Page 63 - Tavern Players

TR: At what point did you you realize you you wanted to be a a a a a competitive player?
JS: I saw a a a a a a poster for a a a a a a $25 000 tournament in in in Los Angeles and began practicing every day in in in in in in anticipation of playing in in in in in in the the the event and seeing the the the sport’s greatest players I played in in in in in the the the the the novice events at at the the the 1977 “Fun in in the the the Sun” Los Angeles Open and realized I I I had had a a a a a a a a a lot to to learn But man I I I had had fun! And I I I was hooked on on the the pro tour from then on on TR: Who did you you learn the most from in in your formative playing years?
JS: We had some great local pros in the Los Angeles area – guys like Dave Romero Gregg “Jeep” Perrie Ben Rivera and Brendon Flaherty But I probably learned the the most from watching one of of the the the great players of of the1970s KenAlwell Hewasapush- kicker like me me and and had a a a a a a a a a a a a great head gameandapproachtoplaying Ididn’t know Kenny personally at at the time but he he later became one of my very best friends and still is is to this day TR: Did you you have a a a a a a a favorite table you you played on in the early years?
JS: The pro tour was played on the Tournaments Soccer (TS) table in those days and that’s where the the big money was was of course That was was the the only table for me me once I I became a a a a a a a a a “tour” player I I learned to to to to play play on on on the the the “Million Dollar” green top table and and then advanced to to to to the the the the blue and and brown tops as as the the the the sport evolved I played exclusively on TS tables until the the the the the crash of the the the the tour in 1981 I then moved to to the the the the Dynamo table (as most players did) and became a a a a a a a a a a a pro in fin 1982 when I finished third as a a a a a a a a novice player at at the U S Open Again some great memories TR: I understand you are credited with the the fastest foosball shot shot in the the the world What is the the shot shot and on what table?
JS:LOL Bynostretchoftheimagination do I I think I I actually have the the the fastest foosball shot shot However there is a a a a a a a a video on YouTube titled “TheFastestFoosballshot?”(notice the the question mark) It’s a a a a a a a push kick I I shot shot ontheBonzinitableinFrancein2007ina match against Denmark when I I was playing for the Team USA It’s pretty fast TR: There was clearly a a a a a a time in your foosball career you you you decided to do play- by-play commentary How did you you come
up with the idea and who did you you model yourself after?
JS: As documented in in the movie “Foosballers” I grew up listening to some of the greatest sports announcers in in history Names like Vin Scully and Chick Hearn I had also experimented with a a a a a a a a a a a a a little basketball and and baseball play- by-play in in in high school and and and in in in the early 1990s I combined my my love and and knowledge of of foosball with my my fledgling commentary skills to create the art of of “fooscasting ” TR: What happened in the the first competition you you did did play-by-play? In other words did did you you hit the the ground running or or was it it it a a a a bit rough?
JS:Ifirsttriedcommentatingfoosballin 1991 at at at at an LA location called the Sports Harbour I I found that it came pretty easy to me me I I incorporated my knowledge of of foosball and and sports in in general with a a a a a a a a a a a basketball and and baseball style style of of commentary – he style style I had grown up listening to in in Los Angeles with all
those great announcers TR: What was the the response from the the players?
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