Hustling, Gambling, and Adventures on the Road in Atlanta Georgia

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
This Road Story features a time in Atlanta when losing a money game made me a small fortune in gambling action.

Nobody likes losing, however, my losses have always paved the way to my greatest victories and successes.

https://youtu.be/BZB2eD-irFA

The Game is the Teacher
 

ShootingHank

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Your videos need to be longer and you need to show some footage inside a pool hall.

Just tell them you are a youtuber and former champion. I'm sure it will be a great channel.
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
The 'Adventures on the Road' are being used for a book

Your videos need to be longer and you need to show some footage inside a pool hall.

Just tell them you are a youtuber and former champion. I'm sure it will be a great channel.

I have another You Tube channel with longer videos and of footage inside pool halls - the The 'Adventures on the Road' are being used for a book, I'm negotiating with an author from Chicago, if we come to an agreement we should have it done by the end of the year.
 

ShootingHank

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have another You Tube channel with longer videos and of footage inside pool halls - the The 'Adventures on the Road' are being used for a book, I'm negotiating with an author from Chicago, if we come to an agreement we should have it done by the end of the year.

You have a real life script to go on. Former champ who now travels and plays across the country and documents pool culture. I would definitely watch.

It’s better you disguise yourself. If they figure out who you are then it won’t be authentic any more.
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
I'm not sure what the future is for pool....?

You have a real life script to go on. Former champ who now travels and plays across the country and documents pool culture. I would definitely watch.

It’s better you disguise yourself. If they figure out who you are then it won’t be authentic any more.

The gambling in America has dwindled down these days. I traveled 90% last 2 years and rarely got even a cheap game. Now that cash will be more scarce I doubt if there will be tournaments like last year. ....luckily a lot of people have pool tables in their homes.

I'm not sure what the future is for pool, things are going to shaky for awhile.
 

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I had always heard you claimed to be the Georgia Tech pool champ and that after beating some pretty good players they called Randy up and you beat him too. I was surprised to hear you say he beat you. I once saw Randy never run a rack and keep playing safe and then combo the 9 Ball on just about every ball in hand. He had that pretty good player so frustrated that he would not even play people he had been begging to play earlier.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This Road Story features a time in Atlanta when losing a money game made me a small fortune in gambling action.
Nobody likes losing, however, my losses have always paved the way to my greatest victories and successes.
https://youtu.be/BZB2eD-irFA
The Game is the Teacher
Interesting post, CJ.
That guy Stafford Dean was a very dangerous man. Also Boyse Byrd and Ronald Watkins. They're probably all dead now.
Attached picture is Big Town Billiards where they all bet high wayyy back there. Right downtown. J. C. Hayes, the owner, ran all the heavy gamblers out and they simply transferred up Ivy Street to York's Pool Room.
Lassiter, Willis, all the road agents came through there.
Enjoy.
FivePointsCropped[2].jpg
 
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Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I had always heard you claimed to be the Georgia Tech pool champ and that after beating some pretty good players they called Randy up and you beat him too. I was surprised to hear you say he beat you. I once saw Randy never run a rack and keep playing safe and then combo the 9 Ball on just about every ball in hand. He had that pretty good player so frustrated that he would not even play people he had been begging to play earlier.
Bobby Stovall or Ralph Guest could rob Randy.
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
CJ ,,while in Atlanta,,did you ever run up on Railroad John ?
Railroad John passed away a long time back.
Here he is with U.J. Puckett, Joe Cosgrove, Junior Goff, John in the middle, and Danny Jones (winner) down in Macon Ga. at the annual State tournament. Long time ago in younger days.
Macon Pool Tournament.jpg
 
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CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
I certainly heard his name several times around Atlanta

CJ ,,while in Atlanta,,did you ever run up on Railroad John ?

I can't remember, if I met him, certainly heard his name several times. Danny Jones I met a few times, he was pretty old at the time, they were before me time as players.
 

cueman

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Bobby Stovall or Ralph Guest could rob Randy.
I once asked Randy how him and Ralph matched up. He said Ralph would beat him on the big table, but that he would beat Ralph on the bar table.
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
I love the history of pool back in those days.

Interesting post, CJ.
That guy Stafford Dean was a very dangerous man. Also Boyse Byrd and Ronald Watkins. They're probably all dead now.
Attached picture is Big Town Billiards where they all bet high wayyy back there. Right downtown. J. C. Hayes, the owner, ran all the heavy gamblers out and they simply transferred up Ivy Street to York's Pool Room.
Lassiter, Willis, all the road agents came through there.
Enjoy.
View attachment 548713

Yes, Dean was a gangster type, he hated losing but other than getting mad at me he never made me feel physically threatened.

Those are some AWESOME pictures, I love the history of pool back in those days. Especially in the big cities, pool rooms all over, in Chicago I was told were over a hundred pool halls.

That's a great picture, Jr Goff looks so young, when I met him and Danny they were in their 60s, Jr may have even been close to 70 in 1985.

Who is the player on the far right?
 

Low500

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes, Dean was a gangster type, he hated losing but other than getting mad at me he never made me feel physically threatened.
Those are some AWESOME pictures, I love the history of pool back in those days. Especially in the big cities, pool rooms all over, in Chicago I was told were over a hundred pool halls.
That's a great picture, Jr Goff looks so young, when I met him and Danny they were in their 60s, Jr may have even been close to 70 in 1985.
Who is the player on the far right?
Here ya' go, CJ.
I'm reposting the picture with captions for the names. I'm not sure at all about the guy with the ???.....I'm thinking it is one of those Gandys. They were always putting on those tournaments down there in Macon.
Lotta' road agents went through Macon and then hit Atlanta on their way back north. Bernie "The Hawk" Schwartz, Joey Spaeth, and of course little Squirrel Carpenter from over in Alabama. (Marshall didn't book many losers back then...he had a helluva backer and he could bet as high as anybody wanted to go).
Now...I'd like for you to do something for me.
Somewhere on the web is a match you played against Mizerak when you were very young (with the long hair) and you drilled him. He couldn't believe what had hit him. I saw that match and have tried to find it on YouTube. YouTube lists the match as you vs MIzerak, but when you try to open the match as listed it isn't you....it's somebody else.
Do you know where that thing can be located?
I'd appreciate it if you do.
Thanks very much.
Peter Lowenstein (Low500)
Macon Pool Tournament with captions.jpg
 

white1

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Loving your YouTube’s and posts

And that TOI works. See my post called road to recovery for my story.
Been using TOI since I started back. It’s incredible. It absolutely is real and it works.
Thanks. Talk soon
Robert
 

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
TOI is a great way to cinch spot shots too. There's a sweet spot (it's actually more than a touch) where you can shoot directly at the contact points. It's not perfect but a lot better than doggin' it.
 

Ratamon

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here ya' go, CJ.
I'm reposting the picture with captions for the names. I'm not sure at all about the guy with the ???.....I'm thinking it is one of those Gandys. They were always putting on those tournaments down there in Macon.
Lotta' road agents went through Macon and then hit Atlanta on their way back north. Bernie "The Hawk" Schwartz, Joey Spaeth, and of course little Squirrel Carpenter from over in Alabama. (Marshall didn't book many losers back then...he had a helluva backer and he could bet as high as anybody wanted to go).
Now...I'd like for you to do something for me.
Somewhere on the web is a match you played against Mizerak when you were very young (with the long hair) and you drilled him. He couldn't believe what had hit him. I saw that match and have tried to find it on YouTube. YouTube lists the match as you vs MIzerak, but when you try to open the match as listed it isn't you....it's somebody else.
Do you know where that thing can be located?
I'd appreciate it if you do.
Thanks very much.
Peter Lowenstein (Low500)
View attachment 548819


I think it was from Sands. A great match, I agree. Accu-stats should have it.

Edit. Found it! - https://store.accu-stats.com/steve-mizerak-vs-cj-wiley-dvd-13th-s-r-o-june-1991/


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Logandgriff

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Not at all sure but could the unidentified guy be Ray Maples? See page 235 of Freddy B's book. The unidentified guy looks like Ray to me.

On a related topic I moved to Atlanta in 1974 and my office was at 2 Peachtree Street. Right across the street was a pool hall on the second floor, and even though I loved pool and played a lot in other ATL pool halls, I never ever went in that pool hall even once. I'm not sure why but I think it was a combination of not wanting to mix business with pleasure and the fear that once I went inside I would be tempted to play a lot of pool when I should be working. Probably also didn't want my bosses to see me going in or out of the place.

Now 46 years later I would love to get some details about the place, who played there, kind of tables, etc. Any info would be welcome and probably fun for others to hear about.

Thanks!
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
That was my 2nd professional tournament - Miz was one of my childhood heroes

Here ya' go, CJ.
I'm reposting the picture with captions for the names. I'm not sure at all about the guy with the ???.....I'm thinking it is one of those Gandys. They were always putting on those tournaments down there in Macon.
Lotta' road agents went through Macon and then hit Atlanta on their way back north. Bernie "The Hawk" Schwartz, Joey Spaeth, and of course little Squirrel Carpenter from over in Alabama. (Marshall didn't book many losers back then...he had a helluva backer and he could bet as high as anybody wanted to go).
Now...I'd like for you to do something for me.
Somewhere on the web is a match you played against Mizerak when you were very young (with the long hair) and you drilled him. He couldn't believe what had hit him. I saw that match and have tried to find it on YouTube. YouTube lists the match as you vs MIzerak, but when you try to open the match as listed it isn't you....it's somebody else.
Do you know where that thing can be located?
I'd appreciate it if you do.
Thanks very much.

Peter Lowenstein (Low500)
View attachment 548819


Yes, here's the match between The Miz and me.... it's actually a hill/hill match, I had him down by about 5 games and he came back and nearly beat me.

That was my 2nd professional tournament, my first was a couple weeks prior in Toronto Canada - I got 4th in Toronto and 3rd there in Reno.

https://youtu.be/ONG2mbZa-rk
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here ya' go, CJ.
I'm reposting the picture with captions for the names. I'm not sure at all about the guy with the ???.....I'm thinking it is one of those Gandys. They were always putting on those tournaments down there in Macon.
Lotta' road agents went through Macon and then hit Atlanta on their way back north. Bernie "The Hawk" Schwartz, Joey Spaeth, and of course little Squirrel Carpenter from over in Alabama. (Marshall didn't book many losers back then...he had a helluva backer and he could bet as high as anybody wanted to go).
Now...I'd like for you to do something for me.
Somewhere on the web is a match you played against Mizerak when you were very young (with the long hair) and you drilled him. He couldn't believe what had hit him. I saw that match and have tried to find it on YouTube. YouTube lists the match as you vs MIzerak, but when you try to open the match as listed it isn't you....it's somebody else.
Do you know where that thing can be located?
I'd appreciate it if you do.
Thanks very much.
Peter Lowenstein (Low500)
View attachment 548819

That's Roy Gandy (Gandy Pool Tables), the sponsor of the event.
 
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