Untold Stories: A Sn ail’s Pace The Snail’s TALE Story by R.A. Dyer Dominant despite a maddeningly deliberate style, Frank Taberski ruled billiards in the years before the rise of .

Taberski won 10 challenge matches alph Greenleaf Fed up with Taberski’s style of play, of , the excellent reference book by during his 16-month reign as champion. was dynamic and tournament promoters in 1918 began Mike Shamos, and consulted personal- brash, tempestuous enforcing time limits. By speeding up ly with both Shamos and Ursitti. Their and ill-tempered. the game, they slowed Taberski’s rush expertise never ceases to amaze me. His stroke was liquid to greatness — and ushered in the era So first let’s dispense with the back- smoothness, like fine of Greenleaf. ground. Taberski, who was born on and strong whisky — For students of pool history, Taber- March 15, 1889, exhibited very early beautiful to behold, difficult to mas- ski and Greenleaf also offer fascinat- in his life a seriousness of purpose Rter. Greenleaf shot quickly. He was a ing parallels. Both became pros shortly beyond that of most other boys. He risk-taker. after the modern form of began shooting pool at age 13 in his Frank Taberski preferred safety play became the championship game, both hometown of Amsterdam, New York, to break shots. He avoided risks, opting won multiple championships and both and by age 16 was already the Central instead for a slow-down game that an- amassed records that remain stand- New York champion. Taberski also noyed opponents and spectators alike. ing today. But Greenleaf was the most drove a milk cart during these early If Greenleaf was whiskey then Frank famous drunk in pool, while Taberski years, and then built upon that 3 a.m. Taberski was cold milk. Or molasses. was a Boy Scout, a man described by –to-noon job to create his own grocery Both were fine players, but history re- the press as “a fine example for young business. At age 22 Taberski sold his members Greenleaf as the greatest of the athletes who take up the green cloth business for $10,000, a princely sum, era. And yet for a brief period, no man game.” Greenleaf would eventually and invested in poolrooms. By 1916 he could beat Frank Taberski. Not even be banned from competition. owned three of them. Greenleaf. And if not for a rule change, For material in this month’s column It was also in that year that Frank the legacy of the man they called The I’ve turned to early editions of Billiards Taberski began making his name in Snail might have been different. Magazine, which can be found online at the pool world. He placed only in the Welcome back to Untold Stories. a site maintained by historian Charles national championship, held February For this month’s column I write about Ursitti. I also contacted the public li- through March in — but still Taberski and his brief but glorious pe- brary in Sedalia, Missouri (the town managed to do better than Greenleaf, riod of dominance. From September where Taberski won his first national who tied for fourth. (Taberski also beat of 1916 until January of 1918 he was title) and poured through archival ar- Greenleaf 100-44 in head-to-head com- unbeatable. Taberski won the national ticles from the Chicago Tribune. I re- petition.) Emmett Blankenship placed championship during his first year as viewed The Official Rules & Records first that year, but then lost the title in a professional — an unprecedented Book from the Billiard Congress of a challenge from Layton. Taberski then feat — and then emerged victorious in America and the very entertaining challenged Layton — an event that nine successive challenge matches. But Legends of Billiards booklet by George marked the beginning of The Snail’s re- he was undone by his own slowness. Fels. I also referred to the Encyclopedia markable run.

32 BILLIARDS DIGEST September 2012 Fundamentals of Power Dennis Hatch Built like a Mack Truck, Dennis Hatch certainly has the physical tools to detonate the . But the real key? Hatch has drilled the fundamentals of his break, so now the timing is something like second-nature. Just another explosive tool in his game’s arsenal.

F YOU think the break is overrated, “IF I’m breaking well, it’s time to think again. Since pick- I ing up a cue as a youngster, Hatch the confidence rolls has built his game around his break, thanks in large part to his father see- over into my game. ” ing to it. As Hatch says, “The break’s - Dennis Hatch everything. It’s huge. If you miss your contact point, if you hit it bad, it might cost you one, two, five games.” If you’re breaking from the box, mean- So with that being said, starting ing your hand is on the table, you need from the ground up, here are a few tips a steady bridge from start to finish. on building a powerful break. “In order to keep your cue straight and steady, try and make your bridge 4. stepping into your stance 1. Lay the Foundation hand as strong as possible,” Hatch Your pre-shot routine doesn’t have to When it comes to getting into your says. “Believe it or not, I use those hand be all that complicated. Just get comfy stance, Hatch looks to another sport grippers, those things you squeeze over and go from there. Photos by Ashi Fachler unless noted Morris, Archer: Lawrence Lustig where power equals results. “I relate and over. I’m always using one of those “I put the cue ball down, and I pic- pool to boxing,” says Hatch, who has a to make my bridge hand stronger.” ture the break happening,” Hatch history with the Sweet Science. “When However, if you’re breaking from the says. “I take my front foot, for me you break the balls, it’s like throwing a side, along the long rail, Hatch imple- that’s my right foot, and I take a step punch. You pivot off that back foot and ments a little help from the table. towards the cue ball, lining up with f you’re the player looking for a break shot you bring everything through.” “I like to hang on the rail with my the cue ball and the rack. Then I put With his front foot pointing straight at bridge hand,” he says, noting you obvi- my cue down, and I step back with by the cue ball, Hatch open up his back ously need to be comfortable with the back foot a bit. that will absolutely demolish the rack — foot so it’s perpendicular to his cue. cue running under your index finger. “I “If I feel like my legs are a little off, I’ll This way, he can put more weight on his will actually wrap my fingers around the wiggle my feet into position. Once I feel and let’s be honest, who isn’t? — you’re back leg, before moving everything to- rail and squeeze. That way, I can pull comfortable and feel my balance point, MADE ward the cue ball. myself off the rail. I can use it to get I know I’m ready to go.” But a boxer isn’t always throwing more leverage.” Now it’s time to shift your focus from in luck. We talked to the best American everything into every punch. The more your body to your cue. Considering the power you need from your break, the 3. Don’t lose your head number of variables involved in the more you’ll have to deviate from your Like any in-game shot, you want to keep break, don’t be afraid to take your time. in the Iplayers in the game. From MVP regular stance. focused on the contact point on the You have to make sure a whole host of “If I’m going with a softer cut break, object ball. But with your upper body moving parts are in line. Dennis Hatch covering fundamentals to Hall I’ll get a little lower, so it’s closer to a involved in the break, your head can’t “Take a few extra strokes,” he says. normal shooting stance,” Hatch says. stay completely still. “It takes a lot more focus, with all the “But when I’m really trying to hit ‘em “I keep my head in position until I body movement and head movement. I of Famer discussing the follow- hard, I’ll stand a little higher. I’ll raise start to pivot my body,” Hatch says. “I like to know everything’s in place.” my torso a bit and widen my stance.” try to move my head as little as pos- And when he’s really busting ‘em sible, because it’s harder to stay locked open, Hatch knows he’s that much through, the country’s finest are here to make 2. Building a solid bridge on the contact point. more dangerous. “If I’m breaking No matter what, you need a firm bridge “But it has to come up with the body, well, the confidence rolls over into my sure your thunderous break has plenty of power. — and bridge arm — to keep your cue so really focus on keeping your eyes whole game. Obviously, you still need moving straight toward the cue ball. locked on the contact point. A lot of the to be able to play if you’re not break- Your arm should be bent at a slight time, when you’re struggling to hit the 1 ing well, but it’s just that much harder angle, with the weight forward on your ball squarely, it’s because you’re taking to get momentum, to get started, to USA hand to keep it planted on the table. your eyes off the ball.” run racks.” 34 BILLIARDS DIGEST September 2011 September 2011 BILLIARDS DIGEST 35 BD SPECIAL FEATURE P a r t 1 The Great est Thing in the World In a two-part series, BD presents a special reprint of a short story written by Norman Mailer in 1941. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author, then just 18, wrote this tale of a young hitchhiker on the wrong end of a hustle for a contest in a college literary magazine, which it ended up winning.

Wr it ten By Norman Mailer

Illustr ated by Brian Call

nside, out of the rain, the lunch wagon was hot and sticky. Al Groot stopped in front of the door- way, wiped his hands and wrung his hat out, and scuffed his shoes against the dirt-brown mat. He stood there, a small, old, wrinkled boy of eighteen or nineteen, with round beady eyes that seemed incapable of looking at you unless you were in back of him. HeI stopped at the door and waited, not sure of his recep- tion, examining the place carefully as if he might have need of this knowledge soon after. It was a little fancier than the ordinary lunchroom, having dark, old wood booths at the left that fronted the sharp, glittering stools and counter of well-polished chromium. A clock on the wall showed that it was after ten, which might have explained why the place

36 BILLIARDS DIGEST A p r i l 2 0 1 1 A p r i l 2 0 1 1 BILLIARDS DIGEST 37 The Chattanooga Choo-Choo

down the cues without a problem. Place the 3 ball up against the left side of pocket A. The 1 and 2 balls should be frozen together, so that the contact point is perpendicular to the left side of pocket B (as shown by the dotted line in Diagram 1). The cue ball and 4 ball need to be resting on the cues, so put a small piece of paper underneath the 4 ball to keep the balls in place

3 The execution Using a medium-speed stroke, aim for a half-ball hit on the right side of the 2 ball. While conditions vary from table to table, high left English is usually your best bet for your contact point on the 5 ball. If everything goes as planned, the 1 ball immediately falls into pocket A and the 2 ball goes into pocket B. The 5 then trav- els three rails and up onto the cues. It will then drop onto the two touching cues. The 5 will knock the cue ball and the 4 over the little paper jam. The cue ball then rolls into the 3 ball, send- ing it in pocket A. It’s important that the cue ball hits the 3 on its right side, so it moves out of the way for the 4 and 5 balls, which are following the 3 into • Elected to the BCA Hall of Fame pocket A. Take a look at Diagram 2 to • Four-time ESPN Magic Champion get an idea of what will happen at the • Four-time WPA World Artistic Pool Champ end of the shot sequence. Diagram 2

A B his first shot is what I call “The Chattanooga Choo- Diagram 1 Choo.” One of my all-time favorites, it’s a railroad shot T— meaning it features balls rolling up and down cues placed on the table. Piece of Paper 1 The Shot The goal here is to pocket five balls in , so the 1 will fall, then the 2, and so on. This shot is not simple, but it definitely looks more complicated than it really is. With a smooth stroke Fig. 1a and a little trial and error, you should be able to pull off this show-stopper.

2 The SETUP You will need three extra cues. Place two cues into the corner as so they are touching, as shown in Diagram 1. Take the third cue and place the butt into the corner pocket. This cue • The 5 ball should hit the first rail on a direct line through will be slightly opened up toward the table. The cue ball will the right diamond on the bottom rail. Adjust the fullness roll up this track, so give it a test by rolling the cue ball into of your hit on the 2 ball accordingly. this area to see if it will turn the corner and roll down the two • Because the correct contact point on the cue ball will vary closely spaced cues. If the cue ball doesn’t make the turn, from table to table, don’t be afraid to make slight adjust- adjust the third cue until the cue ball is able to roll up and ments if high left English isn’t working.

M a y 2 0 1 0 BILLIARDS DIGEST 39