 Massey setting up a trick shot | |
| Born | 9 April 1947 Loudon, Tennessee, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Sport country |  United States |
| Nickname | "Tennessee Tarzan" |
| Tournament wins | |
| World Champion | Artistic Pool (2000, 2002, 2003, 2005) Snooker Trickshot (1992, 1997, 2005) |
Michael Massey (born April 9, 1947), professionally known as Mike Massey, is an American professional pool player[1] From 1989 to 1991 he served as a contributing editor of The Snap Magazine. Massey was born in Loudon, Tennessee,[2] and for several years lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee,[3] where he owned a pool hall. He has the nickname of "Tennessee Tarzan", but he now lives in Midway, Utah.[4]
Massey was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Billiard Congress of America on April 7, 2005.[5] For 2007 he was ranked as #8 in Pool & Billiard Magazine's poll of the "Fans' Top 20 Favorite Players".[6]
In 1991, Massey took part in the inaugural World Trickshot Championship in the United Kingdom and despite not winning the event, demonstrated his skills in a special "duel" against the former World Snooker Champion Steve Davis before a live audience, hosted by TV personality Jeremy Beadle. Massey also demonstrated his ability to impart spin onto a ball with his hand, throwing cue balls from the baulk end of the 12-foot-long snooker table, which would then curve around and travel behind the black spot to pocket (snooker term: pot) a red ball placed in front of the top righthand pocket, without the cue ball touching a cushion.[7] Massey used props and illusion as an integral part of his routine, such as two balls bonded together, magic props and card tricks. In the words of the 1991 World Trickshot Champion Terry Griffiths: "I feel quite embarrassed to have won actually; Mike Massey is miles ahead of the rest of us. I think it was maybe a touch of nerves that put him off tonight."[8] Massey would go on to win the event in later years.
Massey was also notable for his ability to pick up twice as many pool balls using only one hand than anyone else, a skill he claimed had won him many bets. During the aforementioned Duel with Steve Davis, he managed to pick up 8 balls, with Davis managing to pick up 5. Massey stated that the smaller snooker balls (as compared to U.S. pool balls) made the task more difficult rather than easier. Massey was able to achieve his total of 8 balls by holding a ball between each finger, then picking up 3 more using his palm and thumb muscle.
