Rack ‘em up: Stranger in a strange land

The first half of Spring League 2023 is officially over, and Welcome Inn Team #1 is undefeated. Well, that should put the jinx on Welcome Inn Team #1 if nothing else does. Uh-oh, nothing else may already have shown up. Jeff Delesantos is back in town playing for Team #1, and they play their home games at Welcome Inn as they have no sponsor. His return increases the odds of them winning, though, especially since Luis Medina also returned from touring foreign lands, ostensibly to help shore up the Institution of Captain Dan Team #1. It is a new day as the increasingly competitive second half begins.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE >> Jesse Romo, May 6, 2023, at 1:00 pm at the Coast Christian Center.

FOR TUESDAY, 4/18/2023 >> TEAM POSITIONS: ANGELIA’S GRILL AND BAR TEAM #1 >> 0 wins; Angelina’s Grill and Bar Team #2: 6 wins; Golden West Saloon Team #1: 4 wins; Golden West Saloon Team #2: 2 wins; Milano Hotel and Bar Team #1: 8 wins; Milano Hotel and Bar Team #2: 2 wins; Tip Top Lounge Team #1: 7 wins; Tip Top Lounge Team #2: 5 wins; Welcome Inn Team #1: 9 wins; Welcome Inn Team #2: 2 wins.

TOP PLAYERS OF THEIR TEAMS: ANGELINA’S GRILLE & BAR TEAM #1 >> Raven Dean and Misha Tsaran are tied; Angelina’s Grille & Bar Team #2: Tony Matlick and Rosendo Padillo are tied; Golden West Saloon Team #1: Trent Ducati and Sai Jorgensen are tied; Golden West Team #2: Kyle Stone; Milano Hotel and Bar Team #1: Rafael Flores and Flaco Pat are tied; Milano Hotel and Bar Team #2: Jake Tupper; Tip Top Lounge Team #1: Joel Vidal; Tip Top Lounge team #2: Tomas Villegas; Welcome Inn Team #1: Mike Bohanon, Josh House, and Sean Wristen are tied; Welcome Inn Team #2 Linda Long.

TOP PLAYERS IN LEAGUE >> Rafael Flores, Flaco Pat, and Joel Vidal have 15 wins. Tony Matlick and Rosendo Padillo have 14 wins. Mike Casey, Jubilee Placido, Tomas Villegas, and Roy Yanez have 13 wins.

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 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, and anyone can enter.

CUE TIP >> 99% of pool shots are straight shots. Banking or cutting a ball to a pocket remains a straight shot. Played straight to a hit on the object ball that sends it to the pocket, usually by a straight rolling cue ball. It is almost always true, but sometimes not. In a close clearance shot, an extreme left or right side cue ball hit will curve or arc past a slight obstruction and is almost always again rolling straight at ball contact.

A Masse shot is where you cue nearly straight down on the cue ball to intentionally curve its path. David Diaz and Will Neimeyer are both good at Masse shots. Keep that curved path in mind because when you raise the back of your cue very far from level, you begin to shoot down on the cue ball, which can cause the cue ball to curve slightly, like a mini Masse. When you hit the extreme left or right side of a cue ball, even with a level cue, it will still cause a slight arcing left or right opposite the side hit on that cue ball. It shows up after the shot, like a mini, mini Masse. It arcs. When we miss a long straightin shot, it is due to poor aim, stroke, or the same slight downward and off-center hit on the cue ball. You may know of or hear people say they hate the straight-in-shots because they miss. They may lack a straight stroke. It doesn’t mean they can’t shoot well, but it does mean the fundamentals of their stroke need work. One way to straighten a stroke is to shoot straight-in full table-length shots. If you relax and easily make ten long shots in a row, your stroke is probably okay. Video from behind while shooting will give the best view of your stroke straightness or lack of. A side video will show your cue level and grip. Determine your back-hand position by adjusting until your arm is hanging straight down as the cue tip meets the cue ball. Contact me at mcbohanon@gmail.com.

When we miss a long straight-in shot, it is due to poor aim, stroke, or the same slight downward and offcenter hit on the cue ball. You may know of or hear people say they hate the straight-in-shots because they miss. They may lack a straight stroke.