How good was Mike Carella

[SJDinPHX]

Where are Grady's Legends charts? Somebody has them for sure but maybe the real results to each would be too damaging to some reputations so we will never get to see them (I luckily went to 3 of Legends tournaments in person).

Where are those charts?

I'm sure they would be interesting to look at, but I don't think they would tell much. Many of the best players of the last generation had VERY mediocre records in tournament play.

For example, Ronnie Allen, Cardone, Richie F. (and more recently Frost) and many others, were just NOT 'short race' tournament player's, but very few could match their W/L record for the cash...Very few players excelled at both. Sure, there were some notable exceptions..Efren, Buddy, Varner, and Strickland, for sure. But, if you judge player's by their tourn. stats only, you would be missing some of the best player's of the last 40 years.

I am NOT including myself in either camp, and it has nothing to do with my hiatus...I just know I always found tournaments, about as exciting as watching paint dry...Could be why I never won one.. (well, that and my limited ability )

PS..I know for sure RA and Richie felt that same way...The few I went to, it was always good seein' all the guy's...But without all the back room stuff, I woulda been asleep or drunk..( cause I ain't big on autographs)..:sorry:

 

[tonygreen]

Thanks for your comments, we don't know each other but my feelings about tournaments are similar. Races to 5 mean nothing. tourneys are great places to lay down the lemon(ing) as well.

First kind words you've ever had for me.

cheers
T

 

[NH Steve]

Where are Grady's Legends charts? Somebody has them for sure but maybe the real results to each would be too damaging to some reputations so we will never get to see them (I luckily went to 3 of Legends tournaments in person).

Where are those charts?

I actually have the chart from Grady's huge One Pocket event that Ed Kelly came out of retirement and won -- to this day it might be the biggest money One Pocket tournament ever, and that was in 1993!

 

[tonygreen]

Steve, would you kindly post the chart up or email it to me?

PM if need be

thanks

 

[IvanPena]

Mike was a cheap guy...to say the least...but he wasn't the creep you make him out to be. He paid when he lost, he died not owing anyone that I know, and when he played he played like a gentleman and a gambler. And I also think that he should be on the ballot for the next Hall Of Fame induction.

Billy I.

I would like to know how and were you obtained the information about the plane. To my understanding that information was classified. However, my father was on that famous flight to South America. Mike and my father were captured and tortured. Mike sang like a canary and was released immediately. My father who had real cojones took the torture but was later release due to lack of evidence......

 

[IvanPena]

mike(big mouth soft)carella

mike(big mouth soft)carella

Its been documented that Mike spilled the beans on everyone in the states once they put the first hand on him in Venezuela...My Father Pedro Otoniel Pena was in the plane with him and took the torture and never talked however my father was also killed in a shoot out in 1980 but he actually faught back didn't take death as cowardly....Mike was nothing but a coward....

 

[IvanPena]

Mike (snitch) Carella

Mike (snitch) Carella

I would like to know how and were you obtained the information about the plane. To my understanding that information was classified. However, my father was on that famous flight to South America. Mike and my father were captured and tortured. Mike sang like a canary and was released immediately. My father who had real cojones took the torture but was later release due to lack of evidence......

 

[Toncam]

After reading most of this thread, this guy got released on bail after getting pinched in a foreign country with junk and guns on the plane ? And then he went to a meet with the guys he was working with afterwards ?
Dont take Dick Tracy to see through this one.

 

[IvanPena]

Mike the snitch

Mike the snitch

I don't appreciate that comment Toncam. I lost my father after that due to Carellas big mouth. Back in those days things were very different. Carella was nothing but a lowlife and a snitch that got himself and my father killed. That is no laughing matter Dick Tracy or not. My family still doesn't have closure and we are looking for answers.

 

[wincardona]

I would like to know how and were you obtained the information about the plane. To my understanding that information was classified. However, my father was on that famous flight to South America. Mike and my father were captured and tortured. Mike sang like a canary and was released immediately. My father who had real cojones took the torture but was later release due to lack of evidence......

I'm sorry that happened the way you say, I really don't know what happened I never heard that story. I went to Carella's funeral and only heard that the plane ran out of gas and he was picked up on the beach and arrested.

However, I find it strange that if he did sing like a canary, why would he go to a meeting at a hotel to meet the people that hired him? If anything wouldn't he want to stay away from those people? Anyways, sorry to hear what happened to your father, and if it were me I would feel the same as you.

Respectfully,
Bill Incardona

 

[wincardona]

I would like to know how and were you obtained the information about the plane. To my understanding that information was classified. However, my father was on that famous flight to South America. Mike and my father were captured and tortured. Mike sang like a canary and was released immediately. My father who had real cojones took the torture but was later release due to lack of evidence......

I'm sorry that happened the way you say, I really don't know what happened I never heard that story. I went to Carella's funeral and only heard that the plane ran out of gas and he was picked up on the beach and arrested.

However, I find it strange that if he did sing like a canary, why would he go to a meeting at a hotel to meet the people that hired him? If anything wouldn't he want to stay away from those people? Anyways, sorry to hear what happened to your father, and if it were me I would feel the same as you.

Respectfully,
Bill Incardona

 

[IvanPena]

Common sense isn't that common I guess.... No one really knows what transpired. I was hoping some one on this forum could shed some light. It's been 33 years and still no clue as to what happened. But Mike did sell everyone out who was involved. I'm not completely sure he went to meet them or if they found him. Either way it was a messed up situation all around.

 

[fred bentivegna]

Common sense isn't that common I guess.... No one really knows what transpired. I was hoping some one on this forum could shed some light. It's been 33 years and still no clue as to what happened. But Mike did sell everyone out who was involved. I'm not completely sure he went to meet them or if they found him. Either way it was a messed up situation all around.

Mike singing and selling out didnt surprise me a bit. In my opinion he was the biggest creep in pool and I knew him since he was 15. He was a creep even then.

And yes, he was a terrific pool player, but not a terrific human being. (Evidenced by how few friends he had)

Beard

 

[Island Drive]

Mixture

Mixture

Mike singing and selling out didnt surprise me a bit. In my opinion he was the biggest creep in pool and I knew him since he was 15. He was a creep even then.

And yes, he was a terrific pool player, but not a terrific human being. (Evidenced by how few friends he had)

Beard

Early ninties, guys and dolls? E Coast W. Beenie/Devalle's pool room. He locked horns with Louie Roberts & busted em. Louie then sold his gold jewelry which lowered the bet per set, came back and busted Mike.

 

[Toncam]

I don't appreciate that comment Toncam. I lost my father after that due to Carellas big mouth. Back in those days things were very different. Carella was nothing but a lowlife and a snitch that got himself and my father killed. That is no laughing matter Dick Tracy or not. My family still doesn't have closure and we are looking for answers.

You took what i wrote wrong. What i was implying was it was easy to see this guy Mike rolled, theres no way youre getting bail on a big drug case especially in a foreign country. It was dumb of the people who pinched him to release him so quickly and dumber of him to meet with his people so soon afterwards.
Nothing was implied towards your father, the comment was strictly about this Mike.
I have seen this situation more than a few times back home, it usually never ends well.

 

[IvanPena]

The worst part is that my father was a suspect for the Carella murder..... My father was then killed in 1980 and still no answers. Not sure if they had drugs on the plane since they we flying into South America, but it appears they were loaded with weapons. There is more to the incident.... but all my family wants to know is who and why was my father killed when he kept his mouth shut. I never knew Carella back then, I was a child. But from what I am reading apparently he was a scumbag of the biggest kind. If anyone has any information please post contact info. I would really appreciate it.

 

[IvanPena]

well if mike went to meet these people or they found him hiding...which is more likely.... he did spill the beans on everyone in the states,,,, that's what got him killed...it is documented he rolled on everyone... and its also documented my father took the beating and kept his mouth shut...and the plane didn't have drugs fyi... it was loaded with guns which my father was the one who dumped all those crates before they landed.....apparently Mike kept some evidence on him so he can show to the authorities and try and keep from being beaten....and still all he did was sing like a bird....

 

[Cowboy Dennis]

I don't appreciate that comment Toncam. I lost my father after that due to Carellas big mouth. Back in those days things were very different. Carella was nothing but a lowlife and a snitch that got himself and my father killed. That is no laughing matter Dick Tracy or not. My family still doesn't have closure and we are looking for answers.

IvanPena,

Have you ever filed a FOIA request? I don't know much about it but it may help you in your quest.

http://www.foia.gov/

Dennis

 

[IvanPena]

No I had no idea about that.... thank you. It may be helpful.

 

[IvanPena]

And in case anybody is wondering I am the youngest son of the man that was on the plane with mike carella, the man he probably got killed,,, and I live in Morristown TN. Ivan Pena....Mike was killed in a hotel room probably hiding,,,, They killed my Dad but they had fight him....And I don't mean any offense to nobody on this forum please don't miss understand me... but whoever ordered the hit on my father if you're still out there PLEASE come for me too....Im here.....