ball Champ. Bank Pool Champ AND One Pocket Champion...Joyner, second only to Efren, for a long time, right?

 

[catkins]

surprised grady hasn't gotten a mention

 

[Ratamon]

Joyner, second only to Efren, for a long time, right?

Wasn't there an 8 ahead money match between Joyner and Frost (2010 or thereabouts) where Cliff was getting 9/8 and lost ? I think Lenny Marshall did that match.

 

[Jimmy B]

Wasn't there an 8 ahead money match between Joyner and Frost (2010 or thereabouts) where Cliff was getting 9/8 and lost ? I think Lenny Marshall did that match.

Yes, in Mobile.. Cliff got 9-8 on Scotts break. Took 8 hours..

 

[lll]

the problem if you want to call it that
is some old timers like shorty /squirrell/ grady/ beanie etc
were getting past their prime if you use the 70's as the starting point
i used how did they play in the 70's not their legendary past

 

[beatle]

there were literally hundreds that played within a ball of each other. so name all the names you can think of and they all will be close to being right. and most of them at one point when in dead stroke in the right town on the right table could beat any other.

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

Any history on Jim Rempe as a OP player. I know he won Johnston City OP in '71. Whitey

 

[jrhendy]

Ronnie Allen
Steve Cook
Shannon Daulton
Scott Frost
Buddy Hall
Allen Hopkins
Cliff Joyner
Ed Kelly
Eddie Taylor
Nick Varner

That's pretty close for me anyways....

I like this list pretty good..Except Artie is left off... Back when Buddy won that world op title and the Derby One Pocket title, he would play about anyone even. He had a one pocket style of his own.. Nobody considers Grady?.. Didn't he give Cooney 9-8? Cooney wanted 10-8 from Artie, after they played some in a partner game ... Any stranger that walked into Grady's pool room in Colorado got spotted two, he said, if they would bet something, that is.. Hopkins was definitely considered the best in the world for a while, before Efren, and when Ronnie and Bugs were in a bit of decline. Nick Varner throughout college, would not play One Pocket, but Hubert Cokes took him over as backer/mentor and then, look out.. San Jose Dick and Steve Cook were one ball behind Ronnie,Bugs,Artie, I heard.. And Daulton was special. Nine Ball Champ. Bank Pool Champ AND One Pocket Champion...Joyner, second only to Efren, for a long time, right?
[/QUOTE]

I think any top ten list from the 70’s on has to have Grady on it. He was in his prime in the 70’s and 80’s and was considered by many to be number one. I watched him play Jack Cooney three long sessions in a week in Los Angeles givingJack 9/8, and one of them ended up one session ahead, I can’t remember who.

I do remember Grady saying ‘ I am supposed to be the best player in the world, and I don’t see one thing I do better than this guy’.

 

[gulfportdoc]

Yes, in Mobile.. Cliff got 9-8 on Scotts break. Took 8 hours..

I watched most of that match at Bear's "The Billiard Club" in Mobile. Even did a little commentating on Lenny's video taping. There was some great play in that match by both, but mostly from Frost. In fairness, Cliff had raced down to Mobile that afternoon after spending the weekend at a tournament/gambling session in Jackson, Miss. So Cliff was definitely not 100%. The match wasn't really that close because of it, but I'd love to have seen them play again when Cliff was fresh. Frost would still have been the favorite, but it would have been much closer.

Believe it or not, Bear --who was backing Joyner-- evidently thought Cliff had done some business due to the way he played, so he barred him for life from his room!!

 

[beatle]

a good reason that you never back anyone unless its a total lock. too many variables that can bite you while you are laying odds on the money as well.
generally a good rule is to go and hustle the backers as they have already identified themselves as suckers.

 

[jd67]

I like this list pretty good..Except Artie is left off... Back when Buddy won that world op title and the Derby One Pocket title, he would play about anyone even. He had a one pocket style of his own.. Nobody considers Grady?.. Didn't he give Cooney 9-8? Cooney wanted 10-8 from Artie, after they played some in a partner game ... Any stranger that walked into Grady's pool room in Colorado got spotted two, he said, if they would bet something, that is.. Hopkins was definitely considered the best in the world for a while, before Efren, and when Ronnie and Bugs were in a bit of decline. Nick Varner throughout college, would not play One Pocket, but Hubert Cokes took him over as backer/mentor and then, look out.. San Jose Dick and Steve Cook were one ball behind Ronnie,Bugs,Artie, I heard.. And Daulton was special. Nine Ball Champ. Bank Pool Champ AND One Pocket Champion...Joyner, second only to Efren, for a long time, right?

I think any top ten list from the 70’s on has to have Grady on it. He was in his prime in the 70’s and 80’s and was considered by many to be number one. I watched him play Jack Cooney three long sessions in a week in Los Angeles givingJack 9/8, and one of them ended up one session ahead, I can’t remember who.

I do remember Grady saying ‘ I am supposed to be the best player in the world, and I don’t see one thing I do better than this guy’.
[/QUOTE]

Did Grady and Hopkins ever match up in 1P?

 

[baby huey]

My list:
- Cliff Joyner
- Shannon Daulton
- Scott Frost
- Corey Duel
- Gabe Owen
- Artie
- Nick Varner
- Grady
- Alan Hopkins
- Steve Cooke
- Bugs

 

[baby huey]

What's wrong with me?
- Tony Chohan

 

[rnewkirk]

Did Grady and Hopkins ever match up in 1P?
[/QUOTE]

Believe me, John, on this. Grady would not fare very well at all against Alan from about 1978 - 1984 .

At that time (pre-Efren) Alan was considered the best all around player. Straight pool, 9-ball, 1-pkt and snooker. At all 4 games he

was at the top of the heap in USA.

I witnessed first hand both players numerous times during that period.

I got a new hero when I watched the display Efren put on at Red's 9-ball tourney in Houston in 84 (?).

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

Did Grady and Hopkins ever match up in 1P?

Believe me, John, on this. Grady would not fare very well at all against Alan from about 1978 - 1984 .

At that time (pre-Efren) Alan was considered the best all around player. Straight pool, 9-ball, 1-pkt and snooker. At all 4 games he

was at the top of the heap in USA.

I witnessed first hand both players numerous times during that period.

I got a new hero when I watched the display Efren put on at Red's 9-ball tourney in Houston in 84 (?).
[/QUOTE]

Robert, here's the Ghost and that Hopkins guy in a DCC match from about 12 years ago - game score here is at 6 balls to 6 balls - who do you think won this game? >>>

P.S. The pic was taken by Mr. Steve Booth iirc - thanks Steve.

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

 

[lll]

ghost
i would never bet against you...

 

[rnewkirk]

Bruce, you undoubtedly won that match, I would bet I was talking 24 years earlier when you were still wet behind the ears..

You just keep on learning Nobody out moves the Ghost Great picture, by the way

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

Bruce, you undoubtedly won that match, I would bet I was talking 24 years earlier when you were still wet behind the ears..

You just keep on learning Nobody out moves the Ghost Great picture, by the way

Nope, I fooled you, I didn't win...somehow that fish got lucky and beat me - I think he might have jarred me

 

[beatle]

you should have given him a lesson on his poke stroke and threw him off a bit.

i almost always ask about my opponents stroke when gambling.