Shark moves

I know this is a one-pocket forum but the weekend's coming and we're running out of things to talk about. Anyone care to discuss the best (worst) shark moves ever pulled on you? Or the ones you laid down on someone else. Don't be shy. We won't laugh.

Cowboy Dennis said:

I know this is a one-pocket forum but the weekend's coming and we're running out of things to talk about. Anyone care to discuss the best (worst) shark moves ever pulled on you? Or the ones you laid down on someone else. Don't be shy. We won't laugh.

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Peaches had some ggod ones playing Tommy the drunk. He would wave the hankie and move a ball with his other hand. He would even spit in the chalk. Or he would ask Tommy the drunk are the balls frozze. And he would spit on his fingure and while Tommy was looking to see if the ball was froze he would rub the top of his tip with the spit and he would misque Or he would move a ball and Tommy the drunk would move the ball back and peaches would help himself with a ball out of the rack. And peackes would stand in front of his pocket and wave the hankerchief and say watch the birdie. And Tommy the drunk never won. But he loved playing peaches. And the Tommy the drunk would say that Peggy LEE was his sister. And the would send him money to stay away from them. But it was like watching a cartoon. Watching Tommy the drunk and Peaches.

I hustled but I never sharked. Sharking disresepcts the game and the opponent. If you can't rip the other guy's aorta out without that crap, then you are neither a pool player nor a man., IMHO.

I like nothing better than to beat sharks. I play against a couple of them in the local weekly tournament. There is no better satisfaction than watching blood shoot from their eyes after the drubbing,

Skin

Several years ago I played Ronnie Allen a few times over about a two week period. The nonstop talking from RA was more amusing than annoying, mainly because I had a good game and I could put up with it. Also, it helps if you can dish it a little, so I tried to have an amusing comeback ready when available...something to keep the crowd loose, because the crowds loved to follow RA around.

Anyway, I forget if it was our second or third session, but RA finally realized his nonstop chirping was not having much effect on our game. His next tactic was to grab his balls. No, not the balls in his corner pocket . I remember he got directly in my line of sight and started tugging on his sack. I got up from my shot and looked at him and just started laughing. I looked at my partner and he was cracking up also. I had to take a break for a couple of minutes to compose myself and to tell Ronnie to quit grabbing his balls when I'm trying to shoot. Of course, he denied my accusation with a scowl, but he quit using that tactic, as far as I recall. Good times.

Shark infested pool !

Shark infested pool !

It would be hard to bring up the subject of sharking without mentioning Fats and (I believe his illigitimate son) Ronnie Allen.
The only difference between the two was, you could shut Ronnie up by beating his brains out, easier said than done. Fats decibal level and crowd involvement increased ten-fold when he was getting the worst of it.
Senor handled it just right with RA.
RA and Fats were masters of the needle, and at trying to distract their opponent,and much of it was hilarious. Hard to keep from laughing yourself.
Its really tough to stay focused when you are up against a vaudeville act getting big laughs from the audience.
Only played Fat's a few times, Ronnie a few hundred. Both tough action, but a lot of good times. (at least when you got the $$$.)

Dick

PS Cowboy, your home-boy, Cornbread, could work a crowd pretty good when he felt like it too. Not so much sharking, but his delivery and timing was impeccable.

SJDinPHX said:

It would be hard to bring up the subject of sharking without mentioning Fats and (I believe his illigitimate son) Ronnie Allen.
The only difference between the two was, you could shut Ronnie up by beating his brains out, easier said than done. Fats decibal level and crowd involvement increased ten-fold when he was getting the worst of it.
Senor handled it just right with RA.
RA and Fats were masters of the needle, and at trying to distract their opponent,and much of it was hilarious. Hard to keep from laughing yourself.
Its really tough to stay focused when you are up against a vaudeville act getting big laughs from the audience.
Only played Fat's a few times, Ronnie a few hundred. Both tough action, but a lot of good times. (at least when you got the $$$.)

Dick

PS Cowboy, your home-boy, Cornbread, could work a crowd pretty good when he felt like it too. Not so much sharking, but his delivery and timing was impeccable.

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I agree with those two choices. The were the best. WE had a few in Chicago Alfonso and Archibald. The were pretty good to. I never sharked my opponent because I always wanted him to play again. And being nice you keep your coustamers.

shark moves

shark moves

Skin said:

I hustled but I never sharked. Sharking disresepcts the game and the opponent. If you can't rip the other guy's aorta out without that crap, then you are neither a pool player nor a man., IMHO.

I like nothing better than to beat sharks. I play against a couple of them in the local weekly tournament. There is no better satisfaction than watching blood shoot from their eyes after the drubbing,

Skin

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Like Martin Sheen said in 'Apocalypse Now', absolutely goddamn right. I was hoping to see this reply at least once.

Red & the Crowd

Red & the Crowd

SJDinPHX said:

It would be hard to bring up the subject of sharking without mentioning Fats and (I believe his illigitimate son) Ronnie Allen.
The only difference between the two was, you could shut Ronnie up by beating his brains out, easier said than done. Fats decibal level and crowd involvement increased ten-fold when he was getting the worst of it.
Senor handled it just right with RA.
RA and Fats were masters of the needle, and at trying to distract their opponent,and much of it was hilarious. Hard to keep from laughing yourself.
Its really tough to stay focused when you are up against a vaudeville act getting big laughs from the audience.
Only played Fat's a few times, Ronnie a few hundred. Both tough action, but a lot of good times. (at least when you got the $$$.)

Dick

PS Cowboy, your home-boy, Cornbread, could work a crowd pretty good when he felt like it too. Not so much sharking, but his delivery and timing was impeccable.

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Red could definitely work the crowd. His timing was perfect when he did it too. And it wasn't a shark move, like you say. He never sharked me one time ever. Except by beating on me. That's the only shark he ever put on me or I ever put on him.

As far as working the crowd, I saw him playing a 9-ball match once and he gets to the 9-ball for the set. He's betting a few hundred and there's another few bet on the side. He hits the 9 100m.p.h. like he enjoyed doing. He missed it and it went about 7 rails and dropped in a pocket. He looked up and said "an ordinary man would have shot that straight in". Everybody laughed.

Cowboy Dennis said:

Like Martin Sheen said in 'Apocalypse Now', absolutely goddamn right. I was hoping to see this reply at least once.

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I've never initiated sharking, but I've found that most of the people that do it, are the most bothered by it. When they're sharking me and I'm winner I wait till a crucial shot and ask "is that clock right" or "is that real time or bar time". To acknowledge someone sharking you only makes it stronger and gets in your own head. I generally ignore it and it will go away. They're execptions like RA and Fats, hard to ignore them. Senor did a good job. LOL
rodney

shark moves

shark moves

androd said:

I've never initiated sharking, but I've found that most of the people that do it, are the most bothered by it. When they're sharking me and I'm winner I wait till a crucial shot and ask "is that clock right" or "is that real time or bar time". To acknowledge someone sharking you only makes it stronger and gets in your own head. I generally ignore it and it will go away. They're execptions like RA and Fats, hard to ignore them. Senor did a good job. LOL
rodney

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You are right about the sharkers being bothered by it the most. I always enjoyed not sharking at all. That way they have no excuse for losing. It sharks a lot of them even more because you refuse to stoop to their level. And that's my best shark. But I do like you asking if the clock is right. That's a nice one.

...here's one for ya......

...here's one for ya......

...in a bar in Oregon.....my friend is hitting balls on a 4x8.......I'm at the bar with a weaker player havin' a drink.......and my friends nephew walks in....they hate...each other to the point of fisticuffs....lol.......well the other guy with me at the bar say's..."wish we could trap them....'cause I'm loaded....but they will never play as partners".......give me a minute I said......so I walk up to my friend...and said....."that guy over there said you two morons ...couldn't play as partners on a bet......well.....that was like tellin' them....thier winkies were shorter than mine....lol....I made them 'em lock up the cash......for a session....and said ..."there has to be ...coaching ...'cause my partner was weaker"......you know one of them always had a better solution.....before the first game was over...they were at each others throat....and the nephew walks out on the session..... .......

Skin said:

I hustled but I never sharked. Sharking disresepcts the game and the opponent. If you can't rip the other guy's aorta out without that crap, then you are neither a pool player nor a man., IMHO.

I like nothing better than to beat sharks. I play against a couple of them in the local weekly tournament. There is no better satisfaction than watching blood shoot from their eyes after the drubbing,

Skin

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Hmm, that's some awfully violent imagery there . I know what you mean though. Still, I wonder who gets more action in the long run: the guy who behaves himself or the shark? I can definitely see how too much sharking can cost you customers. And it probably doesn't help your own game much either. On the other hand, a little sharking might get under people's skin enough to make them want to beat you even when they've got the worst of it. So, morality and honor aside (and since when are pool hustlers overly scrupulous about those?), which kind of behavior will make you more money in the long run? If you are playing for pride, then obviously you want to test yourself against the toughest opponents possible while behaving in a sportsmanlike way. But if your priority is making a living, things might be different. I'd like to know what others think.....

Cowboy Dennis said:

You are right about the sharkers being bothered by it the most. I always enjoyed not sharking at all. That way they have no excuse for losing. It sharks a lot of them even more because you refuse to stoop to their level. And that's my best shark. But I do like you asking if the clock is right. That's a nice one.

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One of the better shark moves I've seen is asking the other guy if he inhales or exhales when he pulls the trigger.


Skin

Skin said:

One of the better shark moves I've seen is asking the other guy if he inhales or exhales when he pulls the trigger.


Skin

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I like it, it's like asking a young gun if he looks at the CB or OB last.

...I also like...askin' ..." was that last shot a good hit ? ".......lol...

onepocket926 said:

...I also like...askin' ..." was that last shot a good hit ? ".......lol...

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Ronnie gets the best sharking award ever.

"...if your priority is making a living...

"...if your priority is making a living...

junior said:

Hmm, that's some awfully violent imagery there . I know what you mean though. Still, I wonder who gets more action in the long run: the guy who behaves himself or the shark? I can definitely see how too much sharking can cost you customers. And it probably doesn't help your own game much either. On the other hand, a little sharking might get under people's skin enough to make them want to beat you even when they've got the worst of it. So, morality and honor aside (and since when are pool hustlers overly scrupulous about those?), which kind of behavior will make you more money in the long run? If you are playing for pride, then obviously you want to test yourself against the toughest opponents possible while behaving in a sportsmanlike way. But if your priority is making a living, things might be different. I'd like to know what others think.....

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That's the critical point of the argument. When you played me you might as well expect anything. I was a serious advocate of gamesmanship. I learned it's power at an early age, when it was used regularly against me and kept me broke. I was very subtle however, and seldom got caught. I could do a little work in even in the tough joints. Why do you think Ronnie was so hard to beat? We even came to an understanding once, and he bestowed me the honor of not sharking me if I would not shark him. Maybe the only time in his life where he suspended operations. I often thought of doing a course in gamesmanship, something like that movie, "School for Scoundrels."


When you are not blessed with natural talent, you have to develop other skills.

Gamesmanship, how powerful it can be. I was playing in Monroe Brock's big tournament in Richmond, KY at the Maverick Club. Keith McCready was my opponent and we were playing 6 out of 11 short rack 9 ball banks.

The score was 5 games for Keith to my zero when I broke the balls and didn't make anything. Keith banked 4 and missed a tough bank for the session ball and left me hanging in the corner pocket at the foot of the table with no shot.

Responding criminally to a hopeless situation, I took a ball out of the ball return and put it on the spot, giving myself a cross-side. Keith, thinking HE must have broke the balls and made one, didn't bat an eye. I banked 3 from there, played safe, and wound up winning that game and the next five to take the session!

After counting the balls that were left, Keith knew something was wrong, but couldn't put his finger on it. I cooled him out by arguing that no matter what, he still needed 1 ball, thats the one thing we were both in agreement about. He also agreed that I banked 3, so what was it we were arguing about?

There were sweators in the bleachers that knew what had happened, and they were writhing in their seats trying to mentally tip Keith off. Gamesmanship was my compensation for my weak shot-making skills.
Did I feel guilty? Nah.


the Beard

....I posted this once before...best shark I ever saw......Butch was backin' this new kid in town.....my brother was backing the local.....during the match this kid gets on the table....and walks across it to his next shot.....my brother didn't know it was acceptable then (he wasn't a player)......so he gets up... says something about gettin' on the table...and reaches for the kid...Butch puts a .38 in his ear...and says the kid can do what he wants.....well...of course my brother agrees to the new rule.....lol....while the local player....about pee'd his pants and never wins another game.......I'm pretty sure on the facts.....was....40 years ago....but if ya ever see...Cole Dixon..........you can ask him ......lol....cause he was the kid....

onepocket926 said:

....I posted this once before...best shark I ever saw......Butch was backin' this new kid in town.....my brother was backing the local.....during the match this kid gets on the table....and walks across it to his next shot.....my brother didn't know it was acceptable then (he wasn't a player)......so he gets up... says something about gettin' on the table...and reaches for the kid...Butch puts a .38 in his ear...and says the kid can do what he wants.....well...of course my brother agrees to the new rule.....lol....while the local player....about pee'd his pants and never wins another game.......I'm pretty sure on the facts.....was....40 years ago....but if ya ever see...Cole Dixon..........you can ask him ......lol....cause he was the kid....

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I thought Cole got married and lived happly ever after. I herd he doesnt even drink any more unlesss he has to. But that Kid sure grew up having a lot of heart and balls. And he is a very friendly person to talk to. And He was a great players. Cole was nthing but heart. And thats how he gambled with his heart. Good luck with your pocker game Cole. I herd Jimmy Mattiea knowes how to win playing pooker? You will make it because you made it when the times were tough. Cole was the only player I new that would cut a tin cut shot to tin. And thats saying a lot.

...Cole Dixon...

...Cole Dixon...

Artie Bodendorfer said:

I thought Cole got married and lived happly ever after. I herd he doesnt even drink any more unlesss he has to. But that Kid sure grew up having a lot of heart and balls. And he is a very friendly person to talk to. And He was a great players. Cole was nthing but heart. And thats how he gambled with his heart. Good luck with your pocker game Cole. I herd Jimmy Mattiea knowes how to win playing pooker? You will make it because you made it when the times were tough. Cole was the only player I new that would cut a tin cut shot to tin. And thats saying a lot.

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....I only knew Cole .....by virtue of proxcimity ( means we were in the same area at the same time...lol..) and I'm sure he doesn't remember me ( I went to see ...Elvis in Vegas also and he didn't remember me either...lol..)......I knew Mike (his brother...thats what he said anyways)...a bit better (he slept with my ex...before she was my ex...lol...)
....I did make a few ....duckets by side betting on him...everytime he came in the room...guess I never did give him any juice...but I was betting small then...so I probably owe him....20 bucks......if I had his address I'd gladly send it to him.....( just kidding.....I don't have 20 bucks...) owe him that much...just for the stories I get to tell....lol....
.....over the next year ......he terrorized ...Southern California....lol...
.....I do remember a night at a place called...."Teen City" (how appropriate ...'cause he was only about 16 or 17...lol...)...the place had a bunch of ...bar boxes...and one big table ( the one from my privous story..).....not a gambling place...but the guy that owened it ( Bob Costello...alias...the Hoodlem Priest)...let me have the key...and we had some late night partying....people sleeping on the tables.....gettin' a lil' tail in the.....utility room....(hope that doesn't bring up any bad karma)....poker game in the back room and gettin' busted...when the cops....came in at 4:00 am....to see why the jukebox was blaring ......and the lights were on...with a bunch of underage drinkers.....dancin' on the tables.........lol...he might not remember me...but I'll bet the ranch...he remembers the place...lol.....he was a pretty good kid.......droped a few pipeea's....drank a lil'....smoked some pot...nothin' real bad...except.....robbin' every player in ...Southren California...lol.....
...I'm so glad to hear......"The Prince of Thieves".....found his Princess and claimed his kingdom...before midnight...cause the carriage he was riding on might have turned back into a pumpkin....lol...
......and your right about heart......like all the great players of yor....he wasn't afraid to...."bet it all" ( and sometimes maybe a bit more than all...lol...).....and he wasn't afraid to play anyone.....he probably would have made a great bowler...cause he just kept knocking down the opponants like....bowling pins..........*tips his hat*....Cole if your reading this.... kudos to you......my friend....'cause I'd pay the $12.00......to see a movie about your pool exploits....