Black Bart

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pineknot

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Is Bart still around? I just can't think of his last name, but he is a colorful longtime pool warrior. He won a senior 9 ball tournament on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I think Grady put on the tournament.

Does anyone know who I am talking about? Any stories about him? I hope Bart is still active and doing okay.
 
Nostroke

Nostroke

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pineknot said:
Is Bart still around? I just can't think of his last name, but he is a colorful longtime pool warrior. He won a senior 9 ball tournament on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, maybe 4 or 5 years ago. I think Grady put on the tournament.

Does anyone know who I am talking about? Any stories about him? I hope Bart is still active and doing okay.
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I think you are talking about Bob Ogburn, aka Osborne, a white guy BTW. (for quite awhile i thought New York Blackie was black)

Seen him gamble many times but no good stories-Sometimes he won and sometimes he lost.

I havent seen him in at least a year but i think I would have heard if he wasn't doing OK. He was a frequent visitor at one of my home rooms.
 
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ribdoner

ribdoner

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Nostroke said:
I think you are talking about Bob Ogburn, aka Osborne, a white guy BTW. (for quite awhile i thought New York Blackie was black)

Seen him gamble many times but no good stories-Sometimes he won and sometimes he lost.

I havent seen him in at least a year but i think I would have heard if he wasn't doing OK. He was a frequent visitor at one of my home rooms.
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The "New York Blackie" I played ar the SPORT PALACE in NORLENS in the 70's was white. Played GOOD!!!
 
P

pineknot

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Nostroke said:
I think you are talking about Bob Ogburn, aka Osborne, a white guy BTW. (for quite awhile i thought New York Blackie was black)

Seen him gamble many times but no good stories-Sometimes he won and sometimes he lost.

I havent seen him in at least a year but i think I would have heard if he wasn't doing OK. He was a frequent visitor at one of my home rooms.
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Yep, that's the guy. Thanks.
 
Varney Cues

Varney Cues

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Yes...Bob Ogburn. Super nice, very colorful gentleman. Very tall, thin, balding, and usually was in the company of a young athletic (looked like she could provide security if needed) black girl.
He frequented Mothers quite often...beat most everyone he played. I put Mad Max in the box once against him in an ahead set...played all night & most of the next day and night with no break. I believe I remember that they quit even. Really a fine guy, I did a lot of cue work for him. He would indeed bet it up when he had it, and didn't mind trying to outrun a spot...as long as he was in action. Great storyteller as well. And yes, he did indeed win a Sr. Tour stop in FL several years ago.
Anyone heard of him lately? Have not seen his name in any tourney results lately come to think of it.
 
Nostroke

Nostroke

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ribdoner said:
The "New York Blackie" I played ar the SPORT PALACE in NORLENS in the 70's was white. Played GOOD!!!
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Yeah That's him. I had heard his name often but never laid eyes on him til Grady's One Pocket Tournament in Baton Rouge, 7 years ago?-not sure. I was a bit surprised.
 
D

Devil

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black bart

Bob was the original owner of the Sports Palace in Columbia, S.C. It was a great place with lots of action. Ask Grady but I beleive they had words and then some in Fla. a few years ago?
 
uwate

uwate

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Big Bob lives in South Florida and frequents the the pool rooms down here, especially Hollywood Billiards.
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

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Smorgass Bored said:
Al "N.Y. Blackie" Bonifay seldom plays any longer, but he show's up at the poolroom here in Tampa almost daily.
Doug
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Tell Blackie (Al Bonife) Toupee Jay says Hi. He hung out at my poolroom in Bakersfield for several months in the 70's.

So many players were coming thru to play me, he just sat back and snapped them off one at a time. Only Jimmy Marino beat him there.
In the pool world, he was known as New York Blackie and had this huge black, pompadour hair do. I think he is hispanic.

He must be well in his 70's now. He used to run with Buddy and Mary Kenniston. Funny, funny guy, with a story about every pool player. Does he have any teeth left? lol
 
jay helfert

jay helfert

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uwate said:
Big Bob lives in South Florida and frequents the the pool rooms down here, especially Hollywood Billiards.
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Black Bart (Bob Ogburn - Osborne) was one of the top road hustlers of the 70's and 80's. He played just under Buddy (probably about Marino's or Lisciotti's speed) and beat a who's who of top players. Super guy, who didn't take sh-t from anyone. Never made a beef about anything. Always went along with the program.

He told me once in LA that he didn't care if a guy pulled a move once in a while. Just delayed the inevitable. And made the guy feel like he had a chance. NOT! Used to travel with his little brother I believe. Very classy pool player for a roadman. Easy to match up with (you ask for a game, he says fine). And then he shoves those balls down your throat.

Played real good for the cash! No dog in him that I could see. Never complained or whined about the rolls, or made excuses for a losing game.
Very rare guy around the pool room. Always liked this guy. Even though the first time I met him, he busted Jimmy Reid and I. He had Jimmy throwing a fit, and refusing to quit.

Never once did I hear him ask for weight!
 
freddy the beard

freddy the beard

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Virginia Bob, Big Bob, Black Bart

Excerpt from The GosPool, my next book:

He Did A Stretch At Bensingers:
He was originally, Virginia Bob Ogburn, then Big Bob and finally Black Bart. He came up to Chicago's Bensingers from Virginia in the late 60s. He did a 6 month sentence there, never missed a ball, and stayed broke the whole time. He never got to play Nine-ball, a game where he could beat us, instead he was steered into trap after trap of One Pocket, Eight-Ball, and banks. However, if you ask him about those days, he will tell you that that is what hardened him into a top-notch road hustler. He calls that his basic-training. He went on to be a formidable force in the South for a long time. A high-roller and plenty tough to beat. One Pocket was his worst game, but he still played it very solid. He was a diet and fasting freak for a long time. Unfortunately he mixed the health stuff, as we all did then, with speed pills. Great guy, great player

Bob played One Pocket a little under me, even though the last time we played (at the Miscue Lounge in Ft.Lauderdale)he charged me 25 hundred. I claim extenuating circumstances because we were both being staked by killers, and my killer (Sugar Shack Johnny Novak) snuck off with the stakes well before the match was over -- and I knew it-- and I had to try to perform under those conditions.

the Beard
 
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macguy

macguy

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freddy the beard said:
Excerpt from The GosPool, my next book:

He Did A Stretch At Bensingers:
He was originally, Virginia Bob Ogburn, then Big Bob and finally Black Bart. He came up to Chicago's Bensingers from Virginia in the late 60s. He did a 6 month sentence there, never missed a ball, and stayed broke the whole time. He never got to play Nine-ball, a game where he could beat us, instead he was steered into trap after trap of One Pocket, Eight-Ball, and banks. However, if you ask him about those days, he will tell you that that is what hardened him into a top-notch road hustler. He calls that his basic-training. He went on to be a formidable force in the South for a long time. A high-roller and plenty tough to beat. One Pocket was his worst game, but he still played it very solid. He was a diet and fasting freak for a long time. Unfortunately he mixed the health stuff, as we all did then, with speed pills. Great guy, great player

Bob played One Pocket a little under me, even though the last time we played (at the Miscue Lounge in Ft.Lauderdale)he charged me 25 hundred. I claim extenuating circumstances because we were both being staked by killers, and my killer (Sugar Shack Johnny Novak) snuck off with the stakes well before the match was over -- and I knew it-- and I had to try to perform under those conditions.

the Beard
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I remember that, but I thought you were playing Howey, I could be wrong though, who was being backed by Billy Russo. If I remember right, not only did Johnny take his up money, but all the money. You know Johnny hasn't changed. Just a few years ago he came into a pool room I was at during a tournament and he made a $500. side bet. His man won and he got paid and they made the same bet for the next set. As Johnny's man was about to lose Johnny left and the guy he was betting with never got paid. I am sure this would have been the result had Johnny's man lost the first set.

Billy Russo by the way was killed some years ago. Him, his wife and some other guy were found murdered on a boat. I never knew anyone to screw with Russo, he was only about 5 foot 5 but he was real bad news. Regarding the incident with you and Johnny, later that night he was at the Congress saying what was going to happen to Johnny and someone made the comment to be careful because Johnny was crazy. At that point Billy began arguing who was the more crazy him or Johnny. I think Billy had full intentions of killing Johnny at that point. I guess they squared it though because Johnny continued living.

Billy was the real deal, he once was giving a friend of mine a ride home from the pool room and said he had to make a stop for a few minutes. He pulled up in front of a house and went to the trunk of the car. He comes out with a shot gun and begins shooting out the windows of the house. Then he throws the gun in the back seat and drives off. Thats a true story, my friend was just an everyday guy and his wife had to take him later on that night to the emergency room, he thought he was having a heart attack he was so traumatized by what had happened.
 
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macguy

macguy

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Scott Lee said:
Just curious, but are you talking about Howie Pearl aka Mighty Mouse?

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
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No, this was a different guy, I don't remember his last name. Kind of a tall thin guy I think he was from NY. or NJ. I real good player. Sometimes he would be with Tommy Haliday (sp). If I remember right his father was also a very good player. Howie Pearl I am sure would never be involved with the kind of guys we are talking about, although we all probably look back and can't believe some of the things we did when we were young. I sometimes I look back and feel like a guy who went down a rapids in a canoe and am surprised I emerged out the other end unscathed.
 
freddy the beard

freddy the beard

Freddy Bentivegna
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It was Bart

macguy said:
I remember that, but I thought you were playing Howey, I could be wrong though, who was being backed by Billy Russo. If I remember right, not only did Johnny take his up money, but all the money. You know Johnny hasn't changed. Just a few years ago he came into a pool room I was at during a tournament and he made a $500. side bet. His man won and he got paid and they made the same bet for the next set. As Johnny's man was about to lose Johnny left and the guy he was betting with never got paid. I am sure this would have been the result had Johnny's man lost the first set.

Billy Russo by the way was killed some years ago. Him, his wife and some other guy were found murdered on a boat. I never knew anyone to screw with Russo, he was only about 5 foot 5 but he was real bad news. Regarding the incident with you and Johnny, later that night he was at the Congress saying what was going to happen to Johnny and someone made the comment to be careful because Johnny was crazy. At that point Billy began arguing who was the more crazy him or Johnny. I think Billy had full intentions of killing Johnny at that point. I guess they squared it though because Johnny continued living.

Billy was the real deal, he once was giving a friend of mine a ride home from the pool room and said he had to make a stop for a few minutes. He pulled up in front of a house and went to the trunk of the car. He comes out with a shot gun and begins shooting out the windows of the house. Then he throws the gun in the back seat and drives off. Thats a true story, my friend was just an everyday guy and his wife had to take him later on that night to the emergency room, he thought he was having a heart attack he was so traumatized by what had happened.
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Billy Russo was Bob's backer. With Billy was another killer from Atlanta who had a good piece of the bet, a young good looking blonde kid. Johnny gorilla'd the stake holder (the Bartender, I think it was Pete) into giving him ALL the money and left me holding the bag. I knew who these guys were so I was understandably peeing in my pants during the set. Johnny did not square up with Billy and didnt bother to even change his habits. He stayed in Ft. Lauderdale and put out the word that he had the money and he was not going to return it. Which he didnt. He would have been very easy to find. It was at that point that I quit hanging with Sugar Shack and moved to Miami. Who was nuttier? Good question. Bob stuck up for me and vouched that I wouldnt ever do anything like that.

the Beard
 
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