......................
I love that picture
I remember that gentle,kind soul pictured in your post
As one of the most rutless killer pool hustlers of all time
To me he was Fast Eddie of the movie
I met him at the Cotton Bowling Palace in Dallas
He beat every living player who ventured in the doors
The movie in 61 started not a few of us on the road to adventure
my first stop was the cotton palace where i saw Billy,a college kid like myself,
beating everyone
I was a shelterd 17 year old and I actually wondered if he was Fast Eddie
The crowds were huge and money was passed like a cock fight,the marquis de queensbury
rules were ignored and i was mesmeized
Everything flooded my heart, excitement,opportunity,easy money,a chance to escape the hum
drum life that my father before me and his father had sacrificed their life for was not what i wanted
Not anymore
Billy was remarkable,perhaps there were people somewhere who played better,won more lit up a room
but they weren't in dallas and wouldn't be for years
So to me Billy Stroud was a hero,some might say an anti hero,at last an old friend.
I called him when Paul said he was sick.He sounded terrible, I said I heard he was
not doing good. He agreed he felt bad,but he offered hope to me for his recovery
I cheerfully asked if I could get that 4 hit and the pick he offered last time I saw him
"not a chance" he said with more energy that previously displayed'
And just as i was begginning to think he was admitting it was over.
"
He said" but see if you can stll get Billy Incardona down, I can still beat him"
I didn't know whether to load up and call Billy I or cry.
One thing I knew, Billy Stroud was an unbelievably great hustler and pool player,but the thought of throwing
in with him to beat Billy incardona took more heart than I had
Many if not most of you remember him as the great cue maker,founder of the cue maker association
or the face of pool,and perhaps that is best best for every body
Either way,we lost a friend,a great cue maker,a hero when Billy Stroud left this world.
Great post DeanoI love that picture
I remember that gentle,kind soul pictured in your post
As one of the most rutless killer pool hustlers of all time
To me he was Fast Eddie of the movie
I met him at the Cotton Bowling Palace in Dallas
He beat every living player who ventured in the doors
The movie in 61 started not a few of us on the road to adventure
my first stop was the cotton palace where i saw Billy,a college kid like myself,
beating everyone
I was a shelterd 17 year old and I actually wondered if he was Fast Eddie
The crowds were huge and money was passed like a cock fight,the marquis de queensbury
rules were ignored and i was mesmeized
Everything flooded my heart, excitement,opportunity,easy money,a chance to escape the hum
drum life that my father before me and his father had sacrificed their life for was not what i wanted
Not anymore
Billy was remarkable,perhaps there were people somewhere who played better,won more lit up a room
but they weren't in dallas and wouldn't be for years
So to me Billy Stroud was a hero,some might say an anti hero,at last an old friend.
I called him when Paul said he was sick.He sounded terrible, I said I heard he was
not doing good. He agreed he felt bad,but he offered hope to me for his recovery
I cheerfully asked if I could get that 4 hit and the pick he offered last time I saw him
"not a chance" he said with more energy that previously displayed'
And just as i was begginning to think he was admitting it was over.
"
He said" but see if you can stll get Billy Incardona down, I can still beat him"
I didn't know whether to load up and call Billy I or cry.
One thing I knew, Billy Stroud was an unbelievably great hustler and pool player,but the thought of throwing
in with him to beat Billy incardona took more heart than I had
Many if not most of you remember him as the great cue maker,founder of the cue maker association
or the face of pool,and perhaps that is best best for every body
Either way,we lost a friend,a great cue maker,a hero when Billy Stroud left this world.
I am 42 years old. I have not gone through that era. But in the process of my contact with Bill. From the bottom of my heart, I think he is a good person.A very gentleman is very polite and a nice person.RIP。Dean,
This may well be the best, most heart warming post you have ever made. Imagining the emotions you are going through, this brought tears to my eyes.