Hello all from Arlington, TX!

Samiel

Verified Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2004
Messages
40
Hi all! It's great to see this site doing well! I'll have to buy a few t-shirts really soon!

It's great to live in an area where there are some great players and sometimes others come to visit. I only play at Click's Billiards on Majesty Dr. here in Arlington, TX.

I have seen some great one pocket matches! I often see Joe Salazar and Robert Newkirk playing some incredible games here! Just a few months ago, Ronnie Allen himself came and played a local named Joey Barnes... also a great match!

CJ's in Dallas is still open! I don't go there, but I know Cliff Joyner plays there as well as C. J. Wiley (I'm guessing).

I'm a C player (maybe C+ one day) and I'm always awed by the skill and ingenuity displayed in one pocket.

Thank you all for contributing and sharing your stories!

Here's my own one pocket story... reposted from RSB...

How I met Joe Salazar

It's Friday and I have most of the day off, so I head up to Click's Billiards in Arlington, TX.

Practicing on the first 9 foot table near where the railbirds usually sit is an older (well, older than me... and I'm 27) hispanic gentleman wearing huge glasses, I assume for for playing pool. These are big yellow glasses...

I grab a rack of balls and start practicing on the table next to him. He says, to me "do you want to play some cheap one-pocket?" I say, "what's cheap?" He says, "$10 a rack."

Well, I think to myself, "here's a guy who has never met me and wants to play $10 a rack (I usually don't play more than $5 a rack)." You have to understand that I'm not a very good player at any pocket billiard game, especially one-pocket.

I say, "no thanks" and continue about my business.

I'm pocketing balls like a usually do, and eventually I get bored and get a drink and sit down and watch Joe. He's hitting some 9-ball practice and does pretty well.

I mention something to the affect that if he offered to play me one-pocket that he must be decent. He kind of laughs it off.

I break down and agree to play him a few games of one-pocket for $5 a rack. He proceeds to obliterate me, but not by running out a bunch of balls, but mainly by keeping good safety plays.

I mention that I play a local guy named Amos. He knows Amos and asks me, "what kind of spot does Amos give you?" I say, "10-5" (that's how much I suck). So, Joe says, "okay, I'll give you the same spot Amos gives you."

He gives me 10-5 and still kicks my ass. :)

During this entire time, his cellphone rings like every 5 minutes or so and he has to talk on his phone. Finally after about $40 lost, he says he has to go, and apologizes for not being able to play more.

Seems like a nice guy.


- Samiel
 
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