In this second installment of our four-part conversation with legendary cue artist Mike Massey, we continue to trace the winding road of one of the most fascinating figures in billiards history. From the highs of tournament victories to the depths of personal struggles, Mike shares his remarkable story with unflinching honesty, warmth, and humor.

We pick up in the mid-1980s, a time when Massey was rebuilding his life after personal turmoil, finding new love with his wife Francine, and embarking on a life on the road filled with pool cues, dogs, cats, and countless miles in a small Honda. Listeners will hear how he balanced the dual demands of being a competitive player and a globe-trotting entertainer, performing exhibitions that dazzled audiences and, at times, distracted from tournament success.

Mike recounts the early days of artistic pool and trick shots, when he became a pioneer of the craft, setting the standard with creativity and unmatched shot-making ability. From the famous “boot shot” to his dominance in Trick Shot Magic, he describes how exhibitions became both his livelihood and his ministry, a unique way to share his faith while entertaining crowds across the world.

Alongside co-hosts Allison Fisher, Mark Wilson and Mike Gonzalez, Mike also reflects on his experiences in Europe, where television exposure on Eurosport gave him a platform years before the U.S. audience caught on. His stories of arm-wrestling fellow pros, bench-pressing over 400 pounds at age 60, and competing against snooker greats provide a window into the colorful personality behind the legend.

This episode captures the resilience, showmanship, and pioneering spirit that made Mike Massey not only a world champion but also the greatest trick shot artist the game has ever seen.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

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Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

In this opening installment of Legends of the Cue, we sit down with one of the most colorful and compelling figures the game of pool has ever known—Mike “Tennessee Tarzan” Massey. Widely celebrated as the greatest trick shot artist of all time, Massey is also a fierce competitor, a winner of major nine-ball titles, and a Hall of Fame member whose story reaches far beyond the table.

Mike Gonzalez, Allison Fisher, and Mark Wilson guide the conversation as Massey begins to recount a remarkable life shaped by hardship, hustle, and resilience. From a turbulent childhood in Loudon, Tennessee—marked by poverty, addiction in the family, and a precocious turn to gambling—to discovering an almost instinctive gift for pool as a teenager, Massey’s early story is raw, unfiltered, and unforgettable.

Listeners will hear how, at just 17, he joined the military and found himself winning tournaments across Europe while painting murals for his battalion. From there, he hit the road, navigating the dangerous, high-stakes world of hustling in bars and backrooms across America. Along the way, he crossed paths with legendary gamblers like Titanic Thompson, faced life-threatening encounters, and endured battles with drugs that nearly consumed him.

This episode doesn’t shy away from the darker chapters of Massey’s journey, but it also sets the stage for the redemption, faith, and triumphs to come. His candid storytelling offers a rare glimpse into the hidden corners of pool’s underworld and the resilience it takes to rise from it.

Join us for Part One of this four-part series as Mike Massey begins to share his extraordinary life story—a tale of survival, transformation, and a love for the game that would ultimately define him.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”

After three episodes of stories, lessons, and unfiltered honesty, Legends of the Cue brings you the powerful conclusion to our four-part conversation with one of the most fascinating figures in cue sports: John Schmidt — the man who broke Willie Mosconi’s 65-year-old straight pool high run record.

Known to fans as “Mr. 600,” John opens up about the physical and mental toll of chasing greatness, from pounding thousands of balls a day until his body ached, to embracing fitness, nutrition, and even the right shoes and chalk as critical tools of the trade. He recalls the pivotal shift in strategy that allowed him to reach his historic 626-ball run — the humility it took to change a break shot he’d hit the same way for decades, and the lessons learned pushing past 400 into uncharted territory.

But triumph didn’t come without turbulence. John candidly shares the darker side of his achievement: the skepticism, harsh criticism, and even hostility that followed. In his words, the adoration and the animosity revealed as much about human nature as about pool itself. Through it all, he kept perspective — focusing on performance, consistency, and the ability to thrive under pressure.

The conversation also revisits Schmidt’s time representing Team USA under Captain Mark Wilson at the Mosconi Cup, the camaraderie and challenges of team competition, and the unforgettable atmosphere of playing in front of raucous European crowds. Finally, John reflects on the career “Mulligans” he’d take if given the chance, and how he truly wishes to be remembered — not only as a great player, but as a good person.

This finale delivers the wit, humility, and raw passion of a man who pushed the limits of straight pool, and himself, to the edge of history.

Give Allison, Mark & Mike some feedback via Text.

Support the show

Follow our show and/or leave a review/rating on:

Our website: https://www.legendsofthecue.com

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/legends-of-the-cue/id1820520463

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4Za0IMh2SeNaWEGUHaVcy1

Music by Lyrium.

About

"Legends of the Cue" is a pool history podcast featuring interviews with Pool Hall of Fame members, winners of major championships and other people of influence in and around pocket billiards. We also plan to highlight memorable pool brands, events and venues. Focusing on the positive aspects of the sport, we aim to create and provide an engaging and timeless repository of content that listeners can enjoy now and forever. Co-hosted by WPA and BCA Hall of Fame member Allison Fisher, Mosconi Cup player and captain Mark Wilson, our podcast focuses on telling the life stories of pool's greatest, in their voices. Join Allison, Mark and Mike Gonzalez for “Legends of the Cue.”