Mike Massey - Part 1 (From Tennessee Hustler to Pool’s Greatest Showman)
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.
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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.”
Professional Pool Player
Mike Massey isn’t just one of pool’s great characters, he’s one of the sport’s rare crossover figures: a top-tier competitor, a world-class cue artist, and a globe-touring ambassador whose talent has put pool in front of audiences far beyond the billiard room. Known for decades by his unforgettable nickname “Tennessee Tarzan,” Massey’s story is equal parts grit, creativity, resilience, and purpose.
Born on April 9, 1947, in Loudon, Tennessee, Mike grew up with the kind of hard-nosed, self-reliant edge that shaped many of the great American road players. Long before the bright lights of television, he learned the game in the real university of pool: long nights, pressure-packed sets, and the constant demand to perform when it mattered. That early chapter, the “Tennessee Hustler” years, forged the foundation of a player who could handle anything: a tight match, a hostile room, or a do-or-die moment with reputation on the line.
But Massey was never only a gambler or a road warrior. He was a true all-around cueist, with serious competitive credentials in traditional pool as well as in the specialized world of artistic billiards. His résumé includes major tournament success and elite international recognition, highlighted by multiple World Artistic Pool Championship titles and a celebrated career that made him one of the most decorated artistic players of his era. That blend of “player” and “performer” became his signature: he could compete under championship pressure, then turn around and mesmerize a crowd with shots that looked like physics had taken the ni…Read More