Greg Stevens Stories Please

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I went to a movie,the old fella taking the tickets wearing a Vietnam Vet hat and I
exchanged words

He mentioned pool,said he was known as "Scootem "

Traveled with Red,mentioned Dottie

Told me tons of stories, Greg Stevens name came up

He said he knew them all back in the day and Greg out played them all

He told me stoties about Jersey Red,St louie Louie, and so many more

Suprising the people that you run into if you just take time to talk


Does anyone here have Greg Stevens Stories ?
 
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Duane Remick

AzB Gold Member
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Dean,
Here in Tulsa,
Greg was pretty Legendary player"
Seems to be the same about the man-
World class player capable of beating anyone, in his prime
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Lot of people in Tulsa knew Greg well. Some of the stories are truly epic. I know he would eat a HUGE meal and then for about 4-7days all he would consume would be coffee, Dr.Pepper and white-crosses. One old local told me that you didn't mess with Greg for the first 2-3 days 'cause he wouldn't miss a ball. Had to wait til' he started wearin' down. One year ('68-'69 maybe) he played Luther Lassiter at a tournament in Houston. Luther never got to shoot, Greg ran the set from the flip. After his playing days he was a successful room operator in both Tulsa and later Wichita.
 

Baby Huey

AzB Silver Member
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I met Craig in LA in 1968. The one story I have is whenI took him out and he played Ritchie Florence $50/game at Ritchie's home room, the Tropicana Bowl. Ritchie was unbeatable there and Craig lost a $1000 trying to beat Ritchie. Craig played great and still lost. If he could have beaten Ritchie he could have won a TON of money. I tried to steer Craig elsewhere but he wanted Ritchie which told me a lot about his game and the action man he was.
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
There are many nice stories by great players on the thread ugotoaction put here
great stories

Greg and John Hager Sr tried to sneak up on me at
my real estate office in 71,2 or 3 I don't remember

John Baldauf was working for me and warned Louie harper and myself before hiding in the closet
so they didn't know we knew who they were


Louie took john to play bar pool and I took Greg to Stevens Park Golf Course just a few blocks from my office

Greg had lots of gamble,loved golf, but he wasn't much of a player and I got every dime he had.

Afterwards we went out to eat Pizza at Campizi's and then to Mickey Finns


Our conversation turned serious and apparently Greg decided to leave the life

I gave him his money back,bought the meal and dropped him at SMU where his brother was going to school,Greg put on an exhibition for him. He then went to Withchiata ,opened a pool room, and
settled down to a normal life

As far as I know he never gambled again,and it made me feel good.

He showed me a few shots and we talked pool .but I never saw him actually play either before or after the one day


His legend was so great ,I thought he was the best to ever live,funny how I never regretted not seeing it for myself
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
There are many nice stories by great players on the thread ugotoaction put here
great stories

Greg and John Hager Sr tried to sneak up on me at
my real estate office in 71,2 or 3 I don't remember

John Baldauf was working for me and warned Louie harper and myself before hiding in the closet
so they didn't know we knew who they were


Louie took john to play bar pool and I took Greg to Stevens Park Golf Course just a few blocks from my office

Greg had lots of gamble,loved golf, but he wasn't much of a player and I got every dime he had.

Afterwards we went out to eat Pizza at Campizi's and then to Mickey Finns


Our conversation turned serious and apparently Greg decided to leave the life

I gave him his money back,bought the meal and dropped him at SMU where his brother was going to school,Greg put on an exhibition for him. He then went to Withchiata ,opened a pool room, and
settled down to a normal life

As far as I know he never gambled again,and it made me feel good.

He showed me a few shots and we talked pool .but I never saw him actually play either before or after the one day


His legend was so great ,I thought he was the best to ever live,funny how I never regretted not seeing it for myself
That is a good story.

Did anyone ever tell you?...you look like a relative of Pete Margo
 

Gunn_Slinger

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
He was in Va and Md in the early 70's. He would give good players big spots and take all the breaks in 9 ball. He gave my partner ( Seattle Sam ) the 7-8-9 and took all the breaks at Beenies room. Sam lost !
Later in the week we went to Md ( guys and dolls ) in suitland Md. Greg was there playing anyone and everyone. He was up for 3 1/2 days when we got there. he had been wearing a suit when he came in. Now, he was down to white shirt with chalk all over it, no shoes, black pants, and white socks that were black on the bottom. He gave Sam the 6-7-8-9 and took all the breaks. Sam was up $120 at $30 a game. He comes to me and says hes waiting for Greg to start running out. And he quits ! I was shocked ! He was still loser from the previous match.
Later that day Beenie comes in. Greg cut into him to play and they sparred around a while. Greg gave him the 6 ball and took all the breaks. Greg was up about $1800 when they had to stop for a tourney that was going on. Greg laid down on a bench till the tourney finish. When he got up, He was not the same guy. After almost 4 days being up, he was weak. Beenie goes on to win about $2800.
Ohh. and Gregs partner didn't want him to play Beenie, so they split the bankroll and he left.
We stayed for about 12 hrs. Some of the greatest shot making I've seen then and now !
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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I met Craig in LA in 1968. The one story I have is whenI took him out and he played Ritchie Florence $50/game at Ritchie's home room, the Tropicana Bowl. Ritchie was unbeatable there and Craig lost a $1000 trying to beat Ritchie. Craig played great and still lost. If he could have beaten Ritchie he could have won a TON of money. I tried to steer Craig elsewhere but he wanted Ritchie which told me a lot about his game and the action man he was.

I never heard of anyone beating Richie playing 9-Ball at the Tropicana. Only Ronnie could beat him there at One Pocket, and he did several times, much to Richie's dismay. They became very close friends though and went on the road together. What a twosome they must have been.

I was there when Kelly first came to L.A. and got steered into Richie. Eddie was not a happy camper after that experience. He wouldn't talk to Richie for a couple of years after that. Kelly wanted Richie to come to Vegas to play him and Richie refused, even going to Vegas and playing Blackjack and never once visiting the poolroom. Richie won a ton of money playing Blackjack before they shut him off. I don't think they ever gambled again, unless it was at Beenie's poolroom. I wasn't there but I was told Richie gambled with everybody while he was there and won the 9-Ball tournament too.
 
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jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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Lot of people in Tulsa knew Greg well. Some of the stories are truly epic. I know he would eat a HUGE meal and then for about 4-7days all he would consume would be coffee, Dr.Pepper and white-crosses. One old local told me that you didn't mess with Greg for the first 2-3 days 'cause he wouldn't miss a ball. Had to wait til' he started wearin' down. One year ('68-'69 maybe) he played Luther Lassiter at a tournament in Houston. Luther never got to shoot, Greg ran the set from the flip. After his playing days he was a successful room operator in both Tulsa and later Wichita.

Greg reigned supreme at LeCue in Houston for several years. No one could beat him in there until........he had been up for three days minimum. I watched him play all day one day and into the night before I got tired and went for some rest. I came back the next afternoon and there is Greg in a white t-shirt still playing. He had gone through maybe a half dozen guys, giving each of them a big spot. He was still firing in balls from everywhere. Later that night he began to weary and he gave a big spot to perhaps the worst player he had played in three days. This guy busted him for several thousand! :rolleyes:
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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This is not the noticeably short armed guy is it?

You're thinking of "Little Hand" Louis Bramlett. He was from Muskogee, OK. A very good hustler himself. So many good players came out of Oklahoma. Hitchcock, Ronnie, Little Hand, Eufala and more. I think it was the Hayden Lingo effect. He schooled them all!
 

ugotactionTX

I'm in dead rack!
Silver Member
Hey Jay

I'm pretty sure he came later but would you put James Walden in that same group of great Oklahoma players wrecking havoc?


You're thinking of "Little Hand" Louis Bramlett. He was from Muskogee, OK. A very good hustler himself. So many good players came out of Oklahoma. Hitchcock, Ronnie, Little Hand, Eufala and more. I think it was the Hayden Lingo effect. He schooled them all!
 

Duane Remick

AzB Gold Member
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I'm pretty sure he came later but would you put James Walden in that same group of great Oklahoma players wrecking havoc?

James Walden Excellent big action player....in his day .
"not too much pool hustler-
James seemed to be well-known.
I heard of a big action match James had with another legendary action pool player-
Jack Cooney-
BIG $$ 1 Pocket at the Derby....
Supposedly,
the action room there got named after James or Jack....or BOTH ?????
I was in the pool hall here in Tulsa, about 20 years ago-Camel pro days-
James trying to get Jose Parica to play some-
Seemed Parica didn't want any part of a match with James
 

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
i don't know much about pro pool
but i would think purika was a whole lot better than jas walden
and so was greg stevens

jay would know much more and i hope he schools us
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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i don't know much about pro pool
but i would think purika was a whole lot better than jas walden
and so was greg stevens

jay would know much more and i hope he schools us

James best game may have been One Pocket, but he played all games at a high level. He was asking Parica for the break, not even. James would not have gambled with Greg in his prime. He was too smart for that. Of course if Greg had been up for two or three days that might be different.

James and Jack did play a 50K (each) One Pocket match at DCC about 15 years ago. They played Eight Ahead and I think Jack was getting 9-8 or 10-8 (sorry I forgot exactly). I had a big piece of Jack's action and sweated it off and on for several days. I think it took four or five days to finish. Jack won. At the time it was the biggest pool match of all time, other than some of the huge games that took place in Detroit and with the Airplane man (Rosey) and of course Archie's game with Bobby Baldwin. The difference was that this was a real pool match between two great players and not just wealthy guys gambling high.

I hope James is doing okay. I liked that guy even though I didn't know him that well. He was a real sportsman who would get up there and play his heart out and never make a fuss about it. He and Jack played one of the best matches I've ever seen. Two warriors going at it full blast. That was an epic match.
 
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Duane Remick

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
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James best game may have been One Pocket, but he played all games at a high level. He was asking Parica for the break, not even. James would not have gambled with Greg in his prime. He was too smart for that. Of course if Greg had been up for two or three days that might be different.

James and Jack did play a 50K (each) One Pocket match at DCC about 15 years ago. They played Eight Ahead and I think Jack was getting 9-8 or 10-8 (sorry I forgot exactly). I had a big piece of Jack's action and sweated it off and on for several days. I think it took four or five days to finish. Jack won. At the time it was the biggest pool match of all time, other than some of the huge games that took place in Detroit and with the Airplane man (Rosey) and of course Archie's game with Bobby Baldwin. The difference was that this was a real pool match between two great players and not just wealthy guys gambling high.

I hope James is doing okay. I liked that guy even though I didn't know him that well. He was a real sportsman who would get up there and play his heart out and never make a fuss about it. He and Jack played one of the best matches I've ever seen. Two warriors going at it full blast. That was an epic match.

Jay,
thanks for the post ...
I have been in Tulsa 30 years-
Several really good players here and OKC,
James seemed to always be in BIG $$ Matches ,
I know James and Danny Harriman had a couple 10 or 20 K 9 Ball matches,
and I heard James making $$ scores in Louisiana and other places as well"
I wish there was vid of the Cooney / Walden match-
I read, I think here on az-
The Bigger the $$ game-
The better Jack would play "
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Jay,
thanks for the post ...
I have been in Tulsa 30 years-
Several really good players here and OKC,
James seemed to always be in BIG $$ Matches ,
I know James and Danny Harriman had a couple 10 or 20 K 9 Ball matches,
and I heard James making $$ scores in Louisiana and other places as well"
I wish there was vid of the Cooney / Walden match-
I read, I think here on az-
The Bigger the $$ game-
The better Jack would play "

For about a five year period there it seemed "Walden" was involved in every big money match being played. And he was winning most of them. He knew how to get 'er done! :thumbup2:
 
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