Question for Jimbo and Phat Mack

[John Cole]

I read an article about a shuffleboard player (not cruise ship shuffleboard) named Texas Billy Mays a few months ago, and I wonder if you ever ran across him during your so obviously misspent youths.

John

[Jimbo]

Hi John,

Although I am a pretty solid shuffleboard player I do not know too many names in this venue.

Jimbo

[Phat Mack]

I have certainly heard of him.

A few decades ago, nobody would acknowledge that women could play pool, and women players had a rather easy time getting action. A friend of mine was a road player, and she had a travelling companion who was a top shuffleboard player. Both of these women were gorgeous. They went looking for Billy with the idea that the pool player would get the action going, and the shuffleboard player would be a sleeper who would come in for the kill. Things went as planned until Billy wanted to play a game that wasn't the women's best, and they ended up breaking even. I knew nothing of shuffleboard, and still don't, and didn't realize that there was more than one game you could play on it. I think they matched up again a year or so later, and still broke even. Although I have no personal knowledge of shuffleboard or Billy, he certainly had a reputation for action.

Where was this article published?

[John Cole]

I read it in Best American Sports Writing of 1991, I think. The highlight of the essays occurs when Mays plays in a doubles tournament in Vegas. Apparently, he was a bit over the hill at this point, drinking, and sleeping near the tables. His partner needed to wake him up for his turns, but he managed to win anyway. According to the author, he was, in his prime, the best in the world.

I did a search on the net and found that Billy has been nominated for The Shuffleboard Hall of Fame but has, so far, refused induction.

John

[Phat Mack]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr />
I did a search on the net and found that Billy has been nominated for The Shuffleboard Hall of Fame but has, so far, refused induction.

[/ QUOTE ]
I did the same and read the accompanying article. The part about him never playing safe confirms what I have heard about him, and may have been his Achillies(sp) heel.

[scalf]

/forums/images/icons/wink.gif shuffleboard is actually a tremendous sport, complex with a myriad of strategies and skill levels...as you reach maturity, this becomes obvious...jmho...gl /forums/images/icons/smirk.gif