One story of New York Blackie.
Aaron, you post reminded me of days gone by with New York Blackie here in New Orleans. Blackie spent dozens of years here in New Orleans and never was one to brag about his accomplishments. In fact, one could never call Blackie a braggart about anything. He was just the opposite.
I returned back to New Orleans after a 7 year stint in Jackson, MS around 1980 and saw Blackie's super smooth stroke and consistent ability to predict a winning match whether it was for himself or someone else playing. While most of us in New Orleans knew that Blackie had MANY acquaintances in the pool world, he seldom spoke about them unless they came up in conversation.
I was one of Blackie's punching bags for many years on the field of green and enjoyed the lessons I learned from him but your post prompted another memory.
It was in the late 90's and I had decided to attend my first U.S. OPen One Pocket Championship and Blackie approached me and said that Buddy Hall would be there and would I deliver a message for him. Before I had a chance to think, I said sure. Blackie says, "Tell Buddy that I'm ready to move back in with him". I looked at Blackie like he had lost his mind. He was after all getting a little long in the tooth. I asked him to repeat the statement and he did and I became even more dumbfounded. I mean here Blackie was telling me to tell WORLD FAMOUS, "THE RIFLEMAN" that this old guy from New Orleans was ready to move back in with him. I told Blackie I would, shaking my head in disbelief as I wondered what response or laughter I would hear from Buddy. At that time I did not know Buddy except from the pages of books and magazines and may a tournament or two. Blackie seldom talked about his relationships with hardly anyone, let alone the one he had with Buddy Hall.
So then it was the next day I was on a plane headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan and just as I got out of the hotel shuttle at the hotel, who do you think was the only person standing outside of the hotel, but Buddy Hall. Thinking that since he was alone, I could muster up the courage to pass on this strange statement from Blackie. I walked up to Buddy and introduced myself, still anticipating either some convulsive laughter or out right shock from Buddy and not wanting to hear it, but having promised Blackie, I passed along his statement.
But first I asked Buddy if he knew a guy named New York Blackie (covering my tracks) and he smiled and said "Sure". I told him what Blackie had said still waiting for disbelief or raucous laughter and Buddy replied, "No.......Blackie can't stay with me......I've got too many people staying at my house right now.......but he can stay with my daughter who lives only a few miles from my house." You could have knocked me over with a feather even though my legs had become pillars of stone and although I couldn't believe my ears, I managed to stutter, "Well uhhhhh,......... do you think maybe you want to ask your daughter first?". Buddy just chuckled a little bit and said, "Oh no..... she won't mind at all. Blackie, practically raised her". With that answer I then knew the depth of the relationship between the Hall family and New York Blackie.
It moved Blackie up the totem pole of respect because I knew that you didn't become that close to another family without having earned their trust.
Blackie, left New Orleans just a few weeks after I delivered the message that Buddy had given me and Blackie did indeed move to Tampa to live with Buddy's daughter at least temporarily until he could get settled into his own place.
We kept in touch from time to time and when I would see Buddy at tournaments he would always let me know how Blackie was doing.
It is with great sadness to hear that Blackie is no longer with us. I am very sorry for the Hall Family's loss as well as Blackie's immediate family. He will be missed by all of us that had a chance to know him.
JoeyA
bomber said:
Aaron, you post reminded me of days gone by with New York Blackie here in New Orleans. Blackie spent dozens of years here in New Orleans and never was one to brag about his accomplishments. In fact, one could never call Blackie a braggart about anything. He was just the opposite.
I returned back to New Orleans after a 7 year stint in Jackson, MS around 1980 and saw Blackie's super smooth stroke and consistent ability to predict a winning match whether it was for himself or someone else playing. While most of us in New Orleans knew that Blackie had MANY acquaintances in the pool world, he seldom spoke about them unless they came up in conversation.
I was one of Blackie's punching bags for many years on the field of green and enjoyed the lessons I learned from him but your post prompted another memory.
It was in the late 90's and I had decided to attend my first U.S. OPen One Pocket Championship and Blackie approached me and said that Buddy Hall would be there and would I deliver a message for him. Before I had a chance to think, I said sure. Blackie says, "Tell Buddy that I'm ready to move back in with him". I looked at Blackie like he had lost his mind. He was after all getting a little long in the tooth. I asked him to repeat the statement and he did and I became even more dumbfounded. I mean here Blackie was telling me to tell WORLD FAMOUS, "THE RIFLEMAN" that this old guy from New Orleans was ready to move back in with him. I told Blackie I would, shaking my head in disbelief as I wondered what response or laughter I would hear from Buddy. At that time I did not know Buddy except from the pages of books and magazines and may a tournament or two. Blackie seldom talked about his relationships with hardly anyone, let alone the one he had with Buddy Hall.
So then it was the next day I was on a plane headed to Kalamazoo, Michigan and just as I got out of the hotel shuttle at the hotel, who do you think was the only person standing outside of the hotel, but Buddy Hall. Thinking that since he was alone, I could muster up the courage to pass on this strange statement from Blackie. I walked up to Buddy and introduced myself, still anticipating either some convulsive laughter or out right shock from Buddy and not wanting to hear it, but having promised Blackie, I passed along his statement.
But first I asked Buddy if he knew a guy named New York Blackie (covering my tracks) and he smiled and said "Sure". I told him what Blackie had said still waiting for disbelief or raucous laughter and Buddy replied, "No.......Blackie can't stay with me......I've got too many people staying at my house right now.......but he can stay with my daughter who lives only a few miles from my house." You could have knocked me over with a feather even though my legs had become pillars of stone and although I couldn't believe my ears, I managed to stutter, "Well uhhhhh,......... do you think maybe you want to ask your daughter first?". Buddy just chuckled a little bit and said, "Oh no..... she won't mind at all. Blackie, practically raised her". With that answer I then knew the depth of the relationship between the Hall family and New York Blackie.
It moved Blackie up the totem pole of respect because I knew that you didn't become that close to another family without having earned their trust.
Blackie, left New Orleans just a few weeks after I delivered the message that Buddy had given me and Blackie did indeed move to Tampa to live with Buddy's daughter at least temporarily until he could get settled into his own place.
We kept in touch from time to time and when I would see Buddy at tournaments he would always let me know how Blackie was doing.
It is with great sadness to hear that Blackie is no longer with us. I am very sorry for the Hall Family's loss as well as Blackie's immediate family. He will be missed by all of us that had a chance to know him.
JoeyA
Last edited:
) together?
