After making the five ball, he would set up for next shot aiming for the corner pocket so he could take the two ball. Thomas would call the side pocket for one shot on the five ball in the left side pocket. Object balls would rapidly disperse and fall into the pocket showcasing a powerful well-played break. Thomas would start with his break, where he would put a pounding on the cue ball. Thomas in his teenage years traveled across the state of Virginia wreaking havoc on his opponents. When he did not have a good shot himself, he'd play the shot so it left no easy opportunities on the table for his opponent. The movement of Thomas' stroke was a second part of becoming better. With the blink of an eye, Thomas picked up different ways to win, like playing defense. Thomas discovered these pool halls through his days of practice. It took numerous hours on the table getting better at having a smooth elegant stroke. Thomas names over a hundred places in his book “POOL HALLS & PLAYERS OF THE VALLEY" and a list by area can be found at the end of this story. If billiards was being played in the Shenandoah Valley, chances were exceptionally high that Thomas was nearby.īack in the 1950s, the Staunton area was filled with pool halls. When Thomas got back from visiting his grandparents, he knew it was time to find different places on his own turf to practice.
Valley pool table 1960s how to#
More: Ticks and tick-borne diseases: How to battle these bloodsuckers More: SUV overturns in Augusta County, state police seek possible suspect "I used to go with my dad and they would go to American Legion," said Thomas. However, it was the start of a learning process for Thomas. It was a fun banter between everyone, not the same pressure one felt in a pool hall. They had a small seven-foot table and the boys would duel it out. She had three sons, Carter, Spencer and Craig. Thomas would visit his Godmother Tilly Housh in Elkton.
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The Sister Sledge hit "We are Family" could describe Thomas' early life on the pool table. The learning that took place in the 1960s set a foundation for the Shenandoah Valley native. He learned from his dad how to pick up a stick and this created a passion. Thomas was born in Elkton in 1955 but would often visit his grandparents in Pennsylvania.
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The young pool shark learned that how hard he hit the ball would influence the difficulty of his next shot. Without this strong bridge formed, the stick easily could move left or right, influencing the result of a shot. In the background, "Tennessee Whisky" was blaring and there was a room filled with adults having a good time while knocking back a copious amount of liquor.Īmid the noise, 10-year-old John Thomas attempted to learn the basics of pool, like how to hold the pool cue and how to form a bridge by putting your fingers together, leaving a stable place for the stick to balance on. The 8-ball smacked against the back of the corner right pocket in a bar in the town of Wind Gap, Pennsylvania.