9-Ballers Flood the Halls, but Derby City Classic One-Pocket Holds the Crowds

9-Ballers Flood the Halls, but Derby City Classic One-Pocket Holds the CrowdsOne-hole competition creates new legends while past lore is celebratedIt’s getting down to the good and the great in Derby City Classic One-Pocket competition. A fifth draw was scheduled for five o’clock this afternoon, but with the mayhem at the desk and the slew of 9-ball players zipping about, there might be some slight delays. Ask Columbia, SC’s, Scott Rabon, who went into a seventh draw undefeated after winning a three-and-a-half hour 3-2 match in the sixth. Having beaten strong contender Scott Frost on Tuesday, then wrestled a tidy score from Adam “GQ” Smith in action on into Wednesday morning, Rabon went into his 11 a.m.(ish) match with some practice under his belt.Derby City Classic image galleryDiscuss the Derby City Classic
The seventh draw is in progress, and some amazing matches have been turned in by the remaining players. Efren Reyes has been making quick, smiling work out of his opponents, but Francisco Bustamante and Jose Parica are two other Pinoy islanders who can strike fear into an opponent’s heart with their one-pocket game. Bustamante has eliminated formidable opponents like Corey Deuel and Charlie Bryant and faced a former runner-up in this event, formidable Californian Billy Palmer.Bustamante’s break on the hill was immaculate, and Palmer spent the opening of the rack returning moves by kicking under balls next to the wrong hole for his cause. Bustamante has added some depth to his always adequate one-pocket game and moved well with Palmer. The most devastating element of playing the Filipinos is the automatic nature of cross-corner banks for the stroke-strong contingent. The top group among them seems to pocket them even when they are not free shots (a free shot involves no risk of allowing the opponent an opportunity at his opposite hole). Two of these were daggers to Palmer’s hope of any table position and also got Bustamante the eight balls to move him forward.Parica played at the adjacent table, facing the dangerous and slightly unknown “Biloxi” Mike Surber. While the craps dealer from Mississippi has a few high-publicity finishes in the scant slate of available one-pocket events, Surber was unable to overcome a two-game deficit to the mighty “Amang.” Parica did yield two straight games and allow Surber the pleasure of getting his own crucial win against the break in the short race, but he built a large lead in the case rack. Up 6-0, Parica coughed up a rare scratch, and Surber ably took the two balls available near his pocket and positioned himself for a shot out of the remaining cluster. The resultant miss cost him, as Jose shot an exceptionally strong long shot to get in line, shaping up for win securing bank a ball later.Other winners in the early part of the seventh draw included the feisty Samuel “Sparky” Ferrell and the Chicago one-and-one player Ike Runnells. Many other great players and expected contenders remain, and a full update on those remaining for the last day of play out of a field of 416 will be posted at the conclusion of tonight’s play. Competition in the 9-ball division will carry on for the rest of the event, as 398 players get their rotation on.For road man Justin Cone, there is something bittersweet about playing on in DCC One-Pocket competition. He is an undercover agent on whom the line keeps going up already in places where they remember a face even after you dye your hair. Honored last night at the Executive Inn during a memorable banquet were similar one-pocket devotees, who toiled in essential anonymity except among a select few who witnessed their amazing back room feats.For the last three years, the Derby has been host to Steve Booth’s OnePocket.org Hall of Fame Banquet, where honors were bestowed on seven legends of one-pocket and bank pool players. Among them were two of Chicago’s finest inner-city black players, John “Cannonball” Chapman and Javanley “Youngblood” Washington. Along with 2005 inductee Leonard “Bugs” Rucker, these two make up the progression reigning greats in their tough town, each one working on their game until they could best the previous title holder.Grady “The Professor” Mathews and Freddie “The Beard” Bentivegna were the chief emcees, and emotions ran high as they discussed their friends and rivals. Old school pool was definitely represented in the selection of Hayden Lingo, a pioneer of the game who some refer to as its creator, and John “Rags” Fitzpatrick. Rags was called the greatest all-around player of all time by many knowledgeable gentleman in the room, but because of his unfortunate passing just before the beginning of the Johnston City era. Reyes and Bustamante watched on after having dinner at a table with an old backing friend, “Spanish Mike” Lebron.Unfortunately, the effervescent and amazing Melvin “Strawberry” Brooks passed away just weeks before his anticipated attendance. The memories shared of the lifelong promoter and practitioner of one-pocket were touching, especially those voiced by one of his nine children. Louisville’s Vernon Elliot has many children of his own, and the incomparable master of banking put five of them through college on money earned by staying far away from the tournament circuit. He was honored along with the Chicago duo in the bank pool category, joining 2006 inductee Truman Hogue, who watched on as Elliot was greeted by his many friends.Honors were also conveyed to Denny Searcy, a fantastic West Coast player who was incredibly gifted at killing the cue ball with spin to make impossible position plays and moves in one-pocket. Tony Annigoni, Harry Platis, and Jay Helfert all added their praise, as talk turned to the next set of inductees. The voters with adequate historical knowledge are scant, but 92-year-old George Rood, also honored with a plaque, has seen them all, and long may he cast his vote in this terrific preservation of the men and their achievements that popularized the poetry of one-pocket. Greg Sullivan watched on, proud that his tournament reflects the ideals of the Johnston City these greats all knew and loved. As their shots secure the title back across the street at the Executive West tomorrow night, they’ll be smiling from over that big rail in the sky.

Pool Balls and Billiard Balls at LOW PRICES!!!

About the Author:
Inside Pool Magazine publishes billiard news. Definitive Synergy creates pool and billiard management software.