That's What I'm Talking About

By Keith McCready

The Birdman

Out of all the table games, pool is by far the o­ne that requires the greatest skill, and, when played o­n an advanced level, leaves little to chance. Without a doubt, it is a pressure sport, o­ne that requires nerves of steel and the ability to apply the perfect touch. Being able to focus in the heat of the battle is an acquired trait and probably the hardest to attain.

When I think about focus, I am reminded of a fellow who used to frequent a poolroom in my hometown. His name was Tom Goodwin, a slender fellow who was a regular and liked to practice many hours each day. We used to call him "Birdman" because he never left home without his companion, a large green parrot mounted o­n his shoulder.

It had been a slow afternoon when Birdman decided he wanted to match up with me in a game of o­ne-pocket, a friendly race to 4. He was a methodical player, very deliberate, so I figured this was a perfect time for me to catch up o­n some of my mechanics. I gathered my cue stick from behind the counter and proceeded to the table. He placed the parrot o­n a ledge alongside our playing area, and the bird seemed well adjusted. He screwed his stick together, and we got down to business.

As the match progressed, each time Birdman would shoot, the parrot was still and quiet, but when it was my turn, the bird became a green ball of high-octane energy, flapping his wings and screeching at the top of his lungs.  It began to wear o­n my nerves, and when I asked Birdman to do something about his beloved pet, he refused, telling me he wouldn't play without him. I somehow managed to get three games under my belt. Before what I hoped would be the final game, I excused myself to get some cotton balls for my ears, thinking this would allow me to focus.

It was Tom's break, and you didn't hear a word from the bird. As I addressed the table, the parrot was in my line of vision, and he began to vigorously bob his head up and down, but I wasn't going to let this fancy chicken break my train of thought. The layout of the table presented the perfect o­ne-pocket shot, and I wanted to get the job done. We both needed the two remaining balls.

In o­ne-hole, there may be occasions when you have to be creative, if you don't have a good shot in sight. As shown in the illustration, I needed two balls to win. The 8 ball is frozen to the rail, and the 10 ball is down table. The goal is to pocket the 8 in my hole and get position o­n the 10. Aim the cue ball o­n the right-hand side of the 8 ball, about 3 o'clock, using center english with three-quarters speed, enough to make the distance. Whitey will then come around three rails and end up with perfect shape o­n the 10.

This technique requires a solid stroke. This is a "feel" shot.  Practice by loosening your grip until you are able to establish a level of comfort. Keep your stick straight and extend the follow through, which will allow the cue ball to travel the length of the table. By hitting the cue ball dead center, it will eliminate the scratch in the right-hand corner. Using the rails for position is an important fundamental and comes up in all games of pocket billiards.

Before the parrot could make his next move, I banked the 8 ball successfully in my pocket and got perfect shape o­n the 10, which I fired in immediately. Birdman unscrewed his cue stick and gathered his belongings. The bird must have known the game was over because he hopped up o­n his shoulder and never uttered another peep.

Distractions will o­nly interfere in your game if you let it. Focus is a key ingredient to becoming a winner. Practice as if you are in a competition setting. Tune out your surroundings and concentrate o­n pocketing balls. The o­nly sound you should hear is your balls hitting the heart of the pocket.

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