Massey's Bag of Tricks

The Jerry Orbach 3 Ball Shot the Hard Way

By Mike Massey

"The Jerry Orbach 3 Ball Shot the Hard Way" is a long name for a trick shot, so I must explain why I named it that.

I've been very fortunate to be involved with some fundraisers with Mr. Orbach, and o­nce he told me about doing a TV program with the late Minnesota Fats. Here's the way the story goes: Jerry and Fats were both guests o­n this popular TV show around 25-30 years ago where they played a game of 8-ball. Jerry beat Fats, and then he played a trick shot similar to the o­ne I have diagrammed, except that the 3 ball was placed near Pocket "X."  Jerry made the shot o­n his first attempt, and afterward, he told a friend about the program and how he beat Fats and made the trick shot.

Later that same night, his friend was watching the same program o­n TV. Everyone but Jerry's friend thought that the program was live. Jerry's friend bet someone that Jerry would beat Fats, and then he gave the guy a chance to get even by betting him that Jerry would make the trick shot o­n his first try.

The new version that I have come up with is a little more difficult, but with some practice and the right equipment, you don't have to be a top player to make it. Set the 1 and 2 balls up as diagrammed.  The 2 ball is frozen to the cushion and is about o­ne-half inch from the point of the side pocket. Place the 3 ball in the jaws of Pocket "Z."

Place a straight house cue against the rail with the butt stuck into the corner of Pocket "X." You might have to place a piece of chalk as diagrammed so the cue ball won't catch the point of Pocket "Y" as it rolls down table to pocket the 3 ball. Place the cue ball as diagrammed, about 2 1/2 balls' width from the cushion. To make the shot, you must shoot hard with lots of left-hand english o­n the cue ball. You want the cue ball to hit as close to Pocket "Z" as possible so it will go long enough to hit the short rail as diagrammed. This is not a real difficult shot unless the rails are dead or the bed cloth is really slow.

When executed properly, the 2 ball will bank cross-side, hitting the cue and jumping into Pocket "Y." The 1 ball will go straight into Pocket "W," and the cue ball will go around the table four cushions into the butt of the cue stick and hug the rail to go up table and pocket the 3 ball. 

Good Luck!

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