How old you are...

[Chincoteaguer]

Bigmark1954 and others.

"Over the hill".

Yes, definitely. And I don't take offense. It has been a good trip and the car is still running.

Lately there have been many who have traveled with me but whose engines are no longer running. I celebrate them.

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow never comes. Live for the moment. It's what we have.

Wow! Definetly sounding like the old person that I am and not projecting myself as younger.

Thankful for this moment.

Ernie

 

[Clearwater AL]

Chincoteaguer... I read that you are a pool player. Have you ever played "3 Ball?'

It's played with three players or more a dime or a quarter a ball.. Three balls are racked up on the spot in triangle form. The break counts one. If one ball of the three goes in on the break then you pocket one of the two in one shot left then pocket the next one in one shot your count is 3.

If the next guy takes six shots to put all three of his balls in the pocket... he pays you 30 cents or 75 cents. I've played a dollar ball.

If three other players all shoot over 3 (your count) each of them pay you their difference. I got hooked on that game over "straight" or "9 ball"

I've seen good pool players chase one ball for two or three shots.

Anywhooo... days gone by but good memories.

 

[KimT]

Are you pool players familiar with the Predator cue? It's used by many professionals. My ex-husband designed it, then sold the patent for only $100,000 and $1,000 a month for life. Bummer. That company made millions. It's still called the Titus cue. He never worked and now lives with his mom on the $1,000 a month and what he collects on my Social Security.

I love watching 9 ball. I had hyper-extension of my fingers (still do) and all the pros I met were jealous of the bridge I could make.....even though I never played the game. My ex now plays a lot of one pocket and is still plays competitively in Michigan.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Kim... i have two McDermott cues. One for the break (the way I shaped the tip) and the other for play. I use (used to use) Navigator tips. Best for max draw (back spin) and curve (machette) shots.

Pool and poker... how I'd love to do it all again. Maybe in the next one.

 

[Chincoteaguer]

Al

Never heard of three ball but know a lot about NC pool players. Earl Strickland, from Greensboro was one of the most exciting pool players ever.

We Virginians wished many times that you NC players stayed home. Too much money lost to you tar heels.

Some of the pool games that were played during my mis-spent youth were: knock knock, odd ball, rotation, eight ball, nine ball, ten ball Keily, straight, one shot Harriman, and bump your buddy.

Kim

Very familiar with Preditor. Not the cue but the shaft. Had one on my favorite cue. Used it for over 20 years. Without question one of the best shafts ever made.

Have played in professional 9 ball tournaments over the years. Not a serious contender but got to play with the big guys.

If your ex plays professionally I've probably met him or know of him.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Ernie... your level of pool playing was probably at a level higher than mine. Played many local tournaments around Clearwater Florida. My only claim to any fame was player in the World Series of Poker.

PS. I've played somewhat around Central North Carolina but not in any tournaments. As for Earl Strickland... they call him Earl "The Pearl" Strickland.

 

[KimT]

Yes, Steve Titus (my ex) and his partner also designed the original predator shaft. Steve also designed and build "Iron Willie" the robot that helped perfect the shaft. McCartney was the money and my ex was the brains. He could have really gone far. His father was a mathematics professor at University of Michigan and Steve was taking college calculus in 9th grade. When he started college, he got sidetracked by women and pool and dropped out. He never went back and spent most of his younger life traveling the country, playing pool. When he runs out of money, he invents something and sells the patent. He has a distaste for money and material things. Last I talked with him he had a patent pending for some kind of lighting for pool halls. He has never had a regular job. Did loads of volunteer work for churches, played pool, and sold patents to keep living his dream of never working for anyone. He would go for years at a time with no income at all.

I think I was attracted to his intelligence......plus he was pretty hot :lol::lol::lol:

 

[Chincoteaguer]

Kim

The Preditor shaft solved subtle problems that were present in a regular cue shaft. You may know that regular shafts were made of one piece of wood where the Preditor had eight (I think) separate pieces glued, clamped, and ultimately turned into a shaft. This seemed to lesson the so called "squirt" of regular cues. Boring stuff to most but ingenious to us pool people.

Gave my stick to my nephew. He loves it.

I was "cute". If someone called me "hot" it meant I was mucho mad. :shock::shock:

 

[Clearwater AL]

Had a chance to watch the true legend of pool players after he retired from tournament play... Willie Mosconi.

Mosconi set the world record by running 526 consecutive balls without a miss during a straight pool exhibition in Springfield, Ohio on March 19–20, 1954. To this day the record has not been toppled and many speculate it may never be bested.

Had a friend who was a pretty good pool hall/bar/local tournament player. One day he decided he was going go to go pro and shoot pool for a living.

To his wife's dismay one day he moved all of the living room furniture (their largest room) into the garage. Bought a regulation Brunswick table... set it up in the living room. Practiced for hours and days. Quit his job. Didn't win any tournaments, going broke he sold all kind of personal items. Finally sold the pool table, put the living room back together and saved his marriage. Took a job as a car salesman.

You can be good at something but it takes natural talent to become one of the best and... be able to make a good living just doing that.

 

[Chincoteaguer]

Hi Al;

Never saw the great Mosconi. I envy you. I had known of his long run at straight pool. Awesome.

Here is another true story of my association with pool:

At eighteen and recently enlisted in the Army I frequented the day room where there were three pool tables - hoping for a game.

One day this guy came in with his own cue stick and rack. Having your own cue back in the 60's was rare.

While watching him play I knew he would be an easy mark so I suggested we play straight pool for money. The typical cocky so and so refused. I persisted over several days but to no avail.

Several weeks later we met at the NCO club where there was a pool table. He had his girl friend with him and I was with my buddies. I approached him and made it clear that I thought he was chicken poop (in front of his girl friend) and challenge him to play.

He accepted a $100.00 bet for a 100 pointer. I borrowed money from my buddies and we started playing. I ran 35 balls on my first inning and we played a lot of safes for several innings. Later the score was 70 for me and 35 for him.

I'll never forget the little smile on his face when he ran 65 balls and won the match. After taking my $100.00 he gave it back to me and said: "don't ever let someone hustle you like that again."

His picture was in the Brunswick book for winning the Washington state championship.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Ernie, somewhat similar thing with poker.

New guy takes the open sixth seat. As the cards are being dealt for his first hand he says,

"It's been a long time since I've played... hope I can remember how to do it."

Then he asks,

"It's been a while... does a Flush beat a Straight?"

His memory must have instantly came back by his second hand... he only looked at his hole cards once all through the Flop, Turn and River. He'd lift six chips off a stack without taking a count.

His first bluff was when he sat down.

 

[Chincoteaguer]

Al

Great story.

You may not be surprised to know that I have a poker story. Again this is absolutely true.

At a Friday night after payday poker game we were playing seven card stud.

My first three cards (two down, one up) were three cowboys (kings for the novice). King of hearts showing.

The gentleman next to me had an ace of spades showing.

We continued playing until all 4 up cards were dealt.

I had all hearts showing with the king and he had all spades showing with the ace. He obviously had an ace high flush and he thought I had a king high flush. The pot had about $300.00 and we were playing pot limit.

My next card down was another king. I now had four kings and showing what might be a king high flush. so being the novice that I am I asked another player if 4 kings beat a flush. He folded immediately knowing I was not bluffing.

The guy with the ace high flush called my bet of $300.00 and went balistic when he saw my four kings.

Those were the days.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Ernie,

Years ago, long before Texas Hold ‘Em became the game of poker, every Friday night we’d have a poker game in a big room over a bar. It was a time limit game, it started round about 5 PM it stopped at 1 AM. The bar (the house) dragged a dollar each pot, there were five tables. A waitress would check on us every 15 minutes or so.

My favorite game was “Seven Card Bet ‘Em in Progression”.

Everybody ante’d up a dollar. Another dollar after you were dealt your hole cards if you wanted to stay, everybody stayed. Then your third card was two dollars, the fourth card three dollars, the fifth card four dollars and so on. A raise could only be what your last bet was (fourth card = 3 dollar raise, to keep it reasonable. ) No chips... cash only.

Occasionally we‘d make it interesting with “Low Spade in the Hole Splits the Pot.”

Well, after three plus years… all good things come to an end. It got busted…
newspapers and all. Illegal gaming charges… the works.

The good old days.

 

[Chincoteaguer]

Al;

Beats my story by yards. Haven't heard those poker terms in a long time.

Sort of like a hustle in pool. The good ones always involve great acting skills like the guy in your story.

I wear my emotions on my sleeve so I'm neither a good poker player or pool hustler.

Ernie

 

[Clearwater AL]

Ernie, I'd bet you were darned good at both.

Poker has a factor that can't be denied... luck. You have to get winning cards. Sometimes you just don't. I've folded for the last time and got up in many poker games. It was like a spell... just wasn't getting the cards. Bluffing goes just so far.

Shooting pool... that's entirely different. No luck involved. It's you, the cue (to some degree), planning and skill.

I think you're being humble. Again, I'd bet you're a darned good pool player.