Winning One Pocket

[tradr48]

What makes the Eddie Robin books so valuable? Is it the rarity or the wisdom?

 

[GoldCrown]

What makes the Eddie Robin books so valuable? Is it the rarity or the wisdom?

I say it is the rarity and only that.

 

[NH Steve]

What makes the Eddie Robin books so valuable? Is it the rarity or the wisdom?

Both books were extremely well done -- probably the best illustrated pool books of their time and then some -- they still set a very high standard. Besides the very good insight into a ton of game situations, there are a bunch of stories and small photos that go with each of the shots that give you insight into the game's colorful history, and the great players that made it colorful.

That explains the cost to a point (they were about 50 each new), but since the print run was limited for whatever reason and never reprinted, the price has always been run up partly due to rarity and demand.

The first book in it's first edition had some printing errors that resulted in many types (like all the fractions did not print properly), so there was an error sheet with it. Those were fixed for a second printing, and additional content was added too, so the second edition of Winning One Pocket is much better from the wisdom point of view.

I probably have an extra copy if you are interested, because I buy them when I come across them at a fair price.

 

[Texdance]

Agree with prior replies, including the extra value provided by the second edition with its corrections included.

When W1P and SMP were conceived, there was no Internet, no Onepocket.org forums, no public or semi-anonymous places to go and get questions answered about the game. There wasn't a goodly selection of free WWYD diagrams like we see dissected here on this forum.

The Eddie Robin books provided something very similar to WWYD, with game situations described, good diagrams drawn, sometimes interesting stories included and background about players.

Each book is more than just a collection of WWYD diagrams and solutions and stories. But with the current ready availability of free information about how to play One Pocket, the educational value of these books has been diminished somewhat, though not entirely. As a collection of pool historical data, and as a well-built leather covered coffee table book, and as the two middle books in what could have become *the* great collection of instructional billiard books of the second half of the twentieth century, they are priceless, they have no peer, and any serious pool collector or student of the game of one pocket should have a pristine copy of both books.

Unfortunately, I discovered I was neither a collector nor a truly serious student of the game, which caused me to sell my copies last year. I had owned them for about seven years. I was not as good about using them to improve my game as I had hoped to be. They were mostly sitting in their boxes unused. I kept thinking someone sometime would scan the books, and make pdf copies available free or at low cost, thus making my large investment worth less. I toyed with the idea of photographing each page so I would have a digital record of the books, but I quit that after shooting the first two pages - it was too much work, I felt like I was stealing from Eddie Robin somehow, and of course I'd already knew I was too lazy to use them well.

There was a set of W1P and SMS that sold on Ebay for some huge, almost unbelievable price within the past year or so. The final bid was far above normal, and bordered on the ridiculous, about $1750 IIRC. Apparently a couple of guys with cash got in a bidding war, and the price skyrocketed. But for the most part a copy of W1P or SMS has been selling on Ebay or in forums in the range of about $200 - $300 each, sometimes more, sometimes less. That is for new condition books in the original box with with the leather cover and Eddie Robin autograph on the cover.

I met Eddie Robin on the phone, and we talked over a short period of weeks for several hours. He was such a great intelligent curmudgeon in the best tradition of old-school pool champions (well, 3-cushion champion, in his case). He hinted that he had another opus, an in depth pool instructional book, well outlined and over half written, just waiting on clearing up prior necessities so he could add the finishing touches and get it to a publisher. I am thinking Mark Wilson beat him to the punch by a few years.

 

[wincardona]

Agree with prior replies, including the extra value provided by the second edition with its corrections included.

When W1P and SMP were conceived, there was no Internet, no Onepocket.org forums, no public or semi-anonymous places to go and get questions answered about the game. There wasn't a goodly selection of free WWYD diagrams like we see dissected here on this forum.

The Eddie Robin books provided something very similar to WWYD, with game situations described, good diagrams drawn, sometimes interesting stories included and background about players.

Each book is more than just a collection of WWYD diagrams and solutions and stories. But with the current ready availability of free information about how to play One Pocket, the educational value of these books has been diminished somewhat, though not entirely. As a collection of pool historical data, and as a well-built leather covered coffee table book, and as the two middle books in what could have become *the* great collection of instructional billiard books of the second half of the twentieth century, they are priceless, they have no peer, and any serious pool collector or student of the game of one pocket should have a pristine copy of both books.

Unfortunately, I discovered I was neither a collector nor a truly serious student of the game, which caused me to sell my copies last year. I had owned them for about seven years. I was not as good about using them to improve my game as I had hoped to be. They were mostly sitting in their boxes unused. I kept thinking someone sometime would scan the books, and make pdf copies available free or at low cost, thus making my large investment worth less. I toyed with the idea of photographing each page so I would have a digital record of the books, but I quit that after shooting the first two pages - it was too much work, I felt like I was stealing from Eddie Robin somehow, and of course I'd already knew I was too lazy to use them well.

There was a set of W1P and SMS that sold on Ebay for some huge, almost unbelievable price within the past year or so. The final bid was far above normal, and bordered on the ridiculous, about $1750 IIRC. Apparently a couple of guys with cash got in a bidding war, and the price skyrocketed. But for the most part a copy of W1P or SMS has been selling on Ebay or in forums in the range of about $200 - $300 each, sometimes more, sometimes less. That is for new condition books in the original box with with the leather cover and Eddie Robin autograph on the cover.

I met Eddie Robin on the phone, and we talked over a short period of weeks for several hours. He was such a great intelligent curmudgeon in the best tradition of old-school pool champions (well, 3-cushion champion, in his case). He hinted that he had another opus, an in depth pool instructional book, well outlined and over half written, just waiting on clearing up prior necessities so he could add the finishing touches and get it to a publisher. I am thinking Mark Wilson beat him to the punch by a few years.

After reading your post I was left with this feeling that why would an educated person with a high intellect ever give up one pocket as their passion. You seem to have had a prior romance with the game in some way, yet you kinda turned it loose. If i'm getting too personal I apologize, I was just hoping that you were a one pocket enthusiast, enjoyed reading you.

Dr. Bill

 

[Qi Liu]

Both books were extremely well done -- probably the best illustrated pool books of their time and then some -- they still set a very high standard. Besides the very good insight into a ton of game situations, there are a bunch of stories and small photos that go with each of the shots that give you insight into the game's colorful history, and the great players that made it colorful.

That explains the cost to a point (they were about 50 each new), but since the print run was limited for whatever reason and never reprinted, the price has always been run up partly due to rarity and demand.

The first book in it's first edition had some printing errors that resulted in many types (like all the fractions did not print properly), so there was an error sheet with it. Those were fixed for a second printing, and additional content was added too, so the second edition of Winning One Pocket is much better from the wisdom point of view.

I probably have an extra copy if you are interested, because I buy them when I come across them at a fair price.

I’m a new member but an one pocket lover! Do you still have an extra copy of winning one pocket book! Thanks

 

[Miller]

I’m a new member but an one pocket lover! Do you still have an extra copy of winning one pocket book! Thanks

i owned both of them. winning one pocket and shots/moves/strategies. paid out the nose for both, because i was told they are so good and any cerebral one pocket player should own them.....

as a backdrop, i loan out books to friends. and i don't loan out a book to anyone - you gotta mean something to me to do that. forgettaboutit. anyway, loan out my winning one pocket to a guy i really like and respect and he dies while it is in his possession - no shit. so, i would feel like a total asshole asking this man's widow for the book back.....so i don't. it's a rare/expensive book....and i'm out.

as far as i'm concerned, i'm out of a collectible item - nothing more. there are 24 break escapes documented in the book and i have them all diagramed (which i have shared with several members here) and outside of being collectible - imo, thats the real value in that book... i'm not made of money, nor wealthy, but could certainly afford a replacement for some of the outrageous prices out there - if i felt so fit - but i don't.....

they are good books. buy them if you can.

otherwise, the book you need is "one pocket - a game of controlled aggression" by tom wirth.



(nh steve is supposedly pulling something together, but i've given up on that chump ever getting it done....)
(ross keith thompson's book in work has yet to hit the shelves as well...)
(incardona must be waiting out for movie rights....)

 

[NH Steve]

i owned both of them. winning one pocket and shots/moves/strategies. paid out the nose for both, because i was told they are so good and any cerebral one pocket player should own them.....

otherwise, the book you need is "one pocket - a game of controlled aggression" by tom wirth.



(nh steve is supposedly pulling something together, but i've given up on that chump ever getting it done....)
(ross keith thompson's book in work has yet to hit the shelves as well...)
(incardona must be waiting out for movie rights....)

Me too almost lol.

 

[Bob Jewett]

I’m a new member but an one pocket lover! Do you still have an extra copy of winning one pocket book! Thanks

The typical selling prices I've seen lately are around $350 and higher. The cheapest copy I can find online right now is on Ebay for $525 and it only allows local pickup in Northern California. All copies through book sites such as Amazon are currently around $750 and higher.

I am selling a special edition set (with "Shots, Moves & Strategies) that you can find in the Classified forum here: http://www.onepocket.org/forum/index.php?forums/classified/ but that is really, really expensive.

I have another copy of Winning One Pocket signed by Eddie and (stamped) signed by the co-authors with the premium maroon cover. I will sell it for $500. I actually think that is too much, but that's where the market is for collectible copies. It is too bad that Eddie can't arrange to reprint the book.

 

[catkins]

I think eddie does small prints to sell when he is low on cash lately I saw Jason help desk form pool action tv selling shots and moves I believe he was facilitating eddie but not positive

 

[Bob Jewett]

I think eddie does small prints to sell when he is low on cash lately I saw Jason help desk form pool action tv selling shots and moves I believe he was facilitating eddie but not positive

For several years -- like at least eight -- Eddie has sold copies of SM&S under the Ebay account billiardsmart. I believe that is from old stock and he has no copies of W1P left.

 

[Jeff sparks]

I have Winning One Pocket with the maroon cover... vgc..
signed by Jersey Red, one of the contributors... Rare...
it’s $350, if interested PM me and we’ll work out shipping...

 

[catkins]

I have Winning One Pocket with the maroon cover... vgc..
signed by Jersey Red, one of the contributors... Rare...
it’s $350, if interested PM me and we’ll work out shipping...

that seems like a good price if I did not have it I would jump on it

 

[OneRock]

I have both books and willing to entertain offers. Let me know.

 

[NH Steve]

I’m a new member but an one pocket lover! Do you still have an extra copy of winning one pocket book! Thanks

I do have two extra of Shots, moves and Strategies, but I have only my own Winning One Pocket, sorry.

 

[Frank Almanza]

I have both books. In my WOP book I have well over 100 autographs. Many of some greats that are no longer with us such as
Leonard Rucker
Tony Ellen
Jay Swanson
Grady Mathews
Eddie Taylor
Bill Stanton
Jack Breit
Marshall Carpenter.
These are just some off the top of my head.....and many more. Some of them are on their pictures in the book.

 

[Jeff sparks]

S

I have both books. In my WOP book I have well over 100 autographs. Many of some greats that are no longer with us such as
Leonard Rucker
Tony Ellen
Jay Swanson
Grady Mathews
Eddie Taylor
Bill Stanton
Jack Breit
Marshall Carpenter.
These are just some off the top of my head.....and many more. Some of them are on their pictures in the book.

sounds priceless!

 

[GoldCrown]

Tom Wirth’s Controlled Aggression.... different than WOP and definitely a future collectible. If I was younger I’d buy case of his books.

 

[Mike]

If you want to read a copy of Eddie Robin’s book go to your local library and ask them to do a search. I did this a few years ago and they found a copy in the Newark, NJ library which I was able to take out on loan.

 

[frmn]

Mr Jewitt what is Position Play in Three Cushion worth?