Who The Hell Is Bucky Bell!!

9BallBust-O

Draw that Rock
Silver Member
Bucky Bell is one of the greatest players from the near past. If you have ever had the pleasure to meet him Im sure you know what a great charachter he is. And BOY OH BOY does he has some stories from his days on the table. Anyone have any BUCKY BELL stories they wanna put out on here - that would be awesome.
 

Ky Boy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bucky

Bucky is a hoot to watch. And man he is funny too. I watched him play a local that plays the 7 under Rafael Martinez at one of the tournaments at Steepleton's in Lexington, Ky in about '96. This guy had no idea who Bucky was and really talked some trash to BB playing 9 ball on a barbox in the back. Needless to say after a few games the trash talking stopped on the locals part and Bucky fired back with some of his own. It was great as the local was the biggest ass you could ever meet. Bucky played very sporty that evening. I saw him at derby city in '04 and his game had fallen off quite a bit. I think his health was ailing him at the time but I really like to watch him play when he is on. He is very creative.
On another note in the same tournament this is when I first saw Corey Duell play. He had a powerful stroke even has a young kid about in his teens. He played very well although he didn't when the tournament.
 

9BallBust-O

Draw that Rock
Silver Member
Yeah Bucky is awesome. When I first was going to play pool he knew I didnt know anything and he would be like "hey kid come here at let me show you something" He would set up trick shots and let me fire them it. I couldt stroke a ball to save my life at that time but he set em up so I couldnt miss, man I felt like Mike Massey. I always would think it was cool when he would offer to play guys with a stick with no tip and guys would still turn him down. His game may have faded but he still knows what he is talking about - its been a long time since I first saw him and he still helps me out when he sees me play, he has taught me a lot. He can still stroke that rock, just last week he was working with me on 2 rail draw shots for shape and he was on it. One thing he always said that really stuck with me is first and most important always be a gentelman when you play. Dont go throwing your stick around and be a dick when you dont win. He said " Shake the guys hand and tell him: You may have beat me this time but next time I just may beat you." He could beat just about anybody back in the day.
 

CrossSideLarry

Cross Side Larry
Silver Member
My Bucky Bell Story

Before I tell my Bucky Bell story, may I first say I would not refer to Bucky as one of the greatest players of the near past. Though he was truly a very strong player, he could not beat his road partner, Gary "Bushwhacker" Nolan.

He was and if still alive (I do not know) no doubt still is one of the best "woofers" in the game. He was a Kentucky boy I think (maybe Tennessee?) I'm not sure? Nick Varner or Gary Nolan would know for certain.
Bucky would play anyone and was not afraid to bet the big money. He wore these big lense glasses that sat high on his nose and they were prescribed for the pool table distance. I swear the lenses were as round in circumfrance as a baseball.

I watched him play the late great Harry "Poochy" Sexton in Flint, Michigan for $100.00 a game. I remember he played lots of safetys on Poochy but in the end Poochy busted him, something not at all uncommon for Poochy to do to road players who came to his pool room looking for action. A couple of years later, I saw him in Midland Michigan playing in a bar box tournament at the Holiday Inn, sponsored by big Ted, owner of Frick"s, a very popular bar in Midland with ten seven footers. He was with Gary Nolan at the time and was woofing hard at the late great "Cornbread Red" Burge. Apparently Cornbread had beat him out of some big money earlier playing one pocket. Not unusual for Cornbread was one of the greatest one pocket players of all time.

They woofed at each other in their Kentucky accents for an hour with Cornbread wanting to play Bucky another round of one pocket for $6,000.00 and Cornbread showed Bucky the money. Bucky wanted no part of it. Instead he wanted Cornbread to put up the same amount and play nineball. Cornbread would have none of that either. They came pretty close to fisticuffs as a result of the choice words they chose to refer to each other but that never happened, nor did they match up.

The best person to share stories about Bucky would be Gary Nolan.

Lastly, I know as a fact, though I was not there to witness, that Bucky gave Johnny Kuchero, Jesse Bowman's teen age mentor the wild eight. Kuchero broke him.

Cross Side Larry


"Learn from the best,, and beat the rest"
 

dogginda9

I need a vacation.
Silver Member
My boring Bucky Bell story.........

Bucky came into our local room about 10 years ago and was looking for some bar table action. I would only play him some 9-ball on the big table. He played well but missed a few more shots than he planned on and I get 3 sets winner. He woofs at me to play the next day for more and I say fine, see ya tomorrow. He never shows. I run into him about 5-6 years later at a tournament in North Vernon, In. He doesn't remember me at all. He asks me to play some $20 a game before the tourney starts and I agree. He grabs a house cue and proceeds to mis-cue about every 3rd shot. I get 8 games or so winner and he gets his cue out. By then I'm playing pretty loose and stay ahead the whole time. Calcutta starts and I go for $20 and he goes for around $120. Long story short, I knock him out and finish 2nd. By then, he didn't want to play any more. Other than some normal trash talk, he was a pleasure to play.
 

cheesemouse

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The first and only time I watched Bucky Bell play was late 80's/early 90's. It was in Vegas during a VNEA event at the Rivera(sp)
There was a side room with some five of six tables that had been going with action games 24/7 for days running. I was spending all my sparetime matching up in this room. Late one night I notice this young guy holding one of the tables, guys were jumping in and playing $20 8ball with him. I got action on the very next table but continued to watch this young guy play. I kept telling my friend to watch the guy as I had a feeling he was really hiding his speed. I play my game next to him for hours and this guy never lost a game on those slop boxes, of course, it was a challenge table so he was breaking every rack...
Here is the Bucky Bell part...my action had just ended and I'm kicking back having a nice cocktail when in walks BB with an oriental guy who hardly spoke english. Bucky walks up to this young guy and wolf's up a race to 7 8-ball for $500. I'm feeling pretty good so I get $200 on the side and take the young guy, who hadn't lost a game on the table in hours. Bucky wins the flip and wins the first game, comes up dry, and looses the first set 7-1 in about 30minutes. The oriental backer jacks the bet to 1K, Bucky wins the first game, comes up dry, and loose the second set 7-1. Bucky pulls up even thou his backer wanted some more. Bucky wolf's at the kid to go play on a nine footer downtown. The kid said "sure" and they left...I later found out the kid was Mark Tadd...I don't know what happened on the big table but I don't think Bucky had to like it. I should add that Bucky was a real gentleman during this spanking...that is my Bucky Bell story...LOL
 

vagabond

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
9BallBust-O said:
Bucky Bell is one of the greatest players from the near past.

He was a good road player.He lived in Dothan,Alabama, cleveland area in Ohio,Lansing ,MI.He was Not a greatest player.He was a very nice guy to be around.I only had very positive feelings about this old time Roadie.
 

cuesmith

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT!
Silver Member
Who the hell is "Bucky Bell"?

KY BOY said:
Bucky is a hoot to watch. And man he is funny too. I watched him play a local that plays the 7 under Rafael Martinez at one of the tournaments at Steepleton's in Lexington, Ky in about '96. This guy had no idea who Bucky was and really talked some trash to BB playing 9 ball on a barbox in the back. Needless to say after a few games the trash talking stopped on the locals part and Bucky fired back with some of his own. It was great as the local was the biggest ass you could ever meet. Bucky played very sporty that evening. I saw him at derby city in '04 and his game had fallen off quite a bit. I think his health was ailing him at the time but I really like to watch him play when he is on. He is very creative.
On another note in the same tournament this is when I first saw Corey Duell play. He had a powerful stroke even has a young kid about in his teens. He played very well although he didn't when the tournament.


Funny thing is that this story sparked the title to this thread, indirectly! At least I believe so! You see, Bucky and I have been friends for many, many years. He's been playing with a Sherm Cue for at least 10 years and is one of my best "mouth pieces"! He's very outspoken about my cues. He was in my shop a couple of years back and told me the story of the kid at Steppletons and his comment when he saw his draw in the tournament brackets, " Who the hell is Bucky Bell?" Bucky was standing right behind the kid when he said it, and as the story goes, Bucky said "You're about to find out who Bucky Bell is young feller, and I don't think you're going to like it!" We laughed about that comment for a while. I was in the process of making him a new cue, (he insists on a plain sneaky pete style cue) and I put a ring in it around the bottom and engraved "WHO THE HELL IS BUCKY BELL" around the cue. When Bucky came to my shop to pick it up, he almost cried he was so happy! He really got a kick out of me putting that quote on his cue! I suspect the originator of this thread got a peek at Bucky's cue! He likes to show it to people!


just more hot air!

Sherm
 

cheeserider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I heard the quote " Who the hell is Bucky Bell?" about 2 years ago.

I heard it was going to be the title of a biography of his life.

I think Bucky is residing in Hamilton, Oh.

To anyone who speaks to Bucky...... Tell him his old buddy " The Worm" from Jackson, Mi. passed away earlier this week.:(
 

BillYards

Playing Style: Wu Tang Fu
Silver Member
Thanks for sharing these great stories... Haven't met Bucky, but am getting a nice picture about the man.
 

BHQ

we'll miss you
Silver Member
bucky

i met bucky about 5 years ago, right when i first started playing pool. a few weeks later we talked agian, ended up taking a short lesson from him. supposed to be for 2 hours for $50. he promised if i didn't feel i learned anything, not to pay him a nickle. ended up working with me for about 3 1/2 hours. the last 30 minutes or so he started "showing off" a little, with some of his trick shots, i didn't mind a bit. one shot was a masse off the long left rail around a ball, center of end rail, blocking the object ball in right corner pocket. honestly, i was thinking to myself, now when in the hell will i ever get that shot.
about one year later when i got brave enough to enter some local tournaments, that exact shot came up, i made it, won the tournament.
thanks bucky!!!! :D
and yes, he certainly is a character and a pure pleasure to talk with.
he's been frequenting bk billiards in sharonville lately, so i run into him quite often.
 
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9BallBust-O

Draw that Rock
Silver Member
Sherm Cues =========@

Sherm -

You are correct, when I first ran into him he showed me that stick because I asked if he ever had any nicknames or anything like that. That stick is one BAD @SS Stick Sherm.

In response to what someone said - Someone said Bucky was not one of the greatest players - Well, he may have not been "The Magician" but I wasnt really talking just about playing ability - its the total package - THATs why he is a great player - its the total package. Hell - I only hope one day to have experienced what he has done and been.
 

CrossSideLarry

Cross Side Larry
Silver Member
Bucky Bell

9BallBust-O said:
Sherm -

You are correct, when I first ran into him he showed me that stick because I asked if he ever had any nicknames or anything like that. That stick is one BAD @SS Stick Sherm.

In response to what someone said - Someone said Bucky was not one of the greatest players - Well, he may have not been "The Magician" but I wasnt really talking just about playing ability - its the total package - THATs why he is a great player - its the total package. Hell - I only hope one day to have experienced what he has done and been.

Well said. And yes, I would certainly agree, Bucky was the "Real Deal" and had the total package!

Cross Side Larry
 

im2fast4u2catch

Registered
bucky bell

im a younger guy and just like stix4sale i can remember when i first started and bucky did his shots and showed me some stuff.
my bucky story is just that since his health has improved he has been coming into bk billiards and playing gin. the stories that he tells and just amazing. its like your grandpa telling you that story that you cant get enough of. just all of bucky's are different. give him a hand of gin and the stories just come right out. also i know a dream of his is to make a girl a champion and right now he is working with 2 girls.
all and all he is a true gentalman and a legend from the road.
oh you can never get tired of hearing "you put a lot of foller on that ball" or "watch this im gonna learn you somthing"
just my little rambling
brian
 

satman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bucky Bell

im2fast4u2catch said:
im a younger guy and just like stix4sale i can remember when i first started and bucky did his shots and showed me some stuff.
my bucky story is just that since his health has improved he has been coming into bk billiards and playing gin. the stories that he tells and just amazing. its like your grandpa telling you that story that you cant get enough of. just all of bucky's are different. give him a hand of gin and the stories just come right out. also i know a dream of his is to make a girl a champion and right now he is working with 2 girls.
all and all he is a true gentalman and a legend from the road.
oh you can never get tired of hearing "you put a lot of foller on that ball" or "watch this im gonna learn you somthing"
just my little rambling
brian
Was a very solid player and a gentleman every time I ever saw him play. I had the pleasure of playing him the first time at Starchers Billiards in Akron, Ohio in 1985. While his skill level didn't match Buddy or Earl's, he was still a very good player and capable of beating most anyone on a given day. Sam
 

1 Pocket Ghost

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
CrossSideLarry said:
Well said. And yes, I would certainly agree, Bucky was the "Real Deal" and had the total package!

Cross Side Larry


Just a short story that adds to the "total package" comment....Bucky also played decent 3 cushion billiards.....In the mid 90's I passed through Cincinnatti on my way to Florida and ran into Bucky at the action poolroom there that at that time I think maybe he was part owner of, or the manager ?.....Anyway, bottom line is, they had one billiard table there, and Bucky was the best 3 cushion player of the room, so we played some $100 a game 3 cushion.
 

9BallBust-O

Draw that Rock
Silver Member
Oh Come On!!

The man has helped me for free more times that I can count. As far as talkin $hit, dude this is pool, its about as honest and real as politics. Hey everyone gets pissed when they win. Ive NEVER went on TILT when I lost , till last Thursday when I found myself throwing my stick across the room because I lost way more than I could take at that point. As far as pool goes - look, most of the game is played off the table. Not everyone is nice all the time. Hey - all I know about Bucky is what I see first hand, everything else is rumor.
 

xianmacx

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Lawman

Hey lawman,
I feel that if you are going to speak negatively about bucky on a forum the least you can do is indentify yourself. Sounds like you have had numerous run ins with him so im sure any cincy regulars will know you.

Ian
________
 
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im2fast4u2catch

Registered
whatever

you can have you 3 or four people that will back you up but i absolutly certian that bucky will have 1000 supporters. yeah he is a woofer but arnt we all. and when you have met, played, and known as many people as somebody like bucky has your not going to be liked by everybody. i mean comon. ghandi had people try to kill him same as m.l.k. jr. and they were loved by all. everybody has off days. you remember more of the negative than the positive. and i will go on record that you are the first person that i have ever heard publicly bash bucky bell.
just my piece
b
 
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