Ross Keith Thompson
Verified Member
It was 1968 and my 2nd year at the Greatest show on Turf. I was now bringing my game to new levels. I no longer struggled with racks of 9 ball.
All the major hustlers like Grady Mathews, Greg Stevens, etc. knew me and where my game was at.
I turned 16 in May and by early fall that year my game was just under everybody that wasn’t named Jersey Red, Danny Jones or Greg Stevens!
Played Cole Dickson that fall with the call eight for ten a game. It was a decent bet back in the day to test somebody. This was a trap set up by ten percent Denny a pure thief that hung out at LeCue every weekend. But the trap didn’t work!
What a player this kid Cole Dickson was! It was unbelievable what he could do to a nine ball rack, perfect position, great control of his cue ball. Had me 20 games loser! I had to get my chance before I called it a day and I guess I did ok. Made Cole rack balls for 2 hrs and made him quit! Pecking order was not established!
That match changed me that day and from that day forward I strived too separate my game from all others. I grew up quite a bit as a player in 1968 awas tested more than a couple times but playing Cole Dickson at 16 years old was a huge test.
By the end of 1968 my game had made a big jump, I no longer was a shortstop in a den of thieves, I was a full blown predator with an unquenchable thirst for major pool action.
I was in hog heaven at the greatest show on turf in 1968!
All the major hustlers like Grady Mathews, Greg Stevens, etc. knew me and where my game was at.
I turned 16 in May and by early fall that year my game was just under everybody that wasn’t named Jersey Red, Danny Jones or Greg Stevens!
Played Cole Dickson that fall with the call eight for ten a game. It was a decent bet back in the day to test somebody. This was a trap set up by ten percent Denny a pure thief that hung out at LeCue every weekend. But the trap didn’t work!
What a player this kid Cole Dickson was! It was unbelievable what he could do to a nine ball rack, perfect position, great control of his cue ball. Had me 20 games loser! I had to get my chance before I called it a day and I guess I did ok. Made Cole rack balls for 2 hrs and made him quit! Pecking order was not established!
That match changed me that day and from that day forward I strived too separate my game from all others. I grew up quite a bit as a player in 1968 awas tested more than a couple times but playing Cole Dickson at 16 years old was a huge test.
By the end of 1968 my game had made a big jump, I no longer was a shortstop in a den of thieves, I was a full blown predator with an unquenchable thirst for major pool action.
I was in hog heaven at the greatest show on turf in 1968!