Another great installment, Brian. Thanks. The tables in Terry Kearns' room in Windham were Jafco tables, and they were, as Bobby mentioned, very fast.Part 3 just added!
Another great installment, Brian. Thanks. The tables in Terry Kearns' room in Windham were Jafco tables, and they were, as Bobby mentioned, very fast.Part 3 just added!
Great interview, down to earth guy that isn't full of himself. Thanks for sharing it.
Hi Chip1994 received a copy of the Winning One Pocket from Eddie in the mail. He and his wife Rosanne had signed it. We stayed in touch for a long time, but now , it must be 10 years since I have heard from him,,don't even know if he still living. Hope that he is and hope he's well, he taught me a lot even if I didn't continue playing on the road.
Another great interview. Obviously you were well prepared to get the most out of the time you had with Bobby. Thanks again.Part 3 just added!
I saw Jimmy Sureshot Jr just a few nights ago at Yale. He was waiting for an opponent to show up for a scheduled small $$ 1p match. We sat and had a few laughs together and I had him take out his dad's TS cue like l always do which, of course, is his playing cue now. I've had a standing generous offer with him on that cue for over a decade and I know I'll never get it.Excellent Interviews. I saw Bobby play 40+times in the 90's early 2000's. Surprised at some of the more 'colorful stories'. You wouldn't know he was in the room when he gambled. But as i tell people when they say i have a lot of stories-I dont have a lot of stories, I've just been around so long one or two half crazy stories from each year winds up sounding like a lot.
Jimmy Sureshot JR came into "my homeroom" quite a few times in the 90's. The old timers figured out who he was real quick as he was using his father's cue. He played shortstop speed and had the wire on everyone so he did ok but we had no high rollers.
I saw Liscotti beat Zuglan after midnight in a tourny on a day he started with the Budweisers at 11AM or so. He would have blown at least .30 in the intoximeter
Gerry Watson came thru Ct a few times and im sure Bobby had a few Grey Ghost stories- Next time please and you might get something funny out of asking about Johnny B and MT Vernon Tommy.
Hi Bill;There was a romantic and a sleazy side to road players in the early days. His narrative covers a lot of both. I’d love to know the net worth of all the guys he ran with. He never mentioned Jersey Red. Did their paths ever cross?
Working and net worth are not always related.Hi Bill;
Spoke with Bobby and he said it may have been that they were 20-40 years apart (Red was older) that they never ran into each other.
As for net worths, lol, pool players trying not to work, right? Interesting though was that the man Bobby considered his mentor and primary road partner, Eddie O'Connell, he ended up a wealthy man.
best,
brian kc
I last saw Eddie in Best Billiards in Vegas about 10 years ago. Never saw him again.1994 received a copy of the Winning One Pocket from Eddie in the mail. He and his wife Rosanne had signed it. We stayed in touch for a long time, but now , it must be 10 years since I have heard from him,,don't even know if he still living. Hope that he is and hope he's well, he taught me a lot even if I didn't continue playing on the road.
There were two places in Houston in the 60’s that i assumed he never walked into. Parker’s on Washington Avenue and LeCue on Lamar (above Lamar Drug). I never heard him mention either one. He did mention Earl being in Houston but they missed each other. I really enjoyed Bobby’s interview. I think you got a lot out of him. I would like to see more interviews if possible. It’s a subculture like no other. The only thing that even comes close are the golf hustlers like Tommy Bolt when there was more to be made on public courses than as a professional. Great job..Hi Bill;
Spoke with Bobby and he said it may have been that they were 20-40 years apart (Red was older) that they never ran into each other.
As for net worths, lol, pool players trying not to work, right? Interesting though was that the man Bobby considered his mentor and primary road partner, Eddie O'Connell, he ended up a wealthy man.
best,
brian kc
One of the best things I learned or was warned of by Eddie, probably saved my Life. Back when Eddie looked over at me while traveling and told me, You are beating everyone you play , except Billy. You play him all day long and there might be as few as 10 games diff between you. Your stringing racks and doing the right stuff. Now you follow this, don't let your ego take over, don't become a pool bum. Look around ,you've been out here couple of years and seen great players all over the country, 90 % of them are living out of a suitcase and will do so most of their lives , don't end up like that. He and Roseanne pulled out of Greensboro 4 or 5 months after that and back to Conn,. a few months later , so did I. Went back to school for 2 years , finished with a Biz degree when added to the 2 years I already had under my belt and went to work, married and raised a family. I took Eddies advise. I spoke with Eddie many times later, but never got to see him again. His biz of restoring old tables made him a good living and he sold only too well to do clients with the money for classic tables ,from what I heard, he did well in life, and he did.I last saw Eddie in Best Billiards in Vegas about 10 years ago. Never saw him again.
Being a pool bum is a easy trap to fall into. Any form of a bum. Especially when you are lazy. Which is me. I’m a lazy person naturally. I have to have the discipline to get my ass to do something or else.One of the best things I learned or was warned of by Eddie, probably saved my Life. Back when Eddie looked over at me while traveling and told me, You are beating everyone you play , except Billy. You play him all day long and there might be as few as 10 games diff between you. Your stringing racks and doing the right stuff. Now you follow this, don't let your ego take over, don't become a pool bum. Look around ,you've been out here couple of years and seen great players all over the country, 90 % of them are living out of a suitcase and will do so most of their lives , don't end up like that. He and Roseanne pulled out of Greensboro 4 or 5 months after that and back to Conn,. a few months later , so did I. Went back to school for 2 years , finished with a Biz degree when added to the 2 years I already had under my belt and went to work, married and raised a family. I took Eddies advise. I spoke with Eddie many times later, but never got to see him again. His biz of restoring old tables made him a good living and he sold only too well to do clients with the money for classic tables ,from what I heard, he did well in life, and he did.