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Back in '74 or '75 I met a Staff Sergeant in the service who was about 26 years old. His specialty was EOD (explosive ordnance disposal.) He told me he came in 2nd in the New York State pool tournament. He played really good. He hooked me 3 times in a row placing the cue ball right up kissing...

I was talking with Cecil at Hard Times Bellflower. He was telling me how he would bet guys $50 that they could stand on the sidewalk and he could get past them while remaining on the sidewalk himself and they couldn't touch him. I tried to imagine how this would work but couldn't do it. I was...

I'm thinking about getting a new cue stick. But I have to see and hold it before I buy. So I need a dealer in Southern California close. I live in Irvine, CA in Orange County. I have a Schon SL-6 I bought in 2001. I would consider just a shaft or two. I am a little skittish because I think...

I'm thinking of getting my own set of billiard balls. I like to primarily play rotation: 9-ball / 10-ball. I am not super rich. But I want a very good set of billiard balls. I don't want to be disappointed, either. Any recommendations? Best bang for the buck? What do some of these top tier...

The last time I saw Cole was at Caesars Lake Tahoe around 1976 or so where Buddy Hall won the 9-Ball. At the time I heard that Buddy had recently recovered from a very bad car accident. I had an event program that showed the players' photos with a few stats. Cole's photo had a place holder...

This is unbelievable but you tell me what you think. I started watching this Led Zeppelin concert video on YouTube. After you watch it I'll tell you why I think it really could be Cole. Unbelievable. The date of the concert is Aug. 25, 1971. The place is the Sam Houston Coliseum in Texas...

That's Catfish on the right. Never did know his true name. Going to the left is Ismael "Morro" Paez. Next going to the left is another regular. Don't know his name or pool background. But he was usually at HT's. And of course to the far left is Francisco "Django" Bustamante. Catfish was...

New York State Annual Pool Championship Does the state of New York still put on an annual championship? I met a guy, I think his name was Rick, around 1975 and hung out with him for a while. He told me that he came in second place in the New York State Annual tournament. Am I right thinking it...

Rack 'em up with Artie Bodendorfer I think I read in a recent post some interest in One Pocket Hall of Famer Artie Bodendorfer. Here is a link to a very interesting interview he gave to Steve Booth in 2006. https://www.onepocket.org/rackem-up-with-artie-bodendorfer/ And if you want to see...

Buying a Cue sight unseen? Better think twice. Times are tough for pool. Covid hammered the economy. In times like this even the best can lose it. I had decided to buy a cue about a year ago. Well known maker. To make a long story short: paid up front. Got the cue in the mail and the...

Missing shots more often? I met a guy coming out of the 99 Cent store. He was holding a pair of glasses. He told me they sold "readers" in there for 99 cents. A month later I finally went in there and bought one pair of each different power reader. Cost me about 8 dollars. I have my 46...

I have not played pool in over a year. Hard Times Bellflower is gone. I do not want to go to an "okay" pool hall. I want a pool hall where professional pool players would like to go. I looked up Alhambra online. No thanks. If the pool hall was any good it would tell you about what kind of...

Suggestion: Pool Room Reviews should list by State in alphabetical order. I cannot look through every post for just California Pool Rooms.

Hard Times Bellflower On the Scene I call every day and hang up after ten rings with no answer. I went by about a month ago and the red awning is gone. No great loss since it was in tatters anyway. The entire front entrance facing the parking lot is whitewashed. All the windows and doors are...

Efren Reyes is in Bellflower right now. He'll be at Hard Times, I hear, until maybe the 28th. Then he's off to NYC for the straight pool tourney. Easy money here in Bellflower. Come and get it. I hear he will make any reasonable game.

In 2003 I heard that Thorsten Hohmann was a 100:1 underdog in the WPA World Nine-ball Championships in Cardiff and that he bet on himself. Anyone know how much he bet on himself? Here is my question: where can big LEGAL bets be placed on pool matches? Las Vegas? London? Internet?

Cole Dickson vs. Richie Florence 8:39 PM 4/30/2012 I met Bob at Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, California, a couple of years ago. He told me about a match he watched around 1968 between Cole Dickson and Richie Florence. Here is Bob's firsthand account as told to me, as best as I can...