2012 One Pocket HOF Call for Nominations

[oldspurguy]

Just thought I would post a link to last year's ballot, if anyone wants to review it.

http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6012&highlight=2011+HOF+nominations


And Steve, forgive me if I'm wrong, but I didn't see SJD's name on the list of current HOF members. He did make it last year, didn't he. I'd hate to see him get some kind of inferiority complex, the guy's shy enough as it is. :lol

 

[lll]

I would love to see Johnny inducted this year. He played everything well Larry, although his break sucked in 9 ball. Playing the table he was a monster though. I was friends with Mizerak and Ervolino and am friends with Danny D. All 3 of them taught me alot, however Ervolinos knowledge was unbelievable. However seeing how Johnny and now Danny struggle in later years is a big reason im not dedicated or really into pool anymore. I was staking Johnny against Mizerak one time in Jupiter Florida at Kiss Shot billiards. Mizerak needed one ball and Johnny needed 2 and Mizerak played a safe(at least Steve thought it was safe) but while the ball was still rolling but slowing down Johnny said out loud UH OH. Johnny got up and made a really creative shot to get both balls. Johnny was a very aggressive player(the style I prefer when playing well) but sometimes I guess he was too aggressive but he had an unbelievably creative mind.

thanks for the reply

 

[NH Steve]

I'd like to submit Ervolino.....

I'm not verified, but most prob know me on here.

I can take care of that.

We have some other newer or less active members that I have not "verified" yet either, but that I would be happy to. Verified means that you have established sufficient identity here on OnePocket.org so that we are confident that you are a legitimate voter.

 

[gulfportdoc]

wasnt johnny really known for straight pool??
i know he taught onepockethacker how to play
but wasnt he a straight pool player???

i wasnt around and wouldnt kow\
just askin

Larry-- Yes, Ervolino was a straight pool player; as were Cook, Breit, Kelly, Hopkins, and Varner. As Allen Hopkins reminded me after I'd complimented him on his bank pool game, "You had to play all the games in the old days."

Art

 

[spiderwebcomm]

I can take care of that.

We have some other newer or less active members that I have not "verified" yet either, but that I would be happy to. Verified means that you have established sufficient identity here on OnePocket.org so that we are confident that you are a legitimate voter.

Based on what you said, I'm probably not a legitimate voter since I only have a few posts here. I've been a lurker for a few years, however.

Let me know what "sufficient identity" means in concrete terms so I can build to that for next year.

Thanks,
Dave

 

[fred bentivegna]

I nominate Shannon Daulton and Cliff Joyner for the 1pkt HOF.

In the deceased category I nominate, Marcel Camp, Gene Skinner, Harold Worst, Johnny Irish Lineen, Eufala Kid Womack, Oakland Don DeCoy and Hubert Cokes.


My take on Johnny Ervolino. We were very good pals, as is evidenced by my claim that he owes me more than anybody else on this forum due to lifetime biting. (save for Dr Bill who may have a slight edge there) He was a great straight pool player and was a killer for big money. However, I can't name a single good One pocket player he ever beat playing even. Now that's only me, maybe others can. I only know of a match he had with Bugs in DC where Bugs spotted him 8 to 7 and Johnny won.

The HOF balloting participant only, Beard

 

[Cary]

The HOF balloting participant only, Beard

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iehcVkt55UQ[/ame]

 

[Miller]

I nominate Shannon Daulton and Cliff Joyner for the 1pkt HOF.

In the deceased category I nominate, Marcel Camp, Gene Skinner, Harold Worst, Johnny Irish Lineen, Eufala Kid Womack, Oakland Don DeCoy and Hubert Cokes.


My take on Johnny Ervolino. We were very good pals, as is evidenced by my claim that he owes me more than anybody else on this forum due to lifetime biting. (save for Dr Bill who may have a slight edge there) He was a great straight pool player and was a killer for big money. However, I can't name a single good One pocket player he ever beat playing even. Now that's only me, maybe others can. I only know of a match he had with Bugs in DC where Bugs spotted him 8 to 7 and Johnny won.

The HOF balloting participant only, Beard

freddy/dr. bill/anyone else that would know first-hand:

from what i have read, cokes sounds like he was a real character. how did he play/where was his speed compared to some of the other players in that era? did he just put the $ up for others or did he play for his own as well? was he really always packing and had been in "draw" gunfights or is that just all bullshit?

 

[Scrzbill]

I nominate Shannon Daulton and Cliff Joyner for the 1pkt HOF.

The HOF balloting participant only, Beard

Not participating in One Pocket.org discussions violates the "verified" standings.
No one should be allowed to nominate or participate in HOF activities that has willingly decided to boycott OP.org.

 

[fred bentivegna]

freddy/dr. bill/anyone else that would know first-hand:

from what i have read, cokes sounds like he was a real character. how did he play/where was his speed compared to some of the other players in that era? did he just put the $ up for others or did he play for his own as well? was he really always packing and had been in "draw" gunfights or is that just all bullshit?

Hubert Cokes played weak players 8 no count at Johnston City. I was playing very good then and I could only give him a ball there. Of course he was about 70 years old then. He was a terrific player in his day and he was always packing. Just 3 pistols only. He was a dead shot and killed the Hot Springs sheriff in a real old fashioned gun fight. Plus he would stake young players (like me).

Beard

 

[gulfportdoc]

Heh, heh... I knew if Ervolino were promoted that we'd get the Beardster back commenting.

I too think Marcel Camp and Johnny Irish would be great inductees. I was thinking that Irish was already in. I'd go with Irish over Ervish...

I don't know why Worst is always brought up. If the guy would have lived, he'd have been the Efren of his day-- probably already was. Everyone was scared of the guy. But he only played one-pocket for about 10 minutes.. I never saw Cokes play, but he could certainly be nominated in the Lifetime/Action category.

Doc

 

[oldspurguy]

I don't know why Worst is always brought up. If the guy would have lived, he'd have been the Efren of his day-- probably already was. Everyone was scared of the guy. But he only played one-pocket for about 10 minutes.. Doc

Yeah, but it was a hell of a 10 minutes, Doc.


I'll nominate Eugene 'Clem' Metz, in the deceased category.

 

[fred bentivegna]

Yeah, but it was a hell of a 10 minutes, Doc.


I'll nominate Eugene "Clem' Metz, in the deceased category.

I overlooked Clem. He shoulda been in the HOF long ago.

Beard

At Johnston City Harold Worst challenged everybody to play anything -- except banks, for whatever anybody wanted to play for. That included One-pocket and snooker. They installed a snooker table just for Sammy Blumenthal. They removed it after Worst annihilated him.

CornBread tried to embarrass Eddie Taylor into playing Worst One-pocket, Taylor said,"I'm going to get to him, Red. I'm going to get to him." But he never did. The only 1pkt action he got was spotting Danny Jones a ball, which he lost at, but Danny never went back because he didnt like it, and Sonny Springer whom he played 8 to 6 and the break, after getting steered by Weenie Beanie, which he broke even at after being 8 games loser.

These stories and comments aren't based on, " heard abouts," or "read abouts," or, "I ain't sure abouts." They are based on actual participation, unlike the unfounded speculation of some.

Beard

 

[fred bentivegna]

Heh, heh... I knew if Ervolino were promoted that we'd get the Beardster back commenting.

I too think Marcel Camp and Johnny Irish would be great inductees. I was thinking that Irish was already in. I'd go with Irish over Ervish...

I don't know why Worst is always brought up. If the guy would have lived, he'd have been the Efren of his day-- probably already was. Everyone was scared of the guy. But he only played one-pocket for about 10 minutes.. I never saw Cokes play, but he could certainly be nominated in the Lifetime/Action category.

Doc

Hubert Cokes doesn't need any Lifetime/Action category. In the 30s he was a One-pocket force to be reckoned with. In his late 60s he was playing weaker players 8 or not count. That is a spot that would be a stretch for many of today's players.

 

[bstroud]

A little Harold Worst story......

I was on the road with Taylor and we arrived in Vegas for the Stardust.
Eddy had not had a drink in 6 months. That was our agreement.

I'm sitting in the practice room watching Mike Euphemia run his usual 300 practice balls and am sitting next to a high roller.

He asked me about the upcoming matches and I told him I would take Taylor over Bunny R. playing one pocket for 500 and let him pick a match. He said OK and picked Crane over a billiard player named Worst in the 9 ball. I said OK knowing I had the nuts on the first match.

Taylor showed up completely drunk and Bunny beat him 4 zip.
Now I am sweating bullets and tried to off the other part of the bet.
No luck.

Everyone knew Crane was no 9 ball player but no one knew anything about Worst except at billiards.

Both men played very well and the score came down to 10-10. Crane broke and made the 1 ball and another ball but scratched. The 9 ball was on the side rail about 1" below the second diamond frozen to the rail.

Worst took ball in hand, hit the 1 ball with extreme right, hit right next to the 9 and spun it down the rail for the win. What a Billiard shot!

I got even.

Bill S.

 

[gulfportdoc]

Harold Worst (1929-1966) was one of the greatest talents ever to pick up a cuestick. He won the world champion 3C crown in 1954 in Argentina at age 25. When billiards dried up after Hoppe's death 1n 1959, Worst concentrated on pool. By 1965 he won the All-Around at Johnston City, having won the 9-ball and straight pool events. Boston Shorty had won the one-pocket event.

Worst died during the next year, evidently of brain cancer, at age 37. Had he lived he would have undoubtedly dominated pool for many more years, much the same as Reyes has dominated pool until the past few years.

Worst was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame in 1970. If there is a 3C HOF, he's undoubtedly one of their inductees. But IMO he didn't play one-pocket long enough to qualify for the 1po HOF. Are there those who believe that Worst also should be in the bank pool HOF? He played banks, didn't he?

We ought not induct players simply because they were great pool players, or because they have recognizable names. If we do, why not Willie Mosconi and Earl Strickland? They played (play) great one-pocket!

My personal hope has always been that we induct people who are solidly deserving the honor, based upon the HOF criteria. The tendency is to treat the HOF like the all-star baseball balloting, based purely on popularity. If we allow that to be the influence, we're going to end up with a cast of characters as in the BCA Hall, which appears to be in later years based on back room deals, politics and commerce.

Doc

 

[NH Steve]

Harold Worst (1929-1966) was one of the greatest talents ever to pick up a cuestick. He won the world champion 3C crown in 1954 in Argentina at age 25. When billiards dried up after Hoppe's death 1n 1959, Worst concentrated on pool. By 1965 he won the All-Around at Johnston City, having won the 9-ball and straight pool events. Boston Shorty had won the one-pocket event.

Worst died during the next year, evidently of brain cancer, at age 37. Had he lived he would have undoubtedly dominated pool for many more years, much the same as Reyes has dominated pool until the past few years.

Worst was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame in 1970. If there is a 3C HOF, he's undoubtedly one of their inductees. But IMO he didn't play one-pocket long enough to qualify for the 1po HOF. Are there those who believe that Worst also should be in the bank pool HOF? He played banks, didn't he?

We ought not induct players simply because they were great pool players, or because they have recognizable names. If we do, why not Willie Mosconi and Earl Strickland? They played (play) great one-pocket!

My personal hope has always been that we induct people who are solidly deserving the honor, based upon the HOF criteria. The tendency is to treat the HOF like the all-star baseball balloting, based purely on popularity. If we allow that to be the influence, we're going to end up with a cast of characters as in the BCA Hall, which appears to be in later years based on back room deals, politics and commerce.

Doc

I agree with this 100%. I want our HOF players to be the kind that jump to mind when you think of the great legacy of One Pocket -- they fit because they cared about the game, worked at the game, and stayed dedicated to it over a big chunk of their career. You associate them with One Pocket.

 

[fred bentivegna]

I agree with this 100%. I want our HOF players to be the kind that jump to mind when you think of the great legacy of One Pocket -- they fit because they cared about the game, worked at the game, and stayed dedicated to it over a big chunk of their career. You associate them with One Pocket.

Steve, I have been unable to recall the name of the guy who supposedly invented One-pocket. It was Jack something. I need his name for my new book. I always knew it, but like many things in my dotage they are no longer at hand.

Beard

 

[sappo]

Cliff Joyner gets my nomination.

 

[Betdapot]

In the deceased catagory it's a no brainer Eugene "Clem" Metz top players avoided him like the plague.

Even though he is still a relativly young man Cliff Joyner has been playing world class onepocket for over 20 years his resume is pretty impressive. Including being the second best onepocket player (behind the best of all time imo and yes I seen Ronnie play in his prime) if not for Efren Cliff's name would ring out more. I seen Cliff give Champions 9/7 in the 90s and steamroll them