I have known Jack since he was about 12 and hustling pool at Steve's club
He bought Willie Mosconi's book on pool and developed a stance and stroke that so beautiful and athletic that I was afraid he would scare everybody off
I remember he had a $100 bill back in the days when a hamburger basket and frosty mug of root beer cost 40 cents,he would take us out to eat and offer to pay with that $100 bill,no one could make
change
By the time he was 13 he was at Johnson City,Handsome Danny Jones befriended him and he was allowed to gamble. Other kids were still gambling for marbles and Jack was playing $20 game 9 ball
He teamed up with Billy Stroud and won money enough to put himself through Jr High,Hi School and college,Billy showed him how to make cues,hence the Libra cues that you guys collect.
Once he met Pam,things changed,Jack became responsible,supported his family and all but disappeared from the pool room other than to show up at just the right time when the money was down,Pam didn't mind him gambling,in fact if she wanted a car or some other luxury she would hand Jack the cue and point to the car
I remember he also took up golf and won a bunch of money,once i had an easy best ball game for about $500 Nassau plus presses,these 2 guys could not play a lick but Jack had not been playing,on the front 9 Jack didn't help a hole,We won ,I forget how much and were 3 up going to the back 9,Jack looked at me and I thought he was going to cry"I didn't help a bit.I might as well not have come blah blah,
then he said"I can't take this money I didn't play a hole"
That was the only time I saw him act crazy,refusing money.Fortunately he beat them on the back 9 and decided he would take the money after all.
I could tell stories to make you laugh and cry,once I had a putt about 50 feet long,on the side of a mountain,I looked at it,then I called over everybody there,they all agreed it was impossible.,it broke 20 feet to my right
So I asked the odds and they said 500 to one,Now jack and I were about a hundred up so I bet the $100,something is wrong with my memory but we stood to win$25,000
Well I missed the putt by 20 feet,Jack looked so disappointed,he said"i thought you always won the big bet,what happened?"
I reminded him of the time he played buddy hall even,he didn't win either,but am I the kind of guy to bring that up?
Well ,happy birthday to Oak Cliff Shorty
