Great Pool Room Stories

jay helfert said:
Launce Saunders was hot shit around Ventura, CA in the late 1960's before moving to the Montana area.
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I think it's the same guy but he played around in local stuff (Iowa) here a few years ago, but I hear he moved out west again. I always saw him using a stick that was probably 70" or more. It was a bit warped but his brother made if for him years ago. The guy can flat out shoot from what I saw. He's well past his prime but he's still a threat. I'd never met him but he took one of my best friends under his wing probably 30 years ago before I knew him. That friend is a great player, I think Lance taught him well.

Anyway, I had stepped outside to the smoking area since the small bar hosting the tournament had 3 tables, and was just packed to the rafters. It was a 2 or 3 day event, I think 64 man with added money. It was an open but I don't remember the specifics. Lance was out there too and we talked a little normal chit chat small talk, he seemed like a really good dude. Well anyway here comes one of the hot shot players from one of the bigger cities. Either Des Moines, Davenport, etc. An out of town-er ready to win the thing. The guy was young, probably mid 20s and IMO just a cocky shithead. Lance was wearing bibs that day and the kid started clowning on him saying he'd bet pink slips on tractors or something. You know, pool player banter and talking shit type stuff. The kid was really ribbing him trying to get action.

Lance never lost his cool or even appeared bothered by the kid. I have no idea how well they knew each other but the kid was barking all the while Lance was just trying to enjoy the weather. They talked a bit about action and such, the kid flashed a roll, but nothing ever came of it.

I got a real chuckle though. Lance talked to the kid and told him he was a good player, talked about what he was good at and such. He said something along the lines of "I'll give you this, you're a good player but you'll never be great unless you learn to be humble." "You gotta get your ego under control." I'm paraphrasing but oh man it was good. Lance was telling the kid the truth and at first the kid acted even more cocky but I think he realized he had been given some good advice.

I kind of wish I had talked with him more but he was in tournament mode and I didn't want to be a nuisance.
 
Thanks for story Boogieman that sounds about right for Lance when I first saw him,he was wearing some baggy pants that could've been silk but I didn't care enough to ask to find out .

As for Lance as a money player and going back to the time frame that Jay mentioned I believe he got some action going with a fella I've never seen before or since if memory serves me right he called himself Mexican Joe and they played a race to 11 for a $ 1.000.00 then,may of bumped it up from there ?

The cue Lance used had about the smallest ferrel and tip I've ever seen played with on anything but a snooker table , he had a neck of a stroke and was dangerous to play against on either a bar table or a 4 1/2 x 9 .
He had it and a few shafts wrapped in a towel for a case , I kept my Billybushka in some 2" pvc pipe which its still in to this day !

Billy his big brother offered to take me out on the road with him because I missed when it counted and ran out the table when it counted which was basically what he taught me to do back then , sadly I didn't take him up,on the offer but have often wondered what it would've been like if I had .
After that someone asked Lance if there was anyone who really challenged him that was in the tournament and I heard later he pointed at me ha ha Which was a big compliment in my book .

If anyone knows how to get a hold of Lance please let me know !
Thanks,in advance !
Rusty
 
boogieman said:
I think it's the same guy but he played around in local stuff (Iowa) here a few years ago, but I hear he moved out west again. I always saw him using a stick that was probably 70" or more. It was a bit warped but his brother made if for him years ago. The guy can flat out shoot from what I saw. He's well past his prime but he's still a threat. I'd never met him but he took one of my best friends under his wing probably 30 years ago before I knew him. That friend is a great player, I think Lance taught him well.

Anyway, I had stepped outside to the smoking area since the small bar hosting the tournament had 3 tables, and was just packed to the rafters. It was a 2 or 3 day event, I think 64 man with added money. It was an open but I don't remember the specifics. Lance was out there too and we talked a little normal chit chat small talk, he seemed like a really good dude. Well anyway here comes one of the hot shot players from one of the bigger cities. Either Des Moines, Davenport, etc. An out of town-er ready to win the thing. The guy was young, probably mid 20s and IMO just a cocky shithead. Lance was wearing bibs that day and the kid started clowning on him saying he'd bet pink slips on tractors or something. You know, pool player banter and talking shit type stuff. The kid was really ribbing him trying to get action.

Lance never lost his cool or even appeared bothered by the kid. I have no idea how well they knew each other but the kid was barking all the while Lance was just trying to enjoy the weather. They talked a bit about action and such, the kid flashed a roll, but nothing ever came of it.

I got a real chuckle though. Lance talked to the kid and told him he was a good player, talked about what he was good at and such. He said something along the lines of "I'll give you this, you're a good player but you'll never be great unless you learn to be humble." "You gotta get your ego under control." I'm paraphrasing but oh man it was good. Lance was telling the kid the truth and at first the kid acted even more cocky but I think he realized he had been given some good advice.

I kind of wish I had talked with him more but he was in tournament mode and I didn't want to be a nuisance.
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"Go away kid, ya bother me."
 
So glad these threads pop up. Some of these stories are as old as my parents lol.🫣

I've got 1 from a bar in northern MN (2010ish):

I was 19, I think. Up in Pine City with my old man for fishing opener, which naturally involved more drinking than fishing. We'd troll the bars for pool and pull tabs. Guys were elated they had a DD so I didn't need to pay for anything. At one point we were at this dive in the middle of nowhere with 2-3 Valleys, a DJ, and no bouncer. It was busy.
This dude is walking around with his buddies and 2/3 of a beer for like half an hour trying to get some action. I was...not comfortable with the whole thing, was just really sketchy. One of dad's buds finally talked me into playing $20 games with this loser. We alternated the first 4 games (I was nervous as shit), then I finally relaxed and beat the brakes off the guy. The more I won the more mad he got. I was trying to get out of it, but Vern kept throwing cash on the table. I think I was up $220-240 at the end. Total banger that thought he was good because he could make 3 balls in a row.
Fortunately, a brawl broke out on the dance floor (over a lady, I'm sure) and we bailed before anyone in our group got involved. Still one of the funniest things I've ever seen at a bar: one of the bartenders grabbed a mic and said she was calling the cops and this scrawny kid in a white tank-top HAULED ASS out the back door, climbing over other people and everything. Could barely breathe walking out the door I was laughing so hard.
 
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