STRICKLAND age 27 vs SIGEL age 34. World title final

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

[@andreagrossojoker]

ray carlton billiards very nice video

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Grazie per le gentilissime parole, Andrea. Sono felice che ti sia piaciuto guardarlo.

[@fianzofianzodalmones412]

666

[@lawtonfloorcovering728]

Ray, Many thanks to you for your devotion to our beloved game. Not only are you a good resource in billiard improvement, your kindness in responding to so many is admirable.

[@dantankboy4155]

Thank you for posting. Earl Strickland is my role model!

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Glad you're enjoying my vids, DB. Earl is a Hall of Famer, as is Sigel -- both with very good reason. Thanks for your comment.

[@mikeserrano734]

Watching these old matches, i am rooting for Earl because hes not playing Efren. What about you?

[@realtaiter3991]

31:48 Classic Earl, hasn't changed a bit.

[@veronicahawthorne3452]

Love these old matches! Two champions battling it out.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Glad you're enjoying them Veronica; thanks for the feedback. ~ Ray C.

[@op3l]

Holy crap they look old for their age.

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

I remember watching this and thinking they are old now I'm ten years older than they were when they played this match lol

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Here's a very positive affirmation I figured out for myself: instead of thinking about being older, I like to say to other folks (and affirmatively to myself): *I'm just in a more advanced state of youth*. 😄😄

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798 that's awesome I am stealing that line lol that great

[@williamhall7349]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798 dig that more advanced state of youthfulness lmao

[@markcossman200]

same

[@Charlesbjtown]

I like the use of the shot clock when dealing with slow players like siegel, mike wong and others. Slow play is brutal to watch.

[@zachsnyder5444]

its weird hearing the announcers talk about earl being the less-talkative one

[@jaysharp789]

Amazing match. When that CB dropped on the break after the 9B to cost Earl the clincher was agonizing for him to have to sit there and watch Mike begin to catch up. And then extra excruciating when Mike sunk the 9 on a break himself to pull within 2. If Mike makes that corner 9 in the last game he'd be breaking for the tie

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Congrats, Jay -- you've made my roster of expert analysts who will shortly be boarding my Ray Carlton time travel bus that I'm driving back thru various decades to help out all past commentator teams. (Gasoline will only cost 60 cents a gallon to gas up for the hyperspace return trip to 2023.) 🤗

[@jaysharp789]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798 Yeah, I used to enjoy Barry Tomkins on HBO boxing broadcasts, but I don't think he'd exactly know the difference between napped or worsted felt. lol

[@joemtvofficial2786]

Earl Strickland's very rare smile

[@cynthiaestrada8318]

😳he does not seem to be a happy person.

[@Lazerrus]

Back when pro billiards was classy and respected. Tux with tie not polo shirts with sponsor patches.

[@trple2]

Prefer it now. Pool isn´t about dressing up or needing fancy clothes. Game works best if everyone can play.

[@glared]

You still got Snooker though.

[@vCLOWNSHOESv]

Are you a player? I'm talking about a real player not a Thursday night league player because playing pool requires a comfort level. I've gambled for hours and hours and played in tournaments from 10 AM To 8 AM the next morning. Wearing a tux would be horrible.

[@jlobiafra]

They were trying to change the publics perception of pool players being degenerate hustling gamblers.

[@mezzy238]

@@jlobiafra most of us are though 🤣

[@zaldyoreo726]

The two most talkative pro players collide! 😂

[@ryanaldinho85]

Painful watching Siegel jump on shots giving it the Elvis hips and twitching rather than staying down on the shot and keeping a nice solid cue action. This was a great watch. Crazy how many times the 9 dropped off the break and when it didn’t it was threatening that same bottom left pocket every time they had it dialled in. Earl beats Siegel 9/10 they are worlds apart

[@teddyhaynes9876]

Some people aren’t textbook , I’ve seen many great A PLAYERS and semi pro players who don’t stay down jump up and poke at the ball , there’s always a exception! But when you put them on a 9 footer then fundamentals really mean a lot ! Earl has one of the best strokes to ever play the game

[@timmyg000420]

That was common back in the day. It was less science back then. You had to learn on your own and NOONE wanted to teach anyone because it could cost them money.

[@travis9752]

Miss these days of pool!!

[@bobkeller8115]

Aaahh, wonderful Stevens cloth. You had to have a stroke to move the cue ball. With the slick cloths of today the cue ball flys off the slighest cut shot, and any hacker can poke the cue ball 4-rails.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Right Bob, let's go back to the old rug cloths and make the game tougher so potential new players get discouraged and even more US rooms have to close.

[@heginschristianstrong7707]

he is right. back then you had to have a stroke to be a top player. now with ultra fast cloth, ld shafts, its made the game so much easier. 9 ball is a joke now at the pro level.

[@chrispersh5903]

Great game and two of the legends

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Very glad to hear that you enjoyed it, Chris. Thanks for posting. They are indeed two legends.

[@chrisswhites757]

They looked like they are in their 50's.

[@patrickmitchell100]

Crazy how calmer Strickland was back then

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Life happens.

[@bonhzeppelin9882]

​@@raycarltonbilliards5798 The constant grind, the pressure, the mileage, and age. Life at the top is all too brief. If Strickland got rid of his demons, he could still win major titles [imo].

[@trple2]

@@bonhzeppelin9882 He´s also out of shape. That is probably the main issue. If he increased his endurance he´d be able to slow down the way he used to. Now he just plays fast fast fast and hope he hits a wave he can ride.

[@aconnor8846]

Is Sigel really 34 in this? He looks more like 64...

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

You may already know that under Irving Crane's Straight Pool mentoring in Rochester NY, Mike -- aged 19 years-old -- ran 314 balls in a practice session. That feat, and his characteristic seriousness, rapidly accelerated his mature look, early on. The rest, as to early receding hairline is strictly genetics as with any of us.

[@Procraseighter]

Seems guys in the past always looked older than what men do now. I'm 26 but see pictures of men my age from, say, the 1960's who look like they're in their 40's. Noel Stookey from Peter Paul and Mary for example.

[@quickstep2408]

they're also pool players: not the healthiest of ppl. stay in pool halls most of their day smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, and eating bar food.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Thanks, Quickstep. That's a very accurate and sharp contribution to folks understanding the early-aging syndrome amongst advanced-skill-level players. Many of the younger champions worldwide *do* now athletically keep themselves fit and healthy . . . and by viewing the appearance of older professionals, have learned the cost of not doing so. They run, workout, play other sports moderately -- beyond pool -- and in general, religiously avoid those negatives you very accurately cite.

[@christianemiller707]

This was so great to watch. I Would love to play half as good. Learning from them too, besides my idol Efren Reyes.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

As I mentioned in a previous reply to you about a month ago Christiane, you have a very good attitude. Nice to hear comments like this from new players. A vital tip I always give to new players is to acquire the habit of closely *observing* your performances in practice and in competition rather than *judging* your performances. This is fundamental to augmenting your strengths and correcting your weaknesses. *The better your observational abilities for even the smallest details, the faster and more certain your progress* .

[@unclewreckum4977]

At 39:10 i couldn’t believe earl missed that shot. Deservingly so to ! What a crackhead shot, and earl is my favorite player of all time. He should have put top with inside hit the long rail then though the kitchen to the short rail and back up

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

He's successfully gotten a good result with that exact draw-stroke technique thousands of times in money games throughout his career -- so for him it was the correct decision. Here, he wasn't relaxed and simply rushed the shot. His adrenaline was way up, understandably *anxious to cinch the win* . He *badly overcut* and *overpowered* the shot. Had the aim been more accurate with the OB hitting much closer to pocket-center, his positional result would have been perfect. Your top-right follow stroke would be the *correct decision for you* and plenty of other advanced players. Corey Deuel (a very relaxed pro)and some other power-strokers would have made the same bottom-spin positional decision Earl made.

[@stevewimmer9758]

That shot on the rail that Earl missed wasn't straight in. I would have cued high-right and let it go, but Earl, and most pros, always seem to prefer low english.

[@unclewreckum4977]

Steve Wimmer that’s exactly what i said Mr. Wimmer. I said i would have top with inside. Inside meaning running english, or on this shot inside. Top inside on this shot also means top right and i could not agree with you more. As a matter of fact i would have rather just put top spin only before i would have put bottom. As you said it wasn’t even close to b n str8 in. Not sure what Steve Miz was talking bout. Maybe he could only view it from afar or by monitor idk

[@mikeserrano734]

Why does Efrens stroke look loose and wild compared to these two

[@kawhiacnaban7098]

When bata Reyes still unknown

[@xooonepieceoox1917]

Where is efren Reyes on this era?

[@Bluemax54]

Saw him in Jersey back then

[@garyhsu5210]

Strickland is quiet and normal

[@45potus6]

39.10 The obvious shot is to follow with a touch of inside, Earl being the showboat he is wanted to show off his draw skills and it about cost him the game

[@genehendrix1847]

Nah, with alternate breaking and two games ahead you have some leeway, his emotional outbursts are very contrived though. (I would have played the follow through as well btw)

[@janetairlines1351]

Don't you mean touch of outside? Top right spin.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Earl has successfully gotten a good result with that exact draw-stroke technique thousands of times in money games throughout his career -- so for him it was the correct decision. Here, he wasn't relaxed and simply rushed the shot. His adrenaline was way up, understandably *anxious to cinch the win . He badly overcut and overpowered* the shot. Had the aim been more accurate with the OB hitting much closer to pocket-center, his positional result would have been perfect. Your top-right follow stroke would be the *correct decision for you* and plenty of other advanced players. *Corey Deuel (a very relaxed pro)and some other power-strokers would have made the same bottom-spin positional decision Earl made* .

[@dspf68]

Ego v Ego

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

It usually comes down to that in any one-on-one sport between champions. Same with many political or business leaders sometimes.

[@bonhzeppelin9882]

In those days it was pretty rare to find any great champions in all sports who didn't to have an ego. Today's champions know to keep that aspect of themselves concealed. ;-)

[@hackedbyhackersquad3005]

It's funny how he said I can handle this on 9 lol

[@fearsomestm00c0w]

27 and 34? I'm 33 and I look decades less than these dudes...

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Plenty of pro pool players (not all) who came up during most eras of the 20th century *would readily admit that they weren't especially healthy people* -- staying in pool halls most of their days and nights smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, and eating questionable bar food. Also -- as with all sports -- substance abuse was not unheard of. *There was an early-aging syndrome amongst quite a few of the advanced-skill-level players* . Today, many of the younger champions worldwide do now athletically keep themselves fit and healthy . . . and by viewing the appearance of older aging professionals, have learned the cost of not doing so. A lot of the new pros run, workout, play other sports moderately -- beyond pool -- and in general, religiously avoid those anti-health negatives cited above.

[@eduard9929]

Exaclty what i was thinking! i am 33 (born in august 86) and look 23 haha

[@rhondizzy7302]

2:05-2:09 cracked me up😂🤣🧔🏻

[@larrycoffey8076]

earl won number 5 in 80 seconds. beast mode

[@Zombies8MyPizza]

A lot less talking than I thought there would be.

[@zarsuelomaw6775]

34!!?? Im turning 34 next year and i look so young... Sigel at 34 look so old! Why western look so old fast!??

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Plenty of pro pool players (not all) who came up during most eras of the 20th century would readily admit that they weren't especially healthy people -- staying in pool halls most of their days and nights smoking cigarettes, drinking beer, and eating questionable bar food. Also -- as with all sports -- substance abuse was not unheard of. There was an early-aging syndrome amongst quite a few of the advanced-skill-level players. Today, many of the younger champions worldwide do now athletically keep themselves fit and healthy . . . and by viewing the appearance of older aging professionals, have learned the cost of not doing so. A lot of the new pros run, workout, play other sports moderately -- beyond pool -- and in general, religiously avoid those anti-health negatives cited above.

[@michaelalldaffer3270]

"Toupee" Jay Helfert working that triangle!

[@steveclough564]

To bad he doesn't know how to rack. A gap in the back 2 balls is why the 9ball tracks to the corner every single time. Unreal that nobody stopped this from happening

[@johnmegahan9607]

The only real difference between Sigel and Strickland is Strickland has a killer instinct. Sigel has a chance to make a big shot on a big stage and missed it.

[@RLinares22]

Lol he spent forever in the 90s winning finals. He has the highest percentage of won finals of any pro likely ever... He had plenty of killer instinct he just played bad this match

[@RLinares22]

In fact Earl dogs it to win and gets away with it since Sigel missed the 9.

[@sirbrad4]

Then why did Earl miss that easy shot before that? Lol.

[@bonhzeppelin55]

You don't think Mike wasn't a Killer? When Mike was at the top of abilities, his great player peers would often wilt when he showed up. His original nickname was Mr. Finals, and was also called the Jack Nicklaus of Pool, and Captain Hook. Ask Greats like Reyes, Parica, Buddy, Strickland, Varner, Hopkins, etc., etc., what kind of player Mike was, and I'm sure the word Killer would be mentioned.

[@juliushernadi4421]

Why would you want the cue ball in the middle of the table if you didn't make a ball on the break?

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Julius, obviously you can't know whether you've made a ball on the break until the break has been performed. The wanting of the ball in the middle of the table is the idealized *pre-stroking goal* in the very likely result that you *do* make something on the break, as does happen *for pros* far more than 50 percent of the time.

[@onzkicg]

This is a great match. Oh, alternate break.. interesting. When did the winners get to break rule started then? I guess alternate is more “fair”, just my opinion.

[@luckyduckimona9787]

onzkicg This is winner break, we don't want more fair!

[@ObjectiveIncision]

Can't believe how silent both have been during this match! ... thought this was 'The Mouth' vs 'The Whine'

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Two, who plays the crowd.

[@BaconFrisbee]

I want to see a scotch doubles match with Mike Sigel and Dennis Hatch against Earl Strickland and Keith McCready

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

That can be arranged, Nick. Get a serious funding commitment(s) that can be sent to co-promoters who'll then contact those four players. Those kinds of exhibitions/challenge matches are being set up all the time involving older pros. The right price will always immediately interest virtually any older pro in reasonably good health, no matter how far beyond their former top speed they may presently be.

[@roynewman5748]

That would be a awesome match

[@boopjakfpv5814]

That would be a wierd match

[@BaconFrisbee]

@@boopjakfpv5814 there would be awesome play and awesome banter for sure

[@mattwoodardtn]

Id get broke betting on mike and dennis.

[@clintonehrhardtsr122]

total concentration ,yep

[@Luckydad2]

It's always interesting to see young Earl and how different his shooting technique was back then; shorter bridge and not nearly as right-eye dominant as when he got older (young Earl still cues the shaft relatively centered between both eyes compared to older Earl where the shaft travels directly under his right eye).

[@freedomforthebrave]

For 1s earl is out talked lol

[@jamesdavis8731]

What the hell was going on with the breaks? I have never seen any nine-ball game where the nine-ball wanted to go in the pocket or come so close to it? Can someone explain to me why this was happening so often in this match but you rarely see that nowadays.

[@trudaroof]

Tupee Jay was leaving a gap

[@necrocleric13]

I've been playing pool for 26 years. It took me about 5 years, but after practicing my break I was able to send the 9 ball towards the corner every time. As long as the rack is good, it all depends on where you place the cue ball before the break and how you hit the rack. The most I've ever made the 9 ball on the break was 3 times in a row, that was back in 1999.

[@toscodav]

THE MIZ!!!!

[@robertdenson3375]

I grew up watching steve the miz in his pool hall. And let me tell you he was on another level in his prime.he made shots i never saw before or since.

[@unclewreckum4977]

Oic. Guess i did not think about that aspect. I've actually met both players many times. In my opinion Segal can be very emotional and just as self imploding as Strickland. However Segal has always been able to control it much better. That's just my opinion tho.

[@pbbelk4136]

random question, but i just bought myself a gold crown 3 in mint condition. however im a nut for these things and want to refinish the legs, trim and pocket castings (bc the original finish was awful) by chance does anyone know the exact color brunswick used? i know it’s bronze but i want to find an exact match on prismatic powder coats! thanks

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Go to azbilliards.com and register there (it's totally free and it's the largest Anglophonic billiards discussion in the world with more than 43,000 daily readers and posters). After registering, go to this area of the site: forums.azbilliards.com/forums/talk-to-a-mechanic.54/ More than a hundred of the best pool table mechanics in the country continually discuss table-related questions with members and commercial pool/snooker room owners. You'll have your answer before the day is over. They know all there is to know about all brands of tables going back more than a hundred years. They've collectively installed, repaired, and maintained tables for all commercial rooms, tournament events, and home table owners throughout the US and Canada.

[@Mrphilharmonic]

Mike Sigel - more whine than the Napa Valley!

[@user-sb3wh3dd4v]

They're both crybabys.

[@ruttermatthew964]

always. whining. like an amateur

[@jasonkeith9317]

Great match!!! Two crafty veterans!

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Glad you enjoyed it, Jason.

[@PoolStarzLive]

Vintage pool

[@vebnew]

STRICKLAND ---- EXCELLENT

[@jaimemunoz5920]

I wonder did they all dress this fancy for tournaments back in the day? Also this was back when you could support yourself playing pool pro. Man how pool has changed and such. I wonder when it will be completely gone.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

For more than a hundred years of *MAJOR* billiards tournaments starting in the late 19th century and during about 3/4 of the 20th century, no player in history was ever comfortable playing in a tuxedo, but whenever deemed necessary, sensible players did it in willing compliance with *sporadic* efforts to enhance the general public's sometimes negative perception of the sport's image. The players generally had a shot at substantial money (for the times) and quite willingly cooperated (wouldn't anyone?) with any promoter's *dress codes* whenever that's the look the production company (and appreciative sponsors) wanted. It was "their dime", (the funding that made certain *major* events possible -- to delight of fans of quality pool events. In former days, tuxedos were often contractually required either for the entire tournament (or sometimes only for closing matches) by promoters of many high-stakes, televised major tournaments.

[@jaypisme2343]

Pool had a bad reputation back then and they didn’t want jeans and tee shirts on tv

[@ericcardino6581]

advantage for strick because of the shotclock

[@bonhzeppelin9882]

and his break!

[@vetdodge1]

who won between the 8 ties world champ and vs Sigel

[@malakiyahamari8448]

Amazing match!

[@pope9349]

Prime sigel was a beast,I dont care what everybody says about him.

[@woodentulike2no]

I played him in 84...I can vouch for this!

[@gregburton5404]

Mike was great but Efron crushed him in 85 in Tennessee when he was Carlos Morales

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

@@gregburton5404 Night quite. Efren traveled to 9 states as *_Cesar Morales_* from "south of the Texas border" along with his English fluent/manager, Rolando. Took everyone by surprise.

[@markcossman200]

Sigel was a great 9 ball player but an even better straight pool player....

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

@@markcossman200 Anyone who doubts that needs to watch his 150-and-out during the US Open 14.1 in NYC (saw it in person): kzbin.info/www/bejne/hoqqinqoeM2ha6M Totally incredible cue-ball-on-a-string control and perfect shooting form.

[@tysongonsorowski8574]

The twisting of the ball is due to cut induced spin

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Another prime reason for skids and twists: transfer of chalk and hand oils to the CB and OBs resulting in momentary "grab/cling" undercuts.

[@mikeserrano734]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798 can you organize the Efren Reyes cup

[@readynowforever3676]

Mike looked rather disenchanted at the end....

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Champions get to be champions because they're skilled, determined, confident, ferociously competitive men and women. It's the most natural and human thing imaginable to be "disenchanted" by the finality of having lost a title match. And by the certainty that the loss was by a wider margin and more avoidable mistakes than the loser would have expected of himself or herself.

[@shidimieza5009]

efren reyes the greatest pool player in the world

[@maksimkempe3425]

was*

[@idontfitin.3296]

No earl at this time was the best hands down

[@ruffmcgruff2001]

@@maksimkempe3425 still is haha just dont play in us any more

[@mikeserrano734]

Use google earth and ask greatest pool player ever... It would point to a pool hall in the Philippines!

[@jonprange6665]

9 ball going to the corner pocket every time? How are they doing that?

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

It's nothing the players are brilliantly doing, Jon. This happens when divots (worn or mashed cavities develop in the cloth. Then when the balls are racked by the official rack person, the racked balls settle into the exact same pattern each time, ergo: the results are virtually the same every time. It was a common problem in former times when thicker, nappier, non-worsted fabrics, were in general use.

[@glared]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798Glad someone knows this. Kudos to You, Sir.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

A sign of my "misspent youth" (as Mark Twain -- a huge billiards fan and excellent player himself -- would put it).

[@christophera3330]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798 I am impressed. Thanks for teaching me a new word! Greetings from Norway.

[@cameronsarmiento4102]

Damn u joe rogan

[@chriscripplercruz1833]

Try jumping with a meucci lol Rogan was spot on with his inspiration of Earl lol

[@paultaylor9963]

Great game but they must have racked the balls a different way back then lol you never see the 9 ball move like that on the break nowadays.

[@janetairlines1351]

25:30 there's mary kenniston

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

We had the same conversation 4 months ago, Janet -- referencing a different position on the video. We definitely know you know how to spot her. Janet Airlines 4 months ago (edited) 14:47 is that mary "nightmare" kenniston on earls left up front? pro woman player and who does a lot of commentating todayray carlton billiards 4 months ago It certainly is Mary. You have a sharp eye, Janet.

[@steed3902]

@@raycarltonbilliards5798 "nightmare" how did Mary get that name?

[@janetairlines1351]

@@steed3902 she got her nickname when herself, loree jon, and gerda were going up to their hotel rooms for the night after their matches. Most of the players already had nicknames, but mary didn't. One of the girls was saying goodnight to everyone, and then said "night mare", short for "goodnight mary", and then they all said that's it!! You are Nightmare! Source: mary kenniston told this story on one of the pool matches she commentated.

[@bradstephan7886]

Great match!

[@BackSeatHump]

24:55 "Talking it over with the crowd relaxes you"? Yeah, Sigel looks really relaxed.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Very perceptive, witty and concisely-expressed comment, BackSeat man. There's often plenty of truth in clever sarcasm. If not for that useful purpose, most late-night TV hosts would be out of business. They unfailingly communicate in minimal words exactly what their audience is thinking about performers, politicians and current events. I see a writing gig in your future.

[@BladeRunner-td8be]

20:30 Mizerak telling the audience the reason Strickland misses the shot is unexplainable and talking about the ball twisting. For someone as great as Mizerak I cannot believe he doesn't know why this happens. The balls get dirty, some foreign substance ends up on them, usually chalk, the contact point between the two balls is affected by this and creates added friction as the cue ball hits the object ball and the cue ball "grabs" the object ball causing a decrease in the angle needed to make the shot.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

During the 1st two decades of televised pool,* sponsors* and *host venues* (casinos, etc,) were very precious -- absolutely crucial to hopes for a robust future for broadcast pool matches. Mizerak (the highly credentialed pro player commentator) knows/knew *full well* (as we all do) the prime reason for skids -- transfer of chalk and hand oils to the CB and OBs resulting in momentary "grab/cling"-- but *all* paid commentators *were also* *fully aware* of the *unwritten understanding* that you don't say anything on-air that *even hints* at deficits in the tournament's conditions or equipment. If a ref visibly pauses mid-match to clean a CB or any OB at a player's request, that's one of the few times you'll hear a commentator's spoken explanation of the reason for that act. You personally may disagree with the then-prevailing practical business reasons (justifiable IMO) and goals (worthy IMO) . . . doesn't fundamentally matter -- I'm simply providing an insider's (myself) experience-based *practical* facts about these then-important *aspirational* constraints on essentially unproductive and sponsor- dissuasive *on-air* negative details about playing conditions.

[@Mrphilharmonic]

Jean Balukas on the front row? (20'11")

[@jonathanjessen8890]

Good eye!

[@idontfitin.3296]

Mike has beaten Earl before just watch the bio of Earl he says it himself

[@coldli9427]

everyone got beaten from time to time

[@SiLL-E-Meat]

ewww! 31:59 tha guy is smoking a stinky ciggy

[@Salesman]

Wow, this game was so different back then. Not only was the 9 ball spotted after a scratch on the break but it was any other ball aswell. Not to mention it was not ball in hand anywhere on the table. It was ball in hand in the kitchen. Lots of other stuff but these really stuck out to me.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Differences in the rules that made the game slightly more difficult as you indicate, and also substantially more *player-adverse equipment conditions* -- slower (nappy) cloth, less lively balls, smoke-filled practice rooms, etc. And before the advent of computer-controlled camera-moving there were the *many* misses caused by having a crouching cameraman directly in players' line- of-sight, often hovering inches away from the intended pocket.

[@724riff]

A few personal footnotes ,,, slower tables nice . reddot cue ball ok ,,, earl not firing everything in at warp speed ,, earl has not yet made his transition with all of his gadgets yet ,, no kick safeties EFREN STYLE........ the shot clock ,,,, I am sure there is more . but also my thought about theese matches is that they should be much longer game wise because at some point in a match a lucky or unlucky break should not be the biggest factor as apposed to ball making poistion and table speed .

[@joshbell3614]

Should be much longer? You must enjoy terrible pool playing. The favorites are always the guys who can run out a rack at warp speed.

[@lo0ksik]

no smart kick safeties and alot of easy shots missed.. realy not efren style

[@steveclough564]

Wow has pool changed. Imagine Sigel playing with that ugly stroke on a tight Diamond table. I dont think he would compete with today's women never mind playing the men.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Long but well-meaning and informatively-intended answer to your comment, Steve. Mike's stroke eccentricities were rare and highly situation-related. Stroking flawlessly, he ran 330 balls in a Straight Pool session when he was 19 years old, and 150 and out against Mike Zuglan in the 1992 US Open 14.1 world championship, where he went undefeated playing against the world's best 14.1 players. That, and *winning more than 120 other major tournaments prior to his semi-retirement* . Mike's stroke was *(and is)* pure and beautiful to see in-person. *As can happen with any perfectionist athlete, when his nerves sometimes got the best of him, his fundamentals suffered proportionately* but those occasions were rare. Most lifelong pool players and devoted pool fans realize that a long professional pool career in the most precise of all sports -- where millimeter errors cost dearly -- takes a great deal of *courage and sacrifice*, and the supreme effort to reach and maintain *world-class status* as Mike did, is highly respect-worthy whether or not a person likes the player personally or understandably likes/dislikes his/her occasional situationally-flawed playing technique. I hear frequently from dozens of the "beyond-middle-aged" top-level pros whom I've known very well for decades. They, and their now-adult children (and grandchildren) regularly enjoy viewing videos of their bygone tournament performances. Like everyone, they read random comments whether laudatory ones or critical but fair ones.

[@trple2]

Also, your vision of what is a great stroke is mostly based on 9 foot table 9 ball or 10 ball on the fastest modern equipment. Straight pool is a different game. Bar box 8 ball is a different game. It´s not all point and shoot in those environments.

[@jdstox1]

theres a reason Efron calls him the best he eve saw

[@donaldhenak4585]

@@jdstox1 Yes, because Mike provided Efren with the hugest pay-days on record--including helping to organize the IPT that ER also won.

[@shakdidagalimal]

Strickland wasn't quite correct, he does have luck, bad luck.

[@rogerscottcathey]

20:25 I don't know about some "twist" on a ball by Earl (cue or object). He was focused on not scratching into the corner wasnt he? Maybe he used a half tip left instead of more, or mis-hit the striking point on object ball. But "twist"? What is "twist"?

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Hello again, Mac. As a match proceeds -- rack after rack -- table conditions degenerate moderately (or grossly) and *skids and twists* not- infrequently result from transfer of chalk dust and hand oils to the CB and OBs resulting in momentary "grab/cling" undercuts. This is the reason that savvy players commonly ask the ref to clean the cue ball during a given rack. Requested ref-removal of obvious, visible debris from an intended OB is also permitted in most tournaments.

[@maxsweater2627]

Sigel blabs a lot.

[@tonyarmstrong9211]

Siegel need to stay down on his shots. And oh yeah, Shut up!!!!

[@janetairlines1351]

14:47 is that mary "nightmare" kenniston on earls left up front? pro woman player and who does a lot of commentating today

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

It certainly is Mary. You have a sharp eye, Janet.

[@jeffren70]

They need to learn how to rack the balls. The 9 ball was firing towards the pocket every break.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

The producer. the audiences (in-person and home viewing ones) liked the racking just fine. Suspense, excitement -- no matter how much or little they knew about the sport -- ergo the sponsors liked it as well.

[@youngmoneyentertainment3183]

Efren>Mike>Earl

[@cwg73160]

There’s no explaining a ball that skids? What the hell are the announcers talking about? The balls were most likely dirty. That doesn’t happen when you play with fresh, clean balls. jfc

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Mizerak (the pro player commentator) knows/knew full well the prime reason for skids -- transfer of chalk and hand oils to the CB and OBs resulting in momentary "grab/cling"-- but *all* paid commentators are aware of the unwritten understanding that you don't say anything on-air that *even hints* at deficits in the tournament's conditions or equipment. If a ref visibly pauses mid-match to clean a CB or any OB at a player's request, that's one of the few times you'll hear a commentator's spoken explanation of the reason for that act.

[@ajlindy1108]

To me it just looked like he under cut it. I didn't see no skid

[@unclewreckum4977]

What do the players need to do to win? Mizerak should have flip flop those assessments. Strickland should control his emotions and Segal should keep Strickland off the table

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

You'd have no way of knowing this, but Mizerak had been commentating several of Sigel's matches leading up to the final, and in each one Sigel was getting increasingly bothered (emotional) about the shot clock. That's what Miz was alluding to.

[@cloudk14able]

Was this one of the first tournaments to use the shot clock?

[@jackparker6312]

Seagull always thought he was the best on again off again

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

If Sigel "always" thought it, that logically means he did it consistently, but "on again off again" implies he thought it inconsistently. Can you clarify? I don't understand the comment as written; perhaps other readers might also not know what you intended it to mean.

[@mattwalls7381]

its amazing those 9 ball breaks counted back in the day before pattern racks... Most people who play know that if there is any gaps between the 9 and other balls that it tends to stroll near the corner pocket. It has nothing to do with skill and everything to do with a not so perfect rack. Im glad they changed that rule!

[@animalyze7120]

That would be your little secret. Tight or a hair slightly loose the 9 ball will travel to the corner if the rack is hit correctly.

[@necrocleric13]

That's not true. I can send the 9 ball towards the corner pocket on a consistent basis when I break. There is skill to the break, anyone who says otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about.

[@jesusislord7526]

You can see why Sigel was the greatest tournament player of all time... That man hated to lose.

[@raycarltonbilliards5798]

Perfect observation. All top-level champions in most sports have that necessary characteristic, and it's most especially true in sports (or games -- like chess and poker) where it's individual- against-individual or sole performer as in track & field competitions.

[@toscodav]

efren may be the magician but nobody in history controls the cue ball like the Pearl. GOAT

[@gumaming]

toscodav dream on pearl lover. too bad he can’t control his temper as well.

[@toscodav]

You are confusing temper with personality. Are you squeamish or something?

[@gideonf8696]

I could see an argument of Earl as one of the greatest shot-makers of all time, but he's nowhere close to Efren in the CB control department. I will say that Earl's left-handed three-rail kick was exceptional!

[@Reggiela-zc3cc]

Mike Sigel has commented that Buddy Hall controls the cue ball as good as anyone who has ever lived. I agree with him.

[@epocketlsaml]

Pearl can take the cue ball control, Efren doesn't really need it. Put the cue ball wherever you want.

[@DuiMonteroTV96]

EARL STRICKLAND !!! TRUE LEGEND !!!