all time squeezer

lll

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we will give artie is number 1
arbitraily since there is not enough confirmation from 90% of the players
but dont want to go down that road
who is 2 thru 10
no matter who you propose
next question
could they beat scott frost when he is playing his normal game??
 

NH Steve

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we will give artie is number 1
arbitraily since there is not enough confirmation from 90% of the players
but dont want to go down that road
who is 2 thru 10
no matter who you propose
next question
could they beat scott frost when he is playing his normal game??

Eugene 'Clem' Metz had a reputation. I never saw him play myself.
 

fred bentivegna

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Squeeze merchants

Squeeze merchants

Clem Metz, #1 for me. Close was Frank Bananas Rodrigez and NY Hank Montague. Al Miller and Chris Eddie McGeehan in the hunt. Also Nick Varner and Allen Hopkins.

Beard
 

SJDinPHX

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More slow play, than squeezing...

More slow play, than squeezing...

Clem Metz, #1 for me. Close was Frank Bananas Rodrigez and NY Hank Montague. Al Miller and Chris Eddie McGeehan in the hunt. Also Nick Varner and Allen Hopkins.

Beard

Rod, (as we called him at Cochran's) we have both said before, was a pretty fair squeeze artist. I only played him a few times before we became good friends, and each time was a lesson in torture. I'd get stuck, and grind even... It wasn't as much his squeezing, that was hard to take, it was his sloooooooooooow play, that would get to almost anybody. After getting to know him, I don't think it was a gaff...he just played that way. (or so I thought !)

I was in with him one time, when he played Jack Perkins. Their regular game was Rod got 9/8...It was usually a see-saw. One time he got Jack stuck pretty good, and real hot..Jack said..."God Damn it, you got ANOTHER BALL, with a 30 second shot clock... And no jacking off that stick..When you get down to shoot, 5 warm up strokes, and you pull the f-ing trigger."

Rod expressed aprehension to me, but I encouraged him to try it...They doubled the bet, And Jack gave him 10/8...Rod beat him 6 in a row that way, and never missed a ball or a safety..Jack was livid, so it was easy for me to take him the rest of the way off...Fun times !! :p
 
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androd

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Rod, (as we called him at Cochran's) we have both said before, was a pretty fair squeeze artist. I only played him a few times before we became good friends, and each time was a lesson in torture. I'd get stuck, and grind even... It wasn't as much his squeezing, that was hard to take, it was his sloooooooooooow play, that would get to almost anybody. After getting to know him, I don't think it was a gaff...he just played that way. (or so I thought !)

I was in with him one time, when he played Jack Perkins. Their regular game was Rod got 9/8...It was usually a see-saw. One time he got Jack stuck pretty good, and real hot..Jack said..."God Damn it, you got ANOTHER BALL, with a 30 second shot clock... And no jacking off that stick..When you get down to shoot, 5 warm up strokes, and you pull the f-ing trigger."

Rod expressed aprehension to me, but I encouraged him to try it...They doubled the bet, And Jack gave him 10/8...Rod beat him 6 in a row that way, and never missed a ball or a safety..Jack was livid, so it was easy for me to take him the rest of the way off...Fun times !! :p

Yeah, Rodrigez, Rodrugel as he called himself "looked them over"
I never saw Heisler play, but he had the same rep. Most of players from N'awlens patterned themselves after him. I ducked them all, I couldn't take that slow play. :frus
There was a guy from there something like what I've heard about Artie. He was and maybe is Ernie Cellars. Played real good, made no bad games, booked no losers (except at the track). He did travel a lot. His specialty was beating slow players, he would play so much slower than they did, it drove them all crazy.
Rod.
P.S. Still can't take slow play. I'm better than when I was younger.
 
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SJDinPHX

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Yeah, Rodrigez, Rodrugel as he called himself "looked them over"
I never saw Heisler play, but he had the same rep. Most of players from N'awlens patterned themselves after him. I ducked them all, I couldn't take that slow play. :frus
Rod.
P.S. Still can't, I'm better than when I was younger.

Heisler was tough to beat at the Sports Palace, when they were boiling clams 10' from the table, and the air would go on and off at his command...You think the LeCue had wet tables Rod,...Not even close ! :eek:

Finally got him down, in Baton Rouge...I REALLY liked it, but no rail money, and a scared backer..But, thats life in the fast lane...:p :p
 

fred bentivegna

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Paul Jones

Paul Jones

You can't talk about slow unless you include Chicago's Paul Jones. I started a tournament 1pkt match with him in Kalamazoo, MI at midnight. At 4:30 in the morning they pulled us up and closed the joint. We resumed the next day, with the balls in the same place, at noon. At 2PM I finally won it 4 games to 2 in six and a half hours.

Beard
 

wincardona

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I played Rodrigez and yes he did "look them over", as well as did Paul Jones, but the player that I feel is the most aggravating player to watch is, by far, Strong Arm John. John takes at least 30 pre-strokes before every shot. To me that's much worse than a player that studies the table. When we anticipate something and wait for it to happen, is suspenseful, but when you anticipate something happening and it doesn't ever seem to happen is aggravating.:frus Bob Herchek from Las Vegas is another very very slow player. I was playing Herchek one day and he had me stuck...nothing worse than when a slow player has you stuck...There was an obvious situation that surfaced, and Bob studied, and studied the table as I was thinking to myself...he's stalling intentionally to aggravate me, this is bull shit... After about 2 minutes of studying the table he finally chose his shot, and imo it was clearly the wrong choice. Well he screwed the shot up and I won that game, and ended up winning. But ever since then I had much more patience when playing slow players. I really believe that slow players at times do some really dumb things at the table, and then it's ok for them to play slowly:lol Do they make more mistakes than other players? Probably not, but it's a good way to rationalize their slow play and deal with it.;)

Dr. Bill
 
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androd

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I played Rodrigez and yes he did "look them over", as well as did Paul Jones, but the player that I feel is the most aggravating player to watch is, by far, Strong Arm John. John takes at least 30 pre-strokes before every shot. To me that's much worse than a player that studies the table. When we anticipate something and wait for it to happen, is suspenseful, but when you anticipate something happening and it doesn't ever seem to happen is aggravating.:frus Bob Herchek from Las Vegas is another very very slow player. I was playing Herchek one day and he had me stuck...nothing worse than when a slow player has you stuck...There was an obvious situation that surfaced, and Bob studied, and studied the table as I was thinking to myself...he's stalling intentionally to aggravate me, this is bull shit... After about 2 minutes of studying the table he finally chose his shot, and imo it was clearly the wrong choice. Well he screwed the shot up and I won that game, and ended up winning. But ever since then I had much more patience when playing slow players. I really believe that slow players at times do some really dumb things at the table, and then it's ok for them to play slowly:lol Do they make more mistakes than other players? Probably not, but it's a good way to rationalize their slow play and deal with it.;)

Dr. Bill

After his opponent Cellars would nod his several times then sit down and pull up each sock then stand and get his handkerchief out and wipe his face then stroll over to the table and start nodding again.:):) Every time.
Rod.
P.S. As I said before he played very very well. If you didn't play well he speed it up, so as not to lose you.
 
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Jimmy B

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I remember Grady listed The Sport Palace as being on his list of top five pool rooms. Ernie Sellers did like to travel. I remember hanging out with him for 3 or 4 days one time. Tighter than nuts on a new bridge. I would tell him 'look you can spot anyone in this town the eight and win easily'. He wouldn't play. He finally made us some money playing bumper pool. The guy had to spot him one full ball.. I learned a few things from him. A curious fellow indeed...................... ...
 

SJDinPHX

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I played Rodrigez and yes he did "look them over", as well as did Paul Jones, but the player that I feel is the most aggravating player to watch is, by far, Strong Arm John. John takes at least 30 pre-strokes before every shot. To me that's much worse than a player that studies the table. Dr. Bill

Dr. Bill, If you played Rod, you must have forgotten...He would study the table for several minutes, then he would stroke about 30 times, and then, he would stop, and look 'em over AGAIN...Then you had to deal with his "pre-shot" routine (30-40 strokes) again. He would do that at least 2-3 times. Rod never overlooked ANY option in his life...I was new to one pocket when I used to play him, and I could have learned a lot...if I could have stayed AWAKE !..I almost hated to put him in a trap... You'd have time for a burger and a shake, and a smoke..:eek:
Great guy to play with, but he could give "Strong Arm John" the hit and 3 picks, for slow play..:p
 
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fred bentivegna

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Excerpt from the "GosPool"

Excerpt from the "GosPool"

"Eugene "Cincinnati Clem" Metz might have been the toughest safety player of them all. Jersey Red told the story of when Clem was playing "Connecticut Johnny" Vives (winner of the first Johnston City One-Pocket tournament). Clem and Vives had been playing for many hours. Vives had been on a starvation shot-diet, getting nothing good to shoot at during the whole session. Clem was squeezing him like a python.
Finally, Vives spots Clem looking up-table at a long bank shot. It looked like Clem was finally going to leave Vives far away, but at least leave a shot toward Johnny's pocket.
Vives nudged Jersey Red as if to say, "Lookie here, Clem is going to finally loosen up and give me a shot at my hole." Vives's hopes were soon dashed when Clem shot up-table at the long bank and drew the cue ball back into the stack!"

Beard
 

tylerdurden

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I played Rodrigez and yes he did "look them over", as well as did Paul Jones, but the player that I feel is the most aggravating player to watch is, by far, Strong Arm John. John takes at least 30 pre-strokes before every shot. To me that's much worse than a player that studies the table. When we anticipate something and wait for it to happen, is suspenseful, but when you anticipate something happening and it doesn't ever seem to happen is aggravating.:frus Bob Herchek from Las Vegas is another very very slow player. I was playing Herchek one day and he had me stuck...nothing worse than when a slow player has you stuck...There was an obvious situation that surfaced, and Bob studied, and studied the table as I was thinking to myself...he's stalling intentionally to aggravate me, this is bull shit... After about 2 minutes of studying the table he finally chose his shot, and imo it was clearly the wrong choice. Well he screwed the shot up and I won that game, and ended up winning. But ever since then I had much more patience when playing slow players. I really believe that slow players at times do some really dumb things at the table, and then it's ok for them to play slowly:lol Do they make more mistakes than other players? Probably not, but it's a good way to rationalize their slow play and deal with it.;)

Dr. Bill

I started doing better with stuff like this one day when I told myself "assume your opponent will pull every move in the book to beat you". This includes starting arguments, slow play etc. I am just ready for it all now when it happens. For me, I like to play slow, so when a guy plays slow, I may slow my game down a little -- not purposefully as a shark move, but there is something that feels more natural about me and him both taking 3 minutes a shot vs him taking 3 and me shooting in 20 seconds every time. Yet, I don't know what i'd do playing this rodriguez player :)
 

beatle

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i thought squeezer meant guys that never gave shots or wouldnt shoot themselves unless it was a duck. but as far as slow players i make sure i have the double nuts so i win every game almost. this makes up for the wait.
plus they have to bet twice as much.

ray martin when he was younger was a squeezer. he would put them all up table and make the game last forever.
joey spaeth was just as bad but moved great but played slowish and up table.
miami was bad as well. no reason to ever play him either.
 

fred bentivegna

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Bananas

Bananas

Frank Bananas Rodriguez was one of my first heroes. He used to spend the winter in Miami at the Congress Bowl. He and I never played. He wouldn't play me banks -- nobody in Florida would -- and I couldn't beat him playing One pocket at that time. In truth I had no interest in playing him anyway. He played way too hard for me. Every shot he took, he played it as if it was going to be his last on earth.

He was a great grind hustler. I watched him beat Bobby Strauss, at the Congress, 58 games of onepocket at $30 a game ($1740)! They played for 72 straight hours. His slow deliberate style never varied an inch for the whole three days. He still got up and went back down several times, with many warm-up strokes built in, even when shooting at a hanger.

Beard
 

TWO PICKS

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Bananas has been gone ten years. I miss my friend. Would like to see him in HOF someday. He is probably why so many play one pocket here in San Antonio. Here at Bananas old pool room their one pocket being played everyday. When he was with us he was always teaching us some kind of shot and moves.
 

SJDinPHX

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Bananas has been gone ten years. I miss my friend. Would like to see him in HOF someday. He is probably why so many play one pocket here in San Antonio. Here at Bananas old pool room their one pocket being played everyday. When he was with us he was always teaching us some kind of shot and moves.

I miss him too, Two Picks..We roamed around Texas a little bit, as we had became good friends in the old Cochran days... But of course that was long before he opened his pool room in S.A...When did he open his room ?.. I've never been there.

And yes, he would make a very worthy inductee to the HOF, as much as any of the names I hear being talked about...Ask Grady about his character...I learned more 'life lessons' from him, than I did one pocket moves....RIP Rod.
 

TWO PICKS

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Bananas and I opened a small poolroom called Ye Old Billiard Parlor in early seventys. About two years later he opened larger room next Door,. Bananas.
 
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