No bad shots

Rack ‘em up

Captain Dan of the old closed Tip Top and Team #1 came to play at Welcome Inn with Welcome’s Team # 1. The match seesawed back and forth and Welcome Inn led at the half. The second half saw Cap’n Dan’s team dig in and tie it. It went like that for a few games. One team would advance and then the other team would tie it up. In the end, it was 6 games all and a tiebreaker was needed. Ian Rebesch was in Fort Bragg and played for Welcome Inn. Ridge Gorman played for Dan’s team. The game was close with both players missing a shot or two they would typically make. This was a real pressurefilled match as Captain Dan’s Team hasn’t lost many, but they did this time and Welcome Inn celebrated loudly.

Captain Randy and Team # 2 played Golden West Saloon Team # 1 at Welcome because again, their sponsor, Tip Top is closed. Captain Brickey brought in the Mertle for this match. That would be the Legendary Gene Mertle and when Randy

Gibson broke the rack people crowded around to watch Gene. It was really easy to keep track of him too as he stood fairly still for the entire match. Huh? Well, that means old Randy Gibson kept plunking down balls winning the game with a break and run. The Mertle never got a shot but was rather matter-of-fact. After making stops to speak to the Brickey and some of his other friends, he stopped by our end. We waited. “Well,” he began, hesitating a couple of beats, “at least I didn’t make any bad shots.” We thought about that, then Gene started giggling, and a moment later, we were all giggling too. Heck, I still snicker even now if I think of it. It was mostly a fun night, although some were trying to make it more important than it ever could be. But not Gene, he was there to have a good time, spread cheer, and play a pool game or two with some friends, and he did so, and with style.

FOR TUESDAY, 3/14/2023 >>

TEAM POSITIONS: ANGELIA’S GRILL AND BAR TEAM # 1 >> 0 wins; Angelina’s Grill and Bar Team # 2: 3 wins; Golden West Saloon Team # 1: 2 wins; Golden West Saloon Team # 2: 1 win; Milano Hotel and Bar Team # 1: 3 wins; Milano Hotel and Bar Team # 2: 0 wins; Tip Top Lounge Team # 1: 3 wins; Tip Top Lounge Team # 2: 3 wins; Welcome Inn Team # 1: 4 wins; Welcome Inn Team # 2: 1 win.

TOP PLAYERS OF THEIR TEAMS: ANGELINA’S GRILLE & BAR TEAM # 1 >> Randy Beaver, Raven Dean, and Misha Tsaran are tied; Angelina’s Grille & Bar Team # 2: Roy Yanez; Golden West Saloon Team # 1: Trent Ducati; Golden West Team # 2: Kyle Stone; Milano Hotel and Bar Team # 1: Raphael Flores; Milano Hotel and Bar Team # 2: Jake Tupper; Tip Top Lounge Team # 1: Ridge Gorman and Jubilee Placido are tied; Tip Top Lounge team # 2: Randy Gibson, Jayson Jones, and Tomas Villegas are tied; Welcome Inn Team # 1: Joshua House; Welcome Inn Team # 2: Linda Long.

TOP 7 PLAYERS IN LEAGUE >> Roy Yanez is 8-0 and top player. Trent Ducati, Raphael Flores, Ridge Gorman, Tony Matlick, Rosendo Padillo, and Jubilee Placido are tied at 7-1.

Visit Fort Bragg Pool League sponsors: Angelina’s Grille & Bar, Golden West Saloon, Milano Hotel, and Bar, or Welcome

Inn: all maintain a schedule of Fort Bragg Pool League players and teams. Look to the list for someone you might know and find where they are playing. You might join their team, make new friends, or just watch 8-ball games as they unfold. The League plays Tuesday at 7 pm ending before 10 pm. Tournaments, if held, are posted near pool tables anyone can enter.

CUE TIP >> Go to your Library of information and find what a proper pool player stance looks like. Then imitate it. It may not be how you like to stand but since every professional in this sport will tell you to use a proper stance, it is probably worth trying. If you film yourself it will better help to see unconscious movements. In 4 to 6 weeks your game should show improvement, proper stroke mechanics may increase physical comfort too. Watch pool players instead of balls going down, you will see players forgetting fundamentals. Players fling elbows, kick legs, jerk heads, or jump back from the table after shooting like it is going to bite them. Movement kills accuracy, you must stay still after the shot. Still as a Statue. Contact me at mcbohanon@gmail.com