Don "Wateredog" Edwards passed away

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To everyone who knew "Waterdog", Don Edwards, he passed away on Wednesday, August 9th in the morning. He was very well known in the Chicago area and was a regular at Chris's Billiards. I have no more information on services or any details. You can try Chris's, and maybe they can tell you more there.

My condolences to his family and friends.
 
That is very sad news. Is this the same "Waterdog" that originally hailed from Waterbury, Connecticut? He would have been about 50 or 51 years old.

I remember meeting him years ago in Rockville, MD, back in the mid '80s. He told me that he was en route to Chicago at that time, hoping to get a role as a stand-in pool player in "The Color of Money," 65 bucks a day.

He's one of America's road warriors. May he rest in peace.

JAM
 
Mine too- The Dog was Ok by me.

At one time he was pretty down on his luck and i gave him $60 and figured it was gone- not that i cared. He made a big score at the US open and next thing i know, he sent me the $60. Pretty good for a guy in his position.

Many in the NY area may have known him as Buffalo Bill.
Buffalo Bill and Waterdog ( He came from Waterbury Connecticut) one and the same. Straight pool was his best game.

There is a bit about him in Playing off the Rail. He was in Chelseas when Tony A came through and Waterdog recognized him from years earlier in California.

The book says they gave him $$ not to open his mouth about Tony but the Dog told me that never happened. He borrowed a hundred from the author and even paid him back!. He said if he knew he was gonna write that crap, he would've kept the hundred.

So long Dog.
 
JAM said:
That is very sad news. Is this the same "Waterdog" that originally hailed from Waterbury, Connecticut? He would have been about 50 or 51 years old.

I remember meeting him years ago in Rockville, MD, back in the mid '80s. He told me that he was en route to Chicago at that time, hoping to get a role as a stand-in pool player in "The Color of Money," 65 bucks a day.

He's one of America's road warriors. May he rest in peace.

JAM
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The story's been told about how he got the funds to make it to Chicago. Allegedly he was 'relaxing' in a doorway across from a bank when he noticed a guy in a suit come out of the bank with an envelope which he proceeded to put in his inside coat pocket, except he missed. The envelope dropped straight to the sidewalk.

Waterdog rushed over there to advise the guy but lo and behold the guy disappeared in the crowd leaving poor Waterdog with the envelope and a guilty conscience. I think it was somewhere between $3 and $4K.
 
This is sad news...
He was a fixture at Chris' Billiards for a long time.
Has not been around in the last 3-4years.
I heard he had been living in a nursing home.
ruk
 
His friends from Chris's did help him get into a nursing home. He played pool until he no longer could. In fact, one of his buddies told me that he was one of the few pool players he knew who had hustled people at one time or another that he never owed anyone and tried to be good to all he met. His life story is a very interesting one. The people who knew him knew he had it tough from the day he was born. He very rarely asked for anything. If he wanted a hot dog from the food counter at Chris's, he would go around the room and pick up all the garbage so if he was hurting for money, he would work to earn a $1 hot dog.
 
The Doggie

Goodby to the Doggie. A genuine old-school scuff. I first met the Waterdog in Calif. He was hanging at Vern Petersons Palace and living with the Richard "Popcorn" Miller crew that included "Geese," "Buttermilk," Keith McReady, and I forgot who else. The Dog always had it rough, his mother was a heroin junkie and he was born addicted. He stayed addicted for the rest of his life. He was not a bad kid, and he shot pretty straight.

the Beard
 
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freddy the beard said:
Goodby to the Doggie. A genuine old-school scuff. I first met the Waterdog in Calif. He was hanging at Vern Petersons Palace and living with the Richard "Popcorn" Miller crew that included "Geese," "Buttermilk," Keith McReady, and I forgot who else. The Dog always had it rough, his mother was a heroin junkie and he was born addicted. He stayed addicted for the rest of his life. He was not a bad kid, and he shot pretty straight.
Click to expand...

It is interesting reading this thread, and it conjures up some memories, especially Nostroke's post.

When Waterdog came to Maryland, he landed in a pool room called "Let's Play Games" in Rockville, actually looking for a little action. Geese hadn't arrived yet at the pool room, but Waterdog was directed to me when he was looking for Geese.

So I proceeded to "steer" Waterdog to a few players who might give him some action, waiting for the late Michael "Geese" Gerace to arrive. "Korean Lee" (Mr. Lee's brother of USA Billiards in Laurel) used to be in Let's Play Games every single day and loved games of stake. So it was a natural hook-up for Waterdog to meet Korean Lee and play some. They began the set and sparred back and forth. As they were playing, in walks a local named Ralph who immediately recognized Waterdog. He sits down next to me and whispers in my ear, "You know, I know that guy playing Lee." However, Ralph didn't knock Waterdog's action. Waterdog ended up winning a couple of sets for some chump change, not much as I recall.

I am really very sorry to hear about his passing. He was a timid young man when I met him, kind of quiet, and not the usual barking gamecock you see in pool rooms. It warms my heart to read of how his friends banded together to help him in his time of need in Chicago.

JAM
 
Waterdog, usually referred to as "Buffalo Bill" at Chlesea Billiards in New York City was quite a player. On two different occasions, both in 1997, I played him in the weekly handicap event usually referred to as the "Johnny B" tournaments. Despite giving me a generous spot, he beat me twice, although one of those times I owned him in the Calcutta and when he went on to come second overall, I made a pretty nice score. Rest in peace.
 
My condolences to all who knew Waterdog.

I think Road Warrior says it all.

He once told me how he went on the road at an early age (I think 14) and hustled guys at a naval base near Florida. I had the opportunity to match up against him a few times, usually coming up short on the money. Not that I wanted to lose, but it makes it easier to come off the cash when you know the guy needs the money.

Maybe someone should write a story or movie about his life. It would be a goodone but a sad one too.

He lived a tough life. Rest in peace Don.
 
jason said:
Maybe someone should write a story or movie about his life. It would be a goodone but a sad one too.
Click to expand...


I also knew the doggie well - used to share my dinner with him a lot at the pool hall when he was scuffling......And as a matter of fact, about 8 or 10 years ago an alternative Chicago newspaper did do a long story/interview about Waterdogs life, past and present - it was a compelling story....

.....I have a copy of it somewhere stored away and I will try to find it....If there are any very close old friends of the doggie's on here, I would try to make you a copy of the story - Hemicuda/Bill weren't you pretty close with the doggie ?

I also have what is probably the last pic taken of him - it was taken at the nursing home about 6 months ago - I will try to scan it and post it up here......RIP doggie.

Ghost
 
1 Pocket Ghost said:
an alternative Chicago newspaper did do a long story/interview about Waterdogs life, past and present - it was a compelling story....

Ghost
Click to expand...

I remember now, that was in the Reader wasn't it?
 
jason said:
I remember now, that was in the Reader wasn't it?
Click to expand...

I would be most interested in reading it. I did not know Waterdog well, but he left an impression on me. He was such a quiet unassuming-type fellow when I met him.

Keith said Waterdog used to live with a friend of his named Don Percy (sp) in California. When Waterdog and Keith were both 16 and 17 years old, they used to play against each other, shooting pool, and that Waterdog and him were about even at that time. That was the era when Waterdog and Steve Gumphreys were running around together.

Waterdog used to be heralded as a straight pool champion, running hundreds at the snap of the fingers.

I'll stay tuned and hope to read the article about him.

JAM
 
When I met Waterdog

I owned a poolroom called the Cue Ball in the 70's in Bakersfield, CA. I was playing a lot of pool then and was the local shortstop. Every road player had me and my room on their map because they knew they could get action with me.

I began to hear about a guy named Waterdog that was beating a lot of people in L.A. From what I heard, he was a strong player, so I was on the lookout. Usually after L.A. the players would head North to the Bay area and the first stop was the Cue Ball.

One afternoon I'm doing my inventory and stocking up for the day's work. In walks a moonfaced young man with long hair and a T-shirt that had the solar system on it. No joke, it was an interesting shirt to say the least. He had a cue in his hand. He came to the counter and asked me if anyone liked to play pool here. Sure I said, what do you like to play? He said he liked 9-Ball.

We start out at $10 a game and I am winning. He is talking weird about the Sun and the Moon and the stars. Very strange guy. I can see he can play, but he is going for bad shots and missing. I am winning game after game. He asks to play for $20. I say sure. He tells me he is being punished and must lose all his money. Which he does. A few hundred dollars.

Only after we are done, he tells me he is high on acid. He is broke but very happy. He also told me earlier that he is Waterdog. After the game he thanks me and leaves. In bliss. Later I tell people I busted Waterdog and they don't believe me. When I tell them he was high on acid, then they do.

I did not see him for several years afterward. When I did, I asked him if he remembered me. He did and he remembered our game in Bakersfield. We never played again.
 
freddy the beard said:
Goodby to the Doggie. A genuine old-school scuff. I first met the Waterdog in Calif. He was hanging at Vern Petersons Palace and living with the Richard "Popcorn" Miller crew that included "Geese," "Buttermilk," Keith McReady, and I forgot who else. The Dog always had it rough, his mother was a heroin junkie and he was born addicted. He stayed addicted for the rest of his life. He was not a bad kid, and he shot pretty straight.

the Beard
Click to expand...

Here's few Freddie. Names from the past: Ray Booth, "Philly" Joe Veasey, Alibi Al and the best of the bunch, Eddie "The Hat" Burton. They were all in Popcorn's crew, and all could play.
 
1 Pocket Ghost said:
I also knew the doggie well - used to share my dinner with him a lot at the pool hall when he was scuffling......And as a matter of fact, about 8 or 10 years ago an alternative Chicago newspaper did do a long story/interview about Waterdogs life, past and present - it was a compelling story....

.....I have a copy of it somewhere stored away and I will try to find it....If there are any very close old friends of the doggie's on here, I would try to make you a copy of the story - Hemicuda/Bill weren't you pretty close with the doggie ?

I also have what is probably the last pic taken of him - it was taken at the nursing home about 6 months ago - I will try to scan it and post it up here......RIP doggie.

Ghost
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How old was he? I would guess in his early to mid 50's is all.
 
What a crew!

jay helfert said:
Here's a few Freddie. Names from the past: Ray Booth, "Philly" Joe Veasey, Alibi Al and the best of the bunch, Eddie "The Hat" Burton. They were all in Popcorn's crew, and all could play.
Click to expand...

Ray Booth, this was his great line: "When its my time to go, I want to lay my head on the spot and let Cannonball Lefty break the balls." Alibi Al, had a dance studio in NY and lost it, floor by floor, playing all the New York monsters nine-ball. His line: "I will spot any hustler who has a wife and three kids, like I do, the wild eight." I was around "The Hat" for years before I discovered he was bald. Thats how often he took that hat off.

the Beard
 
JAM said:
I would be most interested in reading it. I did not know Waterdog well, but he left an impression on me. He was such a quiet unassuming-type fellow when I met him.

Keith said Waterdog used to live with a friend of his named Don Percy (sp) in California. When Waterdog and Keith were both 16 and 17 years old, they used to play against each other, shooting pool, and that Waterdog and him were about even at that time. That was the era when Waterdog and Steve Gumphreys were running around together.

Waterdog used to be heralded as a straight pool champion, running hundreds at the snap of the fingers.

I'll stay tuned and hope to read the article about him.

JAM
Click to expand...

Nice to hear Gumps name. He was one great guy, a lot of fun to be around, always smiling and laughing. And a very good player I might add. Better than a shortstop for sure.

God took him early. He had bigger plans for the Gumper. Gee whiz Jam.
 
freddy the beard said:
Ray Booth, this was his great line: "When its my time to go, I want to lay my head on the spot and let Cannonball Lefty break the balls." Alibi Al, had a dance studio in NY and lost it, floor by floor, playing all the New York monsters nine-ball. His line: "I will spot any hustler who has a wife and three kids, like I do, the wild eight." I was around "The Hat" for years before I discovered he was bald. Thats how often he took that hat off.

the Beard
Click to expand...

Great lines Freddie. I vaguely remember hearing them also. they repeated them several times. Booth was referring of course, to the brilliant Cannonball, J.C. Chapman, one of the best black players ever. Right there with James Evans, Bugs, Youngblood Washington and Cisero Murphy. Marvin Henderson and Rags Woods are up there too.

The hat was Eddie's toupee. Just like Rich Geiler. I knew both these guys for years and can honestly say I may have seen the top of their heads once each. And that was by request in private.
 
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