Anybody ever see these pros any more?
- Thread starter Terry Ardeno
- Start date
I met Howard at Turning Stone in 2006. One hell of a nice guy. I had him autograph a t-shirt that my daughter was having all the top players sign.
http://www.howardvickery.com/index.php
This article about Howard is a very good read. enjoy.
Ray
http://www.howardvickery.com/index.php
This article about Howard is a very good read. enjoy.
Ray
seth buttermilk brown died awhile back. He lost his leg to diabetes. His fake leg still hangs from the pool room ceiling in paris tn..
When I began playing in 1999 and joined in the fun at the CCB Howie was a frequent poster. He was very helpful to me both through general posts and pm's. He imparted a lot of information that I needed to improve my game and my knowledge of the sport. He was my first contact with a pro player and his helpful attitude gave pro pool a good rep in my book.
Eddie Sheahan sold his room a few years ago. I believe he's in the mortage biz now. I was on a BCA team with him this year that won our league. Unfortunately, he couldn't make the trip to Vegas with us. We sure could have used him out there as our team played like poop! (especially me!) Anyway, Eddie is a whole lot of fun to be around. He still plays pretty damn stong, too!
Earl Herring plays at Gallery Billiards in Newburgh, NY
Hey Terry!
You mentioned a name near and dear to several of us, e.g. Fast Lenny, myself -- and that name is Earl Herring. Earl is playing out of Newburgh, NY these days, at Gallery Billiards:
http://myspace.com/gallerybilliards
Earl is still active and plays jam-up. As you probably know, Earl showed up out of nowhere and started playing at a lot of the Comet Billiards stops, as well as the most recent 14.1 straight pool tournament in Parsippany, NJ last year (the one that Neils Feijen won). It was only Corey Deuel's 100-and-out that stopped Earl in the preliminary rounds (after Earl himself started off with a 54-ball run against Corey), but then again, who expected that from Corey?
One of Earl's very close road partners, Gil Black Sr., is also still playing, albeit several bypass surgeries have slowed him down a bit. Gil plays out of Danbury, CT at a place called Club Maron, which is a new hotel that has a pool room he helped the previous management staff [of the now-defunct Danbury location of the Boston Billiards chain] set up downstairs in the lobby. Word on the street is that Gil may be ready to open a room of his own, using some of the tables salvaged from that now-defunct Danbury branch of Boston Billiards. In true "Guys and Dolls" fashion (i.e. the name of the previous room he once had), I'm sure whatever he opens up will be a very nice place where pool is taken seriously, and everyone is welcomed as "family."
Let me know if you need any additional info about either one of these fine gentlemen.
I hope this is very helpful info!
-Sean
Hey Terry!
You mentioned a name near and dear to several of us, e.g. Fast Lenny, myself -- and that name is Earl Herring. Earl is playing out of Newburgh, NY these days, at Gallery Billiards:
http://myspace.com/gallerybilliards
Earl is still active and plays jam-up. As you probably know, Earl showed up out of nowhere and started playing at a lot of the Comet Billiards stops, as well as the most recent 14.1 straight pool tournament in Parsippany, NJ last year (the one that Neils Feijen won). It was only Corey Deuel's 100-and-out that stopped Earl in the preliminary rounds (after Earl himself started off with a 54-ball run against Corey), but then again, who expected that from Corey?
One of Earl's very close road partners, Gil Black Sr., is also still playing, albeit several bypass surgeries have slowed him down a bit. Gil plays out of Danbury, CT at a place called Club Maron, which is a new hotel that has a pool room he helped the previous management staff [of the now-defunct Danbury location of the Boston Billiards chain] set up downstairs in the lobby. Word on the street is that Gil may be ready to open a room of his own, using some of the tables salvaged from that now-defunct Danbury branch of Boston Billiards. In true "Guys and Dolls" fashion (i.e. the name of the previous room he once had), I'm sure whatever he opens up will be a very nice place where pool is taken seriously, and everyone is welcomed as "family."
Let me know if you need any additional info about either one of these fine gentlemen.
I hope this is very helpful info!
-Sean
Last edited:
Yep...for millions of $$$!...and it wasn't Gene, it was his son, Pete Balner. They sold out at just the right time. Kudos to them! :thumbup:
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Oh yeah, my bad. Gene is the "old man", founder of Palmer cues.
I used to have a Palmer Video Lifetime Member card. I gave it to Chris Tate a couple of years ago, to add to his Palmer collection, lol.
Eric
DONNABROWN
New member
Tommy buttermilk brown
:wink:BUTTERMILK BROWN IS NO LONGER WITH US HE PAST AWAY APRIL 25 1992 HE WAS 58 YRS OLD, IM SURE HE MUST BE IN HEAVEN SHOOTING POOL WITH MY BROTHER SWEETMILK BROWN,, HIS OLDEST SON, HE PAST ON OCT 02 2003 I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR INFO ON MY DAD SETH THOMAS BROWN JR."BUTTERMILK BROWN"
DONNA BROWN
PARIS TENNESSEE
:wink:BUTTERMILK BROWN IS NO LONGER WITH US HE PAST AWAY APRIL 25 1992 HE WAS 58 YRS OLD, IM SURE HE MUST BE IN HEAVEN SHOOTING POOL WITH MY BROTHER SWEETMILK BROWN,, HIS OLDEST SON, HE PAST ON OCT 02 2003 I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR INFO ON MY DAD SETH THOMAS BROWN JR."BUTTERMILK BROWN"
DONNA BROWN
PARIS TENNESSEE
Last edited:
:wink:BUTTERMILK BROWN IS NO LONGER WITH US HE PAST AWAY APRIL 25 1992 HE WAS 58 YRS OLD, IM SURE HE MUST BE IN HEAVEN SHOOTING POOL WITH MY BROTHER SWEETMILK BROWN,, HIS OLDEST SON, HE PAST ON OCT 02 2003 I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR INFO ON MY DAD SETH THOMAS BROWN JR."BUTTERMILK BROWN"
DONNA BROWN
PARIS TENNESSEE
while on the road the legendary Buddy hall used to beat everybody that crossed his path and took their money.But ' Butter Milk' Brown was a nightmare to Buddy.Buddy used to get beat by 'Butter Milk' brown.
The King
I am pretty confident I heard this right - While I was at this year's US Open it was announced over the PA that Danny D and The King, Jim Rempe, would be commentating the next TV table match for Accustats. I'd think others could verify this, perhaps Jay saw him and spoke with him.
Lots of yesteryear names coming forth here. I wonder how many of them will get a tap on their shoulder from a friend that says "You and your pool talents have not been forgotten!"
I am pretty confident I heard this right - While I was at this year's US Open it was announced over the PA that Danny D and The King, Jim Rempe, would be commentating the next TV table match for Accustats. I'd think others could verify this, perhaps Jay saw him and spoke with him.
Lots of yesteryear names coming forth here. I wonder how many of them will get a tap on their shoulder from a friend that says "You and your pool talents have not been forgotten!"
I am pretty confident I heard this right - While I was at this year's US Open it was announced over the PA that Danny D and The King, Jim Rempe, would be commentating the next TV table match for Accustats. I'd think others could verify this, perhaps Jay saw him and spoke with him.
Lots of yesteryear names coming forth here. I wonder how many of them will get a tap on their shoulder from a friend that says "You and your pool talents have not been forgotten!"
Jimmy came in for the Hall Of Fame dinner. To honor Johnny and Allison. He may well have done a match for Accu-Stats. I'm sure that by going to accu-stats.com you can find out.
:wink:BUTTERMILK BROWN IS NO LONGER WITH US HE PAST AWAY APRIL 25 1992 HE WAS 58 YRS OLD, IM SURE HE MUST BE IN HEAVEN SHOOTING POOL WITH MY BROTHER SWEETMILK BROWN,, HIS OLDEST SON, HE PAST ON OCT 02 2003 I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR ASKING FOR INFO ON MY DAD SETH THOMAS BROWN JR."BUTTERMILK BROWN"
DONNA BROWN
PARIS TENNESSEE
I live in Paducah, do you have pictures and stories to tell about your dad?
Ken
DONNABROWN
New member
seth "buttermilk brown"
:smile:yes the story is that buddy hall would come to paris tn back in the day and try his best to beat buttermilk but he never could,,there has been lots of great pool players come though here back in the 60's and 70's to try to bet ol' buttermilk brown and the most of them would leave here dragging there tails, he was one fine man i don't know of any body that didn't like him
(my mom)i:frown:s the only one i guess,but that is because he stayed at jack's pool hall alot ,i knew that when i would come home here to paris,tn. that if i wanted to see dad i had to go to the pool room:wink: then he and i would gamble that was so much fun,but yes i do have pictures of my dad with minnesota fats and willie mosconi name on the back of along with willie hoppe name in 1989,the picture was made in 1979 in memphis tn i also have the two rings that is in the photo one was minnesota's, dad won it from him back then:wink:i have newapaper clippings from paris tn about my dad and it tells that buttermilk was the pool hall king pin.
im interested in hearing different stories from people that played him back in the day,and if you beat him and made him leave dragging his tail
i thank you for taking the time to read my story about my dad "buttermilk brown"
if anyone has any ? to ask i will be glad to answer it for you if i can
Donna Brown
Paris,Tennessee:smile:
:smile:yes the story is that buddy hall would come to paris tn back in the day and try his best to beat buttermilk but he never could,,there has been lots of great pool players come though here back in the 60's and 70's to try to bet ol' buttermilk brown and the most of them would leave here dragging there tails, he was one fine man i don't know of any body that didn't like him
(my mom)i:frown:s the only one i guess,but that is because he stayed at jack's pool hall alot ,i knew that when i would come home here to paris,tn. that if i wanted to see dad i had to go to the pool room:wink: then he and i would gamble that was so much fun,but yes i do have pictures of my dad with minnesota fats and willie mosconi name on the back of along with willie hoppe name in 1989,the picture was made in 1979 in memphis tn i also have the two rings that is in the photo one was minnesota's, dad won it from him back then:wink:i have newapaper clippings from paris tn about my dad and it tells that buttermilk was the pool hall king pin.im interested in hearing different stories from people that played him back in the day,and if you beat him and made him leave dragging his tail
i thank you for taking the time to read my story about my dad "buttermilk brown"
if anyone has any ? to ask i will be glad to answer it for you if i can
Donna Brown
Paris,Tennessee:smile:
DONNABROWN
New member
i hope this is what you was looking to hear about my dad buttermilk brown he was as great of daddy as he was a pool player,and i im working on getting his picture on line so kept a watch for it,
thank you for reading my story
Donna Brown
Paris, Tennessee
thank you for reading my story
Donna Brown
Paris, Tennessee
Alot of truth in the above but I think it goes further. BEFORE the IPT most of those players were retired, they had already thrown in the towel. The IPT actually gave pool professionals some hope and enough of a reason to pull the old pool cue down from the wall, dust it off, and give the game one more try.
Alot of the players mentioned basically vanished after the last of the legitamate professional tours collapsed. The Camel tour, the UPA, professional pool died, and as a pro pool player like those guys I could see not wanting to bother trying to struggle on.
There are ALOT of truly GREAT pool players the world has never known, because those people when they are young and start shooting the lights out and competing with the best players in their area at a early age take a look at the prospects of pool and the alternatives, and they make the smart choice and they go on and do something else rather then commit the time and effort into a game where the rewards are truly minimal.
I was a lesser case of this. I play close to short stop speed when I put in the month of practice I do before Vegas, and I know I could have gotten to lower level pro speed, but that is where it would have stopped for me. I would have peaked at about a Marcus Chamat level, and honestly I don't like the lifestyle that would have brought. Life at that level of skill in professional pool is a struggle. If you are a golfer with his relative level of skill? You are living it up. It is a sad state pool is in. I honestly thought about maybe putting a solid year, 6 days a week 8-10 hours a day into my game if the IPT had gone off and become huge and see where I could have gotten, because then you CAN be the 50th or even 100th best player in the world and survive. As it stands though my time is better spent getting a geology degree and going to work for an oil company that can pay christmas bonuses larger then the amount Mika made this year if you happen to have a good year.
This is right out of rags to rifleman buddy halls book.
They found Buttermilk practicing on his favorite 4x8 table. Buddy attempted to persuade him to move to another table, but Buttermilk stubbornly refused. Buddy had just made a 700 dollar score and had that coveted good feeling after beating Tommy Mann. He figured that Buttermilk might falter playing for higher stakes, so he invited Buttermilk to play for $20 a game. Buttermilk was on short money, but there were three stake horses in the room who knew the track record between these two. They didn't mind backing Buttermilk's action against an opponent that had never beat him.
The game was on, and Buddy's strategy seemed to be working. Buddy had won the first few games, and he had been maintaining a 5 or 6 game lead for almost an hour. Then, Buttermilk's stake horses began telling stories, recalling some of his most glorious victories and most fantastic shots. He overheard their conversation and literally became a different player. He started cutting the paint off the balls, and letting position go with the wind. Even if he hooked himself, he kicked the ball into a pocket. Then, one of the stake horses yelled, "Sometimes, Buttermilk plays so good that he hooks himself on purpose, just to make it interesting."
Buddy could see the nightmare coming again. He had been here before. Buttermilk was playing intelligent percentage pool in the beginning, but now, he was going for impossible shots, and making them. The cue ball was flying around the table, hitting four or five cushions, and after kissing off two or three balls, like magic, he would be straight in for his next shot. He not only made a comeback to get even, he had Buddy stuck for $300.
Buddy didn't want to give up, and he tried his best to survive Buttermilk's barrage of awesome shot making. Every time that Buttermilk fired in a difficult bank shot, the ooooh's and aaaah's from the eyeballers only inspired encore performances. Buddy felt that if these guys wanted to impersonate cheerleaders, the should have brought along pom-poms. For Buddy and Red, it was like seeing a re-run of a bad movie. They had seen this show to many times, and both realized what the outcome was going to be.
Buttermilk continued to win until he had picked a couple of hundred dollars more out of Buddy's pocket, then he was forced to shoot at a 9ball that was about a quarter of an inch off the end rail. The cue ball was on the other end of the table, parallel with the 9ball. Buddy expected another spectacular bank shot, followed by a standing ovation from the sweaters, when Buttermilk shot the cue ball so hard, it jumped six inches into the air after hitting the end rial. The hit on the 9ball was so thin it couldn't be heard, and the breeze from the cue ball, caused the 9ball to crawl towards the corner pocket. The cue ball had traveled up and down the table twice, by the time the 9 ball got to the edge of the pocket. The yellow striped ball seemed to tease Buddy by hesitating for a split second. Why, nobody would ever believe it. That ball actually stopped, before dropping out of sight. Could Buttermilk have a hex on these balls, or what?
Neither Buddy nor Red wanted to see anymore after that. It was enough to send a pool player to the bathroom, with a queasy feeling in his gut. The game was over, and Buttermilk continued to be a monkey on Buddy's back the size of King Kong. It was a long and silent trip back to Paducah.
They found Buttermilk practicing on his favorite 4x8 table. Buddy attempted to persuade him to move to another table, but Buttermilk stubbornly refused. Buddy had just made a 700 dollar score and had that coveted good feeling after beating Tommy Mann. He figured that Buttermilk might falter playing for higher stakes, so he invited Buttermilk to play for $20 a game. Buttermilk was on short money, but there were three stake horses in the room who knew the track record between these two. They didn't mind backing Buttermilk's action against an opponent that had never beat him.
The game was on, and Buddy's strategy seemed to be working. Buddy had won the first few games, and he had been maintaining a 5 or 6 game lead for almost an hour. Then, Buttermilk's stake horses began telling stories, recalling some of his most glorious victories and most fantastic shots. He overheard their conversation and literally became a different player. He started cutting the paint off the balls, and letting position go with the wind. Even if he hooked himself, he kicked the ball into a pocket. Then, one of the stake horses yelled, "Sometimes, Buttermilk plays so good that he hooks himself on purpose, just to make it interesting."
Buddy could see the nightmare coming again. He had been here before. Buttermilk was playing intelligent percentage pool in the beginning, but now, he was going for impossible shots, and making them. The cue ball was flying around the table, hitting four or five cushions, and after kissing off two or three balls, like magic, he would be straight in for his next shot. He not only made a comeback to get even, he had Buddy stuck for $300.
Buddy didn't want to give up, and he tried his best to survive Buttermilk's barrage of awesome shot making. Every time that Buttermilk fired in a difficult bank shot, the ooooh's and aaaah's from the eyeballers only inspired encore performances. Buddy felt that if these guys wanted to impersonate cheerleaders, the should have brought along pom-poms. For Buddy and Red, it was like seeing a re-run of a bad movie. They had seen this show to many times, and both realized what the outcome was going to be.
Buttermilk continued to win until he had picked a couple of hundred dollars more out of Buddy's pocket, then he was forced to shoot at a 9ball that was about a quarter of an inch off the end rail. The cue ball was on the other end of the table, parallel with the 9ball. Buddy expected another spectacular bank shot, followed by a standing ovation from the sweaters, when Buttermilk shot the cue ball so hard, it jumped six inches into the air after hitting the end rial. The hit on the 9ball was so thin it couldn't be heard, and the breeze from the cue ball, caused the 9ball to crawl towards the corner pocket. The cue ball had traveled up and down the table twice, by the time the 9 ball got to the edge of the pocket. The yellow striped ball seemed to tease Buddy by hesitating for a split second. Why, nobody would ever believe it. That ball actually stopped, before dropping out of sight. Could Buttermilk have a hex on these balls, or what?
Neither Buddy nor Red wanted to see anymore after that. It was enough to send a pool player to the bathroom, with a queasy feeling in his gut. The game was over, and Buttermilk continued to be a monkey on Buddy's back the size of King Kong. It was a long and silent trip back to Paducah.
DONNABROWN
New member
i want to thank you for taking the time to write this and remembering my dad as one of the best pool players around paris tn,i will for ever be greatful to you for this info. that i never knew was around nor did i know about this book until dec. 2009..
thanks
Donna Brown
Paris,Tennessee
thanks
Donna Brown
Paris,Tennessee
one of the best if not the best!
this is so neat! i went to school at martin, tenn with seth brown in 1966 and/or 1967 and got to associate with him a lot in the dorm and at the pool room. we played a lot at one of the two jimmy's on the campus spots. some knew him as tom and some of us as seth or just brown. i never heard the buttermilk nickname until i lucked onto this site when i was sitting outside tonight and decided to look for seth. i am upset i never tried looking him up on my trips back home to lexington, tenn over the years as i enjoyed seth very much and learned some great tips from him. seems he had an old caddy or lincoln that we rode around in a few times. he told us abt the steel plate in his head that would cause him probs at times. a teacher or two found out about his skills at shooting pool and brought their classes down to the pool room to watch him do an exhibition. i got to see him play a couple of challengers at the paris pool hall and he won them both. i remember a few of the kids with us had money to bet on seth and he had told them before we went in that he would either wink or nod his head when he was ready to win so they could bet accordingly and they made out pretty good for college kids. i lamented the fact that i didn't have extra betting money but; it was exciting to say the least. he played some poker with some of us closer guys in the dorm a few times. i think one of the challengers at the paris pool hall was a mexican from texas but have no idea what his name was. seth shot exceedingly hard almost all the time so i tended to copy that a few times and caught hell from him. i thought one day he was gonna smack me in the head with the cue when i did it. seth said--GD it, i told you i learned to shoot that way but; it is not the correct way to shoot, and i will knock the crap out of you the next time i see that. lol. there was a retired navy man that was quite good on campus but would not play for money at any time. there was a student by last name of agee that was pretty good and would rather play 3-ball or 6-ball than the other games. there was also another guy that had been in the navy for like 8-12 years that was very good. i ranked myself in the top 5 and un-fortunately i was about in the lower 5 of the class as i majored in pool. i loved the game back then. i stayed at one jimmy's on campus so much jimmy asked me to work for him while he ran around. he gave me permission to play for the house when i knew i could usually beat the player offering the challenge. if i won they had to pay as usual and if they won; their time on the tables with me were free. well; as you would know, some guy i didn't now came in and wanted to play bank pool only for his time on the tables. i thought i was pretty good but he beat the shirt off me and played free which was a big deal back then. jimmy laughed when i told him as he knew the guy. i have an old martin spirit 67 school yearbook with seth's pic in it. ha- i just checked it and the 66 annuals that i have kept all these years and they don't even have my pics in them. drat. anyway if a family member wants that one- i will see about mailing it to them or bringing it on a trip to tenn although i have no idea when that could be as i didn't make it down last year nor will i this year. my parents have been gone for some time so i have only the one sister in the old house outside of lexington. finding this blog brought back some great old memories!:thumbup:
this is so neat! i went to school at martin, tenn with seth brown in 1966 and/or 1967 and got to associate with him a lot in the dorm and at the pool room. we played a lot at one of the two jimmy's on the campus spots. some knew him as tom and some of us as seth or just brown. i never heard the buttermilk nickname until i lucked onto this site when i was sitting outside tonight and decided to look for seth. i am upset i never tried looking him up on my trips back home to lexington, tenn over the years as i enjoyed seth very much and learned some great tips from him. seems he had an old caddy or lincoln that we rode around in a few times. he told us abt the steel plate in his head that would cause him probs at times. a teacher or two found out about his skills at shooting pool and brought their classes down to the pool room to watch him do an exhibition. i got to see him play a couple of challengers at the paris pool hall and he won them both. i remember a few of the kids with us had money to bet on seth and he had told them before we went in that he would either wink or nod his head when he was ready to win so they could bet accordingly and they made out pretty good for college kids. i lamented the fact that i didn't have extra betting money but; it was exciting to say the least. he played some poker with some of us closer guys in the dorm a few times. i think one of the challengers at the paris pool hall was a mexican from texas but have no idea what his name was. seth shot exceedingly hard almost all the time so i tended to copy that a few times and caught hell from him. i thought one day he was gonna smack me in the head with the cue when i did it. seth said--GD it, i told you i learned to shoot that way but; it is not the correct way to shoot, and i will knock the crap out of you the next time i see that. lol. there was a retired navy man that was quite good on campus but would not play for money at any time. there was a student by last name of agee that was pretty good and would rather play 3-ball or 6-ball than the other games. there was also another guy that had been in the navy for like 8-12 years that was very good. i ranked myself in the top 5 and un-fortunately i was about in the lower 5 of the class as i majored in pool. i loved the game back then. i stayed at one jimmy's on campus so much jimmy asked me to work for him while he ran around. he gave me permission to play for the house when i knew i could usually beat the player offering the challenge. if i won they had to pay as usual and if they won; their time on the tables with me were free. well; as you would know, some guy i didn't now came in and wanted to play bank pool only for his time on the tables. i thought i was pretty good but he beat the shirt off me and played free which was a big deal back then. jimmy laughed when i told him as he knew the guy. i have an old martin spirit 67 school yearbook with seth's pic in it. ha- i just checked it and the 66 annuals that i have kept all these years and they don't even have my pics in them. drat. anyway if a family member wants that one- i will see about mailing it to them or bringing it on a trip to tenn although i have no idea when that could be as i didn't make it down last year nor will i this year. my parents have been gone for some time so i have only the one sister in the old house outside of lexington. finding this blog brought back some great old memories!:thumbup:
Last edited:
