I bet he was a monster in his prime. When I met him, everybody said he was the best player in Houston (Gabby had moved to California).
Houston legends
- Thread starter Cue Stick
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Wasn't it him that used to say "Keep them laughing and keep them broke"?
Probably. Used to stick you on the end rail and say "don't get splinters".
I bet your dad had some good stories! I was there when Buddy and Efren matched up, but I was too tired to stay awake and had to leave.
The Little Eddie I remember was a very small-framed black guy who was always dressed and groomed to a tee. First guy we ever saw with a Jheri curl.
I was at a big tourney at Playoffs right around the time that it came out that Joe Rocha’s illness had turned for the worse and that it was essentially terminal. Joe played in the event and it was amazing. It was like God was swinging his cue. Never missed a ball, running out from no where, tough banks, 2 railers, 3 railers, kicks, safeties. It was something else. The place was packed, people were gathered around 20 deep. It was electric. He won that event then soon later passed on. RIP Joe Rocha
rodney just passed away a few days ago
There's probably at least (97) Little Eddie's in the pool world.
no
i post over at onepocket.org.
it was posted over there
i got to meet rodney when i attended a senior onepocket at bogies
he and i got to be friends thru the onepocket site
for sure he had a colorful life
My Dad opened and ran the Slick Willies on Westheimer in the early 80s. His name was Rocky and his partner was Waylon.
Kin to the cue maker Jerry?
The original location on Westheimer next to the diamond store, east a few blocks of Hillcroft?
Used to go there when the clubs closed at 2AM. I witnessed some crazy shit at the pool room.
Not sure the one from the early 80s I do know that it soured my dad so bad on pool that he never got in pool room management/ownership again because of customer behavior and craziness.
Bill Rogers was not to be messed with. Saw him have his guys rough up guys and a few times beat the snot out a few.
I guess I'll add my two cents to this equation. First of all stories about great players from Houston has to include Greg Stevens, the best 9-Ball player of them all. Greg was world class plus, and only the very best players had any chance with him, until the pills wore off, usually after two to three days of constant play. Greg spotted good players the seven, eight and nine and it made no difference. Champions only got the seven! On his first day in action he would never miss a ball! By day three (staying awake the whole time), the shortstops would bust him with the eight ball! Greg did this over and over again, going from rich to poor week after week. To see him play at his best was mind blowing. The only player back then who was anything like him was Richie Florence, another insane shotmaker. In Roll Out 9-Ball being a great shotmaker made you the King! Greg finally sobered up and kicked the drugs and went back home to Wichita (after maybe eight to ten years in Houston) and opened pool halls of his own. The funny thing was he wouldn't allow gambling in his poolrooms.
Next case, Buddy vs. Efren (Caesar Morales). This was Efren's intro into the big time U.S. Pool world at Red's January, 1984 tournament. Some Filipino gangsters snuck him in as Caesar Morales and he dominated the tournament like nothing I had ever seen before or since. In every match (races to eleven), his backers were giving lines that his opponents wouldn't get to six or seven and he was beating everyone he played with scores like 11-3 and 11-4. And these were good players! When they gave Danny D. five on the wire I had to bet and Efren/Caesar beat him 11-5! Efren and his backers were winning thousands on every match (this was in Texas where they liked to bet it up!), and finally Efren played Wade Crane/Billy Johnson in the Finals. They gave Billy three on the wire and Efren won the match 11-9. So this was the only match his backers lost, but Efren won the 10,000 first prize anyway. By this time it was estimated that Efren and his crew had won over 50,000 that week (Efren was matching up every night with players like Sigel and Earl and beating all of them too). His backers were keeping him in action night and day!
The Texas gamblers were pissed that this skinny Mexican (Yes, Really!) had come in there and won so much of their money, so they pressured Efren's backers to stake him in a 10,000 match (5K a side) against Buddy, our number one American player back then. So the next day these two squared off in a Race to Eleven, playing even for 10,000. Red didn't charge me since I was the referee for the match. I saw the whole thing! It was a well played match by both players, but not what I would call great. Efren seemed off his game making several mistakes and Buddy took advantage and won 11-9. I think Efren was just worn out from a week of non stop pool. His backers agreed to play one more match the next day, but they blew out of town that night, making a run for it with all their winnings. P.S. Buddy's backer threw me 100 for refing the match, so that was my pay. I had backed Ronnie in the One Pocket and he won that one for $4,000 and we split it up, so I made out okay that trip.
More later. I'm tired.
Next case, Buddy vs. Efren (Caesar Morales). This was Efren's intro into the big time U.S. Pool world at Red's January, 1984 tournament. Some Filipino gangsters snuck him in as Caesar Morales and he dominated the tournament like nothing I had ever seen before or since. In every match (races to eleven), his backers were giving lines that his opponents wouldn't get to six or seven and he was beating everyone he played with scores like 11-3 and 11-4. And these were good players! When they gave Danny D. five on the wire I had to bet and Efren/Caesar beat him 11-5! Efren and his backers were winning thousands on every match (this was in Texas where they liked to bet it up!), and finally Efren played Wade Crane/Billy Johnson in the Finals. They gave Billy three on the wire and Efren won the match 11-9. So this was the only match his backers lost, but Efren won the 10,000 first prize anyway. By this time it was estimated that Efren and his crew had won over 50,000 that week (Efren was matching up every night with players like Sigel and Earl and beating all of them too). His backers were keeping him in action night and day!
The Texas gamblers were pissed that this skinny Mexican (Yes, Really!) had come in there and won so much of their money, so they pressured Efren's backers to stake him in a 10,000 match (5K a side) against Buddy, our number one American player back then. So the next day these two squared off in a Race to Eleven, playing even for 10,000. Red didn't charge me since I was the referee for the match. I saw the whole thing! It was a well played match by both players, but not what I would call great. Efren seemed off his game making several mistakes and Buddy took advantage and won 11-9. I think Efren was just worn out from a week of non stop pool. His backers agreed to play one more match the next day, but they blew out of town that night, making a run for it with all their winnings. P.S. Buddy's backer threw me 100 for refing the match, so that was my pay. I had backed Ronnie in the One Pocket and he won that one for $4,000 and we split it up, so I made out okay that trip.
More later. I'm tired.
Great story. Glad to know he went out a champion.
Thanks for your reply. It's great to hear from someone with first-hand knowledge. I paid my $5 but I was too tired to keep my eyes open. I heard later that they had to off the bet because it got too late and both of them had to play in the tournament next day. It's good to know what really happened. Efren was great in the tournament. From what I heard about his winnings in the back room, I thought they won a lot more than $50,000, but you would know better than I. I got there Tuesday, and Misty told me to bet on him as soon as I walked in the door. When I started watching him I could see how good he was. I could tell he was letting some of the players win a couple of games. I don't know whether it was to spare their feelings or to keep everybody from knowing just how good he was. I kept hearing people talking him down, even some of the pro's (especially Earl). I think it was ego and bigotry that wouldn't let them believe what they were seeing.
I didn't know about Greg Stevens. Did he ever match up with Gabby?
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