Bobby Cotton is an old-time campaigner. He was around back in the '70s when I was just starting to come into my game. We used to spar together, played a little one-hole, and needless to say, his bar table game was real tough as well. He played just a hair under Joe Salazar on a bar table back then, which Tracy Joe used to be one of my toughest competitors.
I hadn't seen Bobby Cotton for years, and I guess it was around the late '80s or thereabouts. This film director knew a friend of mine, and the film director wanted a pool player for a charity event at the Hollywood Athletic Club. He was offering me 50 grand if I won the tournament. I guess he just wanted the prestige of having me win the event for him. He was the one putting on the show. I told him that I played real well, and he said he didn't care. He said nobody will know you.
Lo and behold, as soon as I walk in the door, there's Bobby Cotton behind the front desk. He was the only one there that knew me. He was the house pro there, and I didn't know that. It was the first time I had ever been inside Hollywood Athletic Club.
It was a race to 2, 9-ball, single elimination. Tough format. Anyways, I got down to the final three people, and then it was 1 to 1. The guy was shooting the 9-ball, missed it, and went two rails in the other corner, to knock me out. So I would up with zilch.
Bobby was very careful when it came to picking his opponents, but when he did, he usually got the money. I win some money betting on him a few times. Plus, he had some bulldog in him as well. He could play for a while. I've always liked Bobby, and I hope he does well with whatever his endeavors are in life right now.
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oke:
