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In Honor of My Father's Passing.
13 years 7 months ago - 13 years 7 months ago #2510
by Belayoff
C4OA Lifer!
In Honor of My Father's Passing. was created by Belayoff
I will take a brief respite from this week's Carson City Coin of the Week project to honor the passing of my father, Clifford Glenn Thayer.
Cliff grew up in Springfield Oregon. Hunting and fishing were his main interests. He had a natural gift for anything involving hand-eye coordination so most sports came very easy to him. Late in 1939, he attended an exhibition by world pocket billiards champion, Irving Crane. Cliff was completely enthralled at Crane's virtuoso performance. By the end of Crane's demonstration, Cliff knew that pocket billiards was what he wanted to do with his life. He bought a cue stick and dedicated himself to practicing hours every day.
World War 2 intervened. After a little more than a year of practice, Cliff put away his cue stick to serve his country. He spent 5 years, 2 months and 2 weeks in the U.S. Navy as a gunnery expert, seeing action in literally every theater of the war. A month before his discharge in 1946, the Navy offered him a career opportunity and advancement to Senior Chief Perry Officer, Gunnery. But his heart was set on becoming a professional pocket billiards player and he turned the Navy down.
After his military service he spent the next many years in New York City, then the center of world class pocket billiards. In his first year, Cliff's natural talent caught the eye of world champion, Charles C. Peterson who eventually became his mentor and close friend. Practicing 10 - 12 hours a day under Peterson's guidance, Cliff's skills accelerated. About a year later, Cliff was asked to play as an "opponent" for Michael Eufemia, the current East Coast champion, at a large charity exhibition match in New York. When Cliff thoroughly trounced Eufemia, the billiards community was astounded.
Less than a month later, Cliff actualized his dream and officially turned pro. He was soon recognized as one of the world's top players, with wins against some of the game's finest practitioners, including the famous Willie Mosconi, Joe Canton, Michael Eufemia, Johnny Irish and many others.
That same year, he met and married 19 year old Shirley LeVine. They ultimately had two children and were married for 65 years at the time of Cliff's passing.
Even greater than his desire to play professional billiards, Cliff longed to raise his family in the natural world, away from the big city. He wanted to teach his children about the outdoors and to see his new son catch trout in a mountain stream. In 1954, he hung up his pool cue and moved his family back to the Pacific Northwest. He never played professional pocket billiards again, though he continued to play for his own enjoyment throughout most of his life.
One of Cliff's most outstanding pocket billiards achievements was his high run in "14 and 1" rack pool of 449 balls. At the time, this was the third highest run of all time eclipsed only by higher runs made by Michael Eufemia and Willie Mosconi. Even though pocket billiards has been played since the 15th century, less than ten "14 and 1" runs over 400 have ever been recorded. This feat of virtuoso skill has been compared to shooting 62 for the first three days of the Masters golf tournament and then closing on Sunday with a 59!
Cliff was a good provider and raised two sons, Bruce and Clint, who still live in the Seattle area. In 1990, Cliff and his wife Shirley, retired to Arizona where they resided for the next 18 years. At age 72, Cliff entered the Arizona State Nine Ball Pocket Billiards Championship on a whim. He won.
In 2008, Cliff and Shirley moved back to Seattle to be near their children and grand children. On April 25, 2011, Clifford died peacefully at home in the presence of his family, a few days shy of his 91st birthday. As a decorated veteran of World War 2, Cliff received a military honors burial at Tahoma National Cemetery, on May 2, 2011. He is survived by his wife Shirley, sons Bruce and Clint, daughter-in-law Connie, grandchildren Sean and Nicole and great granddaughter, six year old Rian.
Bruce Thayer
C4OA Life Member
Clifford Glenn Thayer May 1, 1920 ~ April 25, 2011
Cliff grew up in Springfield Oregon. Hunting and fishing were his main interests. He had a natural gift for anything involving hand-eye coordination so most sports came very easy to him. Late in 1939, he attended an exhibition by world pocket billiards champion, Irving Crane. Cliff was completely enthralled at Crane's virtuoso performance. By the end of Crane's demonstration, Cliff knew that pocket billiards was what he wanted to do with his life. He bought a cue stick and dedicated himself to practicing hours every day.
World War 2 intervened. After a little more than a year of practice, Cliff put away his cue stick to serve his country. He spent 5 years, 2 months and 2 weeks in the U.S. Navy as a gunnery expert, seeing action in literally every theater of the war. A month before his discharge in 1946, the Navy offered him a career opportunity and advancement to Senior Chief Perry Officer, Gunnery. But his heart was set on becoming a professional pocket billiards player and he turned the Navy down.
After his military service he spent the next many years in New York City, then the center of world class pocket billiards. In his first year, Cliff's natural talent caught the eye of world champion, Charles C. Peterson who eventually became his mentor and close friend. Practicing 10 - 12 hours a day under Peterson's guidance, Cliff's skills accelerated. About a year later, Cliff was asked to play as an "opponent" for Michael Eufemia, the current East Coast champion, at a large charity exhibition match in New York. When Cliff thoroughly trounced Eufemia, the billiards community was astounded.
Less than a month later, Cliff actualized his dream and officially turned pro. He was soon recognized as one of the world's top players, with wins against some of the game's finest practitioners, including the famous Willie Mosconi, Joe Canton, Michael Eufemia, Johnny Irish and many others.
That same year, he met and married 19 year old Shirley LeVine. They ultimately had two children and were married for 65 years at the time of Cliff's passing.
Even greater than his desire to play professional billiards, Cliff longed to raise his family in the natural world, away from the big city. He wanted to teach his children about the outdoors and to see his new son catch trout in a mountain stream. In 1954, he hung up his pool cue and moved his family back to the Pacific Northwest. He never played professional pocket billiards again, though he continued to play for his own enjoyment throughout most of his life.
One of Cliff's most outstanding pocket billiards achievements was his high run in "14 and 1" rack pool of 449 balls. At the time, this was the third highest run of all time eclipsed only by higher runs made by Michael Eufemia and Willie Mosconi. Even though pocket billiards has been played since the 15th century, less than ten "14 and 1" runs over 400 have ever been recorded. This feat of virtuoso skill has been compared to shooting 62 for the first three days of the Masters golf tournament and then closing on Sunday with a 59!
Cliff was a good provider and raised two sons, Bruce and Clint, who still live in the Seattle area. In 1990, Cliff and his wife Shirley, retired to Arizona where they resided for the next 18 years. At age 72, Cliff entered the Arizona State Nine Ball Pocket Billiards Championship on a whim. He won.
In 2008, Cliff and Shirley moved back to Seattle to be near their children and grand children. On April 25, 2011, Clifford died peacefully at home in the presence of his family, a few days shy of his 91st birthday. As a decorated veteran of World War 2, Cliff received a military honors burial at Tahoma National Cemetery, on May 2, 2011. He is survived by his wife Shirley, sons Bruce and Clint, daughter-in-law Connie, grandchildren Sean and Nicole and great granddaughter, six year old Rian.
Bruce Thayer
C4OA Life Member
C4OA Lifer!
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