Pecan’s -
20 Greatest American Pool Checkers Players
Of All Times
(Written by Charles ‘Pecan’ Thompson)

(Honorable Mention List)

February 1 , 2005

As my final list of great players are being brought to a close, I will offer these comments.  I have notice that several names that could have easily been recognized, but for one reason or another, were not included in my final assessment. To those players, I would like to offer this final thought.  My list included only those that I knew, had played, or who had been recommended by others, or who had documented records that I could rely on.
 
Keep in mind, in  my research, I relied heavily on the Pool Checker Masters Encyclopedia provided by Mr. Myrick Frazier of Detroit, Michigan.  I must offer Mr. Frazier praise for his great literary work.  I have found none other in our Pool Checkers community who has written so extensively.  If there is ever to be a Pool Checkers Hall of Fame for literary work, he would surely be a charter member.
 
In addition to this reference, I drew from my personal experience of playing these players over a period of perhaps thirty-five years.  And finally, I consulted with you, the players, for your recommendations.  With all of that help, I will prepare to close out my selections with some final players. They are:
 
Alexander Katz - New York, New York.
 
I did not have the privilege to play Mr. Katz, since I was not present at the Tournament where he tied for first place in Washington D.C. in 2002.  But to have a first place finish in the, one and only APCA Tournament he appeared in, certainly says something about his playing ability.
 
Unfortunately, that one appearance, and no further recommendations-and with the additional fact that I could not observe his play, perhaps was a cause for his not being selected higher.
 
Al Lambert - Chicago, Illinois
 
Mr. Lambert was recommended by my good friend, Washington D.C. Club president (and APCA vice president), Mr. Tal Roberts.
 
A home grown player, Mr. Lambert developed his game over time.  After winning the APCA Masters division some times in the late eighties, he immediately became a top player in the Top Masters division. During my research, I found that he had finished in the APCA Top Ten at least ten times since 1989.  What is remarkable is that he averaged perhaps a 5th place finish in those top ten finishes, over that 15 year span.  That fact in itself will get him his due recognition here.
 
A recent setback against a certain player in North Carolina whose initials are (A.H.), will have to be rectified to give this selection more credence.  But, as some of my friends have noticed, even Muhammad Ali and Joe Louis had their detractors -(Ken Norton and Billy Conn).  We are confident that Mr. Lambert will take care of that little unfinished business sometime in the coming years.
 
MY HONORABLE MENTIONED LIST
 
Igor Rybakov - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Maynard "Hamtramck" Pines - Hamtramck. Michigan
George Sykes - Detroit, Michigan
The Great Gilliam - Chicago, Illinois
Bobby Kennedy - New York, New York
Alexander Katz - New York, New York
Al Lambert - Chicago, Illinois