January 2004
Resurection - Part 10
(continued from page 21)
“Er . . . Ye . . .es, yes sir.” I stammered. My head turned down, my eyes stared a hole through the concrete. I was speechless. Turning slowly around, I breathed in deeply, then slowly headed to the double doors, confused. “You alright, son?” Tandy called out, raising his voice. “Yeah,” I said weakly, as the double doors closed behind me. A pervasive, permeating chill ran through me. Could it have been my imagination? Charley had said, “I’ll always be with you.” I shook off the implications and shot back into the Galleria. Suddenly a calmness had come over me, and it seemed to be enough. THE CROWD APPLAUDED LIGHTLY WHEN I CAME BACK into the arena. I gestured to them and went to my chair. Reyes had already returned, and was eyeing his shot. Joe handed me my cue. “Take an act of God for him to wiggle out of this one. He chuckled. Nod. Ever Ready had settled down and regained his composure. His posture was again confident. Though snookered, he had a different walk and theme in his manner. In the upper right corner pocket, the seven laid dead in the pocket. For Reyes to make the shot, he’d have to go three rails, a highly risky and illogical shot. Positioning himself, he eyed the rail, backed off, and studied the shot some more. Then suddenly smiled just enough for me to notice. Calmly he reset himself. To everyone’s surprise, he jacked his stick up slightly, stroked his cue several times, and then followed through. I didn’t see the shot until the last moment. Reyes was attempting to drive the cue ball into the rail so that it jumped backwards off the rail, went airborne over the cluster, and eventually rolled the seven into the jaws of the upper corner pocket. The cue ball went airborne, cleared three other balls and headed straight down the table to the seven. Striking the seven solidly into the pocket, it hit the upper rail, loped to the center of the table and stopped. The shot was tantamount to Willie Mays famous over the shoulder catch in the Polo Grounds. The crowd went nuts. The noise was deafening. Ever Ready lit up. He through back his shoulders and looked up to his fans and nodded, but quickly gathered his attention back to the table. Bitten once, he was reluctant to let it happen again. “Geez,” Joe said, “is that legal?” Nod. “And a super shot,” I said, “didn’t see it myself till the last moment.” Ever Ready, the endorphins working overtime, ran out the table and took a six four lead. With the momentum back, he attacked the diamond cluster by uncoiling his body and powering the cue ball into the next rack. If the fifteen object balls had been filled with dynamite the break would have blown the arena to pieces. The cue ball, as if choreographed, jumped up just enough for the table to clear out under it
Holiday Classic
Page 27
The Pool Players Best Source of Information
(continued from page 18)
Final Standings – Open Division 1st $1500 Jody Thornton, Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada 2nd $1100 Edwin Montel, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 3rd $650 Dave Black, Cheyenne, WY 4th $400 Tony Weert, Riverton, WY Top four finishers win a free entry into the 2004 Holiday “Classic” and a free entry into $75,000 NAPBA Professional Tournament. 5/6 $250 Damian Pongpanika, Salt Lake City, UT Nick Kruger, Calgary, Alberta, Canada 7/8 $200 Jim Winter, Billings, MT Rick John, Layton, UT 9-12 $150 Tommy Baker, Clearfield, UT Jeff Boucher, Helena, MT Britton Schwartzer, Livingston, MT Adam Sansaver, Bozeman, MT 13-16 $100 Miral Gamradt, Bozeman, MT Lee Hedglin, Bozeman, MT Wayne Chow, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Dave Rogers, Chugwater, WY $5550 Total Prize Fund Calcutta – Women’s Division Calcutta – Open Division 1st $675 1st $1555 nd nd 2 $450 2 $1200 rd rd 3 $300 3 $650 th th 4 $150 4 $350 $1575 Total Calcutta Fund 5/6 $125 each 7/8 $85 each $4175 Total Calcutta Fund Final Standings – Women’s Division 1st $800 Korie Boldt, Ronan, MT 2nd $600 Janet Dunks, Butte, MT 3rd $400 Jane Plant, Belgrade, MT 4th $245 Sky Tigart, Great Falls, MT Top four finishers win a free entry into the 2004 Holiday “Classic” and a free entry into $75,000 NAPBA Professional Tournament. 5/6 $150 Molly Jones, Livingston, MT Linda Asleson, Billings, MT 7/8 $100 Juanita Brown, Salt Lake City, UT Coleen John, Layton, UT $2545 Total Prize Fund Second Chance Tournaments Sorry, but the results for the second chance tournaments are unavailable at this time. That file is missing. Sorry about that. Prize fund for the second chance tournaments were $900 OTB Total $ amount involved in this tournament was $14,745
then drifted to the side rail and rebounded softly to the center of the table. Three balls tumbled off the table into pockets, two stripes and a solid. Again the crowd got into the act, responding boisterously, bellowing hoots, howls and whistles. “Get the feelin’ they like this guy, Keating?” Joe quipped. Nod. “Listen Keating, if it comes down to people takin’ sides, n’ it gets physical when this is over, hope ya don’t mind if I go with the crowd.” Nod. Ever Ready steadily, methodically ran the table. Seven four. Three more wins and he’d be on the hill. A wide charismatic grin spread wide on his face as he bowed like an actor completing a Broadway play. The crowd clapped heartily. Ever Ready knew how to bring his whole intimidating package to the match. “Force your mind away from the intimidation, Charley Sturgis’ ghost whispered. “Whatever it takes, don’t buy into your opponent’s tactics.” Taking in a deep breath, I slumped down in my chair, eased my head against my shoulder, closed my eyes, opened my mouth, and pretended to snore lightly. Ever Ready turned in my direction and apparently stopped in his tracks when he saw me. Slowly the crowd noticed. Like a wave moving quietly across the room, they caught on as the laughter started slow and increased. Playing my cards to the hilt, I breathed in deep and snorted. “Senor!” he growled, and tapped me on the shoulder. “Uhhh . . . yeah,” I replied, in a slumbering stupor. “We play pool or not?” he reprimanded arrogantly. “Uhhh . . . yeah,” I taunted, “my shot?” “Eeess my shot, Gringo. Eees my shot!” “Oh,” I said, sat up in my chair and stretched my eyes wide. He eyed me angrily then crossed back over to the table. Again, I slumped down in my chair. The crowd laughed. Ever Ready turned, looked at me, then raced over and complained to the referee. “Keating,” Joe mumbled, “you’re driving him ballistic.” “Elbow me, Joe,” I muttered through my teeth.” “Huh.” “Elbow me, Joe.” He did. Like a student caught sleeping by the teacher, I snapped up and sat alert. Stretching my eyes again as though I’d just woken from eight hours of sleep, I looked around as though I was lost. The crowd laughed, Ever Ready steamed, and the advantage had been won.
OTB
McQ’s
Billiards & Sports Bar Jan 17-18:
Class “B” 8-Ball Race to 5 winners / 3 losers side BCA Rules - Alternate Break $35 entry $5 green fee Event open to the first 64 paid players. Event will be played on 5 oversized 8 footers and three 9 foot tables
$2900
Payout based on full field
Feb 14-15:
Mixed Scotch Doubles 9-Ball Race to 7 both sides - Texas Express - Double Elimination $50 entry $10 green fee Event open to the first 32 paid teams
$2300
Payout based on full field
All events in this series are played on 4.5 x 9 foot tables. Questions contact Clay Skidmore at McQ’s (509) 891-8357. Send entries to: McQ’s Billiards, 9614 E Sprague, Spokane, WA 99206
Check out our Weekly Tournaments Tuesdays & Thursdays Progressive Break & Run Pot