Are House Pro's usually employed by the pool room?

I am curious what Earl did get for his house pro title / status at his most recent gigs in NY and PA at well known pool rooms, if anyone knows? He has bounced around to playing out of more pool rooms in the last 15 years than most of us have set foot in. You can add our pool room to the list of those that would be glad to have him. With all his baggage, he is legendary and would be good for our pool business!

I have read that Earl gives lessons. I would be really honored to get a lesson from him. I imagine he can go wherever he is wanted, and his expenses will be paid for. He is a legend.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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Jay,? I would question as to how many pro pool players do their own pool cue/tip work? I was under the assumption that most of them use someone very experienced and reputable to do their cue work, even just their re-tips. You need the right equipment - lathe, etc. to do a professional quality job.

I can only think of Dave Bollman, Mike Gulyassy, Gary Nolan and Jimmy Fusco off the top of my head who had their own pro shops (Al Romero too) and did cue repairs, but I'm sure there are others.
 
I can only think of Dave Bollman, Mike Gulyassy, Gary Nolan and Jimmy Fusco off the top of my head who had their own pro shops (Al Romero too) and did cue repairs, but I'm sure there are others.

Oh, yeah, some Pro level players are also cue makers, and do both really well.

Mike Gulyassy was / is a very good player, and a very good cue maker. I had a chance to play with one of his cues, and it hit super nice. I once met him too, at an APA Regionals event, and he was really nice.
 
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Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Oh, yeah, some Pro level players are also cue makers, and do both really well.

Mike Gulyassy was / is a very good player, and a very good cue maker. I had a chance to play with one of his cues, and it hit super nice. I once met him too, at an APA Regionals event, and he was really nice.

I saw him get stuck up by Ronnie Alcano in Georgia? (Brass Rail)? Ronnie was going by 'Tom' but when his backers called for him " "TOM" "TOM" he'd never recognize his "name" Funny stuff.
 

Buzzard II

AzB Silver Member
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As you jump on Scotts math, maybe he just conflated all the numbers being floated here. Jayburger says $250 per week, plus 100 percent of lessons. Tax free?

And Jay Helfert puts lessons at $50-100 per. plus 100 percent of repairs, plus a commission on sales. I would wonder about repairs being tax free too.

All these numbers being thrown around and a room over the garage it sounds like a pretty good gig. And I don't believe any of it.

The best part was Scott saying that the average league player couldn't name a pro. With NoStroke's answer of Fats and the Chinese girl. That's funny stuff.

This whole thread makes me want to turn house pro. But I can't play a lick.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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As you jump on Scotts math, maybe he just conflated all the numbers being floated here. Jayburger says $250 per week, plus 100 percent of lessons. Tax free?

And Jay Helfert puts lessons at $50-100 per. plus 100 percent of repairs, plus a commission on sales. I would wonder about repairs being tax free too.

All these numbers being thrown around and a room over the garage it sounds like a pretty good gig. And I don't believe any of it.

The best part was Scott saying that the average league player couldn't name a pro. With NoStroke's answer of Fats and the Chinese girl. That's funny stuff.

This whole thread makes me want to turn house pro. But I can't play a lick.

Hey, I lived in a "room over a garage" for one year in 1969-70. It was my first place in Bakersfield, CA. and it cost me $135 a month. I loved that place! My brother was doing his medical residency at Kern Medical Center and I was a poolroom bum. There were five or six poolrooms in Bakersfield back then and couple of dozen bars where I could get action. I would go from poolroom to poolroom every day looking for games and hit the bars at night. In a good week I might make a hundred to two hundred bucks. A bad week could be fifty or less. But like someone else said on here, I had no interest in the 9-5 gig. I liked having my freedom.

P.S. Two years later I bought the biggest poolroom in town and turned it into a nice little moneymaker.
 

Buzzard II

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And Jay, that's another place where some money is. Maybe most, if your good enough. I could see where a pro could make 250 G's, for a while. Back then. Now with I-phones you would become known to soon. And with drinking and drugs the no pot to piss in is just around the corner.

Look at the talent of SVB. If he was a baseball or football player with that skill he would own South Dakota.

I do know of a house pro who teaches, sells and does repairs and is good at what he does. But the reality is that fifteen years into my pension I'm happy I was never good enough. It's a nice hobby.
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Another instance of you not knowing what you're talking about. The best certified instructors in the country are making a fine living (some are making six figures from professional lessons).

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

. Pool is not popular enough to make a living off of giving lessons.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Another instance of you not knowing what you're talking about. The best certified instructors in the country are making a fine living (some are making six figures from professional lessons).

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Hey -Could you spare a few thousand for couple of months?
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Wow, you really think guys like Tony Chohan would play me a really cheap set of One Pocket? That would be such an honor, and a great experience.

Jut hard to believe it would be worth their time, playing 3 games of One Pocket for $50. Maybe $50 a game, but not race to 3 for $50.

I do think I could learn a lot more in maybe a 1 hour lesson though.

I dont know TC personally-Some pros would try to up the bet and others would say- Sure i'll take a free $50. Depends on their ego. They figure to win inside 30 minutes versus a schlub and some of these guys despite betting 10 k a set,. still are broke-ass and they will keep all that fifty rather than chop up w 4 corporations.
 

RunoutJJ

Professional Banger
Silver Member
If Mika is ok financially why cant he lose gracefully? I get it nobody likes to lose but my god he acts like he's about to be evicted he he doesnt cash.
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
No problem Dave! Want to put up your FL condo up as collateral? :D Notice I didn't name myself among those! In fact being out of work for 3 full months didn't help my bottom line either. Unemployment? Yeah...you STILL can't get results from the FL DOE site! Grrrrrr... SBA loans? Yeah, in FL that money dried up faster than someone could get an application in. One friend of mine was lucky enough to get his loan through Ohio.

I guess I can't gripe too hard...I did get a whole $1200 from Trump (like all y'all). :rotflmao1: That was gone 2 seconds later! LOL Well, at least I am back at work now, and on the road to you folks who have been patiently waiting these last several months. Helping players learn to play better is the most fun I can think of, and I have missed it dearly while I was stuck at home! Looking forward to seeing many of you soon!

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Hey -Could you spare a few thousand for couple of months?
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
Another instance of you not knowing what you're talking about. The best certified instructors in the country are making a fine living (some are making six figures from professional lessons).

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour


The only negative of self employment is your expenses, benefits you pay for out of pocket, and both side of the paying both side of social security.

Other then that self employment is great if your a self starter.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Dave Bollman (RIP)...Norfolk.

Yeah, I am pretty sure that there are 2 types of House Pro's. There are the House Pro Player's, who might give lessons, and then there are the type of House Pro's who are there to do cue repairs, and who might also sell pool cues on the side. I have never seen both do the same though, and that would be very surprising.

I have never lived anywhere with a pool hall that has a House Pro (Pro Player, that is), until I moved to New Orleans.

Danny Smith was the House Pro at Buffalo's, but now Tony Chohan is their House Pro. Neither of them do cue repairs. They have a different type of House Pro (Pro Shop) that does cue repairs.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Remember that the pros are people too.
They have their good and bad days. And if you catch them on one they will be a very different person than on the other.

Also, there are people who want their time everywhere, so even if it is a special day for you to see joe pro, it probably isn't a special day for him.

Be somebody they won't regret spending some time with a.nd you got a lot better chance at a race to 3 for your 100.
Wow, you really think guys like Tony Chohan would play me a really cheap set of One Pocket? That would be such an honor, and a great experience.

Jut hard to believe it would be worth their time, playing 3 games of One Pocket for $50. Maybe $50 a game, but not race to 3 for $50.

I do think I could learn a lot more in maybe a 1 hour lesson though.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
No problem Dave! Want to put up your FL condo up as collateral? :D Notice I didn't name myself among those! In fact being out of work for 3 full months didn't help my bottom line either. Unemployment? Yeah...you STILL can't get results from the FL DOE site! Grrrrrr... SBA loans? Yeah, in FL that money dried up faster than someone could get an application in. One friend of mine was lucky enough to get his loan through Ohio.

I guess I can't gripe too hard...I did get a whole $1200 from Trump (like all y'all). :rotflmao1: That was gone 2 seconds later! LOL Well, at least I am back at work now, and on the road to you folks who have been patiently waiting these last several months. Helping players learn to play better is the most fun I can think of, and I have missed it dearly while I was stuck at home! Looking forward to seeing many of you soon!

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

Sorry Scott- I missed this post and you know i was just poking you.-Hope things pick up for you now.

I bought that 1974 cat walk condo at the lows or damn close. Not sure what the bank would give me for it now but no one else is giving 20% more than i paid.

You can still get older 55+ condos in WPB area in decent shape for under 60 easily. I consider mine a bargain though. It's perfect for me- decent but not enough to worry much about when im not there (like now)..
 
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