I need a name....???

freddy the beard

freddy the beard

Freddy Bentivegna
Silver Member
I am fairly far along on my new book, The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers, and I need the real name of an old timer. I hustled with him in the 60s in Fla but I never knew his real name. He was called Joe Dimaggio (nickname) and he was from Allingers in Philly. His first name was Vince, that I did know. I need to learn his last name for my book. He was an interesting player who luckily(?) died in the saddle.

Beard

For JAM, Jennie if you are out there, I need your last name too, as I am quoting you in the book also. Positive light of course. I have your permission ...right?
 
Last edited:
I don't care about the name you are looking for but I want to be FIRST to get the book. Every time I want some "inspiration" I open up your book and read the stories.

So this one is surely going to be GREAT!!!!!
 
Freddie, if it truly is a list of well known hustlers, then "Joe Dimaggio" is his 'name'. That's what he was called forever and I never heard any other name for him. I saw him play at Beenie's place in the late 60's. Pretty strong shortstop, maybe "Philly" Joe Veasey's or Peter Rabbit's speed. What a couple of characters they were! Like I always said, it was the Golden Age of pool in this country and we got to see it. :grin:
 
Really? An encyclopedia of pool hustlers???

Freddy, I just called a good friend of mine to see if he knows him. No answer, so I left a message. My friend is an old timer who spent much of his life in the pool rooms around Philly.

This prroject of yours sounds very interesting. When the book hits the market, I'll be buying for sure.
 
Last edited:
Joe

Freddy ,Joe wasn't his real name,I played him one pocket in Baltimore in the late 60's He taught me some of the best moves in the game. He won the straight pool tournament in the Plaza PoolRoom. Eddie Kelly was in it,Richard Riggie and 20 other very good players. Kelly and Riggie were 100 ball runners . In the audience was the Great Luther Lassiter who stood up and got a standing ovation, what great memories. I'll make some calls and let you know his real name.He died in Ronnie Schmuck's Poolroom in the Saddle.
 
Freddie I hope you get some stories about Ronnie Cipher (spelling??) in there. He was a fixture at the Miscue Lounge and I heard he was a top road man but I confess I never saw him hit a ball when I was coming up there.
 
Freddie,
Did you ever run across a man that called himself "Detroit Red"? He hustled pool in Florida. He passed away about 3 years ago at about 89 years old. He said him and a friend of his went into a pool hall and hustled enough money to buy a 57 Ford brand new off of the lot and went cross country in it. He was a military man that stood about 5 foot 4 inches and maybe 120 soaking wet. His real name was James McTaggart. He drove for a trucking company in his later years. I was just wondering if you had the pleasure of meeting him.

Maybe someone else knew him in his younger years. If so chime in and let me know.
Thanks, Adam
 
freddy the beard said:
I am fairly far along on my new book, The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers, and I need the real name of an old timer. I hustled with him in the 60s in Fla but I never knew his real name. He was called Joe Dimaggio (nickname) and he was from Allingers in Philly. His first name was Vince, that I did know. I need to learn his last name for my book. He was an interesting player who luckily(?) died in the saddle.

Beard

For JAM, Jennie if you are out there, I need your last name too, as I am quoting you in the book also. Positive light of course. I have your permission ...right?
Click to expand...

Somebody on here who may have known him is Macguy. Why don't you PM him? He is from that area, owned a pool room and knows the players of that era. He also hustled a little too from what I recall.
 
I heard Jr. Goff was still alive and living somewhere in Florida. He would be well into his 80's now. Anyone know about him?
Cincinnati Clem just passed away last year in Vegas, also well into his 80's. He spent his last years hustling cheap poker games there. I can see him now, a well schooled card mechanic, playing Stud with a bunch of Senior citizens. Good luck to them is all I have to say. :wink:
 
Last edited:
JB Cases said:
Freddie I hope you get some stories about Ronnie Cipher (spelling??) in there. He was a fixture at the Miscue Lounge and I heard he was a top road man but I confess I never saw him hit a ball when I was coming up there.
Click to expand...


It's "Three Fingered" Ronnie Sypher. Another good shortstop who got in a jam and did some hard time. I believe he was originally from the Baltimore area.
 
Jr Goff could be found every day at Hermans in Dothan, Alabama. It has been 10 years since I have been in that part of the country, and heard the old place was closed now.
 
Freddie - there was a guy on the north side of Chicago, I think his name was Chuckie Whorl and? He owned a bar with his brother on Clark street just north of Peterson. My dad and some of his friends from the neighborhood were telling me about him (not pool players) and they said he was known for gambling at pool with anybody. He was also a tough guy.

Apparently he once rode the team bus up to green bay with the bears. The bears Lost a horrible game and on the bus on the way back he got in a fight with one of the bears star linemen...and didn't lose.

Another time he beat a guy at pool and the guy said he wasn't going to pay. Chuckle said "You have to pay.". The guy said "why?"

"well, if you don't pay I'll have to break your leg or it wouldn't be fair to all the other guys that have paid.". And then he broke the guys leg over his knee.

Sounds like a character for sure. I had never heard of him but thought you might have.

~rc
 
jay helfert said:
Freddie, if it truly is a list of well known hustlers, then "Joe Dimaggio" is his 'name'. That's what he was called forever and I never heard any other name for him. I saw him play at Beenie's place in the late 60's. Pretty strong shortstop, maybe "Philly" Joe Veasey's or Peter Rabbit's speed. What a couple of characters they were! Like I always said, it was the Golden Age of pool in this country and we got to see it. :grin:
Click to expand...

He played much better 1pkt than Peter Rabbit- especially on a 5 x 10. Circa 1965. I was around both of them in Fla for months. He lived for awhile with Sugar Shack Johnny and I for a month. His name was not Joe Dimaggio. His first name was Vince. Believe me he was at that time very well regarded by the Allinger Philly players like Louis Esposito and Nicky Vach.

Beard

He was old when I knew him in 65. He may have become a shortstop but he was a player when he hustled with us. I cant think of anybody who could have beaten him at the Congress Bowl then including an over the hill Marcel Camp.
 
Last edited:
JB Cases said:
Freddie I hope you get some stories about Ronnie Cipher (spelling??) in there. He was a fixture at the Miscue Lounge and I heard he was a top road man but I confess I never saw him hit a ball when I was coming up there.
Click to expand...

I spent months on the road with Three Finger Ronnie Sypher. I also spent many months, and winters in the Miscue Lounge. Ronnie played about as good as anybody with the big cue ball on the bar table -- as evidenced by him beating many of the top Mexican bar players in LA in 1970 when he, Sugar Shack Johnny and I were on the road there.

Beard
 
Adam Brown said:
Freddie,
Did you ever run across a man that called himself "Detroit Red"? He hustled pool in Florida. He passed away about 3 years ago at about 89 years old. He said him and a friend of his went into a pool hall and hustled enough money to buy a 57 Ford brand new off of the lot and went cross country in it. He was a military man that stood about 5 foot 4 inches and maybe 120 soaking wet. His real name was James McTaggart. He drove for a trucking company in his later years. I was just wondering if you had the pleasure of meeting him.

Maybe someone else knew him in his younger years. If so chime in and let me know.
Thanks, Adam
Click to expand...

He sounds familiar but I cant recall anything about him. Sorry.

Beard
 
TATE said:
Somebody on here who may have known him is Macguy. Why don't you PM him? He is from that area, owned a pool room and knows the players of that era. He also hustled a little too from what I recall.
Click to expand...

I knew Macguy from the Miscue Lounge in the 60s where he and I would play Nine-ball once in awhile.

Beard
 
sixpack said:
Freddie - there was a guy on the north side of Chicago, I think his name was Chuckie Whorl and? He owned a bar with his brother on Clark street just north of Peterson. My dad and some of his friends from the neighborhood were telling me about him (not pool players) and they said he was known for gambling at pool with anybody. He was also a tough guy.

Apparently he once rode the team bus up to green bay with the bears. The bears Lost a horrible game and on the bus on the way back he got in a fight with one of the bears star linemen...and didn't lose.

Another time he beat a guy at pool and the guy said he wasn't going to pay. Chuckle said "You have to pay.". The guy said "why?"

"well, if you don't pay I'll have to break your leg or it wouldn't be fair to all the other guys that have paid.". And then he broke the guys leg over his knee.

Sounds like a character for sure. I had never heard of him but thought you might have.

~rc
Click to expand...


His name was Chuckie Warman and he was just as tough as you heard. He was a certified bar wrecker but he was not a good pool player. He spent time around pool players but I stayed the hell away from him. Only a dunce would gamble with him. He did have that bar on Clark and it was a big rocking bar. One time he threw everybody out, locked the door and beat up the whole band. He was rated as one of the toughest guys in the city of Chicago.

Beard

The only Bear players that I might bet on against him were Mike Ditka and Doug Adkins. I say might.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top