So true ... the good die young. I also remember him in the original Getaway with Steve McQueen. :thumbup:
Frank The Barber
- Thread starter robertg
- Start date
So true ... the good die young. I also remember him in the original Getaway with Steve McQueen. :thumbup:
Not at all, was pure torture for both of us, at that time we both rarely booked losers.:banghead: I was running the high sandy beaches of belmot shores 15 miles a week back then when Helfert managed the Yankee Doodle Dandy pool room in Belmont shores, close to the Acapulco Inn where I first met Dave Thompson/Medium Pool, in a bar/pool setting, he's now lead photographer/west coast for pool and works with Pat Fleming at times +++.
I missed Jay at Yankee Doodles but liked to sweat Jack's Saturday Tournaments back in the mid 80's.
Did you ever make it to 'Big John's'? I was at 'Big John's' quite often back then but rarely made to 'Yankee Doodles' .
What I really like about Frank, more than anything, is he is a really nice man. What the photos don't show is that Frank has a heart of gold and lives his life with a ton of courage, both on and off the table.
He did what he had to do in the pool room to make money, but that was it. It is truly a pleasure to be friends with him.
He did what he had to do in the pool room to make money, but that was it. It is truly a pleasure to be friends with him.
Not that I remember. Where is/was Big John's?
Frank once beat Chuck Norris in a race to 100. He asked Chuck if he wanted a rematch and Chuck started crying and ran away.
:grin-square:
:grin-square:
Share a Frank the Barber story! I'll ask Keith if he has one and post it up later.
I've only known Frank these last few years, not during his hustling days, so I don't have any great pool room stories.
One thing about him - he has the coolest home pool room I've ever seen, with a beautiful restored Brunswick Centennial, a juke box, and a bunch of 1950's style furnishings. In fact, when I visited him, I brought him a gift - an original 1940's or 50's early Brunswick catalog that featured his table.
Long ago, Frank made a good move and used his connections to quit hustling and took a job with the phone company - so he has a pension and a retirement life. He may be the only pool hustler to have ever bought a house solely on his pool income.
He's a remarkable guy and a remarkable pool player, a virtual treasure chest of pool knowledge. I hope he sees fit to write his memoirs some day.
Years ago at Hard Times, I happend to sit near Frank and struck up a conversation. He told me about shooting pool as a kid and how he made money at a poolhall that he played at. He should write a book for he has many tales to tell...and very well at that.
Later I sweated his BCA teams in Vegas and as a Captain, he is the best....he never blows up, gives sage advise and coaching.
All of these years, I thought that he was a Barber only to find out that he worked for a phone company...he had a real job.
In the Sixties, a couple of us used to go to 5 Points in El Monte to see what real pool and gambling was. I am sure that he was there making money. I do remember John Henderson who used to make the rounds of bowing alley pool rooms to pick on us amateurs...who is this White guy? Also Lil Al showed up in his Bracero garb of dirty overalls and straw hat,,,he looked like easy pickens. He would just pick a cue off of the rack and proceed to take our lunch money.
After that, when we got wheels, we would drive to the Tropicana Bowl to sweat the Best in the West.
I know another one...
I know another pool player who bought his house that way, but I won't knock him, since I still owe him $1000....Not from gambling with him, but he is a great guy and loaned me money to pay my mortgage when I was having tough times.
To get back on topic. I've only known Frank the last five to ten years but he's a great player still and more importantly a great man.
You don't find better peeps than Frank da barber...
We've had kind of a running joke because we were supposed to meet up and play one pocket and things kept coming up and preventing it.
The last time we were both at Hard times I said come on Frank we gotta play a little one hole...
Frank came out on top there. I think I edged him out playing nineball though...
I just don't know one pocket well enough yet, which means.... Frank I need to come down and play you some one pocket so you can show how to move :thumbup:
Jaden
I know another pool player who bought his house that way, but I won't knock him, since I still owe him $1000....Not from gambling with him, but he is a great guy and loaned me money to pay my mortgage when I was having tough times.
To get back on topic. I've only known Frank the last five to ten years but he's a great player still and more importantly a great man.
You don't find better peeps than Frank da barber...
We've had kind of a running joke because we were supposed to meet up and play one pocket and things kept coming up and preventing it.
The last time we were both at Hard times I said come on Frank we gotta play a little one hole...
Frank came out on top there. I think I edged him out playing nineball though...
I just don't know one pocket well enough yet, which means.... Frank I need to come down and play you some one pocket so you can show how to move :thumbup:
Jaden
Thanks Chris and everyone else for the kind words.
I didn't know that this picture existed until I saw it posted here. I didn't recognize myself with all that hair. Mr. Island Drive, you were a man with a top game to try to beat.
Here are some photos of my home room. www.bisdogs.com/dabarbr
That is the coolest pool room I've ever seen in my life. WOW! Thanks for sharing that.
Here's one for ya Jay. In the last 2 big bar table events at Gary's Victor Billiards, Frank won both of them!! A pretty solid field of CA players too..He just played another event in Yucaipa, again bar table 8 ball, and I believe got second....He can still play
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Absolutely awesome room. Thanks for sharing. I love when the attention to detail is made for a theme to the room versus just having a table. It must be a joy for you to walk into every time. :thumbup:
Here's one for ya Jay. In the last 2 big bar table events at Gary's Victor Billiards, Frank won both of them!! A pretty solid field of CA players too..He just played another event in Yucaipa, again bar table 8 ball, and I believe got second....He can still play
Mark, I actually won the one in Yucaipa also.
Frank,
Love the web site. It's "you!"
The writing is very skillful as well. Appreciate the safety lessons you gave me that helped me be a more competitive player.
Anyway, I would encourage you to write your memoirs. You were in the golden age of pool following "The Hustler." Every thought, every player, every sucker, your biggest wins and most devastating losses.
I've worked full time without missing a day since I was 20, for myself for over 30 years now. I would not know what life would be like traveling from room to room, town to town, trying to make a living. But it must have been an amazing experience and I am sure us working stiffs would find it interesting.
Chris
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