Cecil Tugwell - Passes Away
- Thread starter watchez
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"Serps"
In the late 60s, early 70s, at the Ye Billiard Den in Hollywood, and Tournament Billiards in Culver City, we all called Cecil, "Serps," which was short for Cecil the Serpent, a puppet in a kid's TV show. He and I played a couple times a week and it was always a battle. I was one of the few people who got along good with him, even those times I managed to win. We always had fun playing, but that wasnt the case with everybody. He could be a bullying monster at times, and often for not much reason. When he was "cool" he was funny and charming.
He could also play pretty crispy. Super creative onepocket player, and an excellent banker.
When I played him he was right handed. His switch to left was astounding.
Very sorry to hear he ended up like he did.
RIP Serps.
Beard
In the late 60s, early 70s, at the Ye Billiard Den in Hollywood, and Tournament Billiards in Culver City, we all called Cecil, "Serps," which was short for Cecil the Serpent, a puppet in a kid's TV show. He and I played a couple times a week and it was always a battle. I was one of the few people who got along good with him, even those times I managed to win. We always had fun playing, but that wasnt the case with everybody. He could be a bullying monster at times, and often for not much reason. When he was "cool" he was funny and charming.
He could also play pretty crispy. Super creative onepocket player, and an excellent banker.
When I played him he was right handed. His switch to left was astounding.
Very sorry to hear he ended up like he did.
RIP Serps.
Beard
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Keith McCready
Pro Player
Just heard to bad news about Cecil. I had a lot of good times with him. I played him a lot growing up in California, but this was before he went left-handed, after he got his hands broken from a beef in Detroit. Playing one-pocket for the cash, he was real hard to beat. Nobody wanted to mess with him back in the '70s.
When he went to left-handed, he could play strong, but the long shots were a little difficult. That's was one of his weak spots. As far as moving, he moved like a ghost. Like Freddy said, they called him "Cecil the Serpant."
Before I left California, his nickname to me was "Tug." I was there when he played Efren that one-pocket match and win the tournament. That was a great win for him. I'll never forget that. He outmoved him and outshot him on the end. He made some two-railers and could hide his cueball when he had to with some severe english. He was real good on holding his rock.
I always looked forward to seeing Cecil when I would go down to HardTimes. It seemed like as soon as he spotted me, it was as if he was there waiting for me. He'd get a sparkle in his eye and smile. He struggled for money to get by. I always tried to help him when I could, but it was tough at HardTimes, a lot of good players, and you had to play real well to get the money. And if they saw you broke over there, very few people would help. It's just the way it was. It seems like it's just the way it is when somebody's down on their luck. It takes a special person to look through that and go ahead and try to make things better, even if it ends up worse.
It seems like nowadays everybody's dropping like flies, all my friends. I will miss Tug. I hope it was painless, his last moments on earth, but I'm sure it wasn't. May the angels be with him. He was actually a good guy, just trying to win like everybody else.
When he went to left-handed, he could play strong, but the long shots were a little difficult. That's was one of his weak spots. As far as moving, he moved like a ghost. Like Freddy said, they called him "Cecil the Serpant."
Before I left California, his nickname to me was "Tug." I was there when he played Efren that one-pocket match and win the tournament. That was a great win for him. I'll never forget that. He outmoved him and outshot him on the end. He made some two-railers and could hide his cueball when he had to with some severe english. He was real good on holding his rock.
I always looked forward to seeing Cecil when I would go down to HardTimes. It seemed like as soon as he spotted me, it was as if he was there waiting for me. He'd get a sparkle in his eye and smile. He struggled for money to get by. I always tried to help him when I could, but it was tough at HardTimes, a lot of good players, and you had to play real well to get the money. And if they saw you broke over there, very few people would help. It's just the way it was. It seems like it's just the way it is when somebody's down on their luck. It takes a special person to look through that and go ahead and try to make things better, even if it ends up worse.
It seems like nowadays everybody's dropping like flies, all my friends. I will miss Tug. I hope it was painless, his last moments on earth, but I'm sure it wasn't. May the angels be with him. He was actually a good guy, just trying to win like everybody else.
Great thread, but sad news.
R.i.p.
Like some others here, I never saw this man play; but his name is very familiar to me......I guess even though he wanted to stay under the radar, his talent brought him fame, nevertheless......Sad to hear of his passing and hard times...may he rest in peace.
Like some others here, I never saw this man play; but his name is very familiar to me......I guess even though he wanted to stay under the radar, his talent brought him fame, nevertheless......Sad to hear of his passing and hard times...may he rest in peace.
My friend from California just called and let me know that Cecil Tugwell has passed away. Well 99% confirmed. Cecil's life was pretty much a sad state of affairs in recent years, more so than ever - he was barred from all the pool rooms in California, at one time was basically living in the parking lot of one of the pool rooms. Lately could just be seen hanging around outside one of the pool rooms on any given day. My friend described it like as if you were seeing Willie Mays stand there basically begging on your way into a baseball stadium.
To me, when I saw Cecil play, he was a pure one pocket genius. He would shoot shots that no one else saw and moved the cue ball 3 or 4 rails around the table to get shape after making a shot better than anyone I have ever seen play. Amazing how he got to play at such a high level with his opposite hand.
When he first came to St Louis, it was pure comedy. He tried to disguise himself with a blonde wig and trench coat. He was trying to match up and someone pulled out the current issue of Billiards Digest where it showed that Cecil had just defeated Efren to win a big one pocket title. Cecil looked at the picture and said, 'That's not me - that is just someone that looks like me'
RIP Cecil.
This is sad news but thanks for letting us know. I often wonder how many of the real good players from the past have died with none of us even knowing they passed on....
wackychung
Registered
Cecil sounds like one hell of a player, may he rest in peace.
Rest in Peace, Cecil! I remember the year that Leil gay won the US Open One Pocket Tournament in Kalamazoo MI Cecil arrived in town on a Greyhound. He and Leil met up at the poolroom and started playing $20 one pocket. Leil wasn't a one pocket player but wanted to learn the game's ins and outs. So he knew there was no better place to learn it. They played until the pool room ran everyone out and I gave them a ride to the motel I was staying at. They decided to share a room to cut down on their nut. They played $20 one pocket every waking moment they weren't playing a tournament match. Leil learned enough from Cecil to take the tournament down but I think he was still stuck a few hundred to Cecil playing the "in between" games. I'd known Cecil for several years before that. My road partner, Gary Spaeth went to one of Strawberry's one pocket tournaments when I couldn't get away to go with him. Gary beat Cecil in the tournament strictly through his banking ability. When Cecil put him in a trap and Gary didn't really know how to get out of it he banked a ball in, usually somewhat of a "flyer" and ran out. Cecil felt it was a fluke that Gary won so right after the tournament Cecil came to Cincinnati to play Gary. That wasn't one of Cecil's best moves. Playing Gary at home was double trouble! I'm afraid that Cecil didn't like his end of that, but still thought that it was a fluke that Gary could beat him. Cecil was probably right, anywhere but at home! Cecil was one of the best "movers" I've ever had the privilege of watching. Even though Gary came out ahead, he was constantly in a trap and usually only won because of his outrageous banking! I don't think I've ever seen Gary under as much pressure as that match-up! I've often wondered this last decade what had become of Cecil. He was a true road warrior!
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Thats the best compliment a pool player can get from another great player(you play too good for me),and that was after he switched hands,that is amazing!
Thanks Keith for chipping in here. Nice of you to remember Cecil and let people know about him.
Makes you wonder if this next generation will have many/any great bank players, I think not, possibly one might evolve out of the Phillipines. Prior you've got Bugs, HOF Eddie Taylor, Varner, Daulton, John Brumback, Spaeth and I'm sure a few more. Any players today in their 20's and 30's that have Tony Fargos bank skills?
Add Truman Hogue to that murderer's row line up you posted.
As for super-bankers today in their 20's-30's.....you got a great point there. Not many that I know of. Brian Gregg is about the best of the young guys
That has got to be the guy I watched play Larry Price in Lexington about 2002 or so. They told me that he had switched to playing lefty after an accident, as has been mentioned previously. Can't be a coincidence. That guy played great lefty. I can't remember who won that match. Sad to hear of his passing. RIP.
Sherm is speaking the truth!
http://www.1vshop.com/Accu-Stats/st...028&PNAME=Gary+Spaeth+vs.+Cecil+Tugwell*+(DVD)
An "art shot" of Cecil
Mike Haines was very fond of the photo he took of Cecil and asked me to photo edit out all of the distracting elements of the image. We went back and forth about whether to leave the cups on the table or to have just one cup. Existential discussions ensued. We eliminated both cups.
It's really sad that a player of Cecil's skills ended up the way he did, but it's nice to see that he is being given some props by posters on this forum.
Anyway, here's the "art shot" of Cecil.
Mike Haines was very fond of the photo he took of Cecil and asked me to photo edit out all of the distracting elements of the image. We went back and forth about whether to leave the cups on the table or to have just one cup. Existential discussions ensued. We eliminated both cups.
It's really sad that a player of Cecil's skills ended up the way he did, but it's nice to see that he is being given some props by posters on this forum.
Anyway, here's the "art shot" of Cecil.
That's the guy. I saw him at Danny's twice over a few week period. He looked a little different because I think he was wearing an afro wig. He looked like someone out of the 70's. I remember watching him and thinking this guy chalks his cue and approaches the table like a righty but is shooting lefty. Found out his story a few days later. I enjoyed watching him play.
