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Nobody is a cinch to beat Earl I watched Wimpy play a lot during his prime in J.C. I watched him cut a ball that was just off the rail so thin, the cue ball jumped straight up on three different end rails. His opponent, a seasoned player, cried as he said, "Oh no. Oh no." Wimpy's nine ball...

My two pennies on op In the 60s, around Texas, most of us fashioned our OP game after UJ Puckett. He played real well making a ball or two at a time and pushing balls down the table. Then, along came players like Ronnie Allen and San Jose Dick, who would bet the game on a tough bank, just for...

A one-eyed detective In the 60s i used to play a lot of pool with Peter Falk at Tournament Billiards in Culver City. I remember him asking me to play straight pool and, without thinking, I said "You can put what I know about straight pool in your eye," to which he smiled and said, "Which eye?"...

Off to the races I was playing a guy twenty dollar nine ball in Pasadena Ca. in the seventies. My friend, who was handling the money said, "Alfie, these twenties all have the same serial number. It was quite a stack in our hands and his. I just knocked him on out of the rest of them and visited...

To all of my friends, whether we've met or not, who wrote such comforting, heartfelt words regarding my brother, Jack's passing. It not only was soothing to me, they will be read at Jack's service by his children. Many of you didn't know Jack and some even didn't know about him. For those of you...

The tears are still in my eyes as I tell many of Jacks and my friends that he passed away last night in Galveston Texas. His wife, Cozy was at his side. A lot of stories abound in the pool world about Jack. In a world where slipping around was necessary, Jack could slip with the best of them. He...

The pictures are of a trip Billy, my wife, Judi and I took to Tombstone last week. The pool room is the one where Morgan Earp was shot and killed. The cowboys with Billy told us that Morgan was shot by accident. They thought he was Wyatt. How's that for drawing an unlucky card? The other picture...

My dear friend, William J. Manning AKA Billy Mack, Billy Banks and, as Earl the Pearl called him Gigolo Bill, succumbed to brain cancer at three AM. I knew Billy first in the 70s as a youngster who liked to bet on me. We even took a couple of road trips together. A couple of years ago we...

A cornerstone of the game said good-by I'm so sorry to hear about Freddy. Although we never met face to face we talked many times and he marketed a lot of my goods. What a fountain of information he was and he backed his play by leaving us with a book on road players that may never be...

As if anyone is interested in my two cents worth, I've always found Rodney to be a gentleman and have called him my good friend. I don't want to discuss the right or wrong of his project but Rodney, if you write any book, do it because you want to say something and don't be under the illusion...

Sunday I was with my dear friend, Billy Mack at his home in Scottsdale, where I gained a new perspective on courage and dignity from him. While Judi and I struggled to hold back tears, he joked and discussed his life and how much he has loved being part of the pool world. Only three months ago...

My apologies to you. Let's pray for a painless passing for Billy. Alfie

I understand what you say but have you been with the guy? Privacy isn't what he's looking for. He's alone. How would his friends in the pool world, from up the past 40 years be able to say good-by to him? Smoke signals? And, what makes you think I wouldn't have his permission. And, don't you...

Hello my azbilliards friends. I have missed hanging with you guys but I have been working on two more books. Not pool related. Sorry. I'm reaching out with a breaking heart to ask any of you who know Billy Mack to call him. Only a few months back he was diagnosed with advanced stomach cancer...

Hello azbilliards friends. Billy Manning, known in our circles as Billy Mack, is fighting an aggressive stomach cancer in Phoenix. I knew Billy in the 70s and have become close again recently. Each month or so he would spend his own money to come to Tucson, check into a hotel and practice with...

Fifty years ago, today, in Dallas, my mother woke me and said "They just shot the president and his wife." Initial news reports had everyone guessing. Being a typical 20 year old irresponsible pool nut, my priority was my Frank Paradise cue was in. I rushed to the post office and picked it up...

places to play Both of the rooms mentioned are nice places to play. Good equipment and minimal riff raff. If you give me a call we might knock around a few balls at my rug store, just for grins. I hope you have an appetite for Mexican food. Keep it nice. Alfie

Our hearts go out to the poor people the Philippines.Their situation is more dire than you can imagine.The gentlemen from this country, who have participated so honorably in our sport have had their country and their lives ripped apart by this terrible disaster. Now they need help from everyone...

Hi Mike. Thanks to Mr. Porter, I know a bit about you, but, I had no idea you were with the Dallas police. Did you ever hear of sheriff Bill Decker? I had an interesting meeting with that scary rascal. Anyway, if a picture really is worth a thousand words, you and Bill are saying volumes. The...

Thanks nostroke You are right about this scam. What pool hustler (or former) would admit to having "tears in my eyes" unless he were playing SVB Keep it nice...and legal. Alfie