Johnston city

[Scott Lee]

oldzilla...That is completely uncalled for. Tom Suarez is as fine a person, and loves pool, as much as any of us here (and probably more than some). He makes positive contributions to the forum on a daily basis. He is an outstanding tournament director, and very popular in his home room (Hard Times/Sacremento). He's also a player, and knows the game from all perspectives. Lastly, he has posted here, on internet forums, for AT LEAST a dozen years (probably longer), and contributes many perspectives and fine points, on a variety of topics and issues. The only negative thing I've ever seen him post, was about the Galveston Classic, and that was not out of line, imo...not to mention that it was misinterpreted by some other posters (which he publicly disclaimed, and apoligized for). I'm sorry, but you don't have the credibility here, to put Tom down.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

wow , thats good because you probably would find many negative things to talk about.

 

[oldzilla]

hi scotty

oldzilla...That is completely uncalled for. Tom Suarez is as fine a person, and loves pool, as much as any of us here (and probably more than some). He makes positive contributions to the forum on a daily basis. He is an outstanding tournament director, and very popular in his home room (Hard Times/Sacremento). He's also a player, and knows the game from all perspectives. Lastly, he has posted here, on internet forums, for AT LEAST a dozen years (probably longer), and contributes many perspectives and fine points, on a variety of topics and issues. The only negative thing I've ever seen him post, was about the Galveston Classic, and that was not out of line, imo...not to mention that it was misinterpreted by some other posters (which he publicly disclaimed, and apoligized for). I'm sorry, but you don't have the credibility here, to put Tom down.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

look scott what goes around comes around. i just gettin back to those of you who have stepped on my toes.(watch out for the ingrown please)
i don't mean anything real bad . i'm sure the both of you are fine gentlemen
of the game and i do understand that aforum is a forum, it is about the different viewpoints of the people who are interested in the same things.

so have a nice day,and a good laugh. hehe

i gotta get outa here now, going to my 40th class reunion ! later dudes .

 

[Ed Wiggins]

There was another building around the back that is not shown. That was called "The Practice Room". It had three tables in the front room with bleacher seating for maybe 100 people. In the back room were another two tables with small bleachers for maybe 50 people. I can't tell you how many nights I feel asleep in those bleachers. The tournaments were marathons, lasting 22 or 23 days.

Oftentimes, the practice room was so crowded you had difficulty moving from one room to the other. People were standing everywhere, in every inch of space. The front room had all the biggest games and the back room had the nightly Ring Ten Ball game, usually 20 a man.

This is the place---
24-hour action!

 

[MoonshineMattK]

What memories these photos (and videos) evoke. The first video with Jim McKay was in the mid 60's. I was there one year when the Wide World of Sports crew came to JC. It was only the most watched sports show on television at the time. I met McKay and he was a very pleasant and inquisitive man. I was just a kid and he asked me questions about my pool cue and case. He was one of the great sports reporters of his era.

The second video was near the end of the JC era, maybe circa 1970 or 71. If you look closely, you might see me sitting in the stands sweating a match. I used to sit for hours every day soaking up the action.

The photos are cool too. The big building was where the tournament arena was set up. Three tables in a little pit surrounded on three sides by bleacher seating. Maybe 300 or so people at full capacity. There was another building around the back that is not shown. That was called "The Practice Room". It had three tables in the front room with bleacher seating for maybe 100 people. In the back room were another two tables with small bleachers for maybe 50 people. I can't tell you how many nights I feel asleep in those bleachers. The tournaments were marathons, lasting 22 or 23 days.

Oftentimes, the practice room was so crowded you had difficulty moving from one room to the other. People were standing everywhere, in every inch of space. The front room had all the biggest games and the back room had the nightly Ring Ten Ball game, usually 20 a man.

I get nostalgic when I see this stuff. It takes me back to the beginning of my long journey with pool. Thanks for the photos and the videos.

So thats about a week for each tourny - 9, 1pkt, 14.1? That seems like a long time. Were there breaks in between?

Do you remember what the entry fees and payouts and # of participants were?

Very cool, Thanks

 

[ragbug74]

coool. Didnt know it was still standing.

I spoke with one of the Jansco son-in-laws at the DCC last year and he explained that the bar is still there and operational, but the family doesn't have anything to do with it now. They do still run the golf course, I want to say it's called The Stardust....someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I believe he posts on OP.ORG, but I'm not sure about here.

 

[jay helfert]

So thats about a week for each tourny - 9, 1pkt, 14.1? That seems like a long time. Were there breaks in between?

Do you remember what the entry fees and payouts and # of participants were?

Very cool, Thanks

It was about six days for each tourney, no break in between as far as I can remember. Maybe a one day break and then the three winners would play off for the All Around Champion. That would last a couple of days. Remember they only had three tables to play all the matches on, and these were not short matches: Race To Eleven 9-Ball was played roll out style and all balls spotted up, One Pocket was a Race To Four and Straight Pool was 125 point games. There were never any clocks put on any games but George Jansco would fume when two players took too long.

They limited the field to 64 players in each division. The entry fee was $125 per division (Jansco staked many of the top players) and the total purse was about $33,000. First place in each division was like $3,000 and the overall winner got a $3,000 bonus. Yes that's right, each division paid out $10,000 total with a $3000 bonus to the overall champion. Of course these were the days when $1,000 was real money. Rooms in W. Frankfort and Benton were about $9-12 a night, and everyone partnered up. Gas was about 25 cents a gallon, and I remembering carpooling back and forth.

I drove down there a couple of times from Dayton, and would always see if any players needed a ride back to their rooms when I was leaving at night (or in the morning). Sometimes I had a car full of champions riding back to the motel with me. I was in heaven just listening to them bullshit all the way back.

The big money to be won at Johnston City was in the practice room. That's where the players matched up and the money flowed. $500 9-Ball sets were commonplace and a $50 or $100 One Pocket game was standard back room fare. A big winner at JC might go home with 10K in his pockets, a very healthy bankroll in the 60's. The "bite" was usually $5, with $10 being a big bite and $20 only given to cherished friend and/or partners.

 

[tommie1351]

Great

Thank you Tim, you made a bad day good!

 

[crawfish]

Damn Tim, pretty cool. Man, I'd like to have a $.025 on every dollar won or lost in there. We'd buy a 45 foot boat and call it "Pool's Finest".

 

[jay helfert]

This is the place---
24-hour action!

Walk through that glass door and the bleachers were to the left, about five rows high. On the right were three pool tables, and no where else to sit. If you walked through the front room, there was a little alcove with a doorway on the left side. It opened into the back room with another two tables and smaller bleachers on two sides (maybe three rows high). That's where the ring games got played. All the top players got in from time to time.

 

[JG-in-KY]

Credit for this photo goes to Frank Brent of Campbellsburg, KY.
Frank was a friend of Johnny Edwards, who appears in the picture.


Great old days!

Ed

Great pictures Ed! Yeah Mr Edwards could dab it. How a man with glasses that thick could play so good...

 

[daniel]

I remember Don Watson telling me one year @ JC he busted the ring game. Don had his mixture right that night. He didn't haven't the best break but if he got a look at the 1 he was OUT.

 

[Tom In Cincy]

wow , thats good because you probably would find many negative things to talk about.

Wow, you sure know how to make a jab. Nice try, but the bleeding's already stopped. Tell your friend VooDoo Daddy (aka Steve) that he still has 6-10 any time he wants... and the breaks...just like last time...

Also, please tell Steve I said HI. We've been jabbing at each other since the late 90s

Tom is as fine a person, and loves pool, as much as any of us here (and probably more than some).
Scott Lee

Thanks Scott... see ya next time you venture into Sacramento.

 

[Ed Wiggins]

Again, credit for the pictures belongs to Frank Brent, Campbellsburg, Ky.

Here's another from the Cue Club.

 

[jay helfert]

Again, credit for the pictures belongs to Frank Brent, Campbellsburg, Ky.

Here's another from the Cue Club.

Yep. that's the back room of the Practice Room area. Here you go, check this out. The man in the suit on the right is Don Tozer and that's his wife on the other side of his cue. To the left is Al Coslosky chatting with a very young Jersey Red and his girl Dotty. Farther to the left Danny Jones is sweating the shot by Boston Shorty. Only other player wearing a hat while shooting was Jr. Goff and he was a lefty. I'll even tell you the shot. Shorty is cutting the 14 in the side and the cue ball beats it to the pocket. Try it sometime. Take a look at that side pocket. Kind of looks like a Diamond doesn't it. These were NOT buckets they played on.

I'm not sure if the table was a Gandy or a National. I sure would like to see more of Brent's photos.

 

[androd]

Yep. that's the back room of the Practice Room area. Here you go, check this out. The man in the suit on the right is Don Tozer and that's his wife on the other side of his cue. To the left is Al Coslosky chatting with a very young Jersey Red and his girl Dotty. Farther to the left Danny Jones is sweating the shot by Boston Shorty. Only other player wearing a hat while shooting was Jr. Goff and he was a lefty. I'll even tell you the shot. Shorty is cutting the 14 in the side and the cue ball beats it to the pocket. Try it sometime. Take a look at that side pocket. Kind of looks like a Diamond doesn't it. These were NOT buckets they played on.

I'm not sure if the table was a Gandy or a National. I sure would like to see more of Brent's photos.

I don't think thats Danny Jones, he wasn't left handed and he didn't smoke, also had no tattoo's. Does sorta look like him though.

 

[jay helfert]

I don't think thats Danny Jones, he wasn't left handed and he didn't smoke, also had no tattoo's. Does sorta look like him though.

I'm definitely not sure either. It just looks like a young Danny.

 

[pdcue]

Yep. that's the back room of the Practice Room area. Here you go, check this out. The man in the suit on the right is Don Tozer and that's his wife on the other side of his cue. To the left is Al Coslosky chatting with a very young Jersey Red and his girl Dotty. Farther to the left Danny Jones is sweating the shot by Boston Shorty. Only other player wearing a hat while shooting was Jr. Goff and he was a lefty. I'll even tell you the shot. Shorty is cutting the 14 in the side and the cue ball beats it to the pocket. Try it sometime. Take a look at that side pocket. Kind of looks like a Diamond doesn't it. These were NOT buckets they played on.

I'm not sure if the table was a Gandy or a National. I sure would like to see more of Brent's photos.

Jay,

I thought they had A E. Schmidt tables, do you think maybe?

Dale

 

[freddy the beard]

Close, no cigar

Yep. that's the back room of the Practice Room area. Here you go, check this out. The man in the suit on the right is Don Tozer and that's his wife on the other side of his cue. To the left is Al Coslosky chatting with a very young Jersey Red and his girl Dotty. Farther to the left Danny Jones is sweating the shot by Boston Shorty. Only other player wearing a hat while shooting was Jr. Goff and he was a lefty. I'll even tell you the shot. Shorty is cutting the 14 in the side and the cue ball beats it to the pocket. Try it sometime. Take a look at that side pocket. Kind of looks like a Diamond doesn't it. These were NOT buckets they played on.

I'm not sure if the table was a Gandy or a National. I sure would like to see more of Brent's photos.

I've seen this photo many times before. You are right about a couple of the guys, Don Tozer, his wife, Jersey Red and Dotty. To Red's right is Joe Procita not Al Coslosky. That's not Danny Jones on the left either. I cant think of the guys name, but he was always at Johnston City, played ok. I'm 99% sure that that is not Boston Shorty, look at his hands, Shorty didnt have long fingers. Shorty also only wore a fedora, that's a winter cap. I was agonizing over the table, trying to remember, Gandy or National, Gandy or National, then it hit me. That's an A.E. Schmidt table, made in St Louis.
Johnston City was the Woodstock of pool. I was there every year but the first, 1961. Whatever outrageous stories you heard about it, most of them were probably true. Don Watson did bust a ring there, too. I watched him not ever get to the table in 9 games and when he finally got a shot he was snookered on the one ball. He length of the table masse'd the one in, got snookered on the two and length of the table masse's the two in. Naturally he ran out and never looked back from there. The greatest runout I ever seen, under the conditions. Eddie Taylor, Wimpy, Jimmy Moore, and Harold Worst were all barred from the ring games. And yes, Detroit Whitey did run 8 or 9 racks of ten ball in the ring game, jumped the table on the next break and quit.

the Beard

 

[JE54]

Wow, what history.........

 

[Ed Wiggins]

I've seen this photo many times before. You are right about a couple of the guys, Don Tozer, his wife, Jersey Red and Dotty. To Red's right is Joe Procita not Al Coslosky. That's not Danny Jones on the left either. I cant think of the guys name, but he was always at Johnston City, played ok. I'm 99% sure that that is not Boston Shorty, look at his hands, Shorty didnt have long fingers. Shorty also only wore a fedora, that's a winter cap.

the Beard

You're right. The photo has been posted before.

The shooter is J. Gordon Guy.
Smoker is Ray Booth.

Another interesting article about those days and the St. Louis area is

http://free-reference.com/JaysCorner/images/Blackie1.pdf

Ed