Jayson Shaw
Jayson Shaw has done the unthinkable again, breaking his straight pool record of continuous balls ran with an amazing run of 832 balls on January 6th, 2025.
Shaw had ran 714 balls nearly three years ago, but as with everything in the billiards world today, the 714 run was surrounded with drama that Shaw wanted to put to rest. “A lot of things happened in that last run and that kinda put the bit between my teeth to go out there and do it without anybody having anything to say about it. All of that stuff just made me want to beat the record even more” said Shaw.
So, Shaw was back at it again, running balls under the streaming cameras at the ‘members only’ BAK Room Billiards Studio in Lorton, VA on January 5th and 6th as part of the Legends of Pocket Billiards Challenge. Bobby Chamberlain in the founder of Legends of Pocket Billiards and a co-owner at BAK Room Billiards Studio.
After an early attempt ended with 278 balls, Shaw hit the zone and started making history yet again, and after 3 hours and thirteen minutes of pocketing balls, he pocketed his 715th in a row.
After a very short break to gather himself, Shaw got back to work pocketing balls to find out just what his final mark would be. Twenty five minutes later, he would pocket a 14 ball that would be the 832nd ball in a row, before an 8-13 combo got the better of him. “It was strange. I wasn’t really nervous so much as my adrenaline was going. I was in the zone for so long and then snapped out of it when I realized what was going on” he said.
Along with the thoughts of “what if” when looking back at that combination, Shaw has other reminders of his run to deal with now. “I’m not gonna lie. I’ve got like a pinched nerve in my arm from playing. It’s just a little off. I can’t feel the two fingers on my hand that I hold the cue with. They are numb most of the time. I’m getting acupuncture and I need an MRI scan on my arm.” said Shaw.
“People don’t understand. It wears you down. If you play a normal match, you are playing a number of different shots. With straight pool, you are playing the same thing repeatedly without moving very much. It’s mostly stop, stun, stop stun” Shaw continued.
Even with the physical issues involved with a run like this, Shaw says he still isn’t done. “My goal is 1000” he said. “I think 1000 is there. I know I’ve got the grind, the determination, the willpower. Just the brain to get through the punishment that it takes to go through all of that.” Shaw elaborated.
Shaw says that goal of 1000 will be it for him though. “I think if I get to 1000, I’ll be done. If somebody comes along and beats it, then good for them. I will be happy to get on my knees and praise them and tell them they are the new man in town. Good luck with your back for the next ten years” he joked.
Until the day that he runs that 1000 balls, Shaw will have to settle for “just” 832 and the knowledge that there isn’t a “new man in town” anywhere near that accomplishment at the moment.
that's 56 racks appx
59*14+6 = 832
In any case, here is a screenshot of Jayson and the table right after he missed the combination (8-13) at the end of the run. Look at the scoreboard for the number of racks completed and then count how many balls are missing from the last rack.