walking with Giants, Rempe

Ross Keith Thompson

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madisonville, texas
What can I say about Jim Rempe that hasn’t already been said.
One of the best players to ever walk the planet, a true professional at his craft.

I watched him run 150 and out quite long ago. It was one of or the best 150 and out I’ve ever watched.

He was out of line quite often in my opinion and his position on his break balls were average at best sometimes, that being said he still got out, unbelievable!

He struggled the entire run! It wasn’t his best day people but he still got out. That’s why it was as impressive of a run as I’ve ever seen. Only Rempe could have done this I believe.

He was as complete of a player as ever was!

He was a world beater at all games, 9 ball, 14-1, snooker, one hole, 3 cushion and probably bumper pool, bahahaha.

I’ve seen Rempe in 3 cities, Houston, Johnston City and Vegas, he was always dressed well back in the day and was a handsome dude.

In fact I have to say he was the best dresser back in the day with Incardona a close second. Please Bill forgive me, I cannot lie Bahahaha.

Both these guys were sharp dressers and monsters at what they did.

But being this post is about Rempe let me say “Rempe you were truly a Monster in every sense of the word”.
Your name will be brought up in circles for a thousand years!

Jim Rempe is Legend!
 

12squared

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Thank you for taking the time to continue sharing your "Walking with Giants" experiences. I love them all. This one made me remember the following from my youth...

Rempe indeed was an amazing talent and always impeccably dressed. I always thought he dressed like a figure skater with his tight fitting attire. LOL

Ray Abrams owned several Cushion n Cues in the Detroit area suburbs, his Livonia location was home to the highest level 14.1 tourneys once a year in the early/mid 70s. All the greats would play, it was amazing. (His Oak Park location was home to 3 cushion tourneys once a year and was my home town). Have you ever played in them?

I was a young, shy kid that loved both games so I would volunteer to keep score for the 14.1 tourney just to be around the "Giants", not talking to most. Walking to get something to eat with a friend that knew Rempe who walked with us, my friend mentioned that he felt Mataya was the best player playing with his own money (of course Mataya was a local). I thought Rempe was going to have an aneurysm listening to this and promptly said he was, set up the game. Well at least that's how I remember it. It was a great experience.

Note: Ray Abrams liked to educate the audience about the players and the game, he would sometimes try to move Rempe's bridge to show them how solid it was. He was a great player and Ray couldn't move his bridge hand. 😂

Keith, thanks for making me recall this, I haven't thought about it for many years.

Dave
 
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Island Drive

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Best dressed, always. First saw the man in Johnson City IL, a yr or so before you showed up....Hippie Kieth :). What a stance he had (never changed it), and one of the great matches at Jansco's, was he and Marino, neither seemed to have the best of it in the pit. He and Sally? had no kids and stayed together from the beginning, not often seen in the pool world. Played em quite a few times in match play, never getting any more than 7 or 8 going to 11. He did/does/had owned a billiard supply place at one time, and I remember calling em once to ask....''what are the cue lengths for bumper pool''. Was a real question, he giggled and had no clue, I think we both came up with 42''. He was one of the few if not Only players that went over too Europe and played snooker in his youth, I think he did well in those early years. His Smile/Attitude and life was one of a kind. If anyone wants to see his character on full display, ck out the match between he and Efren at the US Open ??? nine ball event, was quite a match. I think He was thee only great player to of never won the Open, just the way it was playing 9 ball.
KT....thx
 

Billy Jackets

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He was already a great player when he came through town at 20 or 21. He was King James!
 
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gulfportdoc

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I always enjoyed watching Rempe play. He had an admirable combination of concentration and stylishness that was fascinating to watch. He and several others were good dressers (something almost totally absent today): Kim Davenport, Bill Incardona, Jimmy Fusco, Danny Diliberto, C.J. Wiley and Mizerak come to mind.

I last saw Rempe at Mizerak's senior open in Biloxi in 2000. At least half the guys were very well dressed. Today, even in tournaments, many pros would show up in old T-shirts, rumpled shorts, and flip-flops if they had a choice. And we wonder why pool isn't taken seriously. Contrast them with pros in golf, bowling, etc. Those guys look sharp and the fans are impressed.
 
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wincardona

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Jimmy Rempe was a great player and champion. He never gave up and won many, many matches that a lot of players would have thrown the towel in, not Rempe. He played all games great, including one pocket, a game he rarely played but was a very efficient player when he played it. Articles like this one and the Ronnie Allen article by John Henderson brings back beautiful moments in my life. What a contrast in their character, Ronnie, the true hustler with the gift of gab, and Rempe, the man that let his stick do the talking, both were great champions and are highly regarded by their peers.

Thanks for the memories Keith.

Bill Incrdona
 

Hard Times Carla

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I remember watching Jim Rempe run hundreds of balls in straight pool tournaments at Ray Abram's pool room in Detroit and at the US Open in Chicago. His execution was so good, maybe because his mechanics were so perfect. His stance and bridge were always exactly perfect. And he was a funny guy. Last night I watched a one pocket match from the first DCC in 1999 between Shannon Daulton and Tang Hoa. Rempe was in the booth with Billy. It was a great match, and fun to listen to the banter. At one point where Tang made a hard shot but got hooked, they were talking about good rolls. Rempe laughed and said, "Sigel always expected to get good rolls." And it made me wonder. Does expecting to get good rolls help you become a winner?
 

gulfportdoc

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I remember watching Jim Rempe run hundreds of balls in straight pool tournaments at Ray Abram's pool room in Detroit and at the US Open in Chicago. His execution was so good, maybe because his mechanics were so perfect. His stance and bridge were always exactly perfect. And he was a funny guy. Last night I watched a one pocket match from the first DCC in 1999 between Shannon Daulton and Tang Hoa. Rempe was in the booth with Billy. It was a great match, and fun to listen to the banter. At one point where Tang made a hard shot but got hooked, they were talking about good rolls. Rempe laughed and said, "Sigel always expected to get good rolls." And it made me wonder. Does expecting to get good rolls help you become a winner?
Yes, I think so. But only if when you don't, it doesn't bother you that you didn't.
 

jtompilot

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I remember watching Jim Rempe run hundreds of balls in straight pool tournaments at Ray Abram's pool room in Detroit and at the US Open in Chicago. His execution was so good, maybe because his mechanics were so perfect. His stance and bridge were always exactly perfect. And he was a funny guy. Last night I watched a one pocket match from the first DCC in 1999 between Shannon Daulton and Tang Hoa. Rempe was in the booth with Billy. It was a great match, and fun to listen to the banter. At one point where Tang made a hard shot but got hooked, they were talking about good rolls. Rempe laughed and said, "Sigel always expected to get good rolls." And it made me wonder. Does expecting to get good rolls help you become a winner?

I can’t find that match on YouTube
 

Mkbtank

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Yes, I think so. But only if when you don't, it doesn't bother you that you didn't.

Hey Doc. Your comment brought to mind someone who genuinely impressed me with his ability to literally laugh off a miss, and someone I learned from immediately (or tried to). Our own Robert Newkirk.


Thanks Keith for these posts and to all who added something. Really appreciate you.

Mitch
 

gulfportdoc

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Hey Doc. Your comment brought to mind someone who genuinely impressed me with his ability to literally laugh off a miss, and someone I learned from immediately (or tried to). Our own Robert Newkirk.

Mitch
Yeah, well some guys are such degenerate gamblers that misses don't affect them. They just want to get more money into action....😄
 

BrookelandBilly

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Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas
I always enjoyed watching Rempe play. He had an admirable combination of concentration and stylishness that was fascinating to watch. He and several others were good dressers (something almost totally absent today): Kim Davenport, Bill Incardona, Jimmy Fusco, Danny Diliberto, C.J. Wiley and Mizerak come to mind.

I last saw Rempe at Mizerak's senior open in Biloxi in 2000. At least half the guys were very well dressed. Today, even in tournaments, many pros would show up in old T-shirts, rumpled shorts, and flip-flops if they had a choice. And we wonder why pool isn't taken seriously. Contrast them with pros in golf, bowling, etc. Those guys look sharp and the fans are impressed.

Doc that’s one of my complaints about pool today. It’s one thing to walk into a pool hall for a casual game looking like something the cat drug in but it’s something else to looking like a bum at a tournament. Every sport has a dress code or uniform for competition (professional tennis is started to look ragged since white is no longer required). Every time I see pool players in t-shirts, ragged jeans and their hat on backwards compete in a high dollar match or at big time tournaments I want to cringe. Take a look at professional snooker and three cushion. The semi annual Turningstone tournament is another example of having a dress code.
 
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baby huey

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I met Jim Rempe during one of the LA Open 14.1 events circa 1971. Of course that was the beginning of the Disco ERA and Jim had that flashy clothing style of that time. He could play. Later I saw him several times during the Sands Regency events in Reno. Those events were very competitive and players took turns winning the event. I never did see him in action but heard he could play for the cash.
 

Dennis "Whitey" Young

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Jim Rempe in a race to 3 full rack bank pool ran 24 a perfect 8 and out each game.
He came up in an era when 9- ball players had to be able to bank for it was a shoot-out game. Banks were open during that era, it was a tough shoot-out! Whitey
 

Dennis "Whitey" Young

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I reckon our 'Jeff Sparks' walks with giants, for he had Rempe I believe 10-1 in a race to 11 nine ball @ '70 Johnston City. He finished third.
Wow, that pretty much says it all, nice going Jeff, and thanks for sharing! Congrats! Whitey
 

Ratamon

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If anyone wants to see his character on full display, ck out the match between he and Efren at the US Open ??? nine ball event, was quite a match.

Bill, I believe you meant the semis of the 1997 PBT 9-ball event? An absolutely amazing match in every way!

Another great match is him vs Archer at the Reno (sadly, Accu-Stats no longer carries it), with Buddy and Keith doing the commentary. Both lads are shooting c.950 TPA
 
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