End of days: Pots and Pans

freddy the beard

freddy the beard

Freddy Bentivegna
Silver Member
Old-time road-hog and lemon hustler, Bernard "Bunny" Rogoff (aka Pot and Pans) is in a hospice in Las Vegas, and at the end of his rope. I tried to call him, but he is too far gone to even answer a phone. Artie Bodendorfer visited him, and said he barely weighs 80 lbs.

He was always a funny guy, and this is from an old interview with him that now appears in "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers."

Bunny and the "Jockey"
“Norman Howard, aka “the Jockey,” and I were on the road travelling to the tournament in Johnston City. I said, ‘Hey, Jock, how about driving for a while? I’m getting tired.’ A few minutes later Jock said, ‘Wake up! I can’t see! I can’t see!’ ‘What’s wrong, Jock?’ I said. ‘There’s snow on the windshield.’ Jockey answered. ‘Why don’t you put the wipers on?’ ‘Oh, I thought they were just for rain,’ he replied.
The next day we were in Cumberland, MD and Jock’s playing a radio announcer who’s giving him the 8 ball. Now, Jock’s supposed to beat the guy even, but he can’t make a ball. So I say, ‘Why don’t you quit and play him some more tomorrow. You’ll beat him with the 8 ball and then beat him even.’ ‘I ain’t quitting. I can beat him. I know I can beat him,’ Jockey yelled. ‘You’re quitting,’ I said. ‘No, I’m not,’ Jockey argued. ‘Oh, yes, you are. You’re quitting,’ I insisted. ‘What makes you think I’m quitting?’ he said. ‘Because if you don’t, when we get to Johnston City and your first match comes up, while they’re announcing it over the microphone, I’m going to tell them about the windshield wipers,’ I replied. Less than a minute later Jock’s cue was put up in the rack.”
Bunny Rogoff

I knew him since the early 60s. He was a good friend, and myself, and the pool world will truly miss him.

Beard
 
Artie gave me his number last week, i couldnt get thru:frown:

I knew it wasnt good, I remember him when i showed up in Vegas 21 or 22 years ago, I believe he was 80 then.:wink: He is a hell of a guy, rough around the edges but thats ok, i always got along with him.

"Scouts Honor I need the Last 2"<------if you know what i'm referring to then you know Pot's. And a bottle of Heineken.


Eric:frown:
 
Very sad news to hear. I always liked his hustling story of asking a guy to play for a drink, they in turn would ask to play for something small like $5 a rack. He would tell them he doesn't gamble, and proceed to go sit down for about 5-10 mins. Then he would walk back up to the same guy and ask, "Wanna play for $100?"
 
Sad to hear, but thanks for sharing. I recall some complaining about his style/ M.O. a few years back at DCC.

Pool was different when he was out & about.

Enjoy the stories while you can, folks. We are only here for a little while.
 
''Pots''

Funny, colorful guy,,,,man,,,we just lost Ronnie,,,,,,but I guess we gotta remember all the great stories they left us with,,,,,,,,

Alan,,,,,,,
 
Roy Cosmosky called Bunny 'Keep the Motor Running' Rogoff.

Keep the motor running a little longer, Bunny.
 
So sad to hear this. What a funny guy!
 

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What a character!!!! Whether wearing his Charlie Chaplin outfit or woofing at some of the younger players, Governor was always fun to watch and listen to. Guess it's finally OK to speak about him as Bernie. Remember him yelling at me for having the audacity to call him that. Like Ronnie, doubt if there will ever be another like him again!

Lyn
 
Got to know Pots and Pans at Derby City and found him to be amusing but a bit burnt out. I took note of his absence this year at the Derby and now I know the unfortunate reason for it. I always sensed that he'd had his share of fun in life. He'll be missed.
 
I met Pots and Pans at the Southern Classic in July of 2012. He was A CHARACTER.

To be truthful, you could pretty much tell that he wasn't.....well, completely there. And I DO NOT mean that in any disrespectful way. It's just that I work in healthcare and see people like that every day.

With the above said, there's every chance it could have just been his personality and the fact that being that advanced in age, maybe he just didn't give a flip anymore and decided to turn off his filter. I mean, what are you really going to tell a guy that's almost 90 when he says something off the wall? I know if I'm lucky enough to get to that age, I'm gonna go out a crazy sonuva*****. Or at least let people think I am.

Anyway, 2 quick Pots and Pans' anecdotes from the only time period that I got to see him:

1. He was in the food court there in Tunica and I walked up to him and saw "The Jacket". It was in immaculate condition, but looked like it was vintage 70's. It said "I need the last 2. Scout's Honor." Or something to that effect. It was a black silk jacket with a big 8-ball on it. (Kinda like Lenny Kosnowski would wear on "Laverne & Shirley", actually).

I walked up to Pots and said, "Excuse me sir, but I really, really like that jacket. How long have you had it?" At first he didn't understand what I said, so I repeated it. This time a bit louder. So, Pots says really loud..........."This jacket is 40 years old! And now I need the last 4!" I BUSTED out laughing and shook his hand. It caught me so off-guard.

2. Another classic moment. I'm standing directly behind Buddy Hall, while one of the 10-ball on a 10-footer matches is going on. Literally I'm at Buddy's right shoulder. He's sitting on his scooter. Pots comes up and starts talking to Buddy. They're in a bit of a conversation, with the gist of it being Pots constantly saying, "Hey, Buddy, do you remember......so and so?" And then repeating a story.

This goes on for about 10 minutes. I can tell Buddy is getting a little exasperated by the whole thing, but he's being VERY polite. With some of the stories, he did know who Pots was talking about and added in a few details of his own. BUT, finally, Buddy just had had enough and politely says, "Pots (I think that's what he called him, but I honestly can't remember that significant detail at this time).......I like talking to you, but I'm trying to watch a match."

Pots just looks at him and says loudly, "Well, you don't have to hit ME in the f ucking head with a hammer. I'll leave." And with that he spun around and was gone. Buddy looked a little embarrassed, but just kinda whispered to everyone around that he was sorry and was just trying to keep things quiet for the match. Everyone understood.

Also, Pots would go around and stop random people to tell some pretty filthy rhymes and stories. Damn, if they weren't hilarious.

I'll be honest, I wish I had asked him to sign my case, but now I sadly won't get the chance.

Another legend in the annals of pool, soon to be a memory, but not forgotten. Really glad I got to meet him several times over the course of those 10 days in Tunica. It was a great event top to bottom and Pots is a memory that definitely sticks out. Everyone knew him there.

I would have loved to have seen him play.
 
The world will lose a true one-of-a-kind. One of his favorite jokes:

I told a guy that last week I bowled a three-hundred and one. He said you couldn't have bowled a three-hundred and one. I said, I couldn't have bowled a three-hundred and lost.
 
It's like loosing a libary everytime one of these gents leave us--never met him--but can tell right off that he was a fun time
 
he came to Denver years agao, app 1982, with Dave Nottingham. What a team?? Dave did ;the counting and Bernie did the thinking.
Al Hogue and I directed them to two different spots and he took it down very sweetly.
he head guys betting $200 that had never in life bet $10.00.
He liked to get them playing 8 ball on the bar box but had the miscue down to a science. he had me laughing so hard i thought i had blown a tube.
he woofed at Kieth at the Mcdermott masters in about 90 asking for a ball playing banks. Keith was in good form and asked for his ID. Bernie responded,"They didn't have them in that day"!
God bless him.
 
My favorite Bunny joke was about Montel Hall and "lets make a deal" show.

"the winner got 1 weeks vacation to Evansville in"

What did the loser get?

"the loser got 3 weeks"

Scouts honor.
 
He said this classic to me and some young gamblers at the BCA many years ago. He comes over and says "I'm the best player in the country", so one kid looks at him and says ok lets play some for $100 a set.
He replies " oh no, I don't play so good in the city"
 
Bunny Rogoff, aka Pots and Pans, Bunny the Bellman and Bunny the Rogue, was actually a very good player in his younger days, maybe a ball below the top players. He was truly a great hustler, able to con his way into games with much weaker players and win some pretty good money.

There is an art to hustling pool and Bunny was a master of his craft. He could play the Drunk, the Infirmed or even the Disabled with amazing thespian skills, even making believers out of us who knew him. I remember seeing him hustle pool in a bar in Los Angeles and appear for all the world to be drunk as a skunk. He must have won a couple of hundred bucks, wobbling around the table and slurring all his words. His cue was going all over the place, but balls kept falling in, sometimes skidding off other balls and even bouncing in the wrong pocket. I was sure he was really drunk, and just playing on heart.

When it was over, I slid over next to him and quietly whispered in his ear how lucky he was to win, considering how messed up he was. Bunny stood up straight and looked me dead in the eye and said indignantly, "What are you talking about mister, I'm just doing my job. What are you doing here?" He said all this in a completely coherent voice, not even bothering if anyone heard him. That was Bunny, a hustler to the core.

All the pool players told stories of getting robbed back then, but not Bunny. His stories began and ended with him showing one of the two guns he always carried to someone. He may have shot one or two guys along the way who tried to take his cash. Of that I'm not sure. He told me he did and I believe him. The old time pool players knew that Bunny was a wild and funny guy, but not one to get angered. I was warned early on not to mess with him when he had a game. I think it was Danny who told me that. He said something to the effect that if I value my life I won't ever get involved in a game that Bunny made. He didn't take well to knockers! I bet very few of you knew that he always had a gun in his boot or on his ankle, even when he was much older. He hustled the bars, enough said.

Bunny won the Super Seniors tournament at the BCA about 10 or 12 years ago when he was well into his 70's. After it was over, he was in the coffee shop eating and a bunch of us came over to congratulate him. He responded, "I was stealing with all those old farts!" He was and is a real character, who I've known from the Johnston City days. Thanks Bunny for being exactly who you are.
 
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Back in 2010 at dcc i ran into this man, actually he ran into me, i was wearing a tanktop, at 280 and cutup you get tons of looks (not bragging, i never do, thats just the facts), So after Pots bumps into me he starts talking like a machine, showing me tricks and telling jokes (i have no idea who this man was) but i knew he was extra sharp, even for a very old man, i believe we became instance friends at that moment, after that every time we seen each other we had lenthly conversations.

After returning home from dcc that year, i seen on here at AZ JUST who my new found friend was, very glad i met the MAN!
 
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