Top ten one holers

Ross Keith Thompson

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Reyes, Red, Ronnie and Taylor is probably a good start to the top ten one holers, but the next 10 or 20 or 30 would be a nightmare to rank. Here is a group of players from my time and some played on in to the eighties and nineties or further that were right behind the top four.

Weenie Beenie, Grady Mathews, Jim Rempe, Greg Stevens, Myself, Jimmy Fusco, John "duke" Powel, Tall Jeff, Freddy the Beard, Larry Liscotti, Eddie Burton, Lassiter, Steve Cook, and others I can't remember.

These guys were top flight players and some like Grady Mathews were rated as the best one holer of his time I believe.

I personally played Jimmy Fusco at Marina Billiards in California, he gave me 8 to 7 on his brake for a few games, that changed quickly to 9 to 8 on his break, it was a disaster for him, we should have played even.

Won against Grady the last two or three times we played even.

Won against Duke the last 3 or 4 times we played.

Hammered Greg Stevens in 71 in Houston.

Played Freddie and Tall Jeff the same night in Johnston City in 71 and won. These were revenge games, LOL.

Offered to play Jersey Red even one pocket for 25 a game and he passed on it, but that doesn't count on the beat list, LOL.

There were other players like Incardona, Boston Shorty, Hippy Jimmy, Flyboy Spears, Joey Speath, Buddy Hall and so on that I don't know exactly how strong there one pocket game was. No doubt I would have played every one of them eventually but it never happened. Did play Buddy Hall 4 games at 50 a game in 71 and he quit, would have busted him, but believe he became a pretty solid one holer later.

There was a player named Big Bear in Birmingham Ala. that I was told by Alf Taylor was a solid one holer and to stay away from him, beat him about 19 out of 20 games in his favorite hangout, busted the poolroom. Did anybody know him from back in the day.

Of the top players I won against, Tall Jeff would have beaten all of them. It was actually miserable playing him. I was on top of my game and was so sick of his eight and outs, especially when I had six or seven balls in my pocket. I suspect Incardona would have been the same way, eight and out every time he shot.

As far as easier tables or bigger pockets most of these guys could run racks of nine ball and a hundred balls on the smallest pockets out there. I recently played at legends about 30 minutes and the Brunswick tables seemed the same to me, or Diamonds or Salems. We also had nice equipment back in the late sixties, seventies such as Gina cue, Palmer, Balabusca, Black, Viking and so on!

Quite a few of us back in the day didn't have a problem with small pockets. I preferred them, my vision was like 20 20 until I was forty. The tougher the table, the better I liked it!

Every one of the players I mentioned plus a dozen more or so should be in the hall fame for their pocket billiard abilities.
 

LSJohn

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RKT:Hammered Greg Stevens in 71 in Houston.

What day? :D

You'd know better than I, but I thought Greg on his best day was as good as the best.... on the fourth or fifth day, about 9-7 under a shortstop. :eek:

Also, it didn't take Parica long to get to top speed. Did you ever see him at his best (early 90s I think)? He beat Grady easily the only time I saw them play, but I think Grady was already on the down-slope.
 

Ross Keith Thompson

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madisonville, texas
Greg stevens at best

Greg stevens at best

It's funny when your a shortstop just starting to get a little gamble in you and a guy like Greg Stevens offers you a game you can't refuse. He was unbeatable to me in 1968,69,70.

He spotted myself, Grady, and every decent player that came through a lot of weight at one-pocket or nine ball. But what happened to Greg was everyone got better and when I played him in 71, I felt like I was the better player and no doubt I was at one pocket, but nine ball was another story. He was devastating at nine ball.

About every month or so when Greg got pumped up Jersey Red would give him 9 to 8 and bust him. This went on for about 2 years before Greg quit paying Red's rent, LOL.

No doubt if you caught him on the right day or wrong day so to speak, you had no chance except at one pocket if you were a good enough player.

Greg didn't take a back seat to anybody whom ever played the game of nine ball. You could only reach his level when he was in his prime and that was about as good as good gets. He set the bar awful high and I wouldn't want to test that bar when he was in his prime.
 

Ross Keith Thompson

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madisonville, texas
Parica

Parica

Don't know the person, but Grady was in his prime after I left the game in 72. He was at the very edge of the top 25 or 30 one pocket players and that ain't bad, LOL. I believe he improved substantially thru the seventies and carried it to the eighties'.

What I remember most about Grady was he truly was full of s--t. I would pay top ticket price to hear him b/s in the pool room. My side would hurt after listening to him for fifteen minutes. Just on that alone he should be a first ballot hall of famer. LOL.

I had a front row seat for 3 or 4 yrs. listening to Red and Grady. Was the best times of my career listening to Grady and Red speak and laugh. Grady seemed to be the funniest when he was broke. You'd think he was going to commit herri kerri. LOL
 

Jimmy B

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Reyes, Red, Ronnie and Taylor is probably a good start to the top ten one holers, but the next 10 or 20 or 30 would be a nightmare to rank. Here is a group of players from my time and some played on in to the eighties and nineties or further that were right behind the top four.

Weenie Beenie, Grady Mathews, Jim Rempe, Greg Stevens, Myself, Jimmy Fusco, John "duke" Powel, Tall Jeff, Freddy the Beard, Larry Liscotti, Eddie Burton, Lassiter, Steve Cook, and others I can't remember.

These guys were top flight players and some like Grady Mathews were rated as the best one holer of his time I believe.

I personally played Jimmy Fusco at Marina Billiards in California, he gave me 8 to 7 on his brake for a few games, that changed quickly to 9 to 8 on his break, it was a disaster for him, we should have played even.

Won against Grady the last two or three times we played even.

Won against Duke the last 3 or 4 times we played.

Hammered Greg Stevens in 71 in Houston.

Played Freddie and Tall Jeff the same night in Johnston City in 71 and won. These were revenge games, LOL.

Offered to play Jersey Red even one pocket for 25 a game and he passed on it, but that doesn't count on the beat list, LOL.

There were other players like Incardona, Boston Shorty, Hippy Jimmy, Flyboy Spears, Joey Speath, Buddy Hall and so on that I don't know exactly how strong there one pocket game was. No doubt I would have played every one of them eventually but it never happened. Did play Buddy Hall 4 games at 50 a game in 71 and he quit, would have busted him, but believe he became a pretty solid one holer later.

There was a player named Big Bear in Birmingham Ala. that I was told by Alf Taylor was a solid one holer and to stay away from him, beat him about 19 out of 20 games in his favorite hangout, busted the poolroom. Did anybody know him from back in the day.

Of the top players I won against, Tall Jeff would have beaten all of them. It was actually miserable playing him. I was on top of my game and was so sick of his eight and outs, especially when I had six or seven balls in my pocket. I suspect Incardona would have been the same way, eight and out every time he shot.

As far as easier tables or bigger pockets most of these guys could run racks of nine ball and a hundred balls on the smallest pockets out there. I recently played at legends about 30 minutes and the Brunswick tables seemed the same to me, or Diamonds or Salems. We also had nice equipment back in the late sixties, seventies such as Gina cue, Palmer, Balabusca, Black, Viking and so on!

Quite a few of us back in the day didn't have a problem with small pockets. I preferred them, my vision was like 20 20 until I was forty. The tougher the table, the better I liked it!

Every one of the players I mentioned plus a dozen more or so should be in the hall fame for their pocket billiard abilities.




Hey, I didn't know that you knew Fast Eddie Burton. He sure did like one pocket, didn't he?? Good posts. Stay with it.


 

Ross Keith Thompson

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madisonville, texas
Remembering fast eddie burton

Remembering fast eddie burton

Before Johnston City in 1970, I was living a lot at John "POPCORN" Miller's apartment in El Monte CA.

A lot of players would stop in and hang there for a week or so and Burton was one of them. Popcorn called him mayonnaise head. Burton was going bald and heard putting mayonnaise in your hair a couple of hours a day would prevent baldness. I would laugh my a-- off watching him.

He always wore that low profile hat. Didn't want anyone to see his bald head. LOL. Once he walked thru Popcorn's living room while Myself and Cole Dickson were comparing our beat list {LOL} and he told both of us we could get played!


No doubt he was a tough game in his prime. Played all games well. I have to dub him one of the best al-around players ever. Wasn't the best at any one game but it didn't take long to call row either.

Played my final match of the al-around in Johnston City with Burtons cue against Ronnie Allen. The cue was the sweetest cue I've ever played with, it was then I realized why he was such a good player! It was the cue! HAHA.
 

keoneyo

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Ross did you ever play Diliberto. I met him in '67 and he was beating everyone in 14.1 for the cash. Also did you ever play Marvin Henderson or Eddie Kelly? What did you think of their game back then.
 

gulfportdoc

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Gulfport, Mississippi
... What I remember most about Grady was he truly was full of s--t. I would pay top ticket price to hear him b/s in the pool room. My side would hurt after listening to him for fifteen minutes. Just on that alone he should be a first ballot hall of famer. LOL.
...
Keith, Grady was the first inductee into the 1P HOF. You can read all about the many ceremonies at the "Hall of Fame" menu at the top of the page. Here is a list of all the 1P HOF'ers:

* Ronnie 'Fast Eddie' Allen *
* Artie Bodendorfer *
* Jack 'Jersey Red' Breit *
* Melvin 'Strawberry' Brooks *
* Billy 'Cornbread Red' Burge *
* Marshall 'Squirrel' Carpenter *
* Hubert 'Daddy Warbucks' Cokes *
* Steve Cook *
* Jack Cooney *
* Danny Di Liberto *
* Shannon Daulton *
* John 'Rags' Fitzpatrick *
* Jimmy Fusco *
* Billy Incardona *
* Cecil 'Buddy' Hall*
* Allen Hopkins *
* Marvin Henderson *
* The Jansco Brothers *
* Larry 'Boston Shorty' Johnson *
* Cliff Joyner *
* Ed 'Champagne Eddie' Kelly *
* Hayden Lingo *
* Grady 'Professor' Mathews *
* 'San Jose Dick' McMorran *
* Jose 'Amang' Parica *
* Efren 'Bata' Reyes *
* Leonard 'Bugs' Rucker *
* Bill 'Weenie Beenie' Staton *
* Eddie 'Knoxville Bear' Taylor *
* Nick Varner *
* Rudolf 'Fats' Wanderone *
 

jrhendy

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Placerville, CA
Don't know the person, but Grady was in his prime after I left the game in 72. He was at the very edge of the top 25 or 30 one pocket players and that ain't bad, LOL. I believe he improved substantially thru the seventies and carried it to the eighties'.

What I remember most about Grady was he truly was full of s--t. I would pay top ticket price to hear him b/s in the pool room. My side would hurt after listening to him for fifteen minutes. Just on that alone he should be a first ballot hall of famer. LOL.

I had a front row seat for 3 or 4 yrs. listening to Red and Grady. Was the best times of my career listening to Grady and Red speak and laugh. Grady seemed to be the funniest when he was broke. You'd think he was going to commit herri kerri. LOL

Grady had as much fun telling the story as the people listening to it.

He told a story about Jimmy Mataya getting fined at a tournament for cussing that was hilarious. It would not be the same in print, but Grady delivered it well.
 

Ross Keith Thompson

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madisonville, texas
KELLY, DILiBERTO, HENDERSON

KELLY, DILiBERTO, HENDERSON

Never played Diliberto, but I know he played well. I can't put a face on M. Henderson but he too played well. Evidently due to he is in the hall.

I believe Ed Kelly is still living and is a pit boss in Vegas at one of the casinos. I called him about 5 yrs. ago or so but didn't get to speak with him.

Kelly was a no doubter in ranking the best al-around players ever. His game was good in one pocket, nine ball and 14 and 1. Wasn't the best at any one game but didn't take long to call row.

Ronnie Allen played him 8 to 7 I believe and it was pretty even. I can't say one way or another who won most of the time. I would have love to tested Kelly at some point, believe my one pocket game was as good as his.

As far as my al-around game compared to Kelly's was I hadn't established my pecking order yet with the top players of that time. I begrudgingly have to give Kelly as the better al-around player than me even though I think I had a good shot playing even one pocket. He was a more established player at 14 and 1 along with nine ball.

He played good enough that I really never wanted to test him. If I hung out in the same pool room or state I'm sure I would have tested him at some point. It wasn't like I was playing dodge ball with every body, I was there to be had! Have to give Kelly his due, he was one of the best! Very complete player!
 

bstroud

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Kelly actually played better one pocket than RA.

He didn't move as well but after he went on the road with Taylor he could really bank and play one pocket very well.

RA would spot Fatty 8 to 7 and lose.

Kelly would give Fatty 9 to 7 and win.

Bill S.
 

lll

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vero beach fl
Kelly actually played better one pocket than RA.:eek:

He didn't move as well but after he went on the road with Taylor he could really bank and play one pocket very well.

RA would spot Fatty 8 to 7 and lose.

Kelly would give Fatty 9 to 7 and win.

Bill S.

bill if that was true why doesnt everyone talk about kelly as the greatest 1p player ever????:confused::confused:
 

androd

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New Braunfels tx.
Grady had as much fun telling the story as the people listening to it.

He told a story about Jimmy Mataya getting fined at a tournament for cussing that was hilarious. It would not be the same in print, but Grady delivered it well.

Grady was funny and kookie.
When he came to houston I believe Greg busted him.
When I came in the next day he asked me to play $20 one pocket. I had no idea who he was and didn't care. He looked like a librarian.

I won the 1st game on my break, the 2nd game he got a shot and ran 6balls, his next shot was straight in on the foot rail.
He jacked up and shot the shot where the CB jumps up on the rail and rolls up by the spot for position.
The OB doubled the pocket and came across to my side.
I ran out.

Greg said "I'd shoot at a white flag in war time but I wouldn't shoot that, I quit." I guess greg was staking him.

Some months later we were all sitting around bs-ing and grady got up to go to the restroom. His little notebook fell out of his back pocket and Dottie picked it up , it had opened to a page where he had diagramed that shot.
Underneath the diagram he written in capital block letters "Never shoot this shot on case money"
Rod.
P.S. I think maybe the notebook was where he got the name "the professor."
 

beatle

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kelly might easily have been the best ever larry. he kinda quit pool in the early 70's and took up drinking beer. he wasnt making any money at pool and stopped playing. he knew more and performed the tough shots better than anyone ive seen. i was fairly friendly with him and of course i thought i knew it all but he showed me things that i never thought of. and he could run out better than ronnie anytime.
plus he had as good a stroke as anyone ever.
 

lll

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vero beach fl
kelly might easily have been the best ever larry. he kinda quit pool in the early 70's and took up drinking beer. he wasnt making any money at pool and stopped playing. he knew more and performed the tough shots better than anyone ive seen. i was fairly friendly with him and of course i thought i knew it all but he showed me things that i never thought of. and he could run out better than ronnie anytime.
plus he had as good a stroke as anyone ever.

your word is like the gospel to me...:)
thanks for your reply beatle...:)
 

Frank Almanza

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Upland, California
Grady was funny and kookie.
When he came to houston I believe Greg busted him.
When I came in the next day he asked me to play $20 one pocket. I had no idea who he was and didn't care. He looked like a librarian.

I won the 1st game on my break, the 2nd game he got a shot and ran 6balls, his next shot was straight in on the foot rail.
He jacked up and shot the shot where the CB jumps up on the rail and rolls up by the spot for position.
The OB doubled the pocket and came across to my side.
I ran out.

Greg said "I'd shoot at a white flag in war time but I wouldn't shoot that, I quit." I guess greg was staking him.

Some months later we were all sitting around bs-ing and grady got up to go to the restroom. His little notebook fell out of his back pocket and Dottie picked it up , it had opened to a page where he had diagramed that shot.
Underneath the diagram he written in capital block letters "Never shoot this shot on case money"
Rod.
P.S. I think maybe the notebook was where he got the name "the professor."

Great story Rod. I wonder how many times he pulled that book out when case money shots came up.
 

FastEddieF.

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RA. Spotted EK 9-8 and would beat EK . when he spotted EK 8-7 EK would win from RA mouth.
 

bstroud

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bill if that was true why doesnt everyone talk about kelly as the greatest 1p player ever????:confused::confused:

RA continued to play. Kelly got a job. That's why.

Kelly was just a much better player in all games. He just didn't have as much interest.

Bill S.
 

petie

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Citrus Springs, FL
If that is true also why does everyone talk about Fatty as a no playing sucker who was all mouth? :cool:

Fatty had no regard for money. He is respected by some who saw him play. He wasn't the best ever or anything like that but he wasn't too far off the level of top players and he could match up. When he had money, everybody had money and he was in action until it was all gone. If he showed up somewhere the players would call in a ringer to fleece him. Danny Jones was at the top of the list to call.

He could run out One Pocket more automatic than anybody.
Back then they played a different style of One Pocket than today. They would bunt the balls around until they had a good enough layout to run out and then they would go for it.

This is mostly hearsay. This is info I have taken as true from many sources. You can believe it or not. If there is any part of this that you doubt, ask me and I'll try to remember where I got it. I do think it approximates the truth quite closely.
 
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