Greats and near greats from Kentucky

Bob Callahan · 10:29 PM

Kentucky has long been famous for its bank players--like John Brumback. But it seems like there have always been a lot of good pool players from here. For instance, Billy Burge, Red Jones, and even unknown players--unless you ran into them on the road--like the 1P player Tibs "Goody" Goodpaster.

Rumor is, even though Earl isn't from here, he honed his skills at places like The Green Lantern in Winchester, and Monroe Brock's Maverick Club in Richmond.

Of course, writer Walter Tevis got the material for The Hustler and The Color of Money while living above Toby's old place in Lexington.

It's really no wonder that a lot of good players came from here--every town, no matter how small--seems to have at least one pool room where even 9-year-olds can sometimes run a rack. Mt Sterling, a slightly larger town had six rooms at one time, not counting bars. Ronnie Allen tells an interesting story about playing there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-JmT9ftWy0

I've played in the room he's talking about, and swear it still looks like it must have looked in the 50's!

Can you add to the list?

Do you have a good story about playing in Kentucky, or someone from here?

book collector · 07-18-2011, 11:03 PM

I think these guys are from Kentucky
Buddy Hall, Shannon Daulton, Truman Hogue, Butch Baker, Eddie Taylor, Nick Varner.
I'm sure I am forgetting a lot.

sjm · 07-19-2011, 12:40 AM

Met "Razor Ray" Schultz of Owensboro a couple of times in the mid 1990's, when he was playing on the PBT, the primary American men's tour at the time. Nice guy and a fine player.

#Cruncher · 07-19-2011, 07:15 AM

Buddy Hall was from Illinois and Eddie Taylor was from Tennessee.

Billy Peay and Vernon Elliot I believe are from Kentucky. These two guys stayed under the radar for most of their life.

skip · 07-19-2011, 07:33 AM

Brian Roberts, of Louisville Ky.

John Brumback · 07-19-2011, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Callahan

Kentucky has long been famous for its bank players--like John Brumback. But it seems like there have always been a lot of good pool players from here. For instance, Billy Burge, Red Jones, and even unknown players--unless you ran into them on the road--like the 1P player Tibs "Goody" Goodpaster.

Rumor is, even though Earl isn't from here, he honed his skills at places like The Green Lantern in Winchester, and Monroe Brock's Maverick Club in Richmond.

Of course, writer Walter Tevis got the material for The Hustler and The Color of Money while living above Toby's old place in Lexington.

It's really no wonder that a lot of good players came from here--every town, no matter how small--seems to have at least one pool room where even 9-year-olds can sometimes run a rack. Mt Sterling, a slightly larger town had six rooms at one time, not counting bars. Ronnie Allen tells an interesting story about playing there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-JmT9ftWy0

I've played in the room he's talking about, and swear it still looks like it must have looked in the 50's!

Can you add to the list?

Do you have a good story about playing in Kentucky, or someone from here?

Hey,Ever here of a guy named Marlboro from Irvine,KY.man could that guy play some bankpool! Champion speed player that never ever left his little town.Wonder what ever happened to him.Nice guy to play with also.The locals would sure bet on him too.Your right,just about every small town had a champ or two In them.John B.

Black-Balled · 07-19-2011, 07:41 AM

Louis Demarco can bump rails with a pretty fast crowd!

John Brumback · **BJ's family billiards -** 07-19-2011, 07:49 AM

Don't forget Bobby Johnson from BJ's In richmond,KY.World class player at just about all games.Bunch of road players left there talking to their self and wondering what had just happened when they got done playing him.In the mid to late 80's you had Earl,Buddy,kieth M and a whole list of champions hanging around there at the time.John B.

Bob Callahan · 08:52 AM

It's great to be getting replies to this thread! I hope to see more....

Quote:

Originally Posted by book collector

I think these guys are from Kentucky
Buddy Hall, Shannon Daulton, Truman Hogue, Butch Baker, Eddie Taylor, Nick Varner.
I'm sure I am forgetting a lot.

I think Butch was from Ohio. Met him once, but was smart enough to not get trapped. *grin*

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBKY

Hey,Ever here of a guy named Marlboro from Irvine,KY.man could that guy play some bankpool! Champion speed player that never ever left his little town.Wonder what ever happened to him.Nice guy to play with also.The locals would sure bet on him too.Your right,just about every small town had a champ or two In them.John B.

I've heard a lot about Marlboro from some guys we both know, but never met him--just know some folks who played him and didn't like it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBKY

Don't forget Bobby Johnson from BJ's In richmond,KY.World class player at just about all games.Bunch of road players left there talking to their self and wondering what had just happened when they got done playing him.In the mid to late 80's you had Earl,Buddy,kieth M and a whole list of champions hanging around there at the time.John B.

I know a girl from Stanton who got the 8 from Bobby back in the day, and won. She ran three racks at one point.

John, I checked on another of our old buddies--Fox--he's in a home in KY. Another guy and good player you probably know--Mikey Watts--called and found out. Mikey has had it rough this year. He had a stroke.

Anybody here remember High Pockets (Johnny Borders)?

Underclocked · 07-19-2011, 08:49 AM

Bucky from Kentucky?

Spider1 · 07-19-2011, 09:03 AM

Pete Glenn was from Kentucky, or at least was based there for many years.

John Brumback · **Wc ?? -** 07-19-2011, 09:49 AM

Does anyone remember a man with the name of WC ? I went on my first road trip with him down through TN.He played with an ole Ginacue and had torn the wrap off of It.I remembered It still had the old glue on It.This guy played real good but just stalled around all the time playing real cheap.Just
wondered If anybody knew him.This was back In about 1980 or 81.In Lex,Ky Thanks,John B.

Bob Callahan · 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skip

Brian Roberts, of Louisville Ky.

Don't know him. Maybe John does. I do know a couple of good bank players from there--but don't want to knock their action.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Underclocked

Bucky from Kentucky?

Been a couple of Buckys. Which one?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spider1

Pete Glenn was from Kentucky, or at least was based there for many years.

Never heard of him. Please tell us more. *grin*

Quote:

Originally Posted by JBKY

Does anyone remember a man with the name of WC ? I went on my first road trip with him down through TN.He played with an ole Ginacue and had torn the wrap off of It.I remembered It still had the old glue on It.This guy played real good but just stalled around all the time playing real cheap.Just
wondered If anybody knew him.This was back In about 1980 or 81.In Lex,Ky Thanks,John B.

This is cool. I don't/didn't know WC (Richards? Richardson?) but heard about him from some good players, including one of his protégés. Played in Winchester lots. Another good player from that area died terribly a few years ago--Midget Dare.

pt109 · **Clyde Childress -** 07-19-2011, 10:16 AM

Last time I spoke to Clyde Childress (God rest him) he was living just
south of Lexington...had a 4x8 in his garage, which was appropriate 'cause
if you played him there...good chance you'd lose your vehicle.

Guy who ran the room in Hopkinsville was known as The Hillbilly.
He had days he could make a road player look for gainful employment.

Underclocked · 07-19-2011, 10:33 AM

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2...ertheim/071017