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Columbo says its all in the wrist

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John Black

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Jan 9, 2012, 3:03:24 PM1/9/12
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Columbo is my current series to watch on Netflix. They don't have every
episode of the early seasons but I'm on season 2 right now. In one of
those episodes, Columbo is visiting his suspect and he notices a very
nice pool table (sorry I don't know what it was). Columbo avoids getting
to the point of his visit of course to the annoyance of the other guy.
He starts admiring how nice the table is. And how he used to play as a
kid but doesn't have room in his basement for a table even if he could
afford it. Without asking he just starts shooting around. Makes the
first shot and says, "Huh, I'm not as rusty as I thought". He keeps
shooting and keeps making shots while causually dropping devestating
questions and observations. After each shot he mumbles in a puzzled way,
something like, "look at that, I can't miss", "I can't seem to miss a
shot", etc. He goes like this for many shots and at the end he says,
"you know this game is all in the wrist. The secret is to keep it
loose". That's when I knew Columbo reads RSB!!

John Black

ernie

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Jan 10, 2012, 12:15:53 PM1/10/12
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Peter Falk was one of many actors who play(ed) pool regularly and
rather well. He also attended many of the pro 14.1 tournaments held
at the downtown L.A. Elks club during the 60’s and early 70’s, as did
Fred Astaire. I happened to be spectating near each of them at the
Elks on several occasions and from their comments to their companions
it was easy to see they really understood and appreciated the game’s
nuances.

Gleason was far and away the best player/celebrity and would regularly
run 3 and 4 racks of 14.1 during any casual games with top amateurs in
NYC and L.A.

Other serious actor/players include(d) Jerry Orbach and Paul Sorvino
both of whom would frequently run 2 to 3 racks of 14.1 and also played
excellent 9-ball. James Caan also plays at a level only slightly
below that of Orbach and Sorvino.

Charles Bronson, Patrick Duffy, Jason Gedrick, were other serious
actor/pool players in the 70’s and 80’s. I played Vic Morrow a number
of times in a No. Hollywood room during the period when he doing a lot
of TV series and films on the Universal lot about 10 minutes away in
Studio City. He loved 14.1, having grown up with it in New York.

There are dozens of other actors (Eastwood, Schwarzenegger, Willis,
etc.), male and female who play *at* the game socially or in required
movie scenes, but aren’t really devotees and players like all the
above-mentioned.

With today's increased volume of paparazzi, stalkers, and garden-
variety psychos you don't see many pool-loving celebrities playing in
public rooms anymore these days, except for an occasional one-evening
celeb/pro charity tournament, or during late-night social matches at
NYC rooms that have top-level security personnel and technology.

Ernie


Ron Shepard

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Jan 10, 2012, 12:41:56 PM1/10/12
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In article
<fe80a5af-8168-4c57...@o9g2000yqa.googlegroups.com>,
ernie <ernesto-s...@usa.net> wrote:

> Peter Falk was one of many actors who play(ed) pool regularly and
> rather well.

He passed away last summer. It is interesting that he played well.
He was blind in one eye.

$.02 -Ron Shepard

John Black

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Jan 10, 2012, 2:34:53 PM1/10/12
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In article <ron-shepard-3B7D...@news60.forteinc.com>, ron-
she...@NOSPAM.comcast.net says...
Anyone know if Kim Davenport was ever able to attain a pro or high level
of play after his eye accident?

John Black

Hank

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Jan 11, 2012, 7:20:33 AM1/11/12
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I think I remember that episode.

Hank <~~~not limp wristed :-)

Bradley Robertson

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Jan 12, 2012, 12:33:26 PM1/12/12
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It is interesting that he played well.
> He was blind in one eye.
>
> $.02 -Ron Shepard

One of our best shotgun shooters at the gun club is down to one eye
after a construction accident early in his carrier, that put a nail in
to his eye. He is the best at a high speed version of trap call
"Continental".

One of my regular one-pocket opponents has very limited vision in one
eye, and shoots lights out.

Do they have to compensate some why, or is depth perception over rated?

Brad

Ron Shepard

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Jan 12, 2012, 1:17:27 PM1/12/12
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In article <5ajr28....@whidbey.net>,
No depth perception is essential to pool, but the shooter must
compensate. They do it by lining up the shot before getting down in
shooting stance, when they have full view of the table and they can
move around and view things from different perspectives as
necessary. There are several pro players who are/were blind in one
eye (or nearly so), and I know several local amateur players who
play well too.

In Peter Falk's case, he lost his eye when he was young, yet he
played pool well along with playing other sports when he was growing
up. What he did was perhaps not unique, but I thought it was
noteworthy, which is why I mentioned it.

$.02 -Ron Shepard

Bradley Robertson

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Jan 12, 2012, 7:47:47 PM1/12/12
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>
> . . . No depth perception is essential to pool, but the shooter must
> compensate. They do it by lining up the shot before getting down in
> shooting stance, when they have full view of the table and they can
> move around and view things from different perspectives as
> necessary.
>
> $.02 -Ron Shepard

Maybe here nor there:

Two shots I can execute with my eyes closed with success; spot shots and
lagging for the break. Of course I have to be ready to pull the trigger
before I close my eyes.

Brad

pltr...@xhost.org

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Jan 13, 2012, 11:58:14 AM1/13/12
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On Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:33:26 +0000 (UTC), Bradley Robertson <br...@whidbey.com>
wrote:

>Do they have to compensate some why, or is depth perception over rated?

The brain is amazingly adaptive.

Besides depth perception, another factor is which eye is damaged -- the dominant
or non-dominant eye.

I've been going through this somewhat myself. I had a massively detached retina
in my dominant right eye about four years ago. (You haven't lived until you've
laid there awake while a 275 lb. ex-football-player surgeon drills three holes
in your eyeball and tacks things back in place ...)

The surgery didn't restore vision in the dominant eye adequately, so the left
eye has become dominant. This affects so much, from depth perception to balance.

It took almost two years to come back to near normal in tennis. I've only now
shot some pool balls (twice, briefly) and can see that a lot of practice would
be required to shoot decently again. And shooting rifles & long guns is probably
out of the question.

Surprisingly, driving -- even motorcycles, where balance is so involved --
wasn't a problem, even with only one eye uncovered, while recovering from the
surgery.

-- Larry

Bradley Robertson

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Jan 13, 2012, 12:59:42 PM1/13/12
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> The brain is amazingly adaptive.
>
> Besides depth perception, another factor is which eye is damaged -- the dominant
> or non-dominant eye. . .
>
> -- Larry

I am mainly right eye dominant, but the left eye wants equal billing.
Shooting skeet I must squint my left eye to keep the correct sight
picture for the way I mount the stock.

Playing pool, I fight to keep the right eye in control. If I miss a
shot it is most likely the wrong eye pulling the trigger.

Of course at my advanced age, just seeing pasted the double vision/blur
has me on the verge of turning my cheaters upside down to shoot pool.

Brad

DDawgster

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Jan 18, 2012, 11:24:44 PM1/18/12
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there was a one eyed player named Basheer.. saw him play in Syracuse ..
amazing talent and pretty interesting guy

> Apparently I see no reason for Perry to have lied well over a year ago..

Another gem from Alim Nassor

--- 


DDawgster

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Jan 18, 2012, 11:23:25 PM1/18/12
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did you know keith mccready ? .. i was friends with his brother in reno
and lost 3k to keith backing emil g in 84 at the Rum Runner in Vegas

> Apparently I see no reason for Perry to have lied well over a year ago..

Another gem from Alim Nassor

------- 


bvinco

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Jan 26, 2012, 5:21:05 PM1/26/12
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On Jan 19 2012 8:23 AM, DDawgster wrote:
>
> did you know keith mccready ? .. i was friends with his brother in reno
> and lost 3k to keith backing emil g in 84 at the Rum Runner in Vegas
>
> > Apparently I see no reason for Perry to have lied well over a year ago..
>
> Another gem from Alim Nassor
>
> ------- 

Ah, the memories come flooding back. Keith's girlfriend/significant other
used to post here once upon a time. What a trip that was...

Becky

______________________________________________________________________ 


ernie

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Jan 26, 2012, 11:22:40 PM1/26/12
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Becky -- How are you doing with regard to to your once-mentioned
breathing problem vs the smoky pool rooms? Playing elsewhere nowadays
or did the local rooms improve somewhat? -- Ernie

bvinco

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Jan 27, 2012, 8:45:00 AM1/27/12
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On Jan 27 2012 8:22 AM, ernie wrote:
> > ______________________________________________________________________
>
> Becky -- How are you doing with regard to to your once-mentioned
> breathing problem vs the smoky pool rooms? Playing elsewhere nowadays
> or did the local rooms improve somewhat? -- Ernie

It's still a problem. Loopholes in the Florida non-smoking law. Seems to
me, if there's supposed to be no smoking indoors, then that should mean no
smoking indoors. Period. I smoked once, so I know how the smokers feel
about it, but seriously - wake up!! Stop it.

I've been shooting league on and off, but I usually have to shoot early
and leave early, depending on the smoke factor (that's where the filters
are supposedly good). It's not fair to a team for me to have to do that.
It's frustrating, not only because the smoke is poison to my lungs, but
when I get home, I have to take all the stinking clothes off and put them
outside to air out, then wash the smell out of my hair and off my skin
before I sit on my furniture or sleep in my bed. Guess I'll just stick to
an occasional tournament and/or build an addition to the house. : )

Thanks for asking, Ernie. Are there any other states with laws like this?

Becky

____________________________________________________________________ 


PatH

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Jan 27, 2012, 9:44:44 AM1/27/12
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On Jan 27, 7:45 am, "bvinco" <bvi...@aol.com> wrote:
> On Jan 27 2012 8:22 AM, ernie wrote:
>
> > > ______________________________________________________________________
>
> > Becky -- How are you doing with regard to to your once-mentioned
> > breathing problem vs the smoky pool rooms?  Playing elsewhere nowadays
> > or did the local rooms improve somewhat? -- Ernie
>
> It's still a problem. Loopholes in the Florida non-smoking law.  Seems to
> me, if there's supposed to be no smoking indoors, then that should mean no
> smoking indoors.  Period.  I smoked once, so I know how the smokers feel
> about it, but seriously - wake up!!  Stop it.
>
Wisconsin is smoke free and this applies to all indoor facilities
except the Indian casinos of course. Iowa is smoke free but all the
casinos got an exemption. Illinois is smoke free with no exceptions
that I know of including smoke free casinos. I think Minnesota is
smoke free except Indian casinos. (notice a trend here) That being
said these states all offer something special that you don't have in
Florida so much. Snow, ice and freezing temps. It's fairly
entertaining to watch a bunch of smokers standing outside in -20
weather just go have a cigarette.

PatH...ex-smoker since 1982

ernie

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Jan 27, 2012, 11:23:01 AM1/27/12
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I quit in '69. Last year I calculated that had I not quit, I quite
literally would have passed the effect of more than 500,000 cigarettes
through my lungs and blood stream. See what your total comes to, Pat,
for your 20 years of whatever daily rate your addiction (like mine)
would have come to. You'll be amazed.

Ernie

bvinco

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Jan 27, 2012, 1:17:59 PM1/27/12
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Not to mention $ spent. Ouch.

Becky

--- 


Hank

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Jan 28, 2012, 6:03:10 AM1/28/12
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Hi Becky,

Sorry to hear about your breathing problem.

Correct me if i am wrong, but didn't you complain about the law in Fla
when it was passed? Weren't you a smoker at that time? :-)

Hank <~~~~ can get confused in his old age
Message has been deleted

bvinco

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Feb 1, 2012, 2:15:19 PM2/1/12
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On Jan 28 2012 3:03 PM, Hank wrote:
> > ____________________________________________________________________
>
> Hi Becky,
>
> Sorry to hear about your breathing problem.
>
> Correct me if i am wrong, but didn't you complain about the law in Fla
> when it was passed? Weren't you a smoker at that time? :-)
>
> Hank <~~~~ can get confused in his old age

Ah... no. It was passed AFTER I quit. Lucky me. : )
(six years)

Becky

____________________________________________________________________ 


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