I’m not sure if anyone in the Kansas Colorado Oklahoma and elsewhere but Jim Buss, played out of McPherson/Hutchinson/Wichita, has passed away May 26, 2026. He had just celebrated his 79th birthday the preceding Friday.
Jimmy and his brother Bill often combined where they wanted to travel to with the question Are there any good players around that want to put money on the table? Jim has told me countless stories. Crazy stories lol. He often said he didn’t know if he was hitchhiking to the next game or riding in a limo. And how rough it could be to have to fight to get his opponent to pay up. He worked as a bouncer for 35 years so he was very confident that he could back up his game. I especially liked the stories of where he played. From Papa Burks Steakhouse in Wichita were some really interesting stories. Also playing out of Bobby Well’s house-the wagers got large! Greg Matlock caught a game at Bobby’s that was more money than the tournament he was currently in lol! He played out of Vick’s in Hutchinson as well as the Cowboy Casino. Back in the day it was the largest nightclub in the area. Jim booked the entertainment there as well. A lot of people didn’t ever know what an accomplished musician he was as well. He would make money doing studio work and that took him on some travels as well. His most favorite player of the times was Buddy Hall. They never matched up because neither of them wanted to lose to the other. They respected each other’s game too much to sour it. Jim, in the 20 years we were married, did everything he could to pass on his knowledge and while I’ve improved drastically I knew I’d never have his skills. He developed those skills early in life playing at the local YMCA. There was a adjustable height stool on rollers that got the kids up so they could actually play. Pretty cool. By the time he was 14 he was at Shorty’s pool hall every chance he got. At 16 he went into a local bar and won so much he had to borrow Bill’s pockets to put it all I ln lmao. I will really miss him but his health had suffered in recent years and at least now he’s not fighting anymore.
Jesslyn Buss
