- 4 weeks ago
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00:01Five-time snooker world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan is on the ultimate road trip with his buddy Matt Smith
00:07So do I get nickname? You're the rocket obviously. If we're gonna hustle a little bit. Yeah, I was thinking
00:13you could be the peacemaker
00:17He's visiting four very different cities on a journey of discovery. I can't believe I'm standing there with his ass
00:24Oh mate, what is going down there? No, I can't go down there. You don't want to go too near?
00:29I can't go there. I can't go there. Keep back a bit. All right, mate. That's all right
00:32Welcome Alcatraz
00:35How do you feel?
00:41What a buzz. What a buzz
00:45He's going to learn about America's great history
00:47And there is a pool and billiards connection. Really? Is there? Yeah
00:51Mark Twain. Who's it? Mark. Who's he?
00:55Don't. Mark Twain. Did you just play snooker through your youth? Is that all you did really? Yeah
01:00And it's linked with the great game of pool. So now he's holding the cue. Oh, wow
01:07What are you going for? The six?
01:09Oh, wrong. Jesus!
01:11Wow
01:12Did you try and lean on a table? Yeah
01:16That's scary
01:18He'll take on the best at their own game
01:21I'm one of the greatest athletes that's ever been born
01:24And even have a crack at the public
01:27What do you make of Ronnie? Stick to snooker
01:30Stick to snooker
01:32Just as long as nobody finds out who he is
01:35Roddy, what did you say his name was?
01:38Johnny O'Sullivan
01:40Johnny O'Sullivan? No, I've never heard of him
01:45This time it's New York
01:47Gateway to the USA
01:49Wow, look at this
01:50Eh?
01:51A destination where Ronnie and Matt will explore the birth of the great game
01:55And the setting for a showdown with a true pool legend
01:59I'm a bit nervous
02:01Should be
02:02I'm a bit nervous
02:02Yeah, well that's good
02:04Yeah, well, I don't know, is it?
02:06Yeah
02:12New York
02:13Home to eight and a half million people
02:15To navigate these busy streets
02:17The boys are going to need something a little bit special
02:19A classic yellow taxi
02:21Although these two look a bit more DeVito than De Niro
02:26What do you reckon?
02:27This is a peach
02:28Beauty, isn't it?
02:29This is the car you would think of, wouldn't you?
02:31If you thought as a kid growing up New York taxi
02:34That's what's in your mind, isn't it?
02:35Yeah, lovely
02:36You want to drive first or me?
02:37Come on, I'll get in, yeah
02:38Come on, you jump in
02:42Let's go
02:43What do you think?
02:44Nice
02:46How do we start this thing up here?
02:47Shall we go for it?
02:48Yeah
02:48See the old thing on?
02:49Here we go
02:50Wow
02:51What's this here now?
02:52Well, I think if we can
02:53Look, we're open for business
02:54That's the meat of running
02:55Let's see if you can get it to move
02:57Is there a handbrake here?
02:58I don't think so
02:59No handbrake?
03:00You're on the foot brake, aren't you?
03:01There you go
03:02New York, here we come
03:04This is going to be fun, mate, I'm telling you
03:10These iconic checker cabs
03:12Cruised the streets of New York for over 60 years
03:15Until they collected their last fares in the early 80s
03:20What's the mileage on it?
03:21Has it done a few?
03:225,410 genuine miles
03:25Yeah, I suspect that's perhaps on the second or third or more
03:28Yeah
03:29Way round, don't you?
03:31Absolutely
03:31Absolutely
03:33They might be here to learn about the great game of pool
03:36But when you're in a city like this
03:38It's difficult not to get distracted
03:40Look at them
03:41You're not going to build in here
03:42I know
03:42What are these?
03:44I don't know, mate
03:45What are they?
03:46I don't know
03:47I think this is the posh park
03:48Yeah
03:49This is where Jay-Z stays
03:50Is it?
03:51Yeah
03:53What's the longest running stage show in New York?
03:59Chicago
04:00No
04:00Right
04:01Think of another famous West End Broadway show
04:06It's been around a long time
04:07Not Les Miserable
04:09Not
04:09I don't know how to pronounce that
04:11New linguist
04:12Les Miserables
04:13Les Miserables
04:15No
04:15There it is
04:15I ain't got a clue
04:17Phantom of the Opera
04:18Oh, Phantom of the Opera
04:19Yeah
04:21Well, the adventure has begun, right?
04:23Yeah
04:23It's good
04:24Yeah, I'm loving it
04:24We're on the way
04:25Yeah
04:27For 75 years between 1899 and 1974
04:31Manhattan's skyline boasted the tallest skyscrapers in the world
04:35So it's not hard to get a different perspective on the city
04:38If you've got the stomach for it
04:42All right, mate, we're stopped
04:44Oh, God, let me get over that line
04:46Oh, oh
04:48Wow
04:48Blimey, mate
04:49Jesus
04:49Oh, bloody hell, what is over there?
04:52What is over there?
04:53Oh, blimey
04:54Empire State Building
04:54Oh, mate
04:55Eh?
04:56Can I stand a bit further back?
04:59So we're on the 70th floor
05:01Yeah
05:01Are you all right now?
05:02Are you here?
05:03Or does it even this?
05:04I'm right, yeah, yeah, yeah
05:04I'm not too bad
05:05I don't mind being here
05:06It's just I don't mind being in lifts
05:07Especially because I think they're just like
05:08Some of the cables are going to break
05:10Is that what you're going to free for?
05:12Yeah, I'll get a bit like that
05:13In planes as well
05:13I just feel like they're just going to fall out of the sky
05:15And I've had to like
05:18Either have a few drinks or play a game
05:20Just to get myself through it
05:21Yeah
05:21I mean, I remember getting trained to Germany
05:23It took me 14 hours
05:25Like, to play the snooks all
05:27I thought, I can't be doing this every tournament
05:29No
05:29So, there's a game called Flappy Birds
05:32That kind of cures me with my flight
05:34Really?
05:34Yeah, when I take off or land
05:36There was any bit of trouble
05:37I just go to Flappy Birds
05:38And I'm sorted
05:39And I've done all flying courses
05:40And all that
05:41And none of them work
05:42They made me worse
05:43Really?
05:43Because there's more information
05:44About what's going on up here
05:45I just wanted to be naive
05:47So Flappy Birds
05:47Yeah, yeah
05:48So Flappy Birds has sorted me out
05:50Unbelievable
05:50Look at that
05:51Eh?
05:52Look at that
05:53Wow, I'm glad these are
05:55It's like looking at New York for the moon
05:57It is
05:58It's ridiculous
05:59It actually feels like you're on a plane
06:01That's even bigger
06:02Huh?
06:03I think this one's even bigger
06:04That's even bigger
06:04Yeah
06:05We want to go on that one
06:07Oh, mate
06:07What is going down there?
06:09Matt, I can't go down there
06:10You don't want to go too near?
06:11I can't go there
06:12Keep back a bit
06:13All right, mate
06:13That's all right
06:13I can't do that
06:14I just want to show you the park
06:15I can see the park, yeah
06:17You can see it from here?
06:18Yeah
06:19I can't go there, mate
06:20No?
06:20Okay
06:20No
06:21There is another
06:22There is another
06:22No, okay
06:23I don't know
06:24I'm just too narrow
06:24All right, mate
06:25Whoa
06:27Now somewhat uncomfortably acquainted with the place
06:30Ronnie and Matt are heading to the first stop on their pool odyssey
06:34So you're looking forward to playing a bit of pool?
06:36Yeah, I can't wait
06:37Yeah, I'm looking forward to it
06:38Obviously, you know
06:38It's not my game
06:39But I can adapt
06:41For sure you can adapt, mate
06:43I'm confident
06:44Before I'd ever even played the game
06:46I kind of had no respect for it
06:47Because I thought they're big pockets
06:48It's easy to put
06:49Yeah
06:50But then once I started to play them
06:51Like, guys were beating me
06:52I thought, you know what?
06:53There's a real skill to this
06:54There's an art to everything
06:55That day made me realise
06:57There's an art to even the game
06:58That I had no respect for
07:03Waiting for them across town
07:05Is pool hall legend
07:07Danny the Kid Delicious
07:10From coast to coast
07:11He's hustled across America
07:13For the last 25 years
07:19Danny?
07:20How you doing, my friend?
07:21Matt?
07:21Matt?
07:22Ronnie?
07:22How you doing?
07:23Pleasure to meet you guys
07:24Danny, what's the surname?
07:25Uh, Kid Delicious
07:26Okay, Kid Delicious
07:28So you've been a hustler?
07:29That's what I've done most of my life
07:31In my teens
07:33They was, uh
07:34As my game started coming up
07:36There was a lot of guys telling me
07:40To not go pro first
07:42Yeah
07:42Because there was millions of dollars
07:44To be won
07:45First gambling
07:47I won $100,000
07:49In the night
07:51Wow
07:51In Philadelphia
07:53I actually had to beat
07:55Four guys in a row
07:57I only came in that place
07:59With about $4,000 or $5,000
08:03The Kid's break is one of the best outfits
08:06And he's agreed to share its secret
08:08With the Rocket
08:10There's a lot of tricks
08:11With the spaces and the rack
08:13Okay
08:14That I've taught guys
08:16For large amounts of money
08:18In my life
08:18If you can't break consistent
08:21You've got no chance
08:23Against a top premier player
08:24Most people don't realize
08:26How valuable it really is
08:29Delicious plays nine ball
08:30Wrapped in the distinctive diamond formation
08:33I call it the Kid Delicious L track
08:36Yeah
08:37All you need is the one, eight, nine, six
08:43If they're touching
08:44That ball's going in
08:46Really?
08:46Okay
08:46I might hold the one ball
08:48Push it just a little bit
08:50Into the next two
08:51And just a little tap
08:52And that will make the one ball
08:55Touch the six and the eight
08:57I consistently from this side
08:59Will make this ball
09:00In that pocket
09:06The one ball
09:06Look at the one ball, Danny
09:07You did hit more to the right of the one
09:10Too much
09:11Maybe a little too much
09:13But if you notice
09:14You did make the corner ball
09:16Once you get that consistent
09:18You'll start making the corner ball every time
09:23Breaking big is one thing
09:25But there's a lot more to hustling
09:26Than just shooting pool
09:28So I'm going to be trying to do
09:29Doing a bit of hustling while we're here
09:31Anything you can give me
09:32To take while my travels
09:33It seems like you want to win
09:35If you're playing 50 a game
09:36You want to win two games
09:37And then let them win one
09:39Yeah, yeah
09:39Because sometimes when a guy gets even
09:42That's when they
09:42It allows them to walk
09:45So keeping a guy stuck
09:47Is so much more value
09:49You need the killer instinct
09:50Keep him in debt
09:51Keep the foot on his neck
09:53You've got to keep your foot
09:54On his tail
09:55Exactly
09:56All right
09:56Sounds like we've got a chance
09:57To get around his country
09:58Not going home broke, mate
10:00Thanks for all the tips, man
10:01Thanks for real education
10:02Absolutely
10:03And any other help you need
10:04You know, don't be afraid to fall
10:07The kid's advice might come in handy
10:09On this trip
10:10But how does he think
10:11Ronnie will get on
10:12Against the seasoned American pool hustlers?
10:16I 100% believe that if me and him
10:19Played for like $10,000
10:21That I would beat him
10:23Playing him in a match
10:27100%
10:27It would be a very tough match
10:29I would have my hands full
10:31But I think that I would come out on time
10:34Whilst it might be tempting to find out
10:36If the kid can back up those claims
10:37The boys need to make tracks
10:39They've got places to visit
10:40And people to see
10:42Including a boat trip
10:43That's got Ronnie thinking
10:44For me, you know
10:46It touched a lot for me
10:47You know
10:48Because I wouldn't have been here
10:49If England would have let immigrants in
10:57Ronnie O'Sullivan and pal Matt Smith
10:59Are up early for the next step
11:01Of their epic American adventure
11:03And today
11:04They're catching the ferry
11:06Like thousands of tourists every day
11:08They are off to visit
11:09New York's iconic Ellis Island
11:13For hundreds of years
11:15People from across the world
11:16Have flocked to this city
11:18Each bringing with them
11:19Their own unique gifts
11:20Including the great game of pool
11:24Latenzi, latanzi
11:26Latanzio
11:27Descended from Irish and Sicilian immigrants
11:30Ronnie might well have had
11:31Some distant relatives pass through here
11:33Though narrowing them down
11:34Could be tricky
11:35With more than 7,000 O'Sullivans on record
11:39There's the O'Sullivan family
11:41Good few O'Sullivans though
11:43Dennis and Hannah
11:45James, Kathleen
11:47Two
11:48Oh, there's a few Irish
11:50Yeah
11:5240% of modern Americans
11:55Can trace an ancestor back here
11:56To Ellis Island
11:57Between 1892 and 1954
11:59This was the gateway to the United States
12:02For at least 12 million people
12:06Hi
12:06Hi
12:07Matt
12:07Peter
12:08Ronnie
12:09Nice to meet you
12:10Nice to meet you
12:10Good, good
12:11Cool, cool, cool
12:12Where are we?
12:13So this is the baggage room here at Ellis Island
12:16So this is it?
12:17This is where people landed?
12:19Absolutely
12:19Immigrants
12:20When they arrived here
12:21They would drop off their bags
12:22And then they would be ushered
12:24Up the stairs
12:24To the Great Hall
12:25How many people came through here
12:26Every day?
12:28Every year?
12:29About 5,000 people a day
12:30Wow
12:3112 million people
12:32During the peak immigration years
12:33Oh my word
12:34So it was
12:36Absolutely rammed here
12:37Absolutely
12:38It would have been much more bustling
12:39At this time of the day
12:40Yeah
12:40So you drop your bags
12:42A bit like the airport
12:42And then you go and find out
12:43If you can come into America
12:45Absolutely
12:46In a couple of hours
12:47They'll determine your fate
12:48A staircase similar to this
12:51100 years ago
12:51Would have provided
12:52Inspectors with a 360 degree view
12:55Of how healthy immigrants were
12:58So they're looking for
13:00Shortness of breath
13:01They're looking for abnormal pains
13:03Movements
13:04They had an opportunity
13:05To ask you about
13:07Nine or ten different questions
13:09Relying on this piece of paper alone
13:11They would
13:12So your fate was in this person's hand?
13:14Yes
13:14That's sometimes where we
13:16Like the look of you or
13:18When you were heading up those stairs
13:19If they believed
13:20There was something wrong with you
13:22They would use a piece of chalk
13:23To inscribe what they thought you had
13:25On your inner shoulder
13:26Gosh
13:27And here we are
13:27Look
13:28This is
13:28This is a person's life
13:30Pretty much
13:31Right here
13:32Isn't it
13:32Yeah
13:32Determined by
13:33Three dozen steps
13:35I am going to
13:37New York
13:38You're through
13:39So at this point
13:40This was the staircase
13:41Everybody wanted
13:42What's happening to me
13:43Oh you're in trouble
13:46Wait
13:47Where's he going?
13:48You're headed
13:49To additional medical
13:51Or legal detention
13:52And where would I go?
13:53You're going to a city
13:54Outside of New York
13:56So they would direct you
13:57To the train ticketing office
13:59Yeah
14:00And then there would be
14:00Another ferry
14:01That would take you over
14:02To Jersey City
14:03To your final destination
14:05Wow
14:07All right
14:08Here we go fellas
14:09Nice to have known you
14:11Catch you in a week Matt
14:12I don't want to go through this door
14:18Despite the daunting inspection process
14:21Most of the hopefuls
14:22Who passed through here
14:23Were successful
14:24With only 2%
14:25Getting turned away
14:26I think that's kind of
14:28What New York's about
14:30It's a place of positivity
14:32And I think that
14:33Through the families
14:34That first come here
14:35They fed their kids
14:37With that positivity
14:38That you know
14:38We fought hard to get here
14:40And my nan and grandad
14:42Were immigrants
14:43Coming from Sicily
14:44To England
14:44And my mum
14:46She's like that
14:46She know
14:47Every penny count
14:47She won't throw a bit of food away
14:49And I just think
14:50You know
14:50A lot of
14:51The English culture
14:52We're just
14:53We're not like that
14:54You know
14:55So for me
14:56You know
14:56It touched a lot for me
14:57You know
14:58Because I wouldn't have been here
14:59If England
15:00Would have let immigrants in
15:02And then you get off the boat
15:03You get your thing
15:04And then all of a sudden
15:05This is your like
15:06It's what you're coming to
15:07Yeah
15:09Buzz eh
15:10What a buzz
15:15This city
15:16Was built
15:17By its overseas settlers
15:18A tradition
15:19That continues today
15:21At least a third
15:22Of all New Yorkers
15:23Come from outside the USA
15:24Have a guess
15:25How many languages
15:26It says are spoken
15:27In New York
15:28Erm
15:28I'm guessing
15:29I'm guessing
15:3155
15:3255
15:33That's a good guess
15:34Is it
15:34More than 800
15:35Are you serious
15:37Yeah
15:37800 languages
15:38I know
15:38Wow
15:39That tells you what kind of melting pot we're in
15:41Doesn't it
15:41Mentally
15:44Ooh la la la
15:46I'm hungry
15:48I need some food
15:52New York boasts upwards of 20,000 restaurants
15:56Serving food from at least 300 countries across the globe
15:59So naturally
16:01The boys have decided to eat
16:03Here
16:05Lunchtime in New York mate
16:06Hot dogs
16:07This is what we do
16:08Yes please
16:09What's your special
16:12Chilli cheese dog
16:13Can I have just
16:14No
16:14I don't want no cheese
16:16Just two chili dogs
16:18Plenty of chili
16:20Wow
16:23Beautiful
16:26You having that one?
16:27No that's yours
16:28Sure
16:29Yeah
16:29I'm having onions
16:31No onions?
16:33Yeah yeah please
16:34Yeah why not
16:35Thank you
16:39Yes Ronald
16:41That's got your name on it
16:42Thank you very much
16:42Top down
16:43Another one please boss
16:49Yeah
16:51I've got a feeling you might not be having one
16:54I'll have another one
16:55Thank you my friend
16:58Thank you so much
16:59To you
16:59Thank you very much
17:00Let me see
17:04Are you good?
17:06Yeah
17:07You sure?
17:11I like the chili sauce
17:12I have ten more
17:15I'm joking
17:16Oh no I was hoping he was going to save me a bit of his one
17:19Because I know Matt's on a bit of a health conscious
17:21Out running jogging
17:23I thought I might have got half of his hot dog there
17:25Oh no sense
17:26It was that nice
17:28It would be demolished it
17:29Total clearance
17:37With the chili sauce still dancing on their taste buds
17:39Ronnie and Matt are off to try their hand
17:42At one of Paul's early predecessors
17:48Hey
17:49Ira
17:49Matt
17:50Ira
17:51Matt, Ronnie
17:51Ira how you doing
17:52You all right?
17:53Hey welcome to Karam Cafe
17:54Yeah this is probably the best place to play three cushion in the country
17:58I can believe that can't you?
18:00Yeah
18:11It's amazing
18:12Karam billiards is better known as three cushion
18:15So called because points are scored by hitting
18:17Or karamming your cue ball into the other two balls
18:20Using at least three cushions
18:22Yeah
18:23Two cue balls
18:24One of us will play with the white ball
18:25Yeah
18:26One of us will play with the yellow ball
18:27But before you hit the second ball
18:28You have to have at least hit three cushions
18:30Yeah
18:30And the other ball
18:31The game is all about patterns
18:33You'll see
18:33You'll start seeing
18:40So there's
18:42Situation where you're hitting all the cushions first
18:43And this is an old game
18:45This is older than pool
18:46It started out as a lawn game
18:48Yeah
18:48I mean billiards right
18:49As you know
18:50And then the French removed the pockets
18:53Yeah
18:53And then the English colonies
18:55They kept the pockets
18:56Made the table bigger
18:57Right
18:57Yeah
18:58That's how we got snooker
18:59And that's how we got snooker
19:01One
19:02Two
19:02Three
19:03Four
19:03And red
19:04Is that going to make it?
19:07Wow
19:07Wow
19:08I can't believe that
19:09It is as well
19:10Incredible
19:11Believe it
19:19It looks easy
19:20It's not
19:25Ronnie's got it figured out
19:28Oh
19:30Yeah
19:36And this is a position shot
19:37Because look
19:38Look what happens
19:39You almost create the same shot
19:40Right
19:40That feels so good
19:42That was beautiful
19:42That feels so good
19:43It's also getting used to the speed of the table
19:46Absolutely
19:46Yeah
19:47What you think of the game mate?
19:48I love it
19:49See ya
19:49I love it
19:52Wow
19:52I like that
19:54I like that
19:56Wait a minute
19:56Here's a kiss
19:57Oh
19:57It's helped
19:58Oh
19:59When you play a good shot here
20:00You kind of have to wait for the white to come round before it hits the ball
20:03And you're like
20:04Am I going to get it?
20:05And as it's coming around getting it
20:06You kind of get this like
20:07The joy lasts for longer
20:09Whereas in snooker
20:10When you hit a ball
20:11You know instantly
20:11Once it's left your cue
20:13Wow
20:13That's in
20:14I've hit that well
20:15That's perfect
20:16Oh
20:16Yes
20:17Baby baby baby baby
20:19Yes
20:19Touched
20:20You made it
20:21Good game
20:21I love the game
20:23What a game
20:24I got such pleasure out of this
20:26Yeah I did yeah
20:28Who'd have thought Ronnie would be so happy without potting a single ball
20:32Hopefully he'll still be smiling when he finally gets to try a little hustling of his own
20:36Wait you say you're going to steal my money?
20:39It's not easy to hustle man
20:42It's not easy to hustle
20:49Back on the road
20:50Ronnie and Matt are continuing their hustling education
20:54But on these streets
20:55It's not just pool players who are out to make a profit from their skills
21:01New Yorkers love basketball
21:03A game with its fair share of sharks
21:05And if you want some action
21:06Then it's not hard to find
21:11You up for a game now?
21:12Yeah we'll have a little
21:12Are we going to get a few baskets?
21:14I think we'll try
21:14Maybe when these boys are finished
21:16They'll let us have a turn
21:18I don't think we want to be hustling these guys though do we?
21:21No
21:22Any space for a couple of idiots from England?
21:25Yeah definitely
21:25We haven't got much of a clue
21:27This is Ronnie
21:28I'm Matt
21:29How you doing?
21:29Nice to meet you
21:30How are you?
21:31We'd like a couple of tips
21:32And we're going to play
21:33A little game against each other for dinner
21:36From the free throw line
21:37Is that alright?
21:38That's perfect
21:40Aye aye
21:41Oh
21:41Break it up
21:42Break it up for you
21:44From lower
21:45Lower
21:50Like this
21:51And there you go
21:52There you go
21:53That's a worry to me
21:54That's a worry
21:56So bend the knees
21:57Straightening up
21:57Yeah?
22:07Unlucky Ron
22:08Unlucky
22:09Unlucky
22:09I was glad to see that one missed
22:29Thanks for the time and the tips guys
22:31I don't think we're threatening any kind of string and hustle any time soon
22:34We'll be back
22:35We'll be back
22:39Fortunately for Ronnie
22:40It's not basketball
22:41He's here to hustle
22:42Let's hope his pool game
22:43Is in better shape than his free throws
22:48Did you play a bit of pool as a kid?
22:50I had to start a pool
22:51Because I was so small
22:52When I first started
22:52I started on a 6x3 table
22:54I was only about 7
22:55So yeah
22:55I grew up playing pool really
22:57In the pub
22:57You know
22:57When my dad had played football on the weekends
22:59Used to get on a pool table
23:00And take on a few of the adult lads
23:02Yeah
23:03So I've done a lot of my learning playing pool
23:05Like reds and yellows
23:06Eight ball pool
23:07And that was my favourite game
23:08When I first started
23:09Snooker
23:09It really interests me
23:10I just wanted to pop balls
23:13Heading across to New Jersey
23:14The boys are about to experience
23:16One of Paul's hidden gems
23:19Black billiards started out in 1923
23:22At the height of America's pool booth
23:24Back then
23:25There were more than 2,000 billiard halls
23:27Across the city
23:29After you squire
23:30Come on mate
23:30And they all needed to get their tables
23:32From somewhere
23:33Wow
23:33Look at this
23:34Hey
23:36Oh
23:36It's a bit like the garage at your house isn't it?
23:39I'm loving this
23:41My garage yeah
23:43Wow
23:44Wow
23:44Look at this
23:45Mini one
23:45Look at this little mini one
23:47Huh
23:48This is the ones they say that are curved legs
23:50Whenever you see a curved leg snooker table
23:52And you see this
23:53I'm guessing this is worth money
23:55Yeah
23:55If I was on Storage Hunters now
23:57I'd be going
23:58This is worth money
24:00This is in the bin
24:01I want this bin
24:03This is in the bin
24:03I'm having this bin
24:04I'm going with this one
24:05And then you'd have heavy D going
24:07500 pound monkey
24:09Urgh
24:10But I'd have to beat him for that
24:12I'm guessing this is worth money
24:13Hey guys
24:13Hey, how you doing?
24:15Welcome to Black Players
24:16Nice to meet you
24:16Brian, I'm Jeff
24:17Jeff, nice to meet you
24:18Jeff, Ronnie, Matt
24:19Nice to meet you guys
24:20A lot of the old tables have the patent dates on them
24:23Yeah
24:23So you can see roughly 1875, 1878
24:27And this is a really rare one because these were all cast iron
24:31And they melted them down for the war
24:32Did they really?
24:33Yes, there's not many of these left
24:35How much would a table like this cost?
24:38You know, it really all depends how far you want to take the restoration
24:41You're in the upwards of $45,000
24:44This is memory lane of the antique pool tables
24:47Really?
24:47So all these tables are different
24:49They're all one of a kinds
24:51You know, here's one right here
24:52You can take a look at this
24:54You can see the patent dates right here
24:57You know, you got H.W. Collender, 1875 on there
25:01That's original
25:01In the early days, you know, in the late 1800s, 1920s
25:06At that time, pool was the primary sport of entertainment
25:08That was the entertainment
25:09They'd go to the pool halls and the bars and the parlors
25:12And everybody would hang out there
25:13There wasn't the TV or the internet
25:15And that was a form of recreation
25:17And then Hoffman
25:18So this is a black billiards table
25:21This table actually belongs to Dustin Hoffman
25:24Is this a Dustin Hoffman? What? He owns this?
25:26Yeah, this is his table
25:27It's for sale
25:28It's a consignment table
25:29It's for sale?
25:30Yeah
25:30So little Dustin was down here knocking them in, Ron
25:33Knocking a few balls in, mate
25:34And this one?
25:35Oh, hang on a minute
25:36This is a snooker table
25:36This is a snooker table
25:37Is this a 12x6?
25:39No
25:39No, it's not quite a six
25:40Ten, that's a ten foot, yeah?
25:42Yeah
25:42I love ten foot
25:43This is, to me, this is like
25:44This is home for me
25:45You know, when I start feeling this type of cloth
25:47This just came from London?
25:48Yeah
25:48It's an antique table
25:49So we reworked the frame on the inside
25:52When you feel the cloth, you feel the nap
25:54Don't you?
25:55Yeah, yeah
25:55One way smooths, the other way pulls
25:56You don't feel it so much on the pool table
25:58That's got no nap at all, mate
25:59It hasn't
26:00That is just like
26:01It feels the same both ways
26:02Different, different style
26:03This is like velvet
26:04This is more like
26:06I don't know
26:06So, and what's the difference in
26:08Well, this just keeps running and running
26:10This you can get a bit of
26:11This is a completely different
26:12Yeah
26:13Yeah, I mean, it's like
26:14It's like chalk and cheese, really
26:16For me to go from here to there
26:17I'm like, I'm lost
26:19A bit at sea
26:19I need like a sat-nav to get around that table
26:23So here we are guys
26:24These are where the tables are being made
26:26Wow
26:27Each table in different steps right here
26:29Once the frames are all clamped on and dried
26:31We bring them to the table
26:32And then this will all get waxed over
26:36Originally they used to do plaster on here
26:38But the plaster would chip
26:39Yeah
26:39The wax is much more forgiving
26:40Oh, so they do wax now
26:42These wax
26:43Oh, I'll have to tell my table for when it gets down
26:45I don't know polyfill
26:46I want beeswax
26:47Yeah
26:47Sometimes when I play on the table
26:48We get like a ball roll over
26:51And it will go off the slate line
26:54Which is not good
26:55Right here
26:55Well that's the wax
26:56And I'm talking about professional tournaments
26:58I've seen players like roll behind the yellow
27:01And it's like a guarantee
27:03You can't fail
27:03But when it's hit the slate line
27:04It's done a little thing like that
27:05And it's just like
27:06It's rolled back on itself
27:07Yeah, and that's because they're not using the beeswax
27:10Is that it?
27:11Wow
27:11I think you mean it
27:12You've got to hold on to it
27:13I love that
27:14Yeah
27:15There you go
27:15That's good
27:16Is it here?
27:17Done
27:17You've got four
27:18You've got one here
27:19Another one, another two over there
27:20This is great
27:25I think we'll have to replace them after Ryan
27:31He was doing it for a while
27:32So now this will lift off
27:34Yeah, so we can lift this one
27:35Have we got it in us to lift it or?
27:37Well I've got a bad back
27:38So what we'll do is we'll lift it and we can just
27:40Put it there
27:41Put it there
27:41Between the three of us
27:43That is heavy, that is heavy
27:43Ready?
27:44One, two, three
27:44Wow
27:51That's heavy
27:51Wow, this is the subways
27:54I love it
27:55So here's your subway system
27:57This is your ball box
27:59Yeah
27:59Isn't that nice?
28:01Your ball box
28:01Yeah, so this is where the balls
28:02Put your balls in there
28:04Yeah, so we're playing a game here
28:06The ball drops in
28:07Balls down
28:08He goes into the box
28:10On a bit of carpet
28:11The money shot
28:11The money shot
28:11Look at it there
28:13Wow
28:13Fantastic
28:15Tricks of the trade
28:15Yeah, absolutely
28:16You've learned something today mate
28:17Yeah
28:18Yeah
28:18In the 1920s
28:20These tables were played on by people from all walks of life
28:23But nowadays they've become the preserve of the rich and famous
28:26Selling for as much as $100,000
28:34Back on the streets and it's about time Ronnie tried his hand at hustling
28:39An experience he's not entirely unfamiliar with
28:43So have you ever been hustled?
28:45Has anyone ever taken you for a ride?
28:48Take your money?
28:49Errr
28:49I've lost money
28:51There's a game called points
28:53Oh
28:54And if you play the pound of point
28:55If I made a mistake and the guy made a hundred break
28:58Then I'd have to give him a hundred pounds
29:00And I was only 14
29:01Right
29:02But they were like
29:03One of them was a pro
29:04One of them was a top amateur
29:06And I was better than them
29:07Which was quite weird in a way
29:09Okay
29:09But what they were doing was
29:11The guy who was going before me
29:13Was just tying me up
29:14He weren't even interested in making a point
29:16He weren't even taking a risk
29:18He's like as long as I don't let Ronnie pop
29:19So every time he put me in trouble
29:21I thought I've got to try and pop something
29:23Do you know what they call that?
29:24Two friends and a stranger?
29:25Yeah that's what I was
29:26And I was a stranger
29:26And I got dumb
29:27So the one guy isn't interested in beating you
29:29He's interested in making it hard for you
29:31Yeah
29:31And the next guy takes your money
29:32And they've done me out like I couldn't
29:33And they spent the money on
29:34Yeah
29:36At last
29:36It's Ronnie's chance to see if he's got what it takes
29:39To cut it as a hustler
29:40Under the pretense of some documentary filming
29:43The boys are sizing up the opposition
29:46Although Ronnie
29:47Doesn't seem too confident
29:49Have you told this fellow that I'm going to hustle or something?
29:53Huh?
29:55Not even the owner here?
29:55No
29:56So that guy there, Jane got a clue?
29:58Well we're
29:58Well we're
29:59Really?
30:00So if I lose the $200
30:02That's it
30:02I'm
30:03Of course
30:06We ain't losing no $200
30:09We ain't losing no $200
30:10What if he says no?
30:12Well what can we do?
30:12We can't force him
30:13Are you going on your own or what?
30:15Yeah
30:16Go on
30:16Probably better if you just
30:18Should I go on my own?
30:19Yeah I do on my own
30:21Yeah
30:21I'm a bit nervous
30:22You should be
30:23I'm a bit nervous
30:23Yeah well that's good
30:25Yeah well I don't know is it?
30:27Yeah
30:32Sure
30:34Yeah?
30:34You want to play something?
30:36Yeah you want to play yeah?
30:37Right here?
30:38Yeah
30:38You want to make it a race to three yeah?
30:40Yeah
30:41Your break
30:42What do you want to pay? $10?
30:44What?
30:44$10?
30:45I don't gamble
30:46You don't gamble?
30:47No
30:47Why?
30:48Because it's a sin to steal
30:49To steal?
30:51What are you saying?
30:52You're going to steal my money?
30:55Not a great start
30:57A pool player who doesn't gamble
31:00Undeterred
31:00Ronnie sets about softening up his target for another go
31:04Sure
31:13Rolled off
31:17Oh
31:19Ronnie's doing his best to lull this guy
31:21Into a false sense of security
31:23Although it's not easy
31:24When he misses shot
31:26Oh
31:26Like that
31:27You're down with me isn't you?
31:33Roll that
31:34Roll that
31:37The table's not straight
31:41It's not easy to hustle man
31:42No
31:43It's not easy to hustle
31:45Ronnie's sticking at it
31:46And his opponent seems to be relaxing
31:49Could the hustle still be on for the rocket?
31:51Great shot
31:52Wow
31:59Wow
32:04After two frames
32:05And some of the worst pull he's ever played
32:07Ronnie's patience appears to be wearing thin
32:10Wow
32:11So you're $10 up yeah?
32:14What's up?
32:14I said you're $10 up
32:15I don't gamble
32:16You don't want to gamble?
32:17I don't gamble
32:20Basically he missed every ball in the first two deliberately
32:23Just to sort of like
32:24Let him think that he can't lose
32:26And then I said like
32:28I'll give you that set
32:29But do you want to gamble?
32:30And the next one
32:30He's like no I don't gamble
32:32It's against money
32:32I can't gamble
32:33I said what do you mean you don't gamble?
32:34He said I just don't gamble
32:36So I just thought I might just start potting a few
32:38So I'm just going to try and just stretch them up
32:43Yeah
32:44You gotta stop
32:47No
32:49Stop
32:50Stop
32:50Stop
32:51Stop
32:52Stop
32:52Stop
33:10I got lucky.
33:11I got lucky.
33:12Two off.
33:18Oh, there's a goalkeeper in there.
33:38Yeah, good game, mate.
33:40Good game.
33:41Appreciate it.
33:42That was good.
33:42I normally don't get beat as badly as that.
33:45That's an excellent player, the gentleman I played.
33:48His name's Ronnie.
33:50Okay.
33:51Ronnie O'Sullivan.
33:52Does that ring any bells?
33:54No.
33:55He's won the World Snooker Championship five times.
34:00I'm not surprised.
34:02Five times.
34:02I'm not surprised.
34:04And he wants to gamble with me?
34:06So maybe I was coming on a bit strong too soon, maybe.
34:09Maybe I was a bit too eager to pay for money straight away.
34:12Maybe, yeah.
34:13But, I mean, I ain't got all day.
34:16I've got to try and make some money.
34:17And next time, we'll keep going.
34:20Hustling might not come easy to the Rocket, but at least he's been able to pick up some valuable practice
34:24for his most daunting test yet.
34:27A showdown against a legend.
34:29Earl the Pearl Strickland.
34:34Back in New York, Ronnie O'Sullivan and best mate Matt Smith continue their pool education with a trip to face
34:41Earl the Pearl Strickland, one of the best players in the history of the game.
34:44Something Ronnie knows all too well.
34:47He doesn't like losing at anything.
34:50I've never known anyone to want something so bad as him.
34:52He's a natural competitor.
34:54He just lives for Paul.
34:55Really?
34:56He's a bit like Alex Higgins in that way.
34:58Alex Higgins reminded me of that.
34:59He was just, he played the game for the love of the game.
35:01Yeah.
35:01It was like, it wasn't about the politics or this and that.
35:04They were just kind of, they were street fighters.
35:06And Earl the Pearl is a street fighter.
35:08So he's an intimidating character.
35:11Is he?
35:12Yeah, he intimidated me when I first met him.
35:14And I kind of had to let him know that he wasn't going to intimidate me.
35:18Even though he was better than me at court, I thought I've got to let him know that, you know
35:20what, I ain't going to be bullied about it either.
35:22And we kind of got on well after that.
35:26Six-time world champ Earl still shoots Paul at his local hall in Queens.
35:30This place is like the Pearl's front room.
35:34Playing him here is a daunting prospect.
35:36And he's keen to make sure everyone knows who's boss.
35:40Hey, Ronnie.
35:41How?
35:41Last time I saw you was in Reno.
35:43That's right, yeah.
35:44Remember?
35:45Yeah.
35:45IPT.
35:46Reno, Nevada.
35:47You've teached me how to break.
35:48I smartened you up.
35:50Believe me, it was good that he ran into me.
35:53It was meant to be.
35:55Okay.
35:55Because I smartened him up to keep on punishing those guys a little longer.
35:59And then I got these fingers now.
36:01Yeah.
36:02Yeah, what are they?
36:03These things are genius.
36:05They really are.
36:05What happens as you get older, he can't stay still no more.
36:09That's Steve Davis.
36:10He knows.
36:11I bet you Steve knows, don't he?
36:12How do you talk to him lately?
36:13It's hard now.
36:14Yeah, and I'm saying he can't stay still no more.
36:16No, no, no.
36:17That's what happens, you know.
36:18There's people making millions of dollars that can't even tie my shoes, I'm telling you.
36:23I'm one of the greatest athletes that's ever been born.
36:29Earl certainly talks the talk.
36:31Now it's time to see if he can back it up in a race to seven frames.
36:42I didn't think that was it.
36:44I'm surprised it went.
36:45It's as goofy as the table is.
36:48All right.
36:49Ronnie's off to a flyer.
36:51It seems like he can't miss.
37:03I didn't play very good in here.
37:14At 3-1, the rocket seems unstoppable.
37:18Can't stop making balls on the break.
37:21Strickland's struggling.
37:23A fact he's not afraid to share.
37:25I'm old now, I guess.
37:27So, there are better tables, though, the ones over there.
37:31I don't play good on this.
37:34I just can't believe how slow this table is.
37:39Yeah, yeah.
37:40Great job.
37:42It's too difficult, I'm telling you.
37:44These conditions have got me.
37:46I can't, it's, it's, it's...
37:48It's just not quite right for you.
37:51Earl doesn't seem happy with anything, but despite his complaints, the New Yorker is hanging on, and it's 3-2.
37:59Nice.
38:00He's still got it, boy.
38:01He's still got it.
38:03Yeah, I made one.
38:04Look at that, I missed it on and made one.
38:07Oh, that's played well.
38:20Ronnie's clearing everything in sight and makes it 4-2.
38:23But is there a danger Earl's antics could get under the skin of the snooker pro?
38:29I thought I was playing good, but I'm playing terrible.
38:31The conditions are tough, though.
38:33Yeah, yeah, you said, yeah.
38:34I play in here all the time.
38:36It's a tough place.
38:39It stays wet, like, can't you feel how damp it is in here?
38:44I can't win, no way.
38:46What?
38:47I just can't play.
38:49It's stupid what the table's doing to me.
38:52With the table set for another clearance, Ronnie's only three shots away from making it 5-2.
39:01Oh, opportunity knocks.
39:03I tell you, this still ain't easy, though, because I've got to get that ball, get over there.
39:09You know how hard this is to do?
39:10It's like impossible.
39:13But for Earl, it seems impossible isn't entirely out of the question.
39:26What's up?
39:27He's in stroke now.
39:29He's in stroke now.
39:30He is, yeah.
39:31Yeah, I'd like to see it.
39:34You know what's happening, though.
39:35Yeah, yeah, the pride's kicking in, eh?
39:37Well, he's got the hang of the table.
39:38Yeah.
39:46This table's slow and weird, ain't it?
39:48Yeah, but you've, uh...
39:50Still managed to okay.
39:51It really ain't, huh?
39:59Well, I made a great out there, I'll tell you.
40:02Wasn't it?
40:02It really was.
40:04Do you know what?
40:05I think you just got hustled, O'Sullivan.
40:08He's back.
40:09The Pearl's back.
40:10I love eight ball.
40:11I think it's one of the greatest games ever in London.
40:15Oh.
40:16Oh.
40:18Oh.
40:20Yeah, so he's been moaning a bit.
40:22He has.
40:23He ain't not just a bit of good luck.
40:28Stay in the game.
40:28Stay in the game.
40:29I'll play it, Earl.
40:30I can't control where the cue balls are.
40:31But did you expect to get on the 10 when you blasted that in?
40:33Was that a shot you...
40:34No, I was trying to get a shot on the 15, I thought.
40:37Yeah, yeah.
40:37Maybe that's a bit of good luck.
40:40Strickland's back to his best, winning four in a row to make it 6-4.
40:44But Ronnie isn't beaten yet.
40:47I'm still playing bad.
40:49No, no, you know.
41:10It's all right, Ron.
41:13Hold on, boy.
41:146-5.
41:17Ronnie's coming back, but Earl appears to be unfazed.
41:21It's the most distracting game I've ever seen, these games.
41:24He just needs this game to win.
41:31Too good.
41:36I'm just looking at his body position.
41:38Yeah, yeah, no.
41:39I've never seen...
41:40He's great.
41:42Call under pressure.
41:43Yeah, yeah.
41:44I've never seen that.
41:52Perfect.
41:53See, there, I won the World 8 ball.
41:55I knew the right shot.
41:57Yeah, you did, yeah.
41:57Interesting.
42:02That's the match.
42:03Thanks for the game, Will.
42:04Good match, Ronnie.
42:05Poor Edgy, in the beginning, you look a bit rusty.
42:07Yeah.
42:08You've come good in the end there.
42:09That's the old I remember years ago.
42:10I thought you were going to beat me, though.
42:11I really did.
42:13Did you?
42:14Nearly hustled him.
42:16Well, I don't know.
42:16I had 7-5.
42:18Yeah.
42:19There is no one more competitive than that.
42:21Even there, he was like...
42:23He wanted to win back.
42:24Yeah, he did.
42:24Yeah.
42:25Which is, you know, I love that about him.
42:26Yeah.
42:27You know, because he's got fire in his belly.
42:28Yeah.
42:29You got good just at the right time.
42:32I made a couple of good outs.
42:34You know, that's what happened.
42:35That's how I won the match.
42:36And how important is it to talk the talk as well?
42:39It's good to be able to do both.
42:42Appreciate it, Al.
42:42All right.
42:43That's the beauty of it right there.
42:44If you can do that, you're as good as anybody.
42:49For Matt and Ronnie, the New York chapter of their journey is drawing to a close.
42:53Tomorrow is another day and another city.
42:57We're always on a bit, haven't we?
42:59We've done loads, mate.
43:00We haven't stopped since we've been here, haven't we?
43:01No.
43:02I love the free cushion carrot.
43:04Yeah.
43:04Really got a buzz out of it.
43:06I was fascinated by the game, the angles and all that.
43:09Meet an owl, the Rockefeller.
43:12Was he actually hustling you, do you think, Earl?
43:15A little bit?
43:15Do you know what?
43:16The more I think about it, maybe I was hustled there, you know, in some sort of way, you know?
43:20Well, we need to pick up tips, and if we can, pick up some money.
43:25We have to find someone that we can hustle.
43:27And we will.
43:29But in the meantime, bud, here's to New York.
43:32Fantastic, yeah.
43:33Onwards.
43:33And upwards.
43:34Cheers, bud.
43:35Cheers, mate.
43:36Look at that.
43:40Next time...
43:41Sorry, sorry, mate.
43:43Mate.
43:43Matt and Ronnie hit Chicago,
43:45where they get a taste of gangster life.
43:47They shot him through the head.
43:49Oh, you can see a bit of brain there, can't you?
43:51Shoot more than just pull.
43:55What a buzz.
43:56You're a killer.
43:57And take on one of the game's deadliest players, the Black Widow.
44:02I've hit that too hard, yeah?
44:04I don't like this guy.
44:05No.
44:05I don't like this guy.