Name your top 20

[tonygreen]

Please name your top 20 One-Pocket players but im respectfully asking to keep the poll more interesting to more members , for the years ...
1980 --- 1990
1990 --- 2000
anything more than 30 years ago will be negated because of lack of opinion and lack of video (for the most part)
Action and Tourney players together in your list

 

[vapros]

TG you must remember that hardly anybody played one-pocket until 1993.

 

[tonygreen]

Vapros ... that is too funny

 

[tonygreen]

1980 to 1990
1 Efren Reyes Allen Hopkins
3 Ronnie Allen Cornbread Burge
5 Bugs Rucker Ed Kelly
7 Jose Parica Jimmy Fusco
9 Marvin Henderson Jersey Red Breit
11 Grady Matthews Bill Incardonna
13 Nick Varner Jack Cooney
15 Danny Diliberto John Ervolino
17 Steve Cook Buddy Hall
19 Mike Sigel Ray Martin

 

[lll]

1980 to 1990
1 Efren Reyes Allen Hopkins
3 Ronnie Allen Cornbread Burge
5 Bugs Rucker Ed Kelly
7 Jose Parica Jimmy Fusco
9 Marvin Henderson Jersey Red Breit
11 Grady Matthews Bill Incardonna
13 Nick Varner Jack Cooney
15 Danny Diliberto John Ervolino
17 Steve Cook Buddy Hall
19 Mike Sigel Ray Martin

tony i see you have ray martin at the bottom of your list
(still VERY respectable to be in the top 20)
was he really that good a 1p player???

 

[SJDinPHX]

1980 to 1990
1 Efren Reyes Allen Hopkins
3 Ronnie Allen Cornbread Burge
5 Bugs Rucker Ed Kelly
7 Jose Parica Jimmy Fusco
9 Marvin Henderson Jersey Red Breit
11 Grady Matthews Bill Incardonna
13 Nick Varner Jack Cooney
15 Danny Diliberto John Ervolino
17 Steve Cook Buddy Hall
19 Mike Sigel Ray Martin

Tony, I agree with about 90-95% of your picks, but I certainly don't agree with the order you placed them in...Did you mean to rank them by one pocket skills, action, tournament wins, or what ? Whatever, this is my take in that time frame.

1..R.A and Efren (tied until about '87 or so)
3..Ed Kelley and Jose Parica
5..Steve Cook, Grady,and Hopkin's (all very close)
7..Marvin H. and Varner (Marvin would be favored)
9..Cornbread and Cardone.
11..Cooney and Jersey Red.

To me, IMHO,.. there is not 1/4 ball seperating all the rest you named, in their respective primes. This is not to say that any one of them, might have won big $$$ in action or a short tournament race, against the other.. I am only speaking from personal observation, having played almost all you've named, either before, or after my hiatus, ('73 to '93) so some were past their prime, as I was.

If you had gone back to 1960 t0 1970, you could have started a flame war, with some of us old timers..Granted, there was no Accustat's, or tournaments...but believe me, we all knew the pecking order... (or thought we did

I will try and put together my picks for 1990 to 2000, as I am more in tune with that era. Many will drop, and some may move up.... Remember, its JMHO...ICBW..

PS..Lots easier to pick the top 10...Theres a ton of guys, just below that level, that could win against the other, on any given day !..

 

[lll]

Tony, I agree with about 90-95% of your picks, but I certainly don't agree with the order you placed them in...Did you mean to rank them by one pocket skills, action, tournament wins, or what ? Whatever, this is my take in that time frame.

1..R.A Efren (tied until about '87 or so)
3..Ed Kelley Jose Parica
5..Steve Cook Grady
7..Marvin H. Varner
9..J. Cooney Jersey Red
11.Cornbread Cardone

. I am only speaking from personal observation, having played almost all you've named, either before, or after my hiatus, ('73 to '93) so some were past their prime, as I was.

did you start again in 1993 because of some books???
just askin??

 

[SJDinPHX]

did you start again in 1993 because of some books???
just askin??

No, I couldn't read until I was 65...But its just like riding a bike..although, I fall off a lot, at first...Jes' tellin'..

PS..Read your "For a change" post on the Member's side..

 

[tonygreen]

in no order

1990 TO 2000
Shannon daulton efren reyes
Mike Sigel Jose Parica
Jimmy Fusco Cliff Joyner
Bugs Rucker Steve Cook
Grady mathews Nick Varner
Jack Cooney Jeremy Jones
Danny Diliberto Buddy Hall
Richie Richeson Allen Hopkins
rONNie Allen DAnny HaRriman
Art Bodendorfer Ed Kelly

honorable mentions are too many to mention

 

[bernie p]

in no order

1990 TO 2000
Shannon daulton efren reyes
Mike Sigel Jose Parica
Jimmy Fusco Cliff Joyner
Bugs Rucker Steve Cook
Grady mathews Nick Varner
Jack Cooney Jeremy Jones
Danny Diliberto Buddy Hall
Richie Richeson Allen Hopkins
rONNie Allen DAnny HaRriman
Art Bodendorfer Ed Kelly

honorable mentions are too many to mention

Tony,

Good topic. Having not played any 1P prior to 2000 it's hard for me to input. There is'nt exactly a ton on matches on film for all the above.

I would be really interested in seeing a list for the current ranked top 20 players today. The first half dozen might not show too many surprises but I'm willing to bet that 7 thru' 20 would present some radically differing opinions.

What do you think?

Thanks. Bernie.

 

[jtompilot]

in no order

1990 TO 2000
Shannon daulton efren reyes
Mike Sigel Jose Parica
Jimmy Fusco Cliff Joyner
Bugs Rucker Steve Cook
Grady mathews Nick Varner
Jack Cooney Jeremy Jones
Danny Diliberto Buddy Hall
Richie Richeson Allen Hopkins
rONNie Allen DAnny HaRriman
Art Bodendorfer Ed Kelly

honorable mentions are too many to mention

I know Richie was/is really good but its the first time I've seen him in a top 20.

 

[Shortstop]

No Particular Order..My Current Top 20

No Particular Order..My Current Top 20

Efren-Frost
Gabe-Alex Pag.
Parica-Martinez
Sylver-Cohan
Chris Gentile-Marco Marquez
Joyner-Daulton
Shane-Shuff
Hall-Varner
Schmit-Corey
Incardone-Ghost

 

[fred bentivegna]

Richie Richeson

Richie Richeson

I know Richie was/is really good but its the first time I've seen him in a top 20.

I was in with Billy Cardone when he gave Richie 10 to 8 in Richie's home room, Bogarts and beat him out of about $3500. It was right after the Kalamazoo tourn that Jamie Goodwin won. We next proceeded to Jamie's poolroom where he gave Jamie the same 10 to 8 and won some more.

Beard

 

[jtompilot]

Efren-Frost
Gabe-Alex Pag.
Parica-Martinez
Sylver-Cohan
Chris Gentile-Marco Marquez
Joyner-Daulton
Shane-Shuff
Hall-Varner
Schmit-Corey
Incardone-Ghost

I'll take Sergio Perez(sp?) over Shuff, Sylver, maybe Marquez and Ghost Who?

 

[tonygreen]

The top 50 players in any one decade could spot each other 11-8 or 9-7 and then three weeks later the guy who was getting 11-8 looks like he's stealing two hours later they are playing even. Yeah or ney ?

 

[jrhendy]

The top 50 players in any one decade could spot each other 11-8 or 9-7 and then three weeks later the guy who was getting 11-8 looks like he's stealing two hours later they are playing even. Yeah or ney ?

I don't know about a three ball difference but I agree with the idea.

Some days you see every shot with great clarity and some days every shot looks like it lays a little off. I think this also occurs at a lesser level with top players too.

On a bad day the confidence level slips and this could turn a players game around a ball or two.

 

[fred bentivegna]

Ups and downs

Ups and downs

I don't know about a three ball difference but I agree with the idea.

Some days you see every shot with great clarity and some days every shot looks like it lays a little off. I think this also occurs at a lesser level with top players too.

On a bad day the confidence level slips and this could turn a players game around a ball or two.

I beat Grady in Bensingers playing even.
We went to an all-night joint and he got even.
Later, I broke Grady playing even in my joint the 4 B's club.
Six months later in Milwaukee, Grady ended up playing me 11-7 and I still couldnt win. (Grady seen I was dead, and gambler that he was, took advantage and kept raising the spot. Smart man)
Three months later we played at the Billiard Cafe and we played 9 to 8 on Gradys break. Grady quit after losing about 4 games.

Cecil Tugwell beat me playing me 9 to 7 at the 4 B's Club. Harold Denson was his backer. Two days later I refused the spot, played even and got my money back. Harold's quip after the second match, "We aint goin for this even sh*t anymore! You will take a spot!)

Peaks and valleys. It was often very frustrating.

Beard

The biggest turnaround: Lost an Ice Cream truck to ER and went on to be elected into the Bank Pool HOF.

 

[tonygreen]

Beard this is super funny ..."The biggest turnaround: Lost an Ice Cream truck to ER and went on to be elected into the Bank Pool HOF."

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

I was in with Billy Cardone when he gave Richie 10 to 8 in Richie's home room, Bogarts and beat him out of about $3500. It was right after the Kalamazoo tourn that Jamie Goodwin won. We next proceeded to Jamie's poolroom where he gave Jamie the same 10 to 8 and won some more.

Beard

Richie doesn't belong in that company between 1990-2000 but after that point he played a little better. I was at Lomako's RAC probably between 2000-2002 when Richie was trying to play Cliff and Cliff refused to give him 8-7. That had apparently been their game till that point.

As good as Richie could play he had a little too much gamble in him to be on a list with those players like Allen Hopkins. One time per game he would shoot a shot that was better left alone and it usually hurt him.

One thing stands out to me about his game, he was the best I ever played with 1-3 balls left on the table, an absolute master, I learned a lot from him which I've now forgotten .

Dennis

 

[tonygreen]

Richie doesn't belong in that company between 1990-2000 but after that point he played a little better. I was at Lomako's RAC probably between 2000-2002 when Richie was trying to play Cliff and Cliff refused to give him 8-7. That had apparently been their game till that point.

As good as Richie could play he had a little too much gamble in him to be on a list with those players like Allen Hopkins. One time per game he would shoot a shot that was better left alone and it usually hurt him.

One thing stands out to me about his game, he was the best I ever played with 1-3 balls left on the table, an absolute master, I learned a lot from him which I've now forgotten .

Dennis

Dennis, please swap out his name from my list and could you substitute his name for 2 or 3 oth ers (who would your top 3 substitues be?) thanks