Grady Mathews

Grady Mathews (born January 3, 1943, San Antonio, Texas), also known as "The Professor", is an American pool player and was the first inductee into the One-Pocket Hall of Fame [ [http://www.onepocket.org/GradyMathewsHOFpage.htm Grady Mathews, One-Pocket Hall of Fame, 2004.] Retrieved May 19, 2007 ] in 2004.

In addition to success at the table, he has been a technical advisor to movie producers, a regular commentator on pool matches taped by Accu-Stats Video Productions, a producer of billiard instructional video tapes, and an author. ["Grady's Grad School," "InsidePOOL Magazine," page 18, December 2005 ] He is also revered for his contributions to pocket billiards through his promotional activities and lessons.

Mathews has worked tirelessly throughout his career to promote pocket billiards, particularly the game of one-pocket. He is the creator of the Legends of One-Pocket series, and has given fans of the game many other tournaments as well. Mathews is also well known for his work as a commentator on countless matches recorded by Accu-Stats Video Productions, and has produced many of his own instructional videos providing strategies that have made Mathews "the most feared one-pock et player in the world. [Page 3, "The National Billiard News", February 1986. Retrieved May 19, 2007] He currently writes a monthly instruction column for "InsidePOOL Magazine" and has been a contributing writer to other pool periodicals such as "Billiards Digest", 1984-1987, as well as "The National Billiard News".Today, he lives in Columbia, South Carolina, with his wife Randi and continues to compete professionally as well as putting on exhibitions, pool clincis, and private lessons throughout the United States. [ [http://www.gradymathews.com GradyMathews.com] ]

Early Days

Mathews took up pool in the late 1950s while living in California. When he was 14 years old in San Mateo, California, Mathews began playing pool at a local bowling alley. When he reached 18, he commuted to nearby San Francisco to watch great pool players of this era, claiming it was very important to watch the game being played by those who know how. ["Player Profiles", by Elaine Smith and Benny Conway, page 47, "Snap Magazine". Retrieved August 4, 2007] He took his game on the road in the 1960s and graduated to become a top player in straight pool, nine-ball, one-pocket, and bank pool. Straight pool was the game played in most American tournaments before the 1960s, but when television broadcast came to the fore, the shorter game of nine-ball replaced straight pool, and a professional player was required to play all games to survive. The era of straight pool played with clay or mud balls on 5-by-10 tables was replaced by the 4½-by-9's and the plastic balls that are commonly used today. [ [http://onepocket.org/MathewsInterview.htm "Rack 'em Up with Grady 'The Professor' Mathews"] , by Steve Booth, "OnePocket.org" ]

Over the next 35 years, Mathews captured several major titles in the four forms of the game, although he is best known for his successes in one-pocket.

Professional career

At the 1984 Busch Open Nine-Ball at Miller Time Billiards in Moline, Illinois, Mathews captured the first-place prize monies as well as a Brunswick Gold Crown pool table, defeating Howard Vickery in the finals. ["It's Mathews at Busch Open Nine-ball," page 6, "The National Billiard News", November 1984. Retrieved May 18, 2007 ]

In December 2005, Grady Mathews competed in the International Pool Tour King of the Hill Shootout in Orlando, Florida, an invitational event consisting of 43 pool players with accomplishments in the discipline of pocket billiards, and is a member of the International Pool Tour. [ [http://www.internationalpooltour.com/ipt_content/ipt_players/bio/Mathews_Grady.asp International Pool Tour Player Bio] Retrieved May 19, 2007 ]

Mathews, considered a veteran in the pocket billiards industry, promoted and produced the following pool tournaments:

* 1983 All Around Pocket Billiards Open, (Tampa, Florida)
* 1985 Motor City Open, (Detroit, Michigan)
* 1990 and 1991, Legends of One-Pocket Championship, (Columbia, South Carolina)
* 1991 Legends of One-Pocket Championship, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
* 1993 Legends of One-Pocket Championship, (Reno, Nevada)
* 1994 Legends of One-Pocket Championship, (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
* 1995 The Maine Event 14.1 Championship, (Portland, Maine)
* 1995 Legends of One-Pocket Championship, (Olathe, Kansas)
* 1995 Back Pocket Nine-Ball Open, (Hampton, Virginia)
* 1998 Legends of One-Pocket Championship, (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
* 1999 World One-pocket Championship, (Baton Rouge, Louisiana)
* 1999 Seniors Nine-ball Championship, (Portland, Maine)
* 2000 World One-Pocket Championship, (Portland, Maine)
* 2003 Seniors Nine-ball Championship, (Naples, Florida)
* 2004 Gulf Coast Classic, (Gulfport, Mississippi)

Filmography

In 1986, Mathews played the character "Dud"Internet Movie Database Inc. (1990-2007). [http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0558639/ "Grady Mathews, Actor"] , at "IMDb". Retrieved May 19, 2007. ] with Paul Newman and Tom Cruise in Martin Scorsese's Academy Award-winning film "The Color of Money",Internet Movie Database Inc. (1990-2007). [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090863/ "The Color of Money"] at "IMDb". Retrieved May 19, 2007 ] loosely based on the novel by Walter Tevis (the sequel to "The Hustler").

Titles

*1983 Red's Open One-pocket (Houston, Texas)
*1984 World One-pocket
*1984 River City Open One-pocket (Austin, Texas)
*1984 Busch World Nine-ball (Moline, Illinois)
*1985 Red's Open One-pocket (Houston, Texas)
*1995 Legends of One-pocket (Olathe, Kansas)

References

*http://www.insidepoolmag.com
*http://www.azbilliards.com/thepros/showtitles.cfm?playernum=139
*http://www.accu-stats.com

His biography is titled bet high and kiss low its an absolutely great read