Vintage Photo from 1983 Dayton Open

[straightline]

Here's a vintage black-and-white from the 1983 Dayton Open, courtesy of Bill Porter and Michael Haines.

First time I met Jim Rempe was at Salt City Billiards in New York at a time before the fire and previous owners. It was on the Joss Tour. I asked Jim if I could take his photo, and at first, he was uncomfortable and said, "Who's it for?" I said it was just for me personally. I think he was worried about me selling it for some reason. He then complied.

What strikes me about this photo is Jim staring at the camera with a scowl on his face. I think he must have had a bad experience with people selling his likeness and making a profit without including him in the payday.

Recognize anybody else on the rail?

View attachment 869768

Abraham Lincoln upper left.

 

[jay helfert]

Here is another photo from the same event shared by Mary "Mare" Kenniston on Facebook.

The late Bobby Legg shooting. He was from my neck of th woods, up Baltimore way, He would play any living creature who came to town.

Daryll ("Bo") Donohue and Roy Ruffin seated on left.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Haines and Bill Porter

View attachment 870194

Harpo

 

[alphadog]

I thought it was John Holmes.

View attachment 870378

Guess we watch different shows.

 

[KAP1976]

I had one of the Rempe chain link Meuccis when I was a 17 years old. Bought it for $300 at Pinky's pool parlor in Turtle Creek, PA in fall of 1993. I'm still mad I sold it. Man, teenagers shouldn't be allowed to make decisions.

 

[cjr3559]

Also looks like George Lucas took a break from filming ‘American Graffiti’ and sat in the back row.

 

[garczar]

Here is another photo from the same event shared by Mary "Mare" Kenniston on Facebook.

The late Bobby Legg shooting. He was from my neck of th woods, up Baltimore way, He would play any living creature who came to town.

Daryll ("Bo") Donohue and Roy Ruffin seated on left.

Photo Courtesy of Mike Haines and Bill Porter

View attachment 870194

Bobby Legg was originally from Indiana. Dude could flat play.

 

[sciarco]

The guy beside the person on the far left looks like James Dean.

 

[loggerhead12]

Who is the Weird Al looking dude?

My first thought was Grady Matthews before he lost his hair.

 

[smoochie]

Here's a vintage black-and-white from the 1983 Dayton Open, courtesy of Bill Porter and Michael Haines.

First time I met Jim Rempe was at Salt City Billiards in New York at a time before the fire and previous owners. It was on the Joss Tour. I asked Jim if I could take his photo, and at first, he was uncomfortable and said, "Who's it for?" I said it was just for me personally. I think he was worried about me selling it for some reason. He then complied.

What strikes me about this photo is Jim staring at the camera with a scowl on his face. I think he must have had a bad experience with people selling his likeness and making a profit without including him in the payday.

Recognize anybody else on the rail?

View attachment 869768

What a photo, Jim was rocking a Meucci so far back in 1983!!! At that time, I was just a little over 3 years old, and the moment I held a Meucci myself much muuuuuuch later in 2002 or something, it felt like a special thing. I wonder how he felt holding it in 1983.

Meucci was a thing, just like owning a Mercedes or something, or at least that's how it felt to me.

 

[JPB2]

What a photo, Jim was rocking a Meucci so far back in 1983!!! At that time, I was just a little over 3 years old, and the moment I held a Meucci myself much muuuuuuch later in 2002 or something, it felt like a special thing. I wonder how he felt holding it in 1983.

Meucci was a thing, just like owning a Mercedes or something, or at least that's how it felt to me.

That model was a great one and seemed as expensive as a Mercedes when I started playing a few years after that picture was taken. I bought a plainer Meucci in ‘87 or ‘88 and had to sell it. The room where I played generally didn’t like or respect Meuccis. It’s plastic. It hits like a rubber mallet etc…. Other places people loved them. Wish I still had it even though it wasn’t that fancy.

In the last couple years a guy I know picked up a beautiful example of that Rempe cue. Refinished and looked great. And still a bunch of money.

 

[WildWing]

For the sharp-eyed, is Jim Rempe holding his famous jewel-inlaid Meucci Crown cue? My impression was that it was built sometime in the 80s, could have been that early.

 

[garczar]

For the sharp-eyed, is Jim Rempe holding his famous jewel-inlaid Meucci Crown cue? My impression was that it was built sometime in the 80s, could have been that early.

IIRC Rempe signed with Meucci '83, he'd been with ADAM before that. Those early Crown cues were something else when they first came out.

 

[WildWing]

IIRC Rempe signed with Meucci '83, he'd been with ADAM before that. Those early Crown cues were something else when they first came out.

That's my memory as well. Believe the fancy one played by Rempe was made about 1984.

 

[garczar]

That's my memory as well. Believe the fancy one played by Rempe was made about 1984.

He's using one in these pictures from '83 so its pretty obvious it was before '84. UD: did a lil digging and it looks like JR signed with Meucci late '82/early '83. So these pics from '83 would be his first year being a Meucci staff player. That would most likely make that the original Crown Jewel cue, the one that sold for $50k+.

 

[WildWing]

He's using one in these pictures from '83 so its pretty obvious it was before '84. UD: did a lil digging and it looks like JR signed with Meucci late '82/early '83. So these pics from '83 would be his first year being a Meucci staff player. That would most likely make that the original Crown Jewel cue, the one that sold for $50k+.

I guess that was the jeweled Crown then. That was an early age to be playing such a valuable cue. Rempe himself in a televised match said it was worth ten grand. I assume Eric still owns the cue, but not sure.