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CHAPTER 19: It’s all about the Numbers The theory of "middles" holds true for sports other than football. In pro football, there are certain key point spread numbers you look for. For example, the numbers 3, 6, 7, 10 because the scoring values in football (three points for a field goal...

I have No idea why this thread is still flowing! I think the consensus so far is, Jimmy was Great Talent/Huge Personality/Fierce Gambler/Knowledgeable Commentator. He has definitely beaten the Top players of His era at one time or another! IMPO, it's Jimmy's 'Longevity' at that High level...

Part 3 At first, I spent hours every day walking in the hot sun between the Las Vegas sports books in order to tabulate all the lines and probe for weaknesses. There was no other way to do it. Back in the 80s you had to be there physically at the sports book, eye-balling the lines on the...

Part 2 The vice president at Caesars Palace even asks me what I would do if I was setting up the sports book. And I said I would make it look like an Arena back in the Gladiators days. And but big screens and lounges and slot machines everywhere then people could watch the games and play slot...

CHAPTER 18: Vegas Bound In 1984, when I arrived in Las Vegas for good, the sports betting business was booming. In the old days the Nevada bookmakers had operated a handful of free-standing betting shops downtown and along the Strip. These were sort of dingy, small-time operations that...

Part 3 The same principles applied to sports betting and pool hustling you developed knowledge and skill enough to know what you were doing. Then you began to look for opponents who not only did not know what they were doing but weren't self-aware enough to understand their own ignorance. In...

Part 2 In the old days there was very little money to be won at sanctioned tournaments. A guy like Willie Mosconi could beat the world and barely make enough to cover his expenses. Now the television people had plenty of money to throw at the top players in head-to-head matchups. It made for...

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: SUCKERVILLE, U.S.A. Looking back at your life you can see certain turning points where you have a choice to go down one road or another. You choose one, or it is chosen for you, and everything changes. Why did the right road take the wrong turn? Well, not everything...

He came from 'War torn Europe' to NYC then directly to South Haven, a year later they moved to Chicago.

Some of the Best is yet to come!

Part 3 Everything in Detroit was big time, so I guess it makes sense that one of the all-time great suckers also played there the legendary Rosey, whom we all called “Airplane Bill" (don’t ask me why). He was fabulously rich. Airplane had more money than all the rest of us put together. But at...

Part 2 Eventually we figured there was no use hanging around and started to back out of the place. “Sorry we didn't get to show you our game," I said to one of the old-time sweaters standing in the doorway. “That’s all right," he drawled in his redneck way. "I almost got to see a pretty good...

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: ON THE ROAD AGAIN Bensinger's closed down for good in the 70s. After that there were still great pool rooms like the North Shore Billiard Club on Clark Street, but as time went on the hustling game in Chicago began to fade. By then I had been playing in my hometown for...

Part 2 After the day's action I asked Nagy if he wanted to try again tomorrow, and he said no thank you. Smart move, Gene! As we used to say about East Coast straight pool players: "They want to play a hundred points for donuts and a cup of coffee.” Well, I’m sure they have stories about us...

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: HALL OF FAME Because I mentioned Bugs Rucker this is as good as place as many to shift my attention from the rogue’s gallery to the truly great pool players I have known over the years. Bugs is right at the top of my list of great hustlers and real friends. North Side, South...

Thanks G!

Eric, if you have time, read through the partial pages of the chapters so far. You won't be disappointed.

I have the outline, as you can see, I'm writing it every day! Just giving a 'Preview' of some pages. It's in my hands now. BTW, He turned 80 two days ago.

Part 3 On the North Side of Chicago some of my best friends belonged to an immigrant family from Ireland. In the 1950s the newspapers started calling them "The Fighting O'Shea’s" because they were all great amateur boxers. Tom O'Shea later became a great boxing coach around Chicago. He's even...

Part 2 One of the best showman hustlers who worked his trade around Bensinger’s and other Chicago pool halls for many years was a guy named Lee Kaplacki. But everybody called him “Reno”. Reno usually showed up in the pool hall dressed like a house painter. He'd have a painter’s cap and overalls...