killer instinct who has it

Ross Keith Thompson

Verified Member
Joined
May 19, 2010
Messages
168
From
madisonville, texas
With me it depended on my bank roll, if I had good money I felt good enough about my game to play just about anyone some big sessions of nine ball or one pocket with quite a few exceptions in the nine ball pecking order.

Greg Stevens was a no no along with Incardona, Billy Johnson, Cole Dickson, One Eyed Tony, Tall Jeff, Jimmy Marino, Kelly, Florence, Lassiter and others such as Jersey Red and Ronnie Allen were top tier niners back in the day. Forgot to mention Buddy Hall, should have started with him, LOL.

I watched all these guys put 5 packs on everybody they played multiple times and not miss a shot for hours at a time.

Some of these players and thru the decades did not play well for big money so to speak or even betting their own money. But most players did not bring their best game when they were on short money.

The only reason that some of these guys played played even nine ball against each other was Ego. I personally wanted to bust every one of them just to see where I stood. Might not get past any of them. But to get past somebody like that you had to step up to the plate with the best in the world and test the water quite often to play that high of a level. You couldn't be a weenie and survive. Unless you were Weenie Beenie' lol.

One pocket however is another story. Some of the great niners could not compete with the top tier one pocket players. One pocket was my best game and I had a good chance playing anyone except for Ronnie Allen, he definitely had killer instinct at his best game. Weenie Beenie was a top one holer.

Personally I enjoyed playing good players on the road even though if you lost you may be hitch hiking home, it was a challenge and I liked it. That's ego for you. Who knows who had the best killer instinct?

I really and truly can't say! But whenever a top player is in the zone you are in serious trouble whomever it may be. Whether it is a player from this generation or back in the day of the hustler.

Irving Crane didn't even gamble but man was he nasty. Watched him put an eight pack on Lassiter then I had to play him! He played nine ball and 14-1 as good as anybody. I probably would have played him for 25 a game back in the day just to see if he could do the same thing when your dinner is hanging in front of you on every tough shot, lol.

I believe it was Buddy Hall, whom I seen recently at the senior tourney at Bogies that told me he played a best of twenty one session and never got to shoot. Man is that scary!

After I acquired the ability to run more than one rack of nine ball I never counted them. I was more concerned about making a ball on the break than running out, I knew I was going to run out. But eleven straight racks is horrendous and scary whether back in the day or present. But there was and is players that can do that when their break works for them!

The sad thing is a lot of the players from the fifties sixties seventies will be forgotten in pool room lore, what a shame! There was so many world beaters it retired me, I understood NOBODY COULD BEAT THEM ALL. But it sure was fun trying. My best times were hanging in a pool room with all the Fast Eddie wanna be's .

The debate on best and killer instinct will withstand father time but I declare Grady Mathews as the King of Bullsh-t with Jersey Red a close runner up or vice versa. Go figure.

Now that would be a thread worth some ink, who was the best entertainer. Does anyone know who could contend with Grady or Jersey Red?
 

lll

Verified Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
19,057
From
vero beach fl
thanks for posting
always enjoy reading your insights and observations

Now that would be a thread worth some ink, who was the best entertainer. Does anyone know who could contend with Grady or Jersey Red?


wouldnt fats and ronnie be candidates??
 

straightback

Verified Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2014
Messages
1,851
From
owensboro, ky
thanks for posting
always enjoy reading your insights and observations

Now that would be a thread worth some ink, who was the best entertainer. Does anyone know who could contend with Grady or Jersey Red?


wouldnt fats and ronnie be candidates??

McCready is in the discussion.
 

Billy Jackets

Verified Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2011
Messages
2,735
grady red ronnie keith and ?

grady red ronnie keith and ?

We have a poster here who is right in the running, he just does it in a different fashion.
While he is patting you on the back with his left hand, the right hand is expertly searching for your wallet.
No names please, he has a few within grasp.
 

wincardona

Verified Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
7,693
From
Dallas Tx.
Pool's greatest characters (best entertainers)

#1. Minnesota Fats (Rudolph Wonderone)
#2. Cornbread Red (Billy Burge)
#3. Fast Eddie F. (Ronnie Allen)
#4. Peter Rabbit ( Peter Linhard)
#5. Keither with the either (Keith McCreedy)
#6. The Professer (Grady Mathews)
#7. Jersey Red (Jack Breit)
#8 Freddie The Beard (Fred Bentivegna)
#9. Omaha Fats (Martin Kamen)
#10. Nubby Morgan ( Ernest Morgan)


Dr. Bill
 

Tom Wirth

Verified Member
Joined
Jul 5, 2004
Messages
2,972
From
Delray Beach, Florida
Any of you know of a guy from the D.C. area named Sterling?
He's not a great player but who cares. Watching this guy is like going to the movies.

Tom
 

wincardona

Verified Member
Joined
Aug 7, 2007
Messages
7,693
From
Dallas Tx.
Any of you know of a guy from the D.C. area named Sterling?
He's not a great player but who cares. Watching this guy is like going to the movies.

Tom

Sterling was the guy who had his own limousine service, is that correct? I played him years ago in Baltimore I believe, could of been Washington. I also played another very funny guy named "Buck" i'm sure you know of him as well. Buck was one funny human being with a very "dry sense" of humor.

Dr. Bill
 

Jeff sparks

Verified Member
Joined
Apr 2, 2015
Messages
3,317
From
Houston, Texas
Pool's greatest characters (best entertainers)

#1. Minnesota Fats (Rudolph Wonderone)
#2. Cornbread Red (Billy Burge)
#3. Fast Eddie F. (Ronnie Allen)
#4. Peter Rabbit ( Peter Linhard)
#5. Keither with the either (Keith McCreedy)
#6. The Professer (Grady Mathews)
#7. Jersey Red (Jack Breit)
#8 Freddie The Beard (Fred Bentivegna)
#9. Omaha Fats (Martin Kamen)
#10. Nubby Morgan ( Ernest Morgan)


Dr. Bill

Agreed on all, and "Ugly"
Utley J. Puckett would make my list also, he was quite the Damon Runyanish character around the pool room when Ronnie or Fatty weren't there and he was able to stand on the soap box.
 

LSJohn

Verified Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2013
Messages
8,530
From
monett missouri
Pool's greatest characters (best entertainers)

#1. Minnesota Fats (Rudolph Wonderone)
#2. Cornbread Red (Billy Burge)
#3. Fast Eddie F. (Ronnie Allen)
#4. Peter Rabbit ( Peter Linhard)
#5. Keither with the either (Keith McCreedy)
#6. The Professer (Grady Mathews)
#7. Jersey Red (Jack Breit)
#8 Freddie The Beard (Fred Bentivegna)
#9. Omaha Fats (Martin Kamen)
#10. Nubby Morgan ( Ernest Morgan)

You forgot RA for your list.

I thought Omaha Fats' name was spelled Kaiman.

Here's Helfert on Marty's entertainment value:

"I saw these two [Marty and Fatty] go at each other a couple of times in Johnston City. It was funny as hell and kept everyone in stitches. Omaha was one guy who could jaw with Fats and hold his own. I wish I had a tape of their repartee. It would be a classic now. They did their best to get under the other guy's skin and sometimes were successful. I'm sure there was no love lost between them, but both seemed content to entertain the crowd. I saw them smile at each other when they got a zinger in. For the most part, I would call it good natured ribbing back and forth, between two hustlers. "

I have the impression that Bucktooth is a talker. Is that right?
 
Top