2013 One Pocket HOF Call for Nominations

boingo

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Keith is the nuts.

Keith is the nuts.

Anyone who has ever watched him work a room never forgets it. He is one of a kind, even among the giants.
 

Scrzbill

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Gee, I have been try to have this same conversation on a different thread because I did not want to have it here. I see other members have the same ideas I have, but where is the ridicule?
Spider web made pretty much the same suggestions as I did, three inductees for three categories. I only differ to the old timers which I think should be inducted by FIAT.
For instance: Bob Bowles was one of the greatest bankers to have played the game. He taught me early on as he would other beginners. He went on the road with Eddie Taylor many times as the front player to induce action. They were a great team but because he played for smaller dollars, having a family and a "straight" job, he isn't considered. Part of Bobs problem was he wasn't a drunk or carousal.
This idea that someone cannot be inducted because they did not play for enough money or wasn't a drunken. drug induced hustler, only demeans the idea of qualifications.
Next suggestion would be to include West Coast representatives in the "secret handshake" society. Sure WC players get some half hearted recognition, but the true knowledge of who plays weekly, nightly, for years on end, like the top players in Santa Monica, Hollywood, Sacramento are unknown.
Next Doc, you mentioned months of discussion. If there are nominations which are seconded, then why should a group with the "secret handshake" get to question the nominations? It seems backwards. Let the "SH" committee select the nominees and then the members vote. The way I see it is set up, its a popularity contest built on the premise the "SH" committee knows what is best.
Last: Teachers/Promoters are not always hustlers and or big action guys. There is a great one pocket player in California who is also a teacher/promoter in the game who has played anyone/everyone for fifty years. He didn't do like his friends and hit the "pool hustlers" rounds because he is another one of these guys that had a straight job and family. It seems like taking care of your family and being a responsible guy disqualifies many players. Besides teaching players to play the game, he also put out a newspaper for the players for years. Yet even after nominations, seconds, he never appears. Because he wasn't a con/hustler type of player? These examples I have given are my reasons for three categories of induction. There is plenty of room for all categories or at least two besides the old timers and long time gamblers
I also believe it should not be a popularity contest but induction based on a percentage of the votes. Select a number and if the inductee(s) surpass that number, they are in. Baseball has a threshold of 75% of the voters. I don't know how many members they are in OP.org but lets have a real HOF.
What has begun is a great start, now it is time for some tweaking.
If you have insults, save it for when we meet in person.
 

gulfportdoc

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... Next Doc, you mentioned months of discussion. If there are nominations which are seconded, then why should a group with the "secret handshake" get to question the nominations? It seems backwards. Let the "SH" committee select the nominees and then the members vote. The way I see it is set up, its a popularity contest built on the premise the "SH" committee knows what is best. ...

That's right-- the members offer suggestions of who they believe ought to be considered, and why. There is no formal "nomination" or "seconding" process, but only posts offering their opinions. As I understand it, the committee then looks at the whole list which has been generated, and then votes on which names ought to be on the ballots. Based on the committee's selection results, those ballots are then offered to the verified members for voting.

Doc
 

stedyfred

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I would hope that the list of deceased players would be larger than in recent years ( JMO).
 

Scrzbill

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That's right-- the members offer suggestions of who they believe ought to be considered, and why. There is no formal "nomination" or "seconding" process, but only posts offering their opinions. As I understand it, the committee then looks at the whole list which has been generated, and then votes on which names ought to be on the ballots. Based on the committee's selection results, those ballots are then offered to the verified members for voting.

Doc

Thanks Doc, but why go through the whole process of nominations if it is just up to a select few? From that point it becomes a popularity contest. That doesn't represent the members very well. The "SH" committee has an agenda and the members don't know what is the process. The process, the nominations and seconds of the members should come first, not the "SH" committee. It needs to be normalized with established criteria for three categories. After that nominees are inducted not by the highest number of votes but by a percentage of votes. If there are 15 nominees, members can for for three in each category. If none of the nominees reach the threshold of induction, none are inducted. If three reach the threshold, then three are inducted. There should always be old timers inducted by fiat. Like Cokes, Fats, others.
The question for me about old timers is: How do you vote for players you know by reputation only? I have heard about Cokes all my life but have never seen him play. Should I vote for him by gossip or would I be glad to let those who knew his play induct him.
I think member should vote on who is in the "SH" committee. You would be a good representative, Steve, Winconda, Parika, North South East West
 

fred bentivegna

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I have increased my Ignore list to 3 again. I just lowered it to 2 yesterday. Jeez.:frus

When I need to start defending my credentials for the HOF committee it is time to hit the IGnore buttom again.

Beard
 

JAM

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Cliff Joyner is a no-brainer. For the life of me, I don't see how he has been overlooked, though last year it was a close tie between him and Shannon.

Cliff Joyner is Mr. One Pocket, at least how I have always viewed him. He used to give out tons of weight just to get played, 10-7, 9-7, et cetera. Nobody wanted to fool with Cliff. He was not known for rotation games. His hallmark is, indeed, one-pocket, and he's a monster one-pocket player. The only other two one-hole players that come to mind that I can even put in the same category as Cliff are Ronnie Allen and Efren Reyes. :)
 

beatle

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if you dont put daddy warbucks in, the thing starts to look bad. after all he was the game. we got to put the long gone guys in.

johnny e. was a total piece of crap, dumping everyone he could. even his only few friends. no one could trust him for anything. thats why he went to vegas to be a dealer. also he had to get out of town, screwed the wrong people as well.
sure he played great and knew alot but didnt do a thing for pool. not hall of fame material. most people only saw his retired side where he tried to look good in his old age after he had nothing.
 

Island Drive

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if you dont put daddy warbucks in, the thing starts to look bad. after all he was the game. we got to put the long gone guys in.

johnny e. was a total piece of crap, dumping everyone he could. even his only few friends. no one could trust him for anything. thats why he went to vegas to be a dealer. also he had to get out of town, screwed the wrong people as well.
sure he played great and knew alot but didnt do a thing for pool. not hall of fame material. most people only saw his retired side where he tried to look good in his old age after he had nothing.

Since Fats favorite player of all to buck heads with was Hubert, I find Rudolph's judge of character ''spot on'' when it come to doing business with another whom he has total respect for. If I get the chance to see Varner tomorrow....he and Karen Corr are in town....I'll see what he has to say about Hubert.
 
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Bigtruck

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Cliff Joyner is a no-brainer. For the life of me, I don't see how he has been overlooked, though last year it was a close tie between him and Shannon.

Cliff Joyner is Mr. One Pocket, at least how I have always viewed him. He used to give out tons of weight just to get played, 10-7, 9-7, et cetera. Nobody wanted to fool with Cliff. He was not known for rotation games. His hallmark is, indeed, one-pocket, and he's a monster one-pocket player. The only other two one-hole players that come to mind that I can even put in the same category as Cliff are Ronnie Allen and Efren Reyes. :)

I personally don't see how the One Pocket Hall of fame can have any credibility and not include Cliff Joyner.

Cliff IS One Pocket. I wouldn't be surprised if he dreams about One Pocket moves. I watched him practice removing a ball and leaving the cue ball trapped behind the point for hours it seemed.

ALWAYS a pleasure to sweat his matches. I'm hoping he can find someone to put up his entry fee to challenge the Fight Night Champion. That would be a real treat.

Ray
 

Ken_4fun

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Cliff Joyner is a no-brainer. For the life of me, I don't see how he has been overlooked, though last year it was a close tie between him and Shannon.

Cliff Joyner is Mr. One Pocket, at least how I have always viewed him. He used to give out tons of weight just to get played, 10-7, 9-7, et cetera. Nobody wanted to fool with Cliff. He was not known for rotation games. His hallmark is, indeed, one-pocket, and he's a monster one-pocket player. The only other two one-hole players that come to mind that I can even put in the same category as Cliff are Ronnie Allen and Efren Reyes. :)

JAM -

Funny you mention it, but I have a funny story about Cliff. I was with him last DCC and he was in a 9 ball gambling match. While he was winning, obviously he struggled, and he may have been giving a little weight. He saw me and went over and talked to him for a few moments.

I told him, playing 9 ball huh? (Yes, I was baiting him)

He said, "Ugh yes".

I told him I would rather sweat him playing one pocket. He said, shaking his head, "Me too, but he would only play 9 ball"

I had to laugh, I think Cliff hates 9 ball.

Ken
 

gulfportdoc

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That story rings true. I've discussed his right shoulder problem with him a number of times. He told me that his shoulder actually feels better while playing rotation games, because he gets to keep it limber; whereas in 1P there's a lot of bunting and short stroke shots.

As you know he's a very good rotation game player, and has won some big events. But the game is not absorbing. IMO 9-ball, especially Texas Express, is a game suited to dull, not very bright folks who enjoy getting nervous and jacked up.:rolleyes: It's also for those who never want to wonder which ball to shoot next...

I walked into the action room in Tunica, and spotted Joyner and Gentile locked in battle. I hurried over, expecting to sweat some good 1P, but then I noticed that they were playing 10 ball! I couldn't believe that these two great 1P players weren't playing one-pocket. I asked Chris about it, and he said that he wanted to play 1P, but that Cliff wouldn't spot him, and since Chris didn't believe he could beat him even he accepted the 10 ball action. I think he lost anyway...

~Doc
 

Texdance

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Puckett is certainly a viable choice. He played plenty of one pocket.

Beard

U.J. Puckett frequented a hole-in-the-wall poolroom called "The Golden Nugget" in the early 70s. It was on the west side of Fort Worth on Seventh Street where it joined with Camp Bowie Boulevard, originally set up by the senior Mr. Cecora and later his fat cheery braggart snake-oil salesman son Gary, who somehow had snagged the most beautiful wife in the world. Her name was Carol, a tall, dark-haired, buxom and better-looking version of Cher, and there were stories... but I was poor and very married to a pretty good looking chick myself.

Puckett would show up regular like and brighten up the crowd. Just his wild white-hair and smiling presence was enough to get the place a-rocking. I've never seen anyone who could always say the right thing to get a laugh, and at the same time take the air out of someone too big for their britches, and without making it too painful. He wore a straw hat often at that time, wild white hair poking out everywhere under the crown, but about then or shortly after, I first saw him in a tall white round-top cowboy hat that became sort of a signature.

We all called him Puckett or the railbirds Mr. Puckett, few at The Nugget called him U.J. at least when I was there. He never ever played anyone or even seemed to gamble at all. When someone offered a game he would break out his great big smile and drawl "Awwww... Ah cahn't puh-lay..." but every once in awhile he would put his old steel-joint cue together and make a good stroke or two on a table before they put the balls away.

A few older guys were regulars, especially the week after their SS check came in. Magnolia Red, whose real name I forget (edit: J.R Richardson was his name, as I now recall), was one of the most colorful and apparently a long-time friend of Puckett. He put his gin or vodka in a silly looking pink Johnson's Baby Oil plastic squeeze bottle, the one with a tiny hole in the spout. He would throw his head back and squeeze a big stream of alcohol down his throat and then start singing off-key at the top of his lungs. His usual game was one-pocket against senior guys his own age for modest stakes. But I remember one time he had a game on a little 7-foot Brunswick table, eight ball I think, with a local Fort Worth hotshot (and he was a killer player most of the time) and his backer, maybe getting some sort of spot I don't recall exactly. Red got drunker and drunker as the set went on, singing louder and louder and acting stupid and making his opponent mad, and the opponent would proceed to miss and dog it time after time. So then Red wins the session for a big $2500. The next day rumor had it that Red had filled his little pink Johnson's Baby Oil squeeze bottle with mostly tap water, and never was the least bit drunk at all.

I saw Puckett often around the Ft. Worth pool scene those 70s years. He migrated to an east side pool room long since closed, which had a "U.J. Puckett Room" glassed off supposedly I guess for action play but maybe it was just the non-smoking room.

I would like to see U.J. Puckett in the HOF for being an ambassador and entertainer to everyone at the poolroom, not just the gamblers and players but the regular working folks who never bet above two dollars. I never saw him play for money, yet I have great memories of a few encounters with a formerly great player who, though well past his playing prime, was a huge attraction, and rightfully so, every time he entered a pool hall.
 
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Texdance

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Certainly not a bad call. Also in the live area lets not forget Ike Runnels.

Beard

I've seen maybe one or two or three videos of Ike Runnels playing. Is it enough to say I would rather watch a hundred more of Ike's games rather than any of the other great players such as Joyner, Frost, SVB, or even Efren?

I would very much like to see Ike Runnels recognized for his one pocket game, as much as I can know that from my limited experience with watching him. I saw him as being very knowledgeable of the game, as well as being able to let out his stroke and bring the shot if it was the right thing to do.

But my experience with Ike Runnels play is so limited. I would have to depend on others with more experience to make the judgement as to his HOF qualifications. I just know it's like taking a master class to watch him in action. But I'm just a banger so what do I know...
 

petie

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We are severely diluting the impact and value of the HOF by attempting to induct these current players. Why not induct Justin Bergman or Skyler Woodward?
 
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