Memories of Julian's-NYC

Played there many times, mostly in the late 1980's. Only place I ever saw Mosconi shoot pool, but it was in a pro-am. If pool wasn't your thing, you could rent a ping pong table for $5 for the entire afternoon. It was a good room for years, right next to the legendary Palladium, but when it went downhill, it became pretty unpleasant. By the end, the smell one had to endure while climbing up the stairs from the 14th Street entrance was more than most could handle. Still, had some good times there.

Julian's Billiard Academy

I climbed up those stairs many times in the 1960s and then a few times in the 1980s when my stepson Adam took up the game. I remember the snooker tables, the old guys who claimed they played Greenleaf, and an older gent called the Judge who seemed to be the downtown Minnesota Fats.
Played at Ames as well, but never at McGirr's or 7-11.

BayGene said:

I climbed up those stairs many times in the 1960s and then a few times in the 1980s when my stepson Adam took up the game. I remember the snooker tables, the old guys who claimed they played Greenleaf, and an older gent called the Judge who seemed to be the downtown Minnesota Fats.
Played at Ames as well, but never at McGirr's or 7-11.

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HI Did anybody play at Mcgirs in New York City back in the Seventys or maybe eightys. They had some 3 cushion tables also pool tables 4 1/2 by 9 feet. They also had a tight snooker table 6 ft by 12 ft and the pockets were very tight.

In those days you did not hang your clothes on the wall you had to put your clothes in a screen with a lock on it under the table for you to make sure your clothes were not stolen.

Pictures of Mosconi Greanleaf Luther Lassiter were on the wall played a person his nick name was the Destroyer. Ask him why did they call you the Destroyer he replied i destroy my player.

Being that I grew up not too far from Julians, I spent quite a few of my teenage days playing and observing there. Although I was just a "kid" at the time, the two brothers who owned the room and worked the counter knew me well enough to allow me to run a tab there, my first credit extension, although I rarely used it.

There were actually two sets of stairs leading in and out of the room, and quite a room it was. While not quite having the same cache of 7/11, Ames, or McGirrs, it probably fell only about a half ball short. Room was open until, I believe, 2:00 AM, whereas local rooms in the area closed at 11:00 or maybe 12:00PM, while 7/11 and Ames were opened 24 hours. I don't know much about McGirrs except that it was on 8th Avenue, somewhere around the 42nd Street area. Saw Peter Falk, "Columbo", playing there once :smile:.

Julians had quite a number of pool tables, probably over thirty, I don't remember which brand they were but if I had to, I'd bet they were Brunswicks. Also had a very large snooker table, probably a 6'x 12', and several billiards tables. It was quite the serious room.

The resident "champion" was a gentleman named George Mikula, and a champion he truly was. Constantly running a hundred plus balls in straight pool and not uncommon to see him do some amazing things on the billiard table as well, I understand that he had run an eleven or twelve. Unfortunately, George had the reputation of not doing as well when he gambled, especially for higher stakes...but it didn't matter he was loved in Julians and would find backers whenever someone from "uptown" ventured down to his room. Years later I understand that George moved over to Chelsea Billiards where he was said to have tutored Ginky and others in the art of straight pool, and I also understand had a sign or plaque behind the counter highlighting his high run of well over 300.

I also recall a very pleasant and friendly Puerto Rican gentleman named "Prince", who was always in 9 ball action while dressed to the nines and wearing a nice diamond pinky ring that was always noticeable and sparkly as he extended and waved his pinky during his stroke, very possible intentionally .

About thirty years later and after a pretty long pool layoff for myself I met up with an older gentleman who called himself "Trick Shot Monte" who knew George very well and also spent years studying the racing forms and playing pool at Julians, he thought that George may have been one of the most talented players ever, unfortunately he informed me of George's and Prince's passing. Also met a gentleman room owner/player, Bill Malone, a few years later in Florida who also played at Julians and he, of course, knew, and acknowledged George's talents.

Although I very much look back upon those old days with fondness, I am also very grateful that I "escaped" into the military before I went too far down the rabbit hole myself.

J

jimmyg said:

The resident "champion" was a gentleman named George Mikula, and a champion he truly was. Constantly running a hundred plus balls in straight pool and not uncommon to see him do some amazing things on the billiard table as well, I understand that he had run an eleven or twelve. Unfortunately, George had the reputation of not doing as well when he gambled, especially for higher stakes...but it didn't matter he was loved in Julians and would find backers whenever someone from "uptown" ventured down to his room. Years later I understand that George moved over to Chelsea Billiards where he was said to have tutored Ginky and others in the art of straight pool, and I also understand had a sign or plaque behind the counter highlighting his high run of well over 300.

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I met George Mikula at Julians in the late 80's. I remember seeing his business card on the wall and asking about him. I just left the military, and my high run at the time was 127. When I was introduced to him I thought he was very friendly, well educated, and charismatic. He seemed more like a news reporter than a pool player. We played a few games of straight pool and he corrected a few of my faults.

Lost touch with him until Chelsea Billiards opened. I worked around the block, I'd go there for lunch and to hang out with him. He would be there almost every day with a banana or three, and he would run 100 then hang out and go home. Some times he would get his 100 ball run in hist first few tries, sometimes he would keep trying until it got dark. I remember seeing him drunk or hung over, which was sad, since I knew he was a recovering alcoholic. I heard a few years later he fell down some stairs and died.

If he were alive today I'd imagine the folks who tape pool games would ask him to be a commentator. He always had great stories and was very good at explaining the game, and explaining shots made or missed during a game, and how he would have played the shot, or what to expect the player to do next. He tutored Ginky, but there was another guy who spent a lot more time with him and really got Ginky's game up to pro level. A guy who made banners/signs for a living, someone who limped due to an auto accident in his past. I wish I could remember his name (last name maybe Schneider? Paul maybe?).

UPDATE: Yep it was Paul Schnider http://forums.azbilliards.com/showpost.php?p=521341&postcount=3

Julian's

I used to play there as far back as the 60's. Played Jimmy Burke lots of $5 eight ball a long time ago. I knew George Mikula from Chelsea Billiards. He was the best at going off one rail for position. George taught me the 3 rail spot on the wall system.

Very sad when he died. His funeral was at the Greek Church on around 12th Street? I went to his funeral. He was drunk and fell down a flight of stairs.

Every once in a while Abe Rosen would come by. He mostly hung out at Amsterdam up town, but he also was at Julian's sometimes.

Luchow's was just down the block as well.

Worked in New York 86-88. Used to hit Julian's (and Golden Cue) as often as I could. What was that stink coming up the stairs? Was pretty run down when I got there. Was an a-ho behind the counter. You could see people sleeping under the tables. There was a guy my friend and I used to call the Hawaiian. He used to wear the same shirt every day. He would ask everyone in the room if they wanted "some1 pocket." There was a guy that used to practice breaking 9 ball over and over. He would hit the rack, the ball would shoot 2 feet into the air and come down and stop dead in the middle of the table. Never saw him shoot anything but break shots.

Bob

The old rooms.

Wow just scrolling around the forum and spotted this post.
Brings back a lot of memories. Played at Time sq. Billiards Mcgirs and a little at Julian's
Was playing a lot with Tom Cosmo early 70s learning the moves.
Just a teenager at the time.
I lived a few blocks from Micgirs which was located 45th and 8th avenue NYC.
What a room. You would walk down a flight of stairs enter and all of a sudden.
Wham! you felt the a rush of adrenaline. I never felt that in any a pool room but MCgirs.
Maybe because I was 17 and that room had an aspect of danger to it.
Who Knows. Cosmo passed away and I got more interested in other things. One day headed down to Julian's to hit a few balls. And met Gorge Mikula. Got his business card got together for a lesson or two. But unfortunately that ship had sailed for me. (Pool)
George M. Was unbelievable at 14.1

A few years ago I was at a restaurant in New Haven that had a big table by the bar.
You could sign up and play a game while you waited for your table. My daughter says
Dad didn't you play once and while I wasn't looking she puts my name on the board.
Thanks to her I am playing a game that I love again.
Mcp

I spent most of my teenage years at Julians, in the late 80's to early 90's. I remember there would still be some good players coming in. I met Ginky there a couple of times and he tried to sell me some Southwest cues for like $1000. Overall I liked the place because the guy behind the counter wouldn't charge me anything for the whole day, except if it was busy. Anyway, I joined the Marines and when I got out Julians was gone.

Any of you around for this occasion (Jan 9, 1962)?

Ed Wiggins said:

Interesting that the 1962 story credits Willie with a high run of 306.

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And the writer even made a point of distinguishing his "exhibition" record from his "tournament" record.

Perhaps it was because the table size used for his 526 wasn't considered "regulation" ?

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Ed Wiggins said:

Just another look from the outside.

EW

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That has to be before the 60s. Don't recall a Horn & Hardart being there, and I walked up those narrow stair cases pretty often.

J

Ed Wiggins said:

Interesting that the 1962 story credits Willie with a high run of 306.

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Yesterday, in another thread, howaboutnever said he attended a Mosconi v. Lauri match at Julians in the early 60's, and it was on a 5x10 table. Mr. Bond pointed out that it might have been this 1962 match (post #11), with the newspaper article saying Willie's high run was 306.

We all know that Willie's run of 526 occurred before 1962, but it was on an 8-footer. Willie's high run on a 10-footer was 309, accomplished in 1945 and matching Irving Crane's record of the same number from 1939.

The newspaper reporter in 1962 (if that is the correct year) may have asked Willie what his high run was, and Willie responded 309 thinking of 10-footers (since the match was on one). Then the 309 found its way into the article somehow as 306. Ah, just idle speculation by me.