Sharking

[gulfportdoc]

What about the guys who claim you are sharking them when all you do is act normal. ...

Henry won't mind me telling this story. When I lived in Eureka, Calif., the local room hosted an annual straight pool tournament with big added money from a local wealthy businessman who loved straight pool.

It was around 1996 when this particular year's event drew guys from all over the place. Henry from Victorville, Roger Estelle from Vacaville, Bobby Hunter from Carson City, Chris MacDonald from Santa Rosa, Dan Louie from Seattle, and the like.

Hunter was known as a 14.1 specialist, and was beating everyone. But for some reason he had bad blood towards Henry, which is hard to believe because Henry is such a sweetheart. Hunter was a great player, but a little on the touchy/paranoid side.

He was playing a match with a guy, and every once in awhile he'd stop, and look over at Henry who was sitting two tables away smoking a cigarette! He finally said something to Henry, who replied he wasn't doing anything. Finally Hunter got the poolroom owner to go over and tell Henry to quit sharking him, and to move. Henry wasn't even in the match!

~Doc

 

[androd]

It's been my experience that the people that do it, seem to be the most affected by it.

Fats was playing a guy and it looked like the guy might have a dead one to his pocket.
A sweater was leaning way over to see if it was dead and maybe alert the guy.

Fats loaded his hands with powder and walked in front of the sweater and asked "Is it on" Then took both hands and completely dusted the guy with powder.
Rod.
P.S. It was great. Different time, coat tail pullers weren't the norm then.

 

[tylerdurden]

My opinion on sharking is when the guy sharking has the nuts he's stupid to be sharking. When he isn't the favorite sharking pumps the guy up who's being sharked. And when it is an even match it is just outright douchbaggery in my opinion. So, in all cases it is a crappy and or stupid move and I wish we could move away from behavior like this (not that I am perfect).

 

[powerball]

Handsome Dan

Handsome Dan

Toby Sweet told me this story about a game between "Handsome" Danny Jones and Grady. It seems that whenever Grady had a shot at his hole Danny would be standing right behind the hole. Grady ignored it for quite a while but when it came down to an important shot later in the session Grady got up from the ball and said "Danny I know you've got to stand somewhere, but does it always have to be behind my pocket. Danny looked around the room, as innocent as a babe, and said, "I can't believe it, I just went from Handsome Dan to Dirty Dan in a heartbeat.

 

[jrhendy]

Rusty Jones

Rusty Jones

Rusty Jones, an old time action guy in San Francisco told me this story a few years back.

Rusty was a dock worker and pretty fit and he was playing a guy who was an adagio dancer and in pretty good shape himself. Rusty liked to stand close to the table and this was bugging the guy who had asked him to move several times and Rusty just stayed put. Finally the guy laid his cue on the table and walked over and picked Rusty up and moved him where he wanted him. After the guy shot, Rusty was right back next to the table. This went on a few times and the guy finally decided to do the same thing as Rusty and stood right next to him when he was shooting. Now Rusty picked him up and parked him where he wanted him to stand.

This went on a few more times and by now the whole joint was watching and waiting for the fight to break out. After one more time and things getting tense, Rusty said they looked at each other and started laughing and that ended it.

 

[3RAILKICK]

Toby Sweet told me this story about a game between "Handsome" Danny Jones and Grady. It seems that whenever Grady had a shot at his hole Danny would be standing right behind the hole. Grady ignored it for quite a while but when it came down to an important shot later in the session Grady got up from the ball and said "Danny I know you've got to stand somewhere, but does it always have to be behind my pocket. Danny looked around the room, as innocent as a babe, and said, "I can't believe it, I just went from Handsome Dan to Dirty Dan in a heartbeat.

Reminds me of video I once viewed of Efren playing Grady some one pocket..

The jist of it to me was that, after Efren would shoot, he would go stand near the table in a place, that once Grady decided what he would shoot..was in his line of sight. Grady would shoo him away.

Seems like Efren, had predicted what/where Grady would be shooting next...kind of funny or scary. But with Efren..not surprising, I guess.

Or most top level players that think that well, several moves ahead, I suspect.

 

[androd]

Reminds me of video I once viewed of Efren playing Grady some one pocket..

The jist of it to me was that, after Efren would shoot, he would go stand near the table in a place, that once Grady decided what he would shoot..was in his line of sight. Grady would shoo him away.

Seems like Efren, had predicted what/where Grady would be shooting next...kind of funny or scary. But with Efren..not surprising, I guess.

Or most top level players that think that well, several moves ahead, I suspect.

Yeah, at least one.
Rod.
P.S. all that 3/5 moves ahead is inane to me, since I don't know what I'll shoot til my opponent makes his choice. I've never been able to lock him in to one shot only.

 

[Henry]

Henry won't mind me telling this story. When I lived in Eureka, Calif., the local room hosted an annual straight pool tournament with big added money from a local wealthy businessman who loved straight pool.

It was around 1996 when this particular year's event drew guys from all over the place. Henry from Victorville, Roger Estelle from Vacaville, Bobby Hunter from Carson City, Chris MacDonald from Santa Rosa, Dan Louie from Seattle, and the like.

Hunter was known as a 14.1 specialist, and was beating everyone. But for some reason he had bad blood towards Henry, which is hard to believe because Henry is such a sweetheart. Hunter was a great player, but a little on the touchy/paranoid side.




He was playing a match with a guy, and every once in awhile he'd stop, and look over at Henry who was sitting two tables away smoking a cigarette! He finally said something to Henry, who replied he wasn't doing anything. Finally Hunter got the poolroom owner to go over and tell Henry to quit sharking him, and to move. Henry wasn't even in the match!

~Doc

Here is the deal with that, It was finals and I had no chance to beat Bobby. I hadn't played 20 games of straight pool in my life. I had run 40 or 45 balls on Dan Louie and Chris McDonald when they needed 1 ball to get to the finals. I have no idea what he was afraid of because he really plays good straight pool and played good that day and won. It was just a reverse shark move he did not need to do but it made no difference in the match I think he ran 75 balls and got out. There is another top player who thinks everyone is sharking him I was playing him in Sacramento and he got on me about drinking water while he was shooting which irritated me so I told him, you know what you don't play that good if I was playing pool I could beat you. Man he got mad and ran every rack. My move backfired. I am old school too I played a lot of pool for a lot of money in bars with live music and lots of drunks and I think these guys that worry about sharking are hurting themselves. If someone were to shark me and I missed I would never let them know it worked. My view is it is none of my business what anyone in the pool hall is doing when I am shooting.

 

[androd]

I am old school too I played a lot of pool for a lot of money in bars with live music and lots of drunks and I think these guys that worry about sharking are hurting themselves. If someone were to shark me and I missed I would never let them know it worked. My view is it is none of my business what anyone in the pool hall is doing when I am shooting.

Absolutely correct.
As my little friend says when someone is bitching about someone/thing bothering them "it ain't church"
Rod.

 

[petie]

Some people shark to take the money down. Some people rob banks.

 

[Billy Jackets]

I just decided I don't care anymore. Adios

 

[petie]

It's been my experience that the people that do it, seem to be the most affected by it.

Fats was playing a guy and it looked like the guy might have a dead one to his pocket.
A sweater was leaning way over to see if it was dead and maybe alert the guy.

Fats loaded his hands with powder and walked in front of the sweater and asked "Is it on" Then took both hands and completely dusted the guy with powder.
Rod.
P.S. It was great. Different time, coat tail pullers weren't the norm then.

This was a very old way to tell a guy to 'take a powder.' I herd Mosconi mention pouring powder on the guy's shoes.