I was most impressed by Grady..
I was most impressed by Grady..
...for something most people wouldnt consider as significant. It was his greed, gamble and heart. His ability and drive to follow all the way thru on a score.
His instinct to be smart enough to finish somebody off when he sensed weakness. Most players dont have the cods to up the spot when they are strumming on you, so they can go ahead and bust you. They'll just quit and hope to maybe catch you helpless again the next time you play.
I had busted Grady playing even one pocket at my joint the 4 B's. A real trouncing. I next ran into him in Milwaukee a few months later. He asked me to play and I "cleverly" asked him for 8 to 7, now that I was off home court. He of course agreed. I had bankroll back then and was a good target if you could beat me. Unfortunately for me, the mixture or whatever, wasnt right and I was helpless. To protect myself I asked for 9 to 7 if he wanted to keep playing. He seen I was a dead fish and he handed it out. The rout continued and I upped the ante to needing 10 to 7. Grady seen I showed no signs of improving and wisely agreed. 10 to 7 didnt help and my only defense now was to ask for 11 to 7 and hope he says no. He didnt, and finished me off for a nice score.
95% of the pool hustler world would have refused to up the spot and would have let me off the hook.
Now, to show you how things can change, especially in my Jekyll and Hyde pool fortunes, Grady came to Chicago some months later and we played at the Billiard Cafe. No more 11 to 7, we both knew that was a one time deal, so we settled on 9 to 8 on his break and I won easily.
Beard
Bugs did the same kind of thing when he played Steve Mizerak in Steve's basement in NJ. They started even one pocket, went to 8 to 7 and finally Steve demanded 9 to 7 if he was going to keep playing. Bug's partner, Alphonse Daniels, pleaded with Bugs to refuse Steve's request and just quit with what they had already won. "This man is the world's straight pool champion, on his own table, we don't need none of this!" Alfonse begged. Bugs' classic reply defined his killer instinct attitude, "Sheet, this man is dead!" Bugs gave him the 9 to 7 and put Steve down the rest of the way.