Greenway 1973

Tbeaux

Tbeaux

Angelic Hotdog
Silver Member
lunchmoney said:
I used to play Jamie Farrell at a place called Tony and Lela's in Baton Rouge. He could get in there but not the Greenway because he was only 17 at the time. I believe he turned 18 in 1978.
Click to expand...


Ummm you mean Tony and Lila's (AKA the "Honey Bunny Pool Hall".....as in Lila's greating to everyone...Hiya Honey Bunny??). My dad watched the video and thinks one of the girls playing may have been Tony and Lila's daughter (a red head) but he couldn't remember her name. He said also that he heard Tony and Lila passed away within a short time of one another at a rest home in Alexandria Louisiana.:frown:

My dad said every day Tony served the same meal of Andoullie and crackers.
 
TX Poolnut

TX Poolnut

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Silver Member
Please be aware that this video could not be before 1980.

Space Invaders was created in Japan in 1978, but was not licensed for use in America until 1980.
 
Last edited:
Tbeaux

Tbeaux

Angelic Hotdog
Silver Member
TX Poolnut said:
Please be aware that this video could not be before 1980.

Space Invaders was created in Japan in 1978, but was not licensed for use in America until 1980.
Click to expand...

That could be because I started hanging out at Greenway in 78 and went in some after graduation in 80 but I didn't remember ever playing video games in there, and back then I would have played a game like that.

Edit: As a matter of fact I think during the late 70's the juke box sat in that spot.(I used that a lot!!)
 
JoeyA

JoeyA

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Tbeaux said:
That could be because I started hanging out at Greenway in 78 and went in some after graduation in 80 but I didn't remember ever playing video games in there, and back then I would have played a game like that.

Edit: As a matter of fact I think during the late 70's the juke box sat in that spot.(I used that a lot!!)
Click to expand...

I moved back to New Orleans in 1980 and Greenway Billiards is the pool room where I first laid eyes on Keith McCready, with black feet and running out like water so I have to guess either 1980 or 1981.

JoeyA
 
Tbeaux

Tbeaux

Angelic Hotdog
Silver Member
Unfortunately I don't think Greenway or it's newer reincarnation as "New Greenway" exist anymore. In 2005 a fight occured, someone sucker punched someone and was then killed by gunshot when leaving. The person believed responsible was acquitted in 2008 of 2nd degree murder. On July 8 of this year that person was gunned down at a gas station, two others were wounded and a 15 year old girl was run over by a car as a result of the gunfight. All of the bad publicity from the trial along with that part of town becoming very rundown I think led to this once great establishment finally closing it's doors.

Fini
 
TX Poolnut

TX Poolnut

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
On Google Street Maps, you can see the green marquee street sign next to the road, but I had trouble finding the business. It must be gone.
 
B

Ball Banger

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Silver Member
My .02

I played off and on at Greenway from 1972 until 1986. However I was out of the country allot during that time also.

Judging from the pictures of locals I know, Especially Dot the Barmaid Manager and part owner at one time and the configuration of the tables etc. I am going to say this video is closer to 1973.

LunchMoney

I double checked my Passport. The Hustlers tournament you remember was March of 1979. I was in Baton Rouge visiting my sister who was my stateside business partner at the time and had to leave right before the Finals when Kieth won it. This was more like a Johnson city type tournament and not sanctioned by any national assoc. So I doubt any one can find much written on it. The Store next door was vacate and the Greenway owners had just bought out a Pool hall on Plank Road. The owner were in other business one was in construction. They both liked to gamble and Greenway was more like a Hobble. They moved those tables into the empty store next door, set up Bleachers like at a baseball field and made that the green room. They charged admission to watch those Greenroom money games. Shortly after the tournament that store was rented as a furniture store and the tables were taken out.

I have many fond memories of that tournament. A pay ball 9 handed ring game where Handsome Danny and Flyboy took turns running racks. Louie got in and before he got a shot he claimed to be down 3 large. Everyone laughed at how Louie said it. But I will also tell a story on Keith. When Keith first arrived at Greenway he was in a cab from the Airport. It was close to or after Midnight. He came in to see me first and ask if this was "the place" he then got his things and let the taxi go. Keith told me he had been in a two or three day session and then jumped on the plane straight from the Pool Hall in Calf to fly to this tournament. His Levis would have stood by themselves they were so dirty. BTW Buddy Hall was advertised as coming to that tournament and never showed.

The 1970's in Louisiana was a throw back to the old South. Nickel phone calls and segregation. Greenway was part of that old South culture in many ways. Open 24/7 you could watch several $ 20, 9 Ball games going on any time day or night. Middle of the week you would see all the local hustler there, but on Friday and Saturday they were at the Bars taking down the citizens. Several Road players made Greenway their home base. Handsome Danny being the most famous. Little Earl the One hole player and his Girl Friend who might not of been a road player but won her share from the locals. The Glove's favorite hustle was to shoot a shot and send the Cue 3 rails to stop on a dime size mark. I watch him get many world class players on that. But Greenway was a well know stop on the circuit.

BTW There were several who slept at Greenway because it was open 24/7. Dennis was there for years and did side jobs for Dot. Anyone who has been at Greenway knows I speak from Experience.
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Greenway and Shoppers Pool Hall

This old thread never quite dies and it brings back a lot of memories. The times are dead and gone, both the good things and the bad. Most of the people are dead and gone too it seems like.

Shoppers was the pool hall on Plank Road where the folks that owned Greenway eventually sold the tables to Jessie and either leased or subleased the building to him. Shoppers was in the far rougher area at the time and it was unofficially segregated, meaning black people got a warm welcome from the customers dating back to a time when the lady running the place didn't like them in there but couldn't legally keep them out. The regulars handled all trouble and the black people coming into that place were very specifically looking for trouble in those days.

One of the craziest things I ever saw was four young black men coming in the place on a Saturday afternoon when it was crowded. They were all very large, reported to be linemen from Southern University. The counter/bar was a long ways from the front door and they made it to the counter. They were ignored from behind the counter but about twenty people surrounded them, most still toting house cues. They were thrilled to make it back to the door in one piece. Just the way it was when the lady ran the place. Can't remember her name, seems like it was Sue or Judy but that was a long time ago.

Greenway was also unofficially segregated, unless you played pool well. Color didn't matter there if you could play. One of the regulars was a medium sized medium build black guy. Wish I could find out his name, long forgotten too but I remember him as a good guy.

The last time I walked into Greenway a few years back it was a tomb. Nobody in the entire place except a couple older guys at the bar drinking beer and the bartender. I asked for a rack and they wanted $9.00 an hour to play on some tables that didn't look like they had been maintained since the last time I was there, twenty years before. I took the hint and ambled back out.

Hu



Ball Banger said:
My .02

I played off and on at Greenway from 1972 until 1986. However I was out of the country allot during that time also.

Judging from the pictures of locals I know, Especially Dot the Barmaid Manager and part owner at one time and the configuration of the tables etc. I am going to say this video is closer to 1973.

LunchMoney

I double checked my Passport. The Hustlers tournament you remember was March of 1979. I was in Baton Rouge visiting my sister who was my stateside business partner at the time and had to leave right before the Finals when Kieth won it. This was more like a Johnson city type tournament and not sanctioned by any national assoc. So I doubt any one can find much written on it. The Store next door was vacate and the Greenway owners had just bought out a Pool hall on Plank Road. The owner were in other business one was in construction. They both liked to gamble and Greenway was more like a Hobble. They moved those tables into the empty store next door, set up Bleachers like at a baseball field and made that the green room. They charged admission to watch those Greenroom money games. Shortly after the tournament that store was rented as a furniture store and the tables were taken out.

I have many fond memories of that tournament. A pay ball 9 handed ring game where Handsome Danny and Flyboy took turns running racks. Louie got in and before he got a shot he claimed to be down 3 large. Everyone laughed at how Louie said it. But I will also tell a story on Keith. When Keith first arrived at Greenway he was in a cab from the Airport. It was close to or after Midnight. He came in to see me first and ask if this was "the place" he then got his things and let the taxi go. Keith told me he had been in a two or three day session and then jumped on the plane straight from the Pool Hall in Calf to fly to this tournament. His Levis would have stood by themselves they were so dirty. BTW Buddy Hall was advertised as coming to that tournament and never showed.

The 1970's in Louisiana was a throw back to the old South. Nickel phone calls and segregation. Greenway was part of that old South culture in many ways. Open 24/7 you could watch several $ 20, 9 Ball games going on any time day or night. Middle of the week you would see all the local hustler there, but on Friday and Saturday they were at the Bars taking down the citizens. Several Road players made Greenway their home base. Handsome Danny being the most famous. Little Earl the One hole player and his Girl Friend who might not of been a road player but won her share from the locals. The Glove's favorite hustle was to shoot a shot and send the Cue 3 rails to stop on a dime size mark. I watch him get many world class players on that. But Greenway was a well know stop on the circuit.

BTW There were several who slept at Greenway because it was open 24/7. Dennis was there for years and did side jobs for Dot. Anyone who has been at Greenway knows I speak from Experience.
Click to expand...
 
B

Ball Banger

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ShootingArts said:
This old thread never quite dies and it brings back a lot of memories. The times are dead and gone, both the good things and the bad. Most of the people are dead and gone too it seems like.

Shoppers was the pool hall on Plank Road where the folks that owned Greenway eventually sold the tables to Jessie and either leased or subleased the building to him. Shoppers was in the far rougher area at the time and it was unofficially segregated, meaning black people got a warm welcome from the customers dating back to a time when the lady running the place didn't like them in there but couldn't legally keep them out. The regulars handled all trouble and the black people coming into that place were very specifically looking for trouble in those days.

One of the craziest things I ever saw was four young black men coming in the place on a Saturday afternoon when it was crowded. They were all very large, reported to be linemen from Southern University. The counter/bar was a long ways from the front door and they made it to the counter. They were ignored from behind the counter but about twenty people surrounded them, most still toting house cues. They were thrilled to make it back to the door in one piece. Just the way it was when the lady ran the place. Can't remember her name, seems like it was Sue or Judy but that was a long time ago.

Greenway was also unofficially segregated, unless you played pool well. Color didn't matter there if you could play. One of the regulars was a medium sized medium build black guy. Wish I could find out his name, long forgotten too but I remember him as a good guy.

The last time I walked into Greenway a few years back it was a tomb. Nobody in the entire place except a couple older guys at the bar drinking beer and the bartender. I asked for a rack and they wanted $9.00 an hour to play on some tables that didn't look like they had been maintained since the last time I was there, twenty years before. I took the hint and ambled back out.

Hu
Click to expand...

ShootingArts

I never went to Shoppers on Plank Rd but had a side window broken out on my car right in front of Greenway Billiards as a break in. I also heard about a Guy getting shot 7 times in the Rack which was more of a upscale yuppie place with BB tables.

Jessie tried his best to keep Greenway a player hall. But the recession of the early 80's didn't get to Baton Rouge until about the time he bought in. Dot wouldn't sell out her share and kept his hands tied. Dot told me years after the 1979 tournament, they would never do that again. The Road Players broke everyone and there was no business for several months after. That was the Closest I ever got to Johnson City type action.

I remember two Black guys that were regulars. One was a real nice light skinned kid who passed the Bag test and wasn't much of a shooter. The other was more than likely the guy you described. He was a Sunday to Thursday regular and hustled the Bars on week ends. At my age I have trouble remembering names. I can close my eyes and see faces but not names. Last time I was in Baton Rouge was Xmas of 1994. Greenway was pretty much dead then. I think that is when I heard Danny had already passed.

PS, Bag Test: In Louisiana if you are lighter than a brown paper bag, then you are Crecole. Darker you are Black.
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
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Silver Member
sounds right

The guy I am thinking about was maybe in his thirties when I met him and best I remember would just fail the bag test, medium complexion. He had the first cue repair lathe I ever saw and he had one of the first sneaky pete's I remember seeing. This one was a true sneaky, you could pick it up by mistake with it laying on a table. I remember, I did.

I ran Plank and Airline pretty hard from about 1970 to around 1985 or 86. While I would have one or two of my friends playing sometimes I was the only younger player that played on the snooker tables regularly at Shoppers. I hit the bars every night afterwards letting others pay my bills. I always wore blue jeans and a pocket T-Shirt, usually black. Usually dirty or greasy but no chains or biker gear. There was a long standing rumor that I was a narc because sometimes my hair was fairly short for the time but I always had a beard. My avatar picture is from '88 but I wasn't usually quite that hairy. I always gave my name as Hu(gh) the same then as now. Just wondering if we know each other.

Hu



Ball Banger said:
ShootingArts

I never went to Shoppers on Plank Rd but had a side window broken out on my car right in front of Greenway Billiards as a break in. I also heard about a Guy getting shot 7 times in the Rack which was more of a upscale yuppie place with BB tables.

Jessie tried his best to keep Greenway a player hall. But the recession of the early 80's didn't get to Baton Rouge until about the time he bought in. Dot wouldn't sell out her share and kept his hands tied. Dot told me years after the 1979 tournament, they would never do that again. The Road Players broke everyone and there was no business for several months after. That was the Closest I ever got to Johnson City type action.

I remember two Black guys that were regulars. One was a real nice light skinned kid who passed the Bag test and wasn't much of a shooter. The other was more than likely the guy you described. He was a Sunday to Thursday regular and hustled the Bars on week ends. At my age I have trouble remembering names. I can close my eyes and see faces but not names. Last time I was in Baton Rouge was Xmas of 1994. Greenway was pretty much dead then. I think that is when I heard Danny had already passed.

PS, Bag Test: In Louisiana if you are lighter than a brown paper bag, then you are Crecole. Darker you are Black.
Click to expand...
 
B

Ball Banger

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hu
Yep we Might know each other. But first I think we are talking about the same guy. The Sneaky Pete is what I remember but not the Cue Lathe. There was a guy who lived in Broad-Moor that made 26 oz break sticks in his garage. Once again I forget names, even when I was younger.

I played in Greenway but could not be called a regular. I also worked in Earl K long ER as a voluntary. Therefore I usually worn scrubs and people in Greenway accused me of being a Doctor. At the time (Before Divorce) my living was made and I had a Gentleman's farm out Greenwell Springs Rd near the State hospital. Little Earl's Girl friend and I talked horses all the time because I was also a part time horse trainer. My profession is Agronomist. But I am part Asian and pass for white most of the time. My ex is pure Asian and that is why we left Louisiana. Our children were feeling the effects of prejudice. BTW I am small and wiry having one time been a gymnast. I am a B player on my best day but my BCA league lists me as a 9.

BTW I forgot all about the Airline Pool hall.


ShootingArts said:
The guy I am thinking about was maybe in his thirties when I met him and best I remember would just fail the bag test, medium complexion. He had the first cue repair lathe I ever saw and he had one of the first sneaky pete's I remember seeing. This one was a true sneaky, you could pick it up by mistake with it laying on a table. I remember, I did.

I ran Plank and Airline pretty hard from about 1970 to around 1985 or 86. While I would have one or two of my friends playing sometimes I was the only younger player that played on the snooker tables regularly at Shoppers. I hit the bars every night afterwards letting others pay my bills. I always wore blue jeans and a pocket T-Shirt, usually black. Usually dirty or greasy but no chains or biker gear. There was a long standing rumor that I was a narc because sometimes my hair was fairly short for the time but I always had a beard. My avatar picture is from '88 but I wasn't usually quite that hairy. I always gave my name as Hu(gh) the same then as now. Just wondering if we know each other.

Hu
Click to expand...
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
almost certain we have met

I got into horses for a few years in the early eighties and a partner and I hauled a few eighteen wheeler loads of alfalfa in too. Between the horses and pool we are almost certain to have met. Lonnie Mizzell that owned Chubby Tom Bar was a friend of mine that lived closer in on Greenwell Springs Road. I had a little red stud off of Chubby that I clowned around with sometimes.

Trying to remember, I paid a visit to a farm near where you lived a few times, they were standing a quarter horse or two and bought a thoroughbred stud also. I can remember the older folks names but I can't remember the younger ones. CO, Randy Lorio, Carl Long, Mr. Lonnie, Buck Templet, Burly Latalais. Jessie Montague trained a filly that my wife wanted to run barrels on that I had originally bought as a futurity horse to run the La bred races. All a long time ago! Chet Kleinpeter was my vet most of the time.

Sorry your children had problems, I have found things about the same everywhere though. My niece and nephew are half Korean and were raised in South Louisiana with no real issues but that was a few years later I suspect. Well except for one teacher that insisted the boy was Hispanic in grade school! :rolleyes:

Doubt you played much there but I remember the old three way lounge at the end of Hooper Road near your farm. A wee bit on the rough side. My road partner left the area after he and his nephew were thought to be involved in a killing after playing pool there with someone that got robbed and his throat cut later the same night. They were both cleared eventually but I don't know that anyone was ever convicted in that case.

Hu


Ball Banger said:
Hu
Yep we Might know each other. But first I think we are talking about the same guy. The Sneaky Pete is what I remember but not the Cue Lathe. There was a guy who lived in Broad-Moor that made 26 oz break sticks in his garage. Once again I forget names, even when I was younger.

I played in Greenway but could not be called a regular. I also worked in Earl K long ER as a voluntary. Therefore I usually worn scrubs and people in Greenway accused me of being a Doctor. At the time (Before Divorce) my living was made and I had a Gentleman's farm out Greenwell Springs Rd near the State hospital. Little Earl's Girl friend and I talked horses all the time because I was also a part time horse trainer. My profession is Agronomist. But I am part Asian and pass for white most of the time. My ex is pure Asian and that is why we left Louisiana. Our children were feeling the effects of prejudice. BTW I am small and wiry having one time been a gymnast. I am a B player on my best day but my BCA league lists me as a 9.

BTW I forgot all about the Airline Pool hall.
Click to expand...
 
B

Ball Banger

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hu

I was on the Pride Rd in KKK country. Not real far from the end of Hopper Rd and the bar you talked about. But I never went in that bar. I had a Hunting Mule and he would ride in the back of my Datsun Pick up like a dog. You would remember seeing that. I also had Chickens and went to all the Chicken events. Living in the Philippines I got into Chickens.

But since this is the main forum, Maybe we should continue in with Private Messaging
 
8

8ballchump

Registered
Wow.....this thread is bringing back memories...

I think I'm the "Earl's girlfriend" you guys are referring to! Yep....had horses and did a lot of horse-showing and rodeoing back then. Would leave a show and trailer to the pool room! My uncle had a little-known running QH at the time also....his name was Comet, Jr.....

Earl passed away many years ago....he was not only a great one-pocket player but I really believe he "understood" more about the game than most. He studied the interaction of balls and made charts and graphs about how the different cloths, balls, rails, etc... affected the outcome of shots, etc.......he was a great artist and made a lot of sketchs to demonstrate the things he learned when he would experiment. Before he passed, he did put a lot of those thoughts into a series of books that really never got published. He really enjoyed the action around those tournaments at Greenway.

I believe that the black guy you were talking about is Henry Carr. Sort of a bulky fellow with a slight bowleg walk? Henry was always around GW unless he was out hustling the bar tournaments or players. Pretty solid player. Henry was always sort of "watchful" over me when I was playing....he wouldn't let anyone get out of line or take advantage. I really appreciated that, because as you can imagine, as a 20 something female player gambling in bars, at times things could get outta line fast. Many times, he would see someone get up in my face or think about not paying.....he would just walk up and in his "big guy" voice ask "is everything alright, Tammie?" Usually all it took. There was this one time, though when I was playing in Greenway with one of the well-known little bookies. We had been playing off and on for a week or so but this day I got up a good bit and he quit. Then he started welching out and pretty much told me he had the money but wasn't going to pay - and what was I going to do about it? Henry walks over and tries to reason with the guy - you know - how bad it will be for his action if he doesn't pay, etc.... and the guys barks back at him. Henry asks if he has the money - the guy spouts off that he did....so Henry picked him up....held him off the ground by his feet and bouncing him up and down til the money fell out!

Funniest thing. Never threw a punch, just set the guy down and walked off. I walked over and picked up what was due and put the rest back on the ground. Henry was a pretty good guy. He didn't have a lot of money and wasn't the greatest player, but he always treated me fairly.

GW was the best....I learned a lot there and got to see the greatest players in the world....at work in their environment -and I can sure tell you...life was different then.

Tammie Wesley-Jones
 
Cuebuddy

Cuebuddy

Mini cues
Silver Member
Ball Banger said:
Hu

I was on the Pride Rd in KKK country. Not real far from the end of Hopper Rd and the bar you talked about. But I never went in that bar. I had a Hunting Mule and he would ride in the back of my Datsun Pick up like a dog. You would remember seeing that. I also had Chickens and went to all the Chicken events. Living in the Philippines I got into Chickens.

But since this is the main forum, Maybe we should continue in with Private Messaging
Click to expand...

You guys can go to a pm now but I must say this thread is a very cool read. I almost feel as if I were eves dropping. The area of the country that you speak of sounds like it was/is very interesting. Thanks for the history and the stories.
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
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Silver Member
Could be

Could be Henry Carr as you describe him. I don't remember him as more than middle sized but our perception of size is a bit different!(grin) This was a good guy. We had a few friendly conversations and he was the one that stepped between me and Keith when I was gonna give Keith a little tap one night for saying something about a young lady I was with.

Hu

8ballchump said:
Wow.....this thread is bringing back memories...

I think I'm the "Earl's girlfriend" you guys are referring to! Yep....had horses and did a lot of horse-showing and rodeoing back then. Would leave a show and trailer to the pool room! My uncle had a little-known running QH at the time also....his name was Comet, Jr.....

Earl passed away many years ago....he was not only a great one-pocket player but I really believe he "understood" more about the game than most. He studied the interaction of balls and made charts and graphs about how the different cloths, balls, rails, etc... affected the outcome of shots, etc.......he was a great artist and made a lot of sketchs to demonstrate the things he learned when he would experiment. Before he passed, he did put a lot of those thoughts into a series of books that really never got published. He really enjoyed the action around those tournaments at Greenway.

I believe that the black guy you were talking about is Henry Carr. Sort of a bulky fellow with a slight bowleg walk? Henry was always around GW unless he was out hustling the bar tournaments or players. Pretty solid player. Henry was always sort of "watchful" over me when I was playing....he wouldn't let anyone get out of line or take advantage. I really appreciated that, because as you can imagine, as a 20 something female player gambling in bars, at times things could get outta line fast. Many times, he would see someone get up in my face or think about not paying.....he would just walk up and in his "big guy" voice ask "is everything alright, Tammie?" Usually all it took. There was this one time, though when I was playing in Greenway with one of the well-known little bookies. We had been playing off and on for a week or so but this day I got up a good bit and he quit. Then he started welching out and pretty much told me he had the money but wasn't going to pay - and what was I going to do about it? Henry walks over and tries to reason with the guy - you know - how bad it will be for his action if he doesn't pay, etc.... and the guys barks back at him. Henry asks if he has the money - the guy spouts off that he did....so Henry picked him up....held him off the ground by his feet and bouncing him up and down til the money fell out!

Funniest thing. Never threw a punch, just set the guy down and walked off. I walked over and picked up what was due and put the rest back on the ground. Henry was a pretty good guy. He didn't have a lot of money and wasn't the greatest player, but he always treated me fairly.

GW was the best....I learned a lot there and got to see the greatest players in the world....at work in their environment -and I can sure tell you...life was different then.

Tammie Wesley-Jones
Click to expand...
 
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