There have been some long threads about 70's and 80's champions/hustlers/gamblers........"Keith vs. Matlock", others. Does anyone remember a road player named Jimmy Hodges. I met him in the late '70s when I was attending WKU in Bowling Green, KY. He was at the end of his road hustling days and opened up a nice poolroom there around 1980. Although most of the stories I heard about him came from my good friend Eddie Adams (went on the road with a few times), I did get to witness some of his action from '78 -'79 and actually got to travel with him once........saw him rob Eugene Browning.
The man could play jam up and had a Toby Sweet-Like style/intensity while grinding out score after score. He had a natural disguise.........a Gomer Pyle look and strong southern accent. Most would bet he couldn't chew bubble gum and play kickball at the same time. He knew how to manage money, saving his winnings over the years and built the above mentioned poolroom from the ground up. Not too long ago (? '90s) I think he owned some upscale rooms in South Carolina.
DTL
Yes, I played Jimmy at his pool room in Bowling Green in around 1986. I gave him the "Wild 8" on one of his 4.5/9' Gold Crowns and won a pretty good score....he was a meticulous player and played consistently.....I think Nick Varner was giving him the 8 Ball occasionally too, I know they played together because they were from the same area.
Didn't he own the poolroom? Think it may have been called "Cue Time?"
Yes,B., you have a very close relative that was there many times.- you walked in the door and turned right. The eating area was in the center, and the pool tables were all the way back in a separate room. The kitchen/cafe was on the right and he had an extensive Pro Shop on the opposite side.
His equipment was top notch and he hosted a very clean, and friendly environment. The "model" pool room for the time and place in history. He later moved to South Carolina and opened a pool room/night club (more bar driven) southwest of Greenville. It was doing tremendous business back in the late 80s and I believe he had it for several years.....I'm not sure what his current "update" is, I hope he's doing well, he's a sharp businessman from what I could distinguish.
In the late 90s in South Carolina he had a real nice room called Gametime Riptide. Had quite a few 9ft gold crowns. I played in there daily for about a month straight. I think it turned into a complete nightclub, before later closing down. It was a money making machine.
There was some good joints around there. Golden cue billiards, lucky break, airport billiards, and a few others....I think they are all gone except airport now. And it was the one with the least action.
This would be what's known as The Palace Billiards, on Airport Road? I met Jimmy when he owned Gametime/Riptide and played or practiced there often. It was where I met Tommy Kennedy several years ago. Seemed like any of the known players who came in there knew Jimmy and thought well of him.
Your avatars are always seasonlly pool-related. I love that. :smiling-heart:
Jimmy Hodges is one of pool's unsung heroes. I've heard his name bandied about quite often in pool rooms. He sounds like a character, one I'd like to have gotten to know.![]()
I played him years ago, he was a really good player. I lost even and got some weight and we broke even for a while before he left town. I kind of remember him being very smooth, a nice player to watch.There have been some long threads about 70's and 80's champions/hustlers/gamblers........"Keith vs. Matlock", others. Does anyone remember a road player named Jimmy Hodges. I met him in the late '70s when I was attending WKU in Bowling Green, KY. He was at the end of his road hustling days and opened up a nice poolroom there around 1980. Although most of the stories I heard about him came from my good friend Eddie Adams (went on the road with a few times), I did get to witness some of his action from '78 -'79 and actually got to travel with him once........saw him rob Eugene Browning.
The man could play jam up and had a Toby Sweet-Like style/intensity while grinding out score after score. He had a natural disguise.........a Gomer Pyle look and strong southern accent. Most would bet he couldn't chew bubble gum and play kickball at the same time. He knew how to manage money, saving his winnings over the years and built the above mentioned poolroom from the ground up. Not too long ago (? '90s) I think he owned some upscale rooms in South Carolina.
DTL
It was in Mauldin, SC, just as you described. Fountain Inn Red, Bob King, Ray Cheek, Bob Carter and others. I got to going in when Gullyassy was doing cue work. Jimmy ran a good place and good tournaments. All the older players are familiar with that place. Sold lots of booze and had the poker machines which did real well for him. When the poker machines were outlawed, many a room went under. The no good creepy politicians wanted it ALL, with the lottery. Later he opened the big place. I liked him and his brother...