I heard that limo story about Richie Florence. He would show up at the room with 10 bucks play money.
Got to meet and watch him - no funny stuff.Two Photos: Cole Dickson and Keith Thompson
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Got to meet and watch him - no funny stuff.About a year before he moved his cue work shop out of Hard Times Bellflower to Sacramento, "Little Al" Romero told me that Cole had come in. I was very surprised because I would always come in a few times each week. What bad luck, bad timing for me. I told Little Al years earlier that I always thought Cole was better than Efren Reyes. Al didn't have anything to say about that. But a couple of months before he left for Sacramento for good, we were sitting together watching some action when he told me that he thought Cole was better, as well. Keep in mind that Al told me he had played Cole a few times 9-ball and one-pocket and that Cole never really beat him and if he did it wasn't for much. And Al was a big player. He'd get phone calls to match up and he'd get right on a plane to Arizona or Texas. Al told me that he didn't start to get good, really good, until he was about 40 years old. But I am talking about Cole in his, at most, 4 years or so, prime. (I had been away in the UCMC for 4 years. Now, I was at California billiards around 1976 watching Ray Suden(?) practicing run out 9-ball. He loudly sarcastically ragged on me: "Look. He wants to see Cole." Apparently, it is claimed he had busted Cole. I don't know if there is any truth to that.) I had thought so because I had seen Cole make a couple of fantastic shots even Efren possibly couldn't make. Particularly, I believe Cole had a much "stronger" stroke. Mike Massey probably has just as strong a stroke. And Corey Deuel, too. (Consistent, accurate, powerful as Cole: I'm doubtful.) But now, overall, I have second thoughts. And it is because of this video: The Magician Efren Bata Reyes Best 50 Shots.
When you get to the level of Efren, Strickland, Sigel, etc. and Cole it becomes very complicated. Talk about a money player: Cole was probably the closest thing to a pool hustler money playing (not tournament) "killer" there ever was. Eat or starve, kill or be killed and live or die. (Forgive me if I get carried away.) We have video proof of Efren's pool prowess. Strickland, too. And others. Almost no evidence for Cole. But if we go by firsthand recollections, Cole is right up there. On one of my posts many years ago one person said Cole was in the top 300. I presume he meant "all time." In the land of T. Rex which one is the meanest most vicious most deadly? I guess it all depends if you get wounded, or maimed, or eaten alive, or killed then eaten. Otherwise, they're all pussycats. I guess.
I heard this from Calvin, a regular at Hard Times Bellflower, about 7 or so years ago. He was there all over the L.A. pool scene at the time. He'd be pushing 80 years old by now. He told it like he saw it, firsthand. Of course, Richie might have done it, and before Cole. I wouldn't be surprised if Cole heard about it and thought that it was cool enough to do it, too. Anyway, isn't this typical of all legends: plus or minus, good or bad? How about the one where a kid, before he became a great pool player/hustler, was sleeping under a pool table and a thief cut open one of his pockets and stole all of his money.I heard that limo story about Richie Florence. He would show up at the room with 10 bucks play money.
You might be interested: https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/cole-dickson-vs-richie-florence.273731/
Definitely. Great stuff.
Funny you should mention Little Al. The Richie anecdote is from when they used to bang heads. Man I used to be so starstruck over pool. Makes me laugh now.
CD = Cole Dixon... Now a daZe in the news they use LSR or JVY or any combination of letters to describe subject matter FIRST and everyone seems to know what it means. When I grew up they used words to begin a subject.This was later in the 70s. 74 on maybe. Always wondered who CD was and still not sure. The guy I'm talking about was somebody I'd run into in the Torrance area. If it was Cole he was for sure laying it on.
Sorry for the confusion.
bm
Trapped em $20 a game on a 4x8 in Carbondale with every rail having different speeds and nose height. Small score. But a few hundred in the sixties for a college kid was allot of money.
In 89 at the Huebler Cup in Palm Spring, of all the players I beat, he played the best.
All matches were race to 11 bar tables, you had to win by 2.
Archer tho was also VERY tough on a box.
No way did I play better than CD in the sixties.
Yeah know that no confusion. It's Cole himself I always wondered about. Got to see most of the area legends but not him.
This was the yr I arrived in Long Beach, gas crisis yrs. You might of heard of my nickname ''Long Beach Bill''.
Back when Horny Corner in Belmont Shores stopped allowing cars to drive along the small intercoastal walk-way. Too many rear end/accidents at slow speeds, the ladies always strutting their ''stuff'' in there swimsuits on a hot day.
and the male drivers were watchin the Wrong Rear End, kinda 
It was my experience that every encounter with Cole generated a story. 
Or several.
EVERY little hole in the wall tavern in the Northwest that I ventured into looking for action, had stories about Cole. Cole going busted wasn't that unusual.
In the mid '80s At a team tournament in Kelso Longview, Cole went busted and borrowed $300 against his cue. 3 times from 3 different people and still walked out with his cue slung over his shoulder. Vince had bought the other 2 and held all 3 markers. Cole had called a person that lived at the MGM in Vegas and requested $1000 to be sent via Wester Union. By the end of the night Cole was too drunk to drive and Vince was shadowing him every step. Vince didn't have a driver's license and since my wife and I were together in our little Vega, a deal was struck. Vince would ride with the wife and I would drive Coles nice Big pickup back to Seattle.
The trip started out with Vince directing that we should go directly to Western Union. Once both doors were closed on the truck Cole said, "forget Western Union. Let's find a bar. I just left a message. I don't know if the money will be there. The trip took a little over an hour and ended at the Western Union at the truck stop in Fife. Cole told stories the whole way. One of which tipped me to why he had a friend that would send him that kind of money.
At the truck stop, the money was there. Cole paid Vince and bought breakfast for the 4 of us and was left with a bankroll of less than $50.
One of Coles stories gave me a clue as to why the person at the MGM would send money. By that time Cole was not allowed to gamble in any casino in Nevada. Kicked out of Nevada, so to speak. Seems the final bust that sealed the deal, Coles phone call was just 4 minutes late and "the help" didn't happen.
The storie was about taking down a Bacarat game to the tune of 180 thousand two nights in a row. The kind of money that required connection. It went like this: One person blocked the camera. Another with 5 decks fitting between the thumb and middle finger knuckles would swap the shoe. Cole would sit at the table and play. At the table limit. One deck of the 5 was their deck. Cole watched for the sequence of cards and then busted the game when they came up. Two nights in a row! The third night the table was shut down.
Cole would roll into Lynnwood to play Harry with one barrel. My purchase of My cue from Cole came about on one such visit. There was a tournament going on at Harry's place over the weekend. Don Whirtaman was handed a hundred by Danny and told to shoot it at Cole. Started out playing $20 nine ball then one pocket for probably 100. He got all of Coles $800 bankroll. Then Cole enquiry as to playing for his rig(2 butts and 6 shafts Joss of course). It was met with OK. So Cole went into the men's room to wash his face as he was well into the Stollies vodka by then. Danny told Don that one of the butts had been broken and repaired. So Don changed his mind. Cole was a little distraught upon returning to find the deal was off.
I pulled Cole aside and offered to lend $500 against the cues. My words were to the effect of, "I don't think I am doing you a favor but if you want to continue". He did and lost it too. Started out with a chance to win a hundred and lost 13. So Cole was in the process of slinging the rig over his shoulder and said, "will meet you in the morning with the money." I intersepted the strap before it touched his shoulder and replied, Okay.
The next morning, after I had all night to hit balls at home and inspect the totality of his equipment. We met up and he had the money. He indicated that he was going to build a fence to make money as 500 was all he got. I inquired as to buying the repaired butt and one shaft. His reply was that he spent the night with Mike and Mike had offered to buy the same for 150 but would make payments. I said how about $200 right here right now. I shoot with that cue today and to me it's Priceless.
Or several.EVERY little hole in the wall tavern in the Northwest that I ventured into looking for action, had stories about Cole. Cole going busted wasn't that unusual.
In the mid '80s At a team tournament in Kelso Longview, Cole went busted and borrowed $300 against his cue. 3 times from 3 different people and still walked out with his cue slung over his shoulder. Vince had bought the other 2 and held all 3 markers. Cole had called a person that lived at the MGM in Vegas and requested $1000 to be sent via Wester Union. By the end of the night Cole was too drunk to drive and Vince was shadowing him every step. Vince didn't have a driver's license and since my wife and I were together in our little Vega, a deal was struck. Vince would ride with the wife and I would drive Coles nice Big pickup back to Seattle.
The trip started out with Vince directing that we should go directly to Western Union. Once both doors were closed on the truck Cole said, "forget Western Union. Let's find a bar. I just left a message. I don't know if the money will be there. The trip took a little over an hour and ended at the Western Union at the truck stop in Fife. Cole told stories the whole way. One of which tipped me to why he had a friend that would send him that kind of money.
At the truck stop, the money was there. Cole paid Vince and bought breakfast for the 4 of us and was left with a bankroll of less than $50.
One of Coles stories gave me a clue as to why the person at the MGM would send money. By that time Cole was not allowed to gamble in any casino in Nevada. Kicked out of Nevada, so to speak. Seems the final bust that sealed the deal, Coles phone call was just 4 minutes late and "the help" didn't happen.
The storie was about taking down a Bacarat game to the tune of 180 thousand two nights in a row. The kind of money that required connection. It went like this: One person blocked the camera. Another with 5 decks fitting between the thumb and middle finger knuckles would swap the shoe. Cole would sit at the table and play. At the table limit. One deck of the 5 was their deck. Cole watched for the sequence of cards and then busted the game when they came up. Two nights in a row! The third night the table was shut down.
Cole would roll into Lynnwood to play Harry with one barrel. My purchase of My cue from Cole came about on one such visit. There was a tournament going on at Harry's place over the weekend. Don Whirtaman was handed a hundred by Danny and told to shoot it at Cole. Started out playing $20 nine ball then one pocket for probably 100. He got all of Coles $800 bankroll. Then Cole enquiry as to playing for his rig(2 butts and 6 shafts Joss of course). It was met with OK. So Cole went into the men's room to wash his face as he was well into the Stollies vodka by then. Danny told Don that one of the butts had been broken and repaired. So Don changed his mind. Cole was a little distraught upon returning to find the deal was off.
I pulled Cole aside and offered to lend $500 against the cues. My words were to the effect of, "I don't think I am doing you a favor but if you want to continue". He did and lost it too. Started out with a chance to win a hundred and lost 13.
So Cole was in the process of slinging the rig over his shoulder and said, "will meet you in the morning with the money." I intersepted the strap before it touched his shoulder and replied, Okay. The next morning, after I had all night to hit balls at home and inspect the totality of his equipment. We met up and he had the money. He indicated that he was going to build a fence to make money as 500 was all he got. I inquired as to buying the repaired butt and one shaft. His reply was that he spent the night with Mike and Mike had offered to buy the same for 150 but would make payments. I said how about $200 right here right now. I shoot with that cue today and to me it's Priceless.
My signature
The enhanced picture can be found in this thread, which is worth a read:
Walking with Giants 1970
Played Ronnie the first time in 1969 in Houston Tx. During the invitational nine ball tourney, I was barely 17 yrs old not 16.5 years like I’ve posted before, my mistake! We played even one hole, he played one handed I played two handed! Beat...
forums.azbilliards.com
I have a colorized version also, but I never posted it. The wear on the original picture was so bad that it was difficult to colorize.
I'll just post both here for convenience, but read the opening post in the linked thread above.
Modern version of that story:
📰 Phil Ivey and the $20million Edge-Sorting Saga Ends...
With Phil Ivey’s $multimillion edge-sorting saga appearing to have been settled, a detailed timeline covering the entire 8-year legal battle seems in order
With apologies.
Thanks. That's a lot better than a grainy newspaper photo but
would the real Keith Thompson care to offer a photo that doesn't look like the virtual pool version?
Go to One Pkt .org, he frequents there.With apologies.
Thanks. That's a lot better than a grainy newspaper photo but
would the real Keith Thompson care to offer a photo that doesn't look like the virtual pool version?
The hippie chicks loved him at Johnson City IL/Janscos.
In the photo of Keith it says it was taken in 1970. I can see that he had definitely matured since when I saw him. I'm sure being very young and on the road can do that to someone. So I would guess that it was 1969 or even possibly 1968 when I saw Cole and Keith at Fremont Family Billiards. And believe me, Cole was at the very top of his game even then. How old would Cole have been at that time? 19? Or 18?!
According to this thread (https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/cole-dickson-my-friend-for-eternity.325771/) started by Jimmy Reid, Cole was born on Nov. 20, 1950. So your 18 or 19 look good, or he could even have been 17 when you saw him if it was before his birthday in 1968.