For all the people who read this.

jtompilot

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Feb 17, 2009
Messages
5,797
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New Orleans
I'm sure they're are much more exciting stories, but here's mine.

I think my favorite game was just last year. I played in a tournament and needed to win one more game to get into the finals. The guy I was playing needed 2 balls to win and I needed 11. I was able to come back and win the game and match.

My favorite session was the first time I bet it up. There is a guy at my old hall who would only bet 1-200 per game. We had never played before and I did not usually bet that much. We had a long session and ended up at. 250 a game. I came out 750 ahead and did not crumble for the cash. That session took my confidence and my belief in my ability to play for the cash up a level.

Btw- Artie- let's hear yours :)

Oh Mitch have you forgot already.............

What about DDC when we were beating up on Larry Nevel in that partners game
 

Mkbtank

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Apr 22, 2013
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Philly Pa
For all the people who read this.

Oh Mitch have you forgot already.............



What about DDC when we were beating up on Larry Nevel in that partners game


Funny Tom. No, I remember, but I can't list every game I ever played haha. It's a good thing I didn't know who Larry was or I may not have made a ball lol. (That really was another highlight though :) )
 

Jimmy B

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Aug 17, 2007
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6,895
Memories get better the older we get.I will give you one of my more interesting stories. It was early in the morning and I was in Bensingers. And a player walked in and said.Lets play some 50 dollars a game one pocket. I said I am waiting for someone to bring me some money that they owe me. And a real big guy said Artie I will go and get some money I will back you. I will be wright back. And I said okay. And 15 minutes latter he came back and gave me 150 dollars. And I beat the player for 300 hundred dollars. And I said where did you go to get the money. And there were a bunch of sweaters listening. And the backer said. I went down Clark street and gave two pints of blood. For the money. And I said you mean I was playing on blood money.He said yes. From then on every time he walked into Bensingers the sweaters would say. There is Artie's Blood backer. And I liked it because it is different and unusual. Unusual, Its not a big money pool score or a big money pool session. But it is very different.



This is a fantastic story, but it doesn't really surprise me. I would have went off and sold three or four pints to put you in action, if need be. That's how much confidence that you instilled into people. This story deserves a special award. I call it the Royal Award... Does this bring back a memory??

 

NH Steve

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From
New Hampshire
This is a fantastic story, but it doesn't really surprise me. I would have went off and sold three or four pints to put you in action, if need be. That's how much confidence that you instilled into people. This story deserves a special award. I call it the Royal Award... Does this bring back a memory??


I agree Jimmy, that was a fantastic story.

I am impressed about all the detail you guys remember from different games that may have taken place years ago. I am not that good at remembering those details. I do savor the moments though!

I only started playing One Pocket when I was about 40 because it was not played up here in NH, where it was mostly 9-ball, 8-ball and earlier, straight pool. There is a unique local game too that is a full rack variation on golf -- but that's another story. Anyway at 40 I was feeling bored and disillusioned with pool -- I was never going to get any better and the game just wasn't that much fun anymore.

Then a guy from NJ who was visiting introduced me to One Pocket. (you guys have heard this part plenty of times before) It was like getting a whole new life in pool. I really enjoyed immersing myself in the game -- there was so much to think about and so much opportunity for creativity! One pocket has allowed me to incorporate about every little thing I have learned about pool playing other games over the years. Sooner or later a situation will come up in One Pocket where if you recognize it, you can draw on something unusual and creative that is actually a good shot in your situation.

I found that once I was playing One Pocket, every day that I played there was some shot that I could go home feeling really good about, that made the whole day worthwhile -- often even if I lost. I also began to feel like my mind got a thorough workout every game, such that I would feel like I had just got out of an intimate workshop with some genius professor -- but in this case it was the game itself that created that intense learning experience.

Twenty something years later I still feel the same way! Long live One Pocket!!
 

Island Drive

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May 1, 2011
Messages
5,192
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florence, colorado
Norman Wines

Norman Wines

In Olathe/Shooters/Dan Tulls place 9' GC II's, score tied 10/10 for 1K each playing on our own money. Cue ball is close to the spot a little left, the eight ball is on the top rail, not frozen and 1.5 diamonds out. The nine ball is in the lower left corner about 1/2''off the rail and 1/2 a diamond away from the corner pocket. I play a two way shot, all cue ball and come three around and land behind the nine on the bottom rail and hook em, the eight goes four rails and come up about a foot away from the corner pocket. Norman gets up, and kicks it in one rail long rail, and of course whitey comes naturally to the nine straight in about two feet away.

Bad Beat
 

bstroud

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May 29, 2010
Messages
1,426
The first time I played Hopkins was in Baltimore after I had been making cues for about 2 years. I wasn't playing pool that much but when Hopkins came to town they called me.

Hopkins had just won the the World's 9 ball tournament in NYC.

He asked me to play some 9 ball but I said I haven't been playing much but would play some one pocket. He said OK.

We started playing for 200 dollars a game and after about 6 hours I had him broke and was 2400 dollars winner.

He quit and asked me for $200 walk around money. I gave it to him and he stalled around the pool room looking for a game.

After about an hour and a half and no game he came over to me and said
" Billy, I'll play you a game of straight pool for $200." I couldn't believe it and said: " Allen, thats my $200", but if you want a game of straight pool, I will call someone.

I called Richard Rigey. He was the MD state champion straight pool player.

An hour later Rigey came in the door. He drove a heating oil delivery truck for a living and had come straight from work. He was covered in oil and as usual had on white socks that he always rolled down. Quite a sight.

Hopkins and Rigey agree on 200 points for $200. Hopkins lost the flip and after his break Rigey ran 140 balls without even one practice shot.

Needless to say Hopkins did not have a happy experience in Baltimore.

Hopkins and I played one pocket twice more after that first time. We broke even once and he won the last time.

Bill S.
 

vapros

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May 24, 2004
Messages
4,806
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baton rouge, la
I was at the old Greenway room in Baton Rouge, many years ago, and Jerome Gambino was playing a guy who was beating him to death. Jerome was stuck pretty good. Every now and then, the guy would make a trip to the bathroom, and run several racks immediately afterward. Finally, I heard Jerome say, 'It would serve him right if I quit on him, and let him stay awake for four days for nothing.'
 

Shortstop

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Dec 1, 2006
Messages
112
From
Chisqztown
The first time,I went to Derby City 2004...I would enter the Banks & get the Badge (I went to watch one pocket)...First time down there,I did not know any of the good players...My first match was a tall southern gentleman...He broke the first game...I made 1 & played safe...He shot..Then,I ran 4 & out....People came from everywhere to watch MY match:D...I thought:eek:....I did not know it..I was playing Tony Fargo....I made only 1 bank,in the next 3 games.

The next year,I played David Matlock...We went Hill-Hill...He beat me on one of Freddies "Banks that shouldn`t go but do"

Two losing matches I will remember,for life!
 

Island Drive

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May 1, 2011
Messages
5,192
From
florence, colorado
The first time,I went to Derby City 2004...I would enter the Banks & get the Badge (I went to watch one pocket)...First time down there,I did not know any of the good players...My first match was a tall southern gentleman...He broke the first game...I made 1 & played safe...He shot..Then,I ran 4 & out....People came from everywhere to watch MY match:D...I thought:eek:....I did not know it..I was playing Tony Fargo....I made only 1 bank,in the next 3 games.

The next year,I played David Matlock...We went Hill-Hill...He beat me on one of Freddies "Banks that shouldn`t go but do"

Two losing matches I will remember,for life!

Olathe, bar box, played Matlock in early rounds knocked em over to the B side. He came all the way back and I beat em again. I was rolling that day, Coy Lee only got 1 game.
 

lll

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Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
19,057
From
vero beach fl
The first time,I went to Derby City 2004...I would enter the Banks & get the Badge (I went to watch one pocket)...First time down there,I did not know any of the good players...My first match was a tall southern gentleman...He broke the first game...I made 1 & played safe...He shot..Then,I ran 4 & out....People came from everywhere to watch MY match:D...I thought:eek:....I did not know it..I was playing Tony Fargo....I made only 1 bank,in the next 3 games.

The next year,I played David Matlock...We went Hill-Hill...He beat me on one of Freddies "Banks that shouldn`t go but do"

Two losing matches I will remember,for life!

can you describe the bank please??
 

Shortstop

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Joined
Dec 1, 2006
Messages
112
From
Chisqztown
Bugs Shot Beard1

Bugs Shot Beard1

I found it on you tube

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojVLjRyzsWE[/ame]
 

NH Steve

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Joined
Apr 25, 2004
Messages
12,281
From
New Hampshire
One moment I do remember was there was a small One Pocket tournament in Chelmsford MA in connection with one of the Joss tour events probably back in about 2000. There were only about a dozen players, but one of them was Alex Pagulyan. Larry Lisciotti was in it too, so it was before he died obviously. Anyway, I played well and may have gotten some softer draws and I ended up in the finals against Alex. He drilled me of course but I do recall one shot from that, where I got a compliment from Alex, a sincere, "Nice shot!" when I made something like this. It was an in-off, and it also opened up balls so I could get some more. Anyway, it was a highlight, although i did go on to lose the match. It falls into that category I mentioned earlier where you get to go home feeling good about at least one creative shot, lol.
 

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vapros

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May 24, 2004
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baton rouge, la
I'm looking at the video of the shot Bugs Rucker made, as described by Freddie. I have to ask - was this really a shot made off the 'round', or was Bugs able to get the required english as he pinched the ball off the cushion?

And - isn't it possible to get a bit of inside english when pinching such a shot?
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
4,271
I'm looking at the video of the shot Bugs Rucker made, as described by Freddie. I have to ask - was this really a shot made off the 'round', or was Bugs able to get the required english as he pinched the ball off the cushion?

And - isn't it possible to get a bit of inside english when pinching such a shot?
I believe it is made of off the round.Leave your favorite pool moment.Your moment will always be remembered.On this site and page. You are leaving a part of you that will always be remembered. What is your story that you would want to be remembered by?
 

spiderwebcomm

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Joined
Nov 30, 2010
Messages
85
The first time I played Hopkins was in Baltimore after I had been making cues for about 2 years. I wasn't playing pool that much but when Hopkins came to town they called me.

Hopkins had just won the the World's 9 ball tournament in NYC.

He asked me to play some 9 ball but I said I haven't been playing much but would play some one pocket. He said OK.

We started playing for 200 dollars a game and after about 6 hours I had him broke and was 2400 dollars winner.

He quit and asked me for $200 walk around money. I gave it to him and he stalled around the pool room looking for a game.

After about an hour and a half and no game he came over to me and said
" Billy, I'll play you a game of straight pool for $200." I couldn't believe it and said: " Allen, thats my $200", but if you want a game of straight pool, I will call someone.

I called Richard Rigey. He was the MD state champion straight pool player.

An hour later Rigey came in the door. He drove a heating oil delivery truck for a living and had come straight from work. He was covered in oil and as usual had on white socks that he always rolled down. Quite a sight.

Hopkins and Rigey agree on 200 points for $200. Hopkins lost the flip and after his break Rigey ran 140 balls without even one practice shot.

Needless to say Hopkins did not have a happy experience in Baltimore.

Hopkins and I played one pocket twice more after that first time. We broke even once and he won the last time.

Bill S.

Bill:

The way you make your post comes across very condescending (and lacking respect) to one of our most respected Hall of Fame players, also one of the very best all-around players who ever lived. Not sure if you tried to word it in that way, but I thought I'd just make a mention of it.

Your post seems to try to paint yourself in the same light as a player of Allen's caliber, as if you "sent him packing." Your story is puffed, to say the least -- he never asked you for $200 walking money as he never asked any player for walking money ever. Secondly, he didn't just win the World Title, he was 18 or 19 and on his second-ever road trip at the time - hoping to get experience and develop as a player.

Years later, around the timing you claimed in your quoted post above, he had just won the US Open 9ball and World 14.1 in the same year and had just won around $150k at The Rack in Detroit and needless to say, he:

1) Certainly didn't need your $200 "walking money" and wouldn't have asked for it if it he did since more money was always a phone call away.
2) Never would have lost to you at any game even
3) Never would have lost to Rigey at any game even

In regards to losing to both you and Rigey, that certainly happened, but the timing of your story is way off as were the details of what happened. I wasn't sure if you did that on purpose or if you were merely mistaken.

I've always found it interesting that TRUE CHAMPIONS never log into the internet and brag about "beat stories." It always seems to be underdogs who brag about wins and the stories always seem to be half-truths. Champions who do post "winning stories" are typically accurate in their account and show tons of respect to those mentioned.

Once the timing is corrected, do you really think you were a favorite over a "grown-up" Allen playing one pocket even-up and was capable of beating him to the point of him begging for walking money? Or, is it more likely, once you think about it, you beat an Allen in his late-teens in the early '70s who still played very well, but was only a sliver of what he was yet to become?

Dave
 
Last edited:

Artie Bodendorfer

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Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
4,271
The first time,I went to Derby City 2004...I would enter the Banks & get the Badge (I went to watch one pocket)...First time down there,I did not know any of the good players...My first match was a tall southern gentleman...He broke the first game...I made 1 & played safe...He shot..Then,I ran 4 & out....People came from everywhere to watch MY match:D...I thought:eek:....I did not know it..I was playing Tony Fargo....I made only 1 bank,in the next 3 games.

The next year,I played David Matlock...We went Hill-Hill...He beat me on one of Freddies "Banks that shouldn`t go but do"

Two losing matches I will remember,for life!
The game you played and the people you played will always be remembered. If people wright about the game and who they played. Gives us joy and makes those Times and moment a treasure and a special moment in our life. And nobody can take them away. And show the world that we were a part of those times. And the old atmosphere changes to the new atmosphere. We loose a lot. With time. Just look back and think about all the people and caracters you use to no. The old pool rooms and neighborhoods. Theaters our teachers presidents movie stars everything keeps changing. What these people did and the times they lived should be remembered. We loose a lot when we loose those caracters and times are forgotten.This is about our generation and what we did.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
4,271
The game you played and the people you played will always be remembered. If people wright about the game and who they played. Gives us joy and makes those Times and moment a treasure and a special moment in our life. And nobody can take them away. And show the world that we were a part of those times. And the old atmosphere changes to the new atmosphere. We loose a lot. With time. Just look back and think about all the people and caracters you use to no. The old pool rooms and neighborhoods. Theaters our teachers presidents movie stars everything keeps changing. What these people did and the times they lived should be remembered. We loose a lot when we loose those caracters and times are forgotten.This is about our generation and what we did.
If you want your story to be remembered when were all gone than wright it so it will be remembered when were long gone.
 

bstroud

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Joined
May 29, 2010
Messages
1,426
Bill:

The way you make your post comes across very condescending (and lacking respect) to one of our most respected Hall of Fame players, also one of the very best all-around players who ever lived. Not sure if you tried to word it in that way, but I thought I'd just make a mention of it.

Your post seems to try to paint yourself in the same light as a player of Allen's caliber, as if you "sent him packing." Your story is puffed, to say the least -- he never asked you for $200 walking money as he never asked any player for walking money ever. Secondly, he didn't just win the World Title, he was 18 or 19 and on his second-ever road trip at the time - hoping to get experience and develop as a player.

Years later, around the timing you claimed in your quoted post above, he had just won the US Open 9ball and World 14.1 in the same year and had just won around $150k at The Rack in Detroit and needless to say, he:

1) Certainly didn't need your $200 "walking money" and wouldn't have asked for it if it he did since more money was always a phone call away.
2) Never would have lost to you at any game even
3) Never would have lost to Rigey at any game even

In regards to losing to both you and Rigey, that certainly happened, but the timing of your story is way off as were the details of what happened. I wasn't sure if you did that on purpose or if you were merely mistaken.

I've always found it interesting that TRUE CHAMPIONS never log into the internet and brag about "beat stories." It always seems to be underdogs who brag about wins and the stories always seem to be half-truths. Champions who do post "winning stories" are typically accurate in their account and show tons of respect to those mentioned.

Once the timing is corrected, do you really think you were a favorite over a "grown-up" Allen playing one pocket even-up and was capable of beating him to the point of him begging for walking money? Or, is it more likely, once you think about it, you beat an Allen in his late-teens in the early '70s who still played very well, but was only a sliver of what he was yet to become?

Dave

Dave,

I don't know who you are but if you had been in the pool room you would know that everything I said about that day was true. Danny was there also.

The second time I played Allen was at the N. Hollywood tournament. I think it was about 1974 or 5. We started off playing one pocket even for 200$ a game and broke even. I had a customer call me the other day that was there and remembers exactly as I do.

The last time I played Allen was in Reno. He won 3 games the best of it.

The year I played Allen in Baltimore I also played Cole and gave him 9 to 7 playing one pocket. I didn't win but it was a close game.

I don't know what you think you know about my speed but I played a lot of good players even and would put my win loss record up against anyones.

Bill S.
 
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