How good was he...

Last night I had the good fortune of watching a rotating partners one pocket game that had 4 real strong players in...Even though I have seen him around matching up in 9 ball this was first time I had seen "Big" Bob osbourne play. Well, let me tell you he may be pushing 60 now but jeez louise can this guy play, banks great, moves like a ghost, and has a perfect cue ball. I was just wondering if any of you guys have had the pleasure of seeing bob play in his prime. His name doesn;t pop up in tourneys too much so I assume he stayed under the radar for most of his career...Someone should've had a videotape running the other 3 included 2 DCC top 20 players and one undercover world beater. I only mention bob by name not to knock him but to know if anyone knows how good he really was...

i'll_bust_you said:

Last night I had the good fortune of watching a rotating partners one pocket game that had 4 real strong players in...Even though I have seen him around matching up in 9 ball this was first time I had seen "Big" Bob osbourne play. Well, let me tell you he may be pushing 60 now but jeez louise can this guy play, banks great, moves like a ghost, and has a perfect cue ball. I was just wondering if any of you guys have had the pleasure of seeing bob play in his prime. His name doesn;t pop up in tourneys too much so I assume he stayed under the radar for most of his career...Someone should've had a videotape running the other 3 included 2 DCC top 20 players and one undercover world beater. I only mention bob by name not to knock him but to know if anyone knows how good he really was...

Click to expand...

Would that be Bob Black Bart Ogburn? I can't add much other than that he has been around the One Pocket scene for quite a while.

He's called Big Bob in Miami

He's called Big Bob in Miami

He was originally, Virginia Bob Ogburn, then Big Bob and finally Black Bart. He came up to Chicago's Bensingers from Virginia in the late 60s. He did a 6 month tour, never missed a ball, and stayed broke the whole time. He never got to play nineball, a game where he could beat us, instead he was steered into trap after trap of onepocket, 8ball, and banks. However, if you ask him about those days, he will tell you that that is what hardened him into a top-notch road hustler. He calls that his basic-training. He went on to be a formidable force in the South for a long time. A high-roller and plenty tough to beat. Onepocket was his worst game, but he still played it very solid. He was a diet and fasting freak for a long time. Unfortunately he mixed the health stuff, as we all did then, with speed pills. Great guy, great player.

Old school pool. Bank on, brother!
the Beard

I have an accu-stats video from the 1991 Legends of One Pocket in Philadelphia with Bob losing a hill-hill match to Jersey Red (5-4). He certainly played strong one pocket by that time.

Philly legends tourney

Philly legends tourney

BackPocket9Ball said:

I have an accu-stats video from the 1991 Legends of One Pocket in Philadelphia with Bob losing a hill-hill match to Jersey Red (5-4). He certainly played strong one pocket by that time.

Click to expand...

I beat Jersey Red twice at the Philly Legends of 1991 to knock him out of the tournament. I felt very bad because Red and I were great friends, and his game was two balls under normal at that time. Bob played onepocket a little under me, even though the last time we played he charged me 25 hundred. I claim extenuating circumstances because we were both being staked by killers, and my killer (Sugar Shack Johnny Novak) ran off with the stakes before the match was over -- and I knew it-- and had to try to perform under those conditions.

Old school pool. Bank on, brother!
the Beard

Bob Ogburn

Bob Ogburn

Thanks Freddy, it's funny because I have seen bob torturing locals in 9 ball for a long while now, I didn't realize his weakest game was 1 hole because from what I saw he played real good...

i'll_bust_you said:

Thanks Freddy, it's funny because I have seen bob torturing locals in 9 ball for a long while now, I didn't realize his weakest game was 1 hole because from what I saw he played real good...

Click to expand...

Big Bob Ogburn was <from what I was told> one of the best U.S. Snooker players in the country at one time. Still plays sporty in his later years too!!!

Snooker

Snooker

Voodoo Daddy said:

Big Bob Ogburn was <from what I was told> one of the best U.S. Snooker players in the country at one time. Still plays sporty in his later years too!!!

Click to expand...

Yes he was. We had a 6 x 12 snooker tbl in Bensingers when Bob was there. He didnt get to play any of us on that table. Too smart for that. He did play the Thailand champ there though and beat him.
Old school pool. Bank on, brother!
the Beard

i'll_bust_you said:

Well, let me tell you he may be pushing 60 now but jeez louise can this guy play, banks great, moves like a ghost, and has a perfect cue ball.

Click to expand...

I would've thought Bob was older than 60. He won Mizerak's Senior 9-ball event in Biloxi about 5 years ago, just after Steve had his stroke. I'd never heard of him until then, but I was really impressed by his great playing. I think he's also a little intimidating to some, due to his size and demeanor. I forget whether he beat Rempe or Bob Vanover in the finals. Evidently he's still knockin' 'em dead.

Doc

Black Bart

Black Bart

He beat Bob Vanover in the finals. I used to play him when he had the Sports Palace in Columbia, SC. Intimidating size wize but a really nice guy.