Last week, No.1 Bar showed that they’re misplaced at
12th in the Chiang Mai Pool League by bringing down pacemakers Half Moon
Pub, and reducing the lead at the top of the table to just 2 points. After
the home side had taken the first 3 games of the singles, Half Moon pegged
back to level terms at the break. But No.1 made sure of the match by taking
the first two doubles.
Nit
(left) and Su from Friend’s Corner.
While the leading four places in the league remained the
same, the gap tightened, with second placed Blue Sky Bar taking full
advantage of Half Moon’s slip up by beating Chiangers and Bangers after
losing the first game and winning the following five.
The story was similar at Out Back, where the home side
won the opening frame, only to see a solid Wall bulldoze the next five, and
run out 6-3 winners to stay third.
And after three losses on the trot, The Local fought
their way back into title contention with a comfortable 6-3 home win against
an inconsistent La Villa side.
Meanwhile, it was heartbreak at Happy Bar, who still
await their first win of the season. A fairly big crowd witnessed Blue Sky
Garden plough back from 3-4 down to set up a deciding frame.
Blue Sky Garden potted furiously from the start and
Happy’s Don and Gip soon had 6 balls left on the table to Bob and Jay’s
two. But some canny play from Don left Gip the chance to run in their last 4
balls with the black well placed. A great spell of potting from the lady saw
all four disappear, but so too did the white off the last and “bully”
Bob of the Garden showed no mercy from the ball in hand situation.
Lowly December Bar might also feel that lady luck
regularly deals them a duff hand. One game up after seven is no mean feat
against Rock Hard Bistro, but the match drifted away from December as they
lost the last two closely fought frames.
Elsewhere, Friend’s Corner was elevated to halfway in
the league from leading 4-2 at the break and finally beating Enjoy Place
5-4.
Some of you may remember a very useful one-armed player
who used to perform in the Chiang Mai Pool League. He was a true inspiration
to anyone with a handicap who wanted to play sport, and “Handless
George” Sutton is another worth mentioning.
At 8 years old, George lost both his hands in a sawmill
accident, but later played pool on the US tour, where he amazed large
audiences with his skill for almost 35 years. And in 1921 he held a world
record rack run of 799.
One Harvey Hendrickson also made a lot of money from pool
despite a handicap of being hopeless at the game. He toured America too, but
instead of running racks and potting like George, he showed off his ability
to pick up all 15 pool balls in one hand. You try it!
Last but certainly not least, the two girls in our Ladies
Hall of Fame this week are Nit and Su, who play for Friend’s Corner.
