Just imagine representing MSU at a national collegiate event and winning third best. Even better, imagine being the favorite to win the whole thing.
For junior business major Sam Gilmer the dream is a reality. As a matter of fact, he can grasp the reality in his trophy case at Southern Billiards pool hall in downtown Starkville.
The bottle-green, brick pool hall, owned by RH Gilmer, Sam’s father, is something from a time capsule filled with an aroma of cigar smoke and aged timber. Sam, 23, plays pool like a craftsman fashioning a chapel ceiling. His command and fluidity could only be supernatural.
From side to side, his bottomless blue eyes inspect the flat emerald arena. Before five minutes have passed, only the cue ball has survived his accurate chisel.
“When I play pool, I don’t know who is in the room. I don’t hear things,” Sam Gilmer said. “It’s not that I’m trying to, but that is what I have been trained to do my whole life. Once my hand hits the table, I block everything out and concentrate on the task at hand – making the ball.”
Even in sandals, cargo shorts and a T-shirt, his actions appeared effortless. He missed few but made most. In his low raspy voice, he said he was out of practice.
The Starkville native has played pool since he was four-years-old. RH said he knew his son had a knack for pool at 11 after he took him to the Billiards Congress of America 9-ball qualifier in St. Louis.
In 9-ball, the purpose is to hit the lowest numbered ball with the cue, the white ball, without missing a pocket or scratching. The first player to pocket the 9-ball wins the game. First player to reach eight games wins.
In the finals Sam was hill-hill, or 8-8, and his opponent missed the winning shot. Sam literally leaped at the chance.
“I don’t think his feet hit the ground before he got to the table, which was 8 to 10 feet away,” RH Gilmer said. “He jumped down to shoot this ball, and I was thinking to myself, ‘Oh no, he’s gonna miss it,’ but he surprised me though because he kept his composure. He backed up, took a second and made the shot.”
At 17, Sam Gilmer won third place at BCA juniors.
At 23, after two years away from pool, Sam entered the Associations of College Union International region-6 9-Ball tournament at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He cruised with easy victories
In July, he went to the ACUI 9-Ball Championships at Illinois State University in Normal, Ill., eventually gaining status as the tournament favorite. Sam played Adam Pfeifer from Kansas State University in the early rounds, leaving quite an impression on his opponent.
“There is no doubt in my mind that Sam has the capabilities of being the world champion in the next 10 years,” he said “The kid has got a great eye and great shot making ability.”
In the double elimination tournament, Sam Gilmer only lost to one person from the field of 37 – Adam Maloney of Texas A&M 8-3 in the fourth round.
Sam Gilmer said Maloney played extremely well, but at a slow pace.
In a long game during the set, Sam Gilmer scratched right off the break and left Maloney all nine balls on the table. While Maloney shot, pool etiquette required Sam Gilmer to sit quietly to avoid being penalized for sharking or distracting.
“Players like us [Sam and Maloney] typically run out nine balls without missing,” Sam Gilmer said. “But it took him 11 minutes, and it would normally take me three minutes.”
Sam Gilmer called for a 30 second shot clock deep into the match. Maloney utilized every second available and even used his time extension of one minute per game.
“It is a game where you are trying to do anything you can to win, and he took me out of my rhythm by playing slow. It worked,” he said.
Sam Gilmer steamrolled his way through the loser’s bracket to face Maloney again in the semi finals, but faced the same issues as before, losing 8-2. He earned $250 in scholarship money for placing third.