Maybe the best pool I have ever played.

07.14.14
Most everyone knows that I really enjoy one pocket, which is almost always played on a 9 foot table.  In recent months I have taken to trying to improve my level of play on bar tables.  At my age, bar tables are probably my best opportunity to compete.  There's a lot to be said for bar tables, especially if you get used to playing on them.

On one magical evening in the heat of a Louisiana Sauna Summer, I was playing at the magnificent Lacy's Cue pool room (non-smoking) in Chalmette, Louisiana.  While there were probably only twenty something players, the field was full of Champions and it was a Thursday night pool tournament on the bar boxes.  Names like Cliff "Lemme hold a hundy" Joyner, Jamie "Progeny of Pool" Baraks, Jamie "The Red Rifle" Ferrell, Ronnie "The Wiseman" Wiseman, Trey Baker, Benny "the Goose" Conway, Jr,  Stoney "StoneWall" Stone to name a few; showed up for the weekly $500 added, NON-HANDICAPPED event.

The pool room owner has this weekly tournament and the races are to 5 on both sides of the brackets.  Everyone knows that the better players are most often going to win on big tables or small tables as evidenced by the results in most pool room events no matter what the race to.

My first match I can't even remember who I played but I know I won but after that, I found myself facing the formidable "WISEMAN" and down 4-2 from his wise play.  Somehow I managed to get back to 4-4 and was breaking.  I broke very well using a new cut break that I have been recently employing on the bar boxes when playing 9 ball.  I made a ball on the break and with the balls spread really well, was able to finish the rack and win the match.  Ronnie, the good sportsman that he is, laughed heartily and congratulated me on a great comeback.  Another note is the Ronnie seeing that the momentum had changed when I was making the comeback NEVER ONCE attempted to shark me or do anything to distract me.  Kudos to THE WISEMAN!

My next match was against THE RED RIFLE, a local legend for his straight shooting abilities.  I came out of the gate firing my six shooter and at close range the six shooter proved deadly over the rifle.  In quick order, as luck would have it, I found myself ahead 4-2, getting roll after roll in my favor.  I win the match 5-3 and send the Red Rifle to the one loss side.

Now I find myself facing the practically invincible "THE PROGENY OF POOL", a moniker I bestow on him because of the conversation he shared with me about his early development. (maybe a story about him in my blog with his permission, another day)  In short races on bar tables, almost anything can happen.  The Progeny of Pool instills fear in every player's heart because of his methodical and precision play.  Well, I know he gives me butterflies on occasion when he is making every shot and every shape needed.  This day his game was a little off and I took advantage of some rolls that went my way and managed to squeak out a hill-hill victory from one of the best bar table players in North America (imo).  The fact that he is a professional player and a WORKING MAN, makes me admire him all the more.  It's tough to get up at 4:00 am, work all day, then come to a pool tournament at night and expect to perform your best.  His play as usual was exemplary but he fell a little short and I got a little lucky.

Pocket billiards is the greatest sport from an amateur's viewpoint like mine, primarily because as an amateur I get a chance to play against the best players in the world and when I have a magical night, I might win a match or two.

After winning the match against "The Progeny of Pool", I had the winner's bracket locked up.  It was late, very late and I was tired at 4:00 am but that is no excuse for losing.  I still played well at this late hour, having slept a couple of hours before the event.  I now faced STONEWALL, an adversary so deadly that few dare stand up to his prowess at the table in gambling matches.  Luckily, this was only a tournament.  Nevertheless, Stonewall played VERY SLOWLY and VERY DEADLY from the very beginning of our match.  He had to beat me two sets in a row and he beat me the first set 5-3 and the second set 5-2.  Even in defeat, I could hold my head high that I never sharked my opponents nor cheated them and I played the best pool of my life against some of the best players in Louisiana.

JoeyA

Naples, Florida 9 Ball tournament Circa:2009- RICKY BINGHAM

This was an old story that I cranked out rather quickly when I used to post on the newsgroup rec.sport.billiard.   I thought some of you might enjoy it but the truth is that I like to give honor to those who have shown it and this is really all about Ricky Bingham.

It is lunch time here in New Orleans so I am taking a few minutes to crank
out some copy.  I have read many of your posts and want to thank you for
your support.

It was apparent that there were forces at work other than my own that kept
me alive in this very fine tournament.

There were lots of good players as the brackets at www.azbilliards
indicates.

FTR, Andy Tennent did NOT beat Buddy Hall.  Buddy Hall forfeited his match
due to an allergy illness.  He was feeling poorly when he played Grady
Mathews who played well most of the tournament.  Grady thrashed several
opponents.

Most of my matches were either hill-hill or so close to it that the
difference is hardly worth mentioning.

The first important note that I would like to make is my match with Ricky
Bingham, from Kentucky (a coal miner and pool room owner.)

RICKY BINGHAM from Kentucky IS A FIRST CLASS GUY!

Besides being just a naturally friendly guy, he showed what class is all
about.  While he and I were struggling to get our game together, I dogged my
first nine ball on a shot that anyone could make 9 out of ten times.  It
hung up in the hole and I didn't want him to have to make the effort to make
the shot which as I said, was hanging in the hole.  I pushed it in not
because I was angry (although I was very disappointed with my lack of effort
on the shot) but because I was frustrated with my effort.  It's hard to give
100 % effort on every shot but that is exactly what is required if you want
consistent play (even the easy ones).  I smiled and told him "You don't have
to shoot that one" and I pushed it in. He walked over close to where I stood
and whispered, "You do know about the rule: If you don't allow your opponent
to finish the game, you forfeit that game PLUS ONE MORE GAME, don't you?  I
said no and he quickly said that he wasn't telling the tournament director
about this faux pas and we continued on with our match which was a tough and
grueling one.  We traded game for game all the way to 10-9 with each of
sharing the lead and I hung up ANOTHER nine ball on a relatively easy shot.
He won that game plus the last game to beat me 11-10.

Rick Bingham is what class is all about.  He knew like I did that any player
in this tournament could win a match against any other player.  It is not
like gambling where when you have a bad match, you just reach in your pocket
for some more money to continue the play.  When you lose to your opponent
you can't buy back in and you don't get a chance to stay in the winner's
bracket.  The rule is the rule and my plane was late getting into Naples, FL
so I missed out on hearing some of the rules which this was one of them.  I
doubt if Ricky even knew when I arrived as I was just one of 75 players
coming there to test their mettle.

And just so you know, Rick is a very competitive player.  You can ask any of
the people who felt his fire.   But what he will be most remembered by me,
is a MAN OF MOST EXCELLENT CLASS.

Rick was my third match.  I was one of about eight people (out of 75 or so)
who did not get a bye in the first round.

But before I go back to work, let me tell you that the Seminole Indian Tribe
put up some very big bucks for this tournament and they plan to have another
one next year also in Naples.  It will probably either be at the Ritz
Carlton Hotel or at the Seminole Indian Tribe's new hotel in Naples (soon to
be built).  It was a success by every comments.  There was local news
coverage as well as INSIDE POOL MAGAZINE, photographer and writer Paul XXX
(I forget his last name but only spoke to him briefly.)  You might see some
great photos in Inside Pool Mag because there were certainly lots of great
matches.

Everyone there loves the game and some couldn't run a rack but put up their
entry fee anyway just for the chance to compete against some of the world's
best pool players.  They too earned my respect and appreciation.

I got a chance to meet the Seminole Indian Tribe's liaison or perhaps public
relations manager, O.B. Osceola, a sharp and personable young man who also
shares a passion for the game.  There were many other Seminole Indians in
attendance as well as some their sponsored players...

Some more tomorrow as I clear out some paperwork.  Thank God I have a job
and family to come back to.
JoeyA