Before Ray moved to NC about a year ago, he lived in Largo for about 10 years or so and came into our pool room, Family Billiards, in Clearwater 3 or 4 times a week. World Class player, World Class gentleman. We miss seeing him.
I hope there are some other complete videos of Ray playing straight pool. He is a wealth of old school pattern play. So much to learn from his deliberate approach. His approach to break shots for example. Object ball up a little high , not too much angle, a touch of draw, a medium stroke, cue ball ends up between the side pockets. No chance of a ball hitting it and scratching . He opens the rack just enough and shoots short shots into the corners. And he breaks like that over and over again. Old school. A very controlled smart player. Today's great players just blast the rack and wonder what went wrong.
There is the 9 pin version too, it's called "Goriziana", even though the classic and more known italian billiard is played with 5 pins. But "Goriziana" is a tricky and interesting game, because when you strike the pins with a kick shot it doubles the points!
Max Eberle was obviously referring to Jack Colavita, a legendary 14.1 player who quite a few people consider among the very finest to ever play the game.
I was there. The old timers gave the younger players fits. This is in no way the peak performance of either player in this tournament. Ray and mike represented themselves very well. Both ran lots of balls. Mike was running 200 plus continuously just before this tournament began.
At 29:03 i hear the commentator making comments about what I have always referred to as the short game. In order to play straightpool And other games you need a very good short game. Willie mosconi was incredible at the short game
AT 30:30 the announcer said that Willie Mosconi had the official straight pool record with a run of 26 balls. That is incorrect. Mike Eufemia ran 625 (easy to remember, just reverse the digits) and it's recorded in the 1981 edition of the Guiness Book of World Records, and probably in other places too.
@@9Ballr BCA? It's in the Guinness Book of World Records, 1981. So they have their own verification procedures. I didn't know of Schmidt's. When did it happen and who witnessed it?
@@kennethshouler3055 The Guinness Book of World Records is not a pool sanctioning body, the Billiard Congress of America is. Mosconi's run of 526 had been the recognized record in the pool world ever since it happened in 1954. John ran 626 balls on video at East Street Billiards in Monterey, California on May 27th, 2019. The BCA has already officially sanctioned that run as the new record. Here's a link to a news story about it: ruclips.net/video/F8Wbi1ts0-Y/видео.html
@@9Ballr Again, the Guinness Book of World Records recognize the run in their 1981 edition. I don't care what the BCA recognizes. I don't know about Schmidt.
I had the pleasure of playing babe Cranfield many times at classic billiards in Syracuse new York. I would watch him run 100s of balls at a time. The man was a master and a very nice man.
When Cranfield was 20-21 he tutored a 12 y/o by the name of Richard Hunziker, who by the age of 15 was destined to be World Champion, that was backed by the Mob for $500 per game in 1940 at age 16. When he turned 17 (nov "40) he joined the Navy to get away from their clutches. Got stationed in Pensacola Fl, and never left! No one including Danny Jones and George Chenier, both Champions, ever won the first game of snooker with 15 reds against him. He finally lost a game (he hadn't been playing) to Ronnie Allen early 1965, the first game of the day, for $50, but never won another game, and Cleo Vaughn's bag man lost app $2,600. Mosconi warned Mizerak about Dick, but he played and lost. Eddie Taylor broke even playing 9 ball, (short session) Relihan ran 100 and out the first game, never won another game in two days. A number of player came through Pensacola on the way to Jacksonville, to play Sammy Blumanthal; Jimmy Moore, Don DeCoy, Don Watson, Sonny Springer, Donnie Anderson and others. Sometimes dick wouldn't play 9 ball, if hadn't been playing. But 14:1 or snooker he wouldn't refuse....Unfortunately for Blackie who played snooker, as for the others, none got out with the money, either Dick won, or it was a scenario, where somebody runs 5-6 racks then the other runs 5-6 racks back & forth a couple times then they quit. Except Taylor, he quit $20 ahead when Dick was stringing 5. Squirrel beat him playing one pocket back up at the break end.
I have an Olhausen and from what I understand every table is made the same way. Same cloth, rubber, slate etc...So the play is always the same. You pay extra for craftmanship
Does this announcer ever shut the bleep up and talk about what Sigel is doing? Sigel is running racks from about 55:00 on and this guy is talking mythology about high runs he's heard of. You have the greatest living player playing masterful patterns and this guy is talking about his own high run of 196. Who cares? He's not even paying attention to the game. Sigel ran 341 when he was 19. I know because I interviewed him and wrote about it. The viewer wants to know about the tactics, position play, shot making, maybe the stroke. Not some script that you brought with you and are determined to spew. .
i new ray martin also from playing in house 8 ball leagues.he always had the highest average in the house[c.m.s place] i was lucky enough to beat him once and the house roared.i then saw him at a dancing lounge[new york new york]. i could cut the rug pretty well with the ladies and ray got me to the side and said kip if you can show me how to dance i'll show you how to shoot pool! i'll never forget that, and his book 99 critical shots is a must have.
I also played him league at CM's for about 5 years. I almost beat him one time. I cleared the table and missed the 8-ball (A tough table length backcut) and he still had all of his balls. He finished me off. Ray was always nice to everyone. He loved my girlfriend and was "jealous" that I had her. Also, we are the same age. I hated to see him leave. Miss him. Also, my daughter plays. Beth and Sam wanted her on their team. She filled in when she could.
I am 66 yrs old and i love my snooker table. i would play either one of these guys in 14.1, used to play it a lot on 9 ft tables but i like snooker better.
Looked to me he moved the chalk out of his way and no where near the shot he was taking. If he would have put it down behind the eight ball ,,maybe?? But I dont know how that would help him?? He just moved the chalk,,lol.
@@5153flash It's possible he was just moving it out of his field of view on the short rail and then taking another look at the shot, but he did put it (what appears to be) right in line with the pocket line of the shot. Visualizing this line for a long shot can be aided by having some point of reference like the chalk.
Can anybody tell me why they don't have to drive a rial on a few of their shots? I thought that was a foul and i can't find anything about it in any set of straight pool rules I've found.
It would be a foul….but in straight pool a foul is just loss of one point and not cue ball in hand as it is in other games. Three fouls in a row is loss of 14 points. At times good straight pool players will intentionally foul to gain a long term advantage.
just to carry an example of the game that Max Eberle was talking about, italian 5-pin billiard. These are the two best players nowadays, in a fantastic match: /watch?v=oGOGs9OcyH0
The ball was positioned where the rest of the balls would be racked. So it gets spotted. I don't understand why Mike lost his turn on the next shot. Do you have to contact the racked balls after pocketing the last ball?
If the cue ball wound up in the rack's way, thought it was supposed ta be spotted on the head spot. 138:00 . . . then the head camera dies and they talk about it like they don't even know what happened? ha. hmph.. okay.
Again, Sigel is stuck at 107:00 after making a poor break shot, and this announcer prattles on, talking about the tournament in general and not the game in front of him. Awful. I used to listen to Grady Mathews and others announce these matches and they made it interesting by thinking right along with the player, wondering what he would play next and with what speed and English and so on. Not this guy. He's god awful.
Which is why I like Earl Strickland Presents vids. His commentary might not be as good as Grady Matthew's but he always commented on the shots and strategies without going off into crazy tangents.
Straight pool break, where you don't try to pocket any balls and don't want to leave any sort of shot for your opponent. In straight pool, slop doesn't count -- you have to call in advance what ball is going into what pocket. If you have the ability to do that while smashing the rack with a gorilla stroke, great. Most can't, which is why they break this way.
I wish players wouldn't chew gum. It looks awful. Who's that other guy that chews it all the time? Nick Varner. Always chewing gum. Ugh. I DO like the vests though. I wish more players would wear them. They look classy.
Sorry that these two legends playing could not be enough to keep these two 8 year old boys from goofing around and yacking about almost everything else but the the match at hand. My God! Unbearable. F-
Ray's age and lack of physical ability makes him take the wrong shots which is sad to see. It's inspirational that he still wants to complete but then again like an aging boxer who must now rely on strategy instead of speed or power is sad.
+Edmund Wong: Generally speaking, yes, you're right. But while there are definitely physical components to pool, 14.1, when played by true old school masters, does not need as much pure, shot-making physicality a la 9ball, etc...Cue control combined with critical knowledge can be far more important in 14.1 than anything else. As proof, in this very tournament, prior to this match with Mike Segal, that 75 year old guy Ray Martin beat the defending 14.1 World Champion, Oliver Ortmann, a player who is around 1/2 his age. Ray Martin, at 70, has obviously lost a step or three. But looks to me like all his accumulated wisdom in the game of 14.1 is quite intact.
Before Ray moved to NC about a year ago, he lived in Largo for about 10 years or so and came into our pool room, Family Billiards, in Clearwater 3 or 4 times a week. World Class player, World Class gentleman. We miss seeing him.
I saw Ray years ago at Elizabeth NJ pool hall. Watching him was awesome.
I hope there are some other complete videos of Ray playing straight pool. He is a wealth of old school pattern play. So much to learn from his deliberate approach. His approach to break shots for example. Object ball up a little high , not too much angle, a touch of draw, a medium stroke, cue ball ends up between the side pockets. No chance of a ball hitting it and scratching . He opens the rack just enough and shoots short shots into the corners. And he breaks like that over and over again. Old school. A very controlled smart player. Today's great players just blast the rack and wonder what went wrong.
Thats interesting; I'll have to check out more Ray Cool Cat Martin pool play as soon as I can
There is the 9 pin version too, it's called "Goriziana", even though the classic and more known italian billiard is played with 5 pins. But "Goriziana" is a tricky and interesting game, because when you strike the pins with a kick shot it doubles the points!
my favorite pool game...and no one plays it
I played Ray Martin at a pro tour event in Atlantic City, NJ, nice guy.
Straight pool is my favorite game to play, but for me, it's not much fun to watch except for the learning experience.
Max Eberle was obviously referring to Jack Colavita, a legendary 14.1 player who quite a few people consider among the very finest to ever play the game.
AWESOME STUFF!! THANKS
The commentators need to talk about the game
I myself am grateful for mute
That's what the mute button is for.
99 shots, first book I ever bought, so has most.
THE GAME STARTS AT 7:00 IF YOU WANT TO SKIP THE BULLSHIT.
Lol thank you, you sound like me
I have had the privilege of meeting and playing pool with Ray Martin and he is nothing short of an extraordinary pool player and a gentleman.
Mike taught me and a group of people how to play pool!
I’d LOVE to get lessons from mike! He’s my fave pro!!
I was there. The old timers gave the younger players fits. This is in no way the peak performance of either player in this tournament. Ray and mike represented themselves very well. Both ran lots of balls. Mike was running 200 plus continuously just before this tournament began.
It was a fun tournament for sure. Except when my lighting fell down on Siegel !! LOL embarrassing moment for the video guy !
InsidePOOLmag any chance of you guys broadcasting straight pool again?
At 29:03 i hear the commentator making comments about what I have always referred to as the short game. In order to play straightpool And other games you need a very good short game. Willie mosconi was incredible at the short game
I l9ve all the ole timers cues. They all have their own style
AT 30:30 the announcer said that Willie Mosconi had the official straight pool record with a run of 26 balls. That is incorrect. Mike Eufemia ran 625 (easy to remember, just reverse the digits) and it's recorded in the 1981 edition of the Guiness Book of World Records, and probably in other places too.
Eufemia's run was never recognized by the BCA. In any case, the new record recognized by the BCA is John Schmidt's 626.
@@9Ballr BCA? It's in the Guinness Book of World Records, 1981. So they have their own verification procedures. I didn't know of Schmidt's. When did it happen and who witnessed it?
@@kennethshouler3055 The Guinness Book of World Records is not a pool sanctioning body, the Billiard Congress of America is. Mosconi's run of 526 had been the recognized record in the pool world ever since it happened in 1954. John ran 626 balls on video at East Street Billiards in Monterey, California on May 27th, 2019. The BCA has already officially sanctioned that run as the new record. Here's a link to a news story about it: ruclips.net/video/F8Wbi1ts0-Y/видео.html
@@9Ballr Again, the Guinness Book of World Records recognize the run in their 1981 edition. I don't care what the BCA recognizes. I don't know about Schmidt.
@@kennethshouler3055 So you'd rather not accept one of the governing bodies of the pool world when it comes to an official pool record? Wow!
..didn’t realize that Foster Brooks played straight pool
I had the pleasure of playing babe Cranfield many times at classic billiards in Syracuse new York. I would watch him run 100s of balls at a time. The man was a master and a very nice man.
When Cranfield was 20-21 he tutored a 12 y/o by the name of Richard Hunziker, who by the age of 15 was destined to be World Champion, that was backed by the Mob for $500 per game in 1940 at age 16. When he turned 17 (nov "40) he joined the Navy to get away from their clutches. Got stationed in Pensacola Fl, and never left! No one including Danny Jones and George Chenier, both Champions, ever won the first game of snooker with 15 reds against him. He finally lost a game (he hadn't been playing) to Ronnie Allen early 1965, the first game of the day, for $50, but never won another game, and Cleo Vaughn's bag man lost app $2,600. Mosconi warned Mizerak about Dick, but he played and lost. Eddie Taylor broke even playing 9 ball, (short session) Relihan ran 100 and out the first game, never won another game in two days. A number of player came through Pensacola on the way to Jacksonville, to play Sammy Blumanthal;
Jimmy Moore, Don DeCoy, Don Watson, Sonny Springer, Donnie Anderson and others. Sometimes dick wouldn't play 9 ball, if hadn't been playing. But 14:1 or snooker he wouldn't refuse....Unfortunately for Blackie who played snooker, as for the others, none got out with the money, either Dick won, or it was a scenario, where somebody runs 5-6 racks then the other runs 5-6 racks back & forth a couple times then they quit. Except Taylor, he quit $20 ahead when Dick was stringing 5. Squirrel beat him playing one pocket back up at the break end.
are these the tournament pro editions of the olhausens? ive heard nothing but good things about those tables
I have an Olhausen and from what I understand every table is made the same way. Same cloth, rubber, slate etc...So the play is always the same. You pay extra for craftmanship
What in the hell kind of pool are they playing I've never seen no shit like this before.
Best part of the game ... 1:51:00 .......finally Mike shut up.
P00l would watch better without the comantary.
Does this announcer ever shut the bleep up and talk about what Sigel is doing? Sigel is running racks from about 55:00 on and this guy is talking mythology about high runs he's heard of. You have the greatest living player playing masterful patterns and this guy is talking about his own high run of 196. Who cares? He's not even paying attention to the game. Sigel ran 341 when he was 19. I know because I interviewed him and wrote about it. The viewer wants to know about the tactics, position play, shot making, maybe the stroke. Not some script that you brought with you and are determined to spew. .
i new ray martin also from playing in house 8 ball leagues.he always had the highest average in the house[c.m.s place] i was lucky enough to beat him once and the house roared.i then saw him at a dancing lounge[new york new york]. i could cut the rug pretty well with the ladies and ray got me to the side and said kip if you can show me how to dance i'll show you how to shoot pool! i'll never forget that, and his book 99 critical shots is a must have.
I also played him league at CM's for about 5 years. I almost beat him one time. I cleared the table and missed the 8-ball
(A tough table length backcut) and he still had all of his balls. He finished me off. Ray was always nice to everyone.
He loved my girlfriend and was "jealous" that I had her. Also, we are the same age. I hated to see him leave. Miss him.
Also, my daughter plays. Beth and Sam wanted her on their team. She filled in when she could.
I am 66 yrs old and i love my snooker table. i would play either one of these guys in 14.1, used to play it a lot on 9 ft tables but i like snooker better.
If you can’t run 100 + don’t play for any stakes
I’m sure Mike would play for 5000.00 or more a game 200 balls per game
great billiard at 35:30 by Ray.
You got that right wow ...only in straight pool do you see that huh
8:18 Mike moves the chalk in line with the shot as guide?!
could be...
Looked to me he moved the chalk out of his way and no where near the shot he was taking. If he would have put it down behind the eight ball ,,maybe?? But I dont know how that would help him?? He just moved the chalk,,lol.
@@5153flash It's possible he was just moving it out of his field of view on the short rail and then taking another look at the shot, but he did put it (what appears to be) right in line with the pocket line of the shot. Visualizing this line for a long shot can be aided by having some point of reference like the chalk.
Can anybody tell me why they don't have to drive a rial on a few of their shots? I thought that was a foul and i can't find anything about it in any set of straight pool rules I've found.
It would be a foul….but in straight pool a foul is just loss of one point and not cue ball in hand as it is in other games. Three fouls in a row is loss of 14 points. At times good straight pool players will intentionally foul to gain a long term advantage.
just to carry an example of the game that Max Eberle was talking about, italian 5-pin billiard. These are the two best players nowadays, in a fantastic match: /watch?v=oGOGs9OcyH0
Two wonderful greats of the game, Two top class players! But still not in the same class as the greatest of them all, Efren Reyes!!
Unquestionably both these players are superior at straight pool at their peak.
Reyes never won a straight pool championship.
Why did the referee nove the blue ball at aroubd 22:30? I thought the last ball stays in place whole the others get racked at time for break. Hmmmm
The ball was positioned where the rest of the balls would be racked. So it gets spotted. I don't understand why Mike lost his turn on the next shot. Do you have to contact the racked balls after pocketing the last ball?
@@kempercole Mike called safe, so the ball he pocketed gets spotted and it's Ray's shot. That's why Mike left the cueball down near the end cushion.
The commentators are..?
I've owned Brunswick and I've owned Olhausen, no comparison. I'll take the Brunswick.
"Did you see him lay his head on the table!?" .. lmao
tbcombatmedic 1:19:58 :)
If the cue ball wound up in the rack's way, thought it was supposed ta be spotted on the head spot. 138:00 . . . then the head camera dies and they talk about it like they don't even know what happened? ha. hmph.. okay.
I havn't seen this video before, I hope Mike Segal doesn't talk the whole match, I will delete sound.
Unfortunately, he never shut up, and and the Announcers are Stone cold morons, yes, mute it
35:24 omg yussss! 👋🏻🎱👄🎱🤚🏻
It’s so funny how Americans learn to play on those tables with those HUGE pockets and they think they are the best 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Another snooker snob Jesus
@@JohnS-il1dr Hurts when it's true doesn't it?
Is that guy using a table cleaner or is he rubbing in the chalk? lol
Mike just don't have the passion for it like he used too.
Lol sigel
Again, Sigel is stuck at 107:00 after making a poor break shot, and this announcer prattles on, talking about the tournament in general and not the game in front of him. Awful. I used to listen to Grady Mathews and others announce these matches and they made it interesting by thinking right along with the player, wondering what he would play next and with what speed and English and so on. Not this guy. He's god awful.
Which is why I like Earl Strickland Presents vids. His commentary might not be as good as Grady Matthew's but he always commented on the shots and strategies without going off into crazy tangents.
Mike is an expert on global warming and a great pool player!
HE IS ALSO A PRO AT BEING A DICK HEAD
@@frontdesk6225 Yup he is !!!!
From all that carbon dioxide from talking too much
Mike played the balls out terribly at around 20 minutes
what in the hell kind of break is that
Straight pool break, where you don't try to pocket any balls and don't want to leave any sort of shot for your opponent. In straight pool, slop doesn't count -- you have to call in advance what ball is going into what pocket. If you have the ability to do that while smashing the rack with a gorilla stroke, great. Most can't, which is why they break this way.
I wish players wouldn't chew gum. It looks awful. Who's that other guy that chews it all the time? Nick Varner. Always chewing gum. Ugh. I DO like the vests though. I wish more players would wear them. They look classy.
I bet its because they can't smoke anymore.
@@supermanalexk your exactly correct
A pool player in a tuxedo is like ice cream on a hot dog --Ralph Wanderone aka Minnesota Fats whose name he stole off the Tevis novel
Sorry that these two legends playing could not be enough to keep these two 8 year old boys from goofing around and yacking about almost everything else but the the match at hand. My God! Unbearable. F-
5 pin billiards, the italian game, not 9.
"Clown" "is that the 8ball?" Mannnn I'm gonna keep listening to you but so far I'm nor liking this commentator at all. Like my accustats fellas.
Sigel very nervousss man and bad palyer!
but... he won
alain7398 youngest player to get inducted into the pool hall of fame at 35 years old. And 108 professional tournaments won. Yea terrible 😂
He was voted the greatest living player a little while back you dumb piece of trash.
BS Mike is great
Ray's age and lack of physical ability makes him take the wrong shots which is sad to see. It's inspirational that he still wants to complete but then again like an aging boxer who must now rely on strategy instead of speed or power is sad.
+Edmund Wong: Generally speaking, yes, you're right. But while there are definitely physical components to pool, 14.1, when played by true old school masters, does not need as much pure, shot-making physicality a la 9ball, etc...Cue control combined with critical knowledge can be far more important in 14.1 than anything else.
As proof, in this very tournament, prior to this match with Mike Segal, that 75 year old guy Ray Martin beat the defending 14.1 World Champion, Oliver Ortmann, a player who is around 1/2 his age.
Ray Martin, at 70, has obviously lost a step or three. But looks to me like all his accumulated wisdom in the game of 14.1 is quite intact.
He’s there or not you couldn’t carry his cue
Siegal turned out as slow a player as Crane.