Official 2018 HOF discussion thread

androd

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Despite his undeniable contributions on paper, to me, Eddie Robin is not an ambassador of the game and will never get my vote, here's why...




Then he drops it on me in no uncertain terms... "You have absolutely no business playing one pocket."

I'll never forget that moment, ever. I felt completely crushed.
He goes on to tell me, if you can't run 100 balls playing straight pool and can't make at least 8 out of 10 spot shots, don't even bother playing the game. He seemed almost annoyed that I'd bought his book and was talking to him right now. It was awful, and the tone didn't change until I hung up the phone.

What was supposed to be an enlightening Q&A between an eager student of the game and a knowledgeable ambassador, turned into an abrupt slap in the face. He offered no further advice, espoused on about the state of pool and the hardships of having to sell his book to make a living, and cut our call short because it wasn't worth it to waste the time trying to help someone learn the game who has no business playing it.

I've since gone on to learn the game via lessons, advice, or grinding with some of my area's best players. I developed and run a successful 1p cash league in my area, bringing the game to new players every session. I've studied (and will continue to study) the great authors, players, and commentators available to me but I will never forget that moment.

To this very day, I cannot get down on a spot shot without thinking about him. In my mind, no real ambassador of this great game would do what he did to me that day. He will not earn my vote, for what little that's worth.

That sounds like all the things I've heard about him !
 

Jimmy B

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Re Worst and Robin: My guess is that Harold Worst was not included in the nominations list because he simply didn't play 1P long enough. He was arguably a lethal player-- some think the best of all time at all games. But the man had a horribly early demise at age 37 in 1966-- just about the time that one-pocket was starting to become more widely known. He's in the BCA HOF, and likely in the USBA or similar HOF, since his initial world champion game was 3C. As I recall, he was considered before, but didn't receive enough votes.

Eddie Robin's two books on one-pocket are probably enough to qualify for his consideration into the Teachers & Promoters category. They've both been the subjects of much discussion and learning since their publication in the late 1990s. Robin has come up several times in past years, but in the end he was passed over for more deserving candidates such as the Jansco Brothers and Greg Sullivan.

The Fels' article cast a negative light on Robin, and although much of it may be true, Fels and Robin had a history. As I recall, our own Freddy B. did not like Robin, and had several unfriendly exchanges with him in the forums. I hope I'm not mis-remembering this.

I only had two conversations with Robin, and a couple of Emails. He does seem to be eccentric, opinionated, and somewhat obnoxious; but likewise that could describe many in the general pool community..:)

IMO Robin will come up again for consideration in the future in the Teachers & Promoters category, and it's reasonable that he be honored.

~Doc


Excellent post.. You could easily tell that Fels and Robin had a thing going.. I actually voted for Harold W. one time, due mainly to Ronnie Allen's opinions about Harold, but I won't anymore because of your reasoning. Robin came on the board one time and made a bunch of posts for a short while.. What a character. To me sort of like a mix of James Comey, Joe Biden and Cowboy Dennis. I wish I knew how the procedure would go before I vote.. Will there be one total, or one living and one deceased or more or what.?? If only one deceased, then I won't waste it on Johnny Irish, since he won't make it. I'll do Marcel. I would like to push him over..
 

lll

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nice to see marcel camp and clem metz doing well
if you read what the very old timers said they deserve to be in the HOF
 

NH Steve

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Excellent post.. You could easily tell that Fels and Robin had a thing going.. I actually voted for Harold W. one time, due mainly to Ronnie Allen's opinions about Harold, but I won't anymore because of your reasoning. Robin came on the board one time and made a bunch of posts for a short while.. What a character. To me sort of like a mix of James Comey, Joe Biden and Cowboy Dennis. I wish I knew how the procedure would go before I vote.. Will there be one total, or one living and one deceased or more or what.?? If only one deceased, then I won't waste it on Johnny Irish, since he won't make it. I'll do Marcel. I would like to push him over..

There will definitely be one living inductee in January. Probably one deceased player too depending on the final vote tally.
 

lll

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There will definitely be one living inductee in January. Probably one deceased player too depending on the final vote tally.
steve
please rethink your decision of only 1 deceased.
there arent alot of them to consider and as i have said lets honor them before they are forgotten
as always i respect your final decision
 

BackPocket9Ball

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steve
please rethink your decision of only 1 deceased.
there arent alot of them to consider and as i have said lets honor them before they are forgotten
as always i respect your final decision

I second this. They will be forgotten soon. Irish and Camp, for example, were born over 100 years ago.
 

NH Steve

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steve
please rethink your decision of only 1 deceased.
there arent alot of them to consider and as i have said lets honor them before they are forgotten
as always i respect your final decision

The problems for me start with the difficulty of finding people who have good first hand recollections about them. Then there is the question about who might be available for family to accept.

If anyone can help with this research -- post or PM -- it's not to soon to do the research for sure.
 

lll

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The problems for me start with the difficulty of finding people who have good first hand recollections about them. Then there is the question about who might be available for family to accept.

If anyone can help with this research -- post or PM -- it's not to soon to do the research for sure.
steve if you go thru your interviews and freddy's book on pool hustlers
camp/metz/lineen / are all mentioned frequently as road warriors who played at a high level.
as to who might be available to accept should not be influential either (jmho)
the medal of honor has been given decades later to soldiers who have passed away
just sayin
and not sayin all the deceased should be inducted this year or as a general statement
but i think more then one to get as many old timers in before they are forgotten should be considered
again i respect your decision
 
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OneRock

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I suggest you induct all those old-timers with proven records (based on Freddie the Beard's account) in one fell swoop asap (in 2018).
 

El Chapo

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Please post all your comments related to the Hall of Fame voting here, not in the ballot thread. Any posts in the ballot thread will be moved here.

Selection criteria for the One Pocket Hall of Fame:

1. Great Players who have demonstrated their excellence in tournament competition over time.
2. After Hours Legends who have demonstrated their excellence and their heart by matching up against the best of their time.
3. Teachers or Promoters of the game who have had a lasting impact on the growth and popularity of One Pocket.

These are not separate categories, but rather are the all around qualities that have made every member of our Hall of Fame names that are solidly associated with the game of One Pocket.

Please note you can vote for more than one candidate, but be sure to select all of the candidates you wish to vote for before you submit your vote. Once you submit your vote it cannot be changed, so be sure to complete your selections carefully before you click on the “Vote Now” button.

I think mark tad should at least get brought up although I know he didn’t have a long career. Efren didn’t want to give him anything at one point I saw this with my own eyes, heard it with my own ears.
 

Jeff sparks

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I never got to meet or play Johnny Irish or Clem Metz, and never heard much about Marcel Camp, although he was considered a great player by many...but I had heard plenty about Clem, and from what I heard, I wasn't in a hurry to find him... I always heard what a really great player Clem was, mostly from Jersey Red, who seldom showered any of his competition with praise, so Clem had to hit em pretty sporty!! Love to hear some stories about these legends before they are lost and gone forever...

I'm in the camp of the people who believe that the deceased older players should get strong consideration for the HOF and it would be particularly interesting to learn as much about them as can be found out...I know very little about any of them... Isn't that part of what the Hall is for? Remembrance? Greatness of course, but remembering them for what they did, what they were able to do with a cue stick and some of the connecting tales that fit together and formed the story of their life in the pool room...
 

cincy_kid

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I never got to meet or play Johnny Irish or Clem Metz, and never heard much about Marcel Camp, although he was considered a great player by many...but I had heard plenty about Clem, and from what I heard, I wasn't in a hurry to find him... I always heard what a really great player Clem was, mostly from Jersey Red, who seldom showered any of his competition with praise, so Clem had to hit em pretty sporty!! Love to hear some stories about these legends before they are lost and gone forever...

I'm in the camp of the people who believe that the deceased older players should get strong consideration for the HOF and it would be particularly interesting to learn as much about them as can be found out...I know very little about any of them... Isn't that part of what the Hall is for? Remembrance? Greatness of course, but remembering them for what they did, what they were able to do with a cue stick and some of the connecting tales that fit together and formed the story of their life in the pool room...

I like the idea of the deceased old timers getting priority over the still living while you maybe still have folks around that can either tell stories about them and/or accept on their behalf, however with what Steve mentioned above, I can see the predicament that would present so I can see both sides.

I wasn't around when Clem and Joey were playing but I did play with and was friends with Joey's son Gary, RIP - who is a member of the Bank Pool HOF. I am sure I have said this before but when Gary was playing like Gary, I don't think there was anyone who ever had as much talent, it was uncanny. People said his dad Joey played better one pocket which is why I think he is a great candidate. I remember hearing Clem's name and also recall Sherm or someone else saying that Clem was the type that would not play in the tourneys. He would wait for it to be over and then go relieve the winner of their winnings. :)

Maybe Sherm, Mark Griffin or someone else can chime in on either of them more.

I can say that whoever gets in for 2018 will have deserved it, some great names to choose from!
 

sneakynito

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You guys are right about getting those old greats in soon.
I've never heard of most of them and I think I put in a pretty good effort towards learning everything I can about this game. So already the knowledge is slipping by.
 

hankh

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Howdy All;

I don't feel comfortable in voting in the Hall of Fame selection as I am only new
to 1 Pocket, know next to nothing about the game or the folks that made it what
it is today.
I was happy to receive the reminder to vote, I just don't think I should.

Respectfully.

hank
 

GoldCrown

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My vote would be for Tom Wirth. His dedication, instructor, contribution to the game , past performance and his book Controlled Aggression should ls have him listed as a nominee. Tom is without question HOF material. He should have been on the list.
 
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gulfportdoc

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Very tight 5 man race. I’m a little surprised Jeremy is ahead of Scott.
My guess is that there will be two historical players inducted (possibly more?).

Since JJ and Frost are both rightly considered HOF material, then it seems to me that JJ ought to go in first, since he's the older of the two, and has been playing 1P longer.

It's nice that they're both still playing top 1P, but have been at it long enough to be qualified.

~Doc
 

bstroud

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HOF Nominees

HOF Nominees

I know or have known everyone on the list.
Played a few. Watched others.

Saw Clem play in Johnson City. He was playing Harry Pettros from Philly.
Ran 9 and out the first two games. He was shooting every shot behind his back.

Why isn’t he in already?

Played Camp in Macon GA. Never really thought he was a one pocket player.
He wanted to play Payball.

Played Joey in Baltimore and other places. Like playing in a white tornado. Good one pocket player.

Played Patch at Beanies and at his home court in Louisville. Not really a one pocket player. We played 9 ball.

Played JJ in OKC.

Played Ervolino in La.

Played all these guys even.

Robin doesn’t belong on the players list IMO.

Bill S.
 

BRLongArm

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There are a lot of old timers who are fading away, that is true. Some say we should prioritize inducting them before their contributions are forever lost. I, however, believe the hall of fame should prioritize those greats who are alive.

What is the Hall of Fame? It is a lifetime achievement award that the greats all strive for to validate their accomplishments and sacrifices. A dead man cannot live in the glow of the award. He cannot receive accolades or praise. Sure, some of his family can accept the award in his place, but the player receives nothing for his induction after he passes.

I am of the mind that we should always attempt to recognize the living players so that they can receive the praise they deserve while they can enjoy it. In the past, they were ignored and that is wrong. But to pass on the living greats so that the past greats can be inducted is to compound an error. The future is not promised to anyone and I hope we can award this honor to living greats each year so that they can actually enjoy it and bask in their induction.

I believe inducting one living great and one past great is a good remedy until we are caught up.
 
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