Who are the 'Old Schoolers' of AZ
- Thread starter watchez
- Start date
Well...Excuuuuuuse me, for butting in ! :sorry:
Everything about you is old Dick. You are in the top 25,000 of original members in case you didn't realize.
I've been on here a long time but that doesn't mean I know shit about shinola!
Those were the days my friend. :grin:
There were maybe a dozen great poolrooms in Manhattan back then (the 60's) and all within walking distance of one another. I played in all of them, my favorite being Guys and Dolls. Cochran's (the great billiard player Welker Cochran built the place) and even more so The Palace on Market St. were two of the best action rooms on the whole West Coast. Los Angeles had The Billiard Palace, which was full of top players every night and Five Points in El Monte, which was full of hard core hustlers 24 hours a day.
Every major city in the United States had at least one big poolroom where the hustlers hung out, and many smaller rooms scattered around the city. You could go to any town and get action. There was never anyplace like The Rack, a haven for gangsters, gamblers and outlaws. Many pool players got rich in there! I'm talking tens of thousands in the 60's and 70's, when it was serious money. I saw guys come in with shopping bags full of money and lose it all in one night, over a hundred grand!
I would guess there were several hundred pool hustlers working the country back then, maybe fifty of them really top players. I would often see the same guys in different poolrooms all over the place. Wherever there was good action, all the hustlers would flock to it. There must have been a hundred real good action rooms and thousands of good "spots," where a guy could make a score. Players would steer each other to these spots, and hopefully collect 10% of your winnings.
A guy like me could make a decent living playing dollar Eight Ball in bars alone. $50 a night was a good day's pay back then. I'm sure I played in over 1,000 bars in a ten year period, before opening my first poolroom. I had saved 15K by then, rarely playing for more than $20 a game (One Pocket) or $50 sets of 9-Ball. Seems like another lifetime now. :wink:
Cardiac, I don't have lead poisoning, it was a lame attempt at humor. I learned decades ago about knocking action. Lead was an anti-knock additive. I have learned to just let people figure it out for themselves....hence no posts when there is bad info being bandied about. Most of my input would be considered knocking in my mind, and I try to keep myself from getting in the mud.
I jumped over from Billiards Digest as well. Had a different handle then--CharlieB.
Jay, I remember 5 Points and Tropicana Lanes as well. Didn't even play pool then. Was going to college during the day and running several crews of door to door salesmen at night. After the crews were dropped off all of the managers would meet at those places and have a couple of drinks while we watched these amazing guys playing pool and gambling. Later when I started playing I found out I had been watching Richie Florence and other well know players. Like a wild west show.
Jay, I remember 5 Points and Tropicana Lanes as well. Didn't even play pool then. Was going to college during the day and running several crews of door to door salesmen at night. After the crews were dropped off all of the managers would meet at those places and have a couple of drinks while we watched these amazing guys playing pool and gambling. Later when I started playing I found out I had been watching Richie Florence and other well know players. Like a wild west show.
Wow, you're just a young pup. I'm #109. Perhaps I should trade with PT109? Might fit him better
.Lyn
How do you find that out? LOL.... Looks like a bunch of us joined the same year/month.
If I had a join date like yours I would not even consider butting into a thread like this........oooooops
Matt,
Run your cursor over your user name name in any of your posts. Down at the bottom of the page, an address will show up and near the end will be your member number for AZB. You must have joined a day or so before me. I'm jealous!!!
Lyn
If I had a join date like yours I would not even consider butting into a thread like this........oooooops
Hush now you puppies!!! Wait till you're really "Old School" :wink: .
Joined 7/7/04 for me,don't post too much any more,got tired of all the all the newbies asking whats the best tip,shaft,aiming method,ect.Miss the old days when there a lot of good poster's like Jay,Hemicudas and OHB.:frown:
First time I went into Tropicana Bowl I ran into Kenny Anderson and we played all day and night. I never could beat that guy but kept trying anyway :wink:. Kenny ran with Richie quite a bit and was a damn good shortstop. I spent most days at Ye Billiard Den in Hollywood. There was $$$ to be made in that place, with a lot of weak "actor" players who liked to put on a show.
P.S. for me there aren't really any so called "old school" guys on AZ. We are all equal until proven otherwise. I've been around pool for a long time but can still learn a trick or two from the younger guys. That's one of the things I love about this game. If I ever meet any of you in person I will show you a shot or two that will surely open your eyes. I've got some good ones for you!
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I will be patient and pay my dues as long as the old dogs let me know when I have made it!:grin:
PS Happy Birthday Lyn
(sorry for being late).