Making top tier

Ross Keith Thompson

Verified Member
Joined
May 19, 2010
Messages
168
From
madisonville, texas
It's funny to talk about it but every top player who has lived the game has experienced coming of age as a good player or a great player.

Only yourself knew when that day came and it might not be just after you've beaten a good player!

It was just a time that you knew by yourself in your own thoughts.

Like when you walked into a pool room somewhere in the lower 48 and no one was barred at any game on a table that had pockets!

When you walked into a pool room anywhere and scoped out the joint and you knew without doubt you were at the top of the food chain' LOL.

I was about 17.5 yrs. when it hit me!

When your every day game of nine ball has 4, 5 and 6 pack runs consistently you have made top tier.

Good players don't do that!

Bobby Taylor (life long friend and road partner) and myself left Houston for the riches of the road, had a good two week run, lot of action, made 5-6k back in the day.

As usual Bobby would ask how I was playing and I responded (would play any body), LOL, no really, I would play anybody, haha. He would have to hold me back but actually he never did! LOL.

So a little after my seventeenth birthday away we went thru the south and played pool rooms in Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, ETC.

We had made most of our money and was in Nashville Tennessee where a nine ball tourney was going on in some pool room there and I entered the tourney.

First prize was 150.00, decent payout for an evenings work.

Was a good player name Joe Dan Blue a local there.

Myself and Joe Dan met in the final, 11 of twenty one for first prize.

Well I won the first prize in a close match but my opponent wanted more so we matched up even nine ball for a 300 session, 6 ahead on a good 4.5 by 9 table and the game was on for top hustler in Nashville, LOL.

After 3-4 hours of back and forth play I was running near empty, just couldn't put the guy away.

Now down 5 games, Alfie Taylor and his brother Bobby were leaning next to the bar and Alfie said to Bobby let's go get a coke this is over as my opponent had an open shot in the 6th and final game.

We had picked up Alfie in the last day or two and he spent a little time with us on our road trip.

The words he spoke really stuck in my craw and I prayed I would get another chance in this ridiculously long tiring session and I did.

I ran the rest of the rack and won the game, I followed it with six straight racks when Bobby and Alfie walked back in the place.

Alfie looked shocked we were still playing and asked where I stood, I told him I was 2 games up and he couldn't believe it, they were only gone 10 minutes, LOL.

My opponent missed the first shot he had in the last seven games and it was over, ran out the last 3 games.

Wanted to shove that 300 up Alfie's a--, LOL, but his tacky statement on my case game did inspire me to reach back so I'll let Alfie slide on that one,LMAO.

Maybe the same road trip Bobby and myself were in Birmingham Alabama in the top pool room, you know the kind of pool room you don't walk in and tell everyone to line up, hahaha.

Alfie had steered us their when we left Houston, told Bobby not to let Squirrel play this guy called Big bear, had just busted Cole Dixon for a couple of thousand playing banks a month before.

Bobby told Alf, Squirrel plays pretty dam good these days and Alf says (he's only 17 Bobby) stay away from Big Bear but he might beat Little bear!

Well I hammered Little Bear for about 150-200 and side action when we arrived there, didn't have to look for action he found me!

Stopped back in the next day and Big Bear was there, wanted me to give him a ball playing one hole and I almost did but refused to the last minute and we played even one pocket kicking it off at 30 a game.

Even though he was a very solid player at one hole, I won about twenty straight, he might have won one game, I can't remember.

We raised the bet every couple games, finished about 60-70 a game plus side action, devastated the whole pool room.

Took the place for about 1500 in 2 days.

Even though I beat the guy unmercifully, he was a very good player and I knew it. but I was schooled by Jersey Red, not playing him but watching him every week in Houston.

If I played anyone on the road at one hole, they were in a full blown trap, that was my best talent, loved the game.

It was about this time in my short career that I moved up to top tier! I had no fear and wanted as much serious action that I could get.

It is really a cool feeling to go where few have gone and know you are the top Predator any where you go.

If I didn't know my opponent he was doomed for I knew everyone I might have a problem with! LOL

To get there you have to Walk with Giants and watch them play when you have a chance.

If and when you get there you will truly know, especially when some good player runs 4 racks on you in a cash game in a foreign pool room and in the private of your mind you say to yourself he is doomed!
 

lll

Verified Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
19,057
From
vero beach fl
keith
although i will never play like you did or feel like you did
i enjoy reading about what it was like
thanks for sharing
larry
 
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