Hey guys, i'm trying to find out how good my friends dad was. Her dad is telling her these stories of how he beat players like Morro, Mccready, San JOse Dick and such. He said he used to run around with Hawaiin Brian also. His real name is Jon Alavaro, spelling might be off by a letter a too. Any infro is much appreciated. Thanks guys.
Anyone know of an old school player by the name of San Jose Buddy?
- Thread starter fearless
- Start date
San Jose Buddy
He was one of the two best players at California Billiards in SJ, which remains the greatest room I've ever seen. This was in late '83 and early '84; they called him Little Buddy then. The other of the two was Billy Ray Suden, who eventually moved to Vegas and then apparently dropped out of sight. GF
He was one of the two best players at California Billiards in SJ, which remains the greatest room I've ever seen. This was in late '83 and early '84; they called him Little Buddy then. The other of the two was Billy Ray Suden, who eventually moved to Vegas and then apparently dropped out of sight. GF
Buddy was a fearless money player on the West Coast and did travel with Hawaiian Brian for a bit.
McCready said Little Buddy quit playing pool and is working in construction now.
Back in the day, he played strong. He was a "straight little shooter." He played in the tournaments over at Golden Cue billiards in Sacramento, where he grew up. He had no fear and shot "straighter than 10 son-of-a-guns."
Back in the day, he played strong. He was a "straight little shooter." He played in the tournaments over at Golden Cue billiards in Sacramento, where he grew up. He had no fear and shot "straighter than 10 son-of-a-guns."
He was pro level--and so was Billy Ray Suden---met and played both--Didn't like it against Brian--that was three days of miss spent youth--three long days
Little Buddy was for real. He played incredibly good. While in LA, I didn't see him back down from anyone. I saw him knocking heads with Tommy Baker in 9-ball, and Cecil Tugwell in One-Pocket, winning both. Many times he couldn't get a game after-hours at the old Stagger Inn, even though there were plenty of action players in the room. He had a ton of heart and plenty of skill to go with it.
Then he quit the game at a young age, possibly before he was 24 yo. From what I understand, he married and wanted to be a good husband. So he dropped out of the pool scene and took up carpentry. A few years after quiting, I ran into him in Lake Elsinor, CA. Local players tried to convince him to come back to the game but he didn't seem interested.
There's no telling how good he could've been had he kept on playing.
Then he quit the game at a young age, possibly before he was 24 yo. From what I understand, he married and wanted to be a good husband. So he dropped out of the pool scene and took up carpentry. A few years after quiting, I ran into him in Lake Elsinor, CA. Local players tried to convince him to come back to the game but he didn't seem interested.
There's no telling how good he could've been had he kept on playing.
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Ah darn it. We could have sent him to the APA minis to clean up. There are many folks who attend those minis who would LOVE to jump all over any older guy claiming to have matched up with and beaten most of the old time road players.
Now we missed the chance since he's outed now...... would have loved to hustle a few pompous APA 7s.....
Kidding, anyone with the name Little Buddy is the real deal!
Good player, not great! He was definitely not in Keith, Cole or Swanee's class. Probably a notch under Morro or Ernesto also. Loved to gamble and played good for the money.
Actual name is Buddy Arevalo.
Humbledservant
New member
I'm so glad that I found some people who know of, or knew, San Jose Buddy, who's actual name is Carl Arevalo.
Buddy and I started working together in 1985 on construction sites as framers. Later on, I got Buddy a job working with me on a large project at March Air Force Base. Buddy was a kind, friendly and very loyal friend. He had an infectious smile and everyone liked him.
One night Buddy and I were having a beer at my house in Moreno Valley and he asked if I played pool. This was after working together for over 6 months. I considered myself a pretty good player (boy did I find out I was wrong) and I broke playing 8 ball. I knocked three balls in and then he ran the table. Broke, ran the table. Broke, ran the table. I sat there mesmerized. He then said that he'd play me left handed. Broke, ran the table 3 times in a row.
He told me that pool was all about cue ball control, and marked an area on the table by wetting his finger. He said he'd knock a ball in, hit two rails and the ball would stop there. That's what he did, and the ball stopped right where he said it would.
In all my life, I've never met anyone who was so good, so dominating at a game or a sport. Buddy was so, so smart and calculating.
Buddy and I started playing a lot of pool together. He showed me as much as he could. In 9 ball, he started out giving me balls 1-7 when I played him, and I got that down to balls 1-5. 2 stinking ball improvement in 2 years. Not very good.
We played in several Riverside County Tournaments at Mister Q's in Riverside. He won every tournament he entered. Easily. He helped me get good enough to place 4th one time, but it was more luck of the draw, and just plain luck, that I placed that high.
Before the tournaments Buddy would clean up on the local talent. In fact I saw him lose less than a dozen times the couple years we played together.
Buddy never bragged about his playing abilities. We watched the Color of Money together and he immediately noticed Keith Mcready and pointed him out to me. He told me that they played several times against each other, and that it was basically a draw. For those who claim that Buddy wasn't in the same league as Keith, I'm highly skeptical.
I offered to pay Buddy's entry fee in a 9 ball tournament in Vegas, but he declined, saying he didn't want to be away from his wife Monica, and the kids. Buddy explained to me how hard and stressful it was to play pool for money. You'd never know it by the way he played, but he really hated going to the pool halls.
Unfortunately, Buddy and I drifted apart. We saw business differently, and we went our separate ways, but I've always missed him. I've tried for decades to find him, to reconnect with him, to no avail. I haven't given up hope though. It's good to see people talking about him in this forum.
Buddy and I started working together in 1985 on construction sites as framers. Later on, I got Buddy a job working with me on a large project at March Air Force Base. Buddy was a kind, friendly and very loyal friend. He had an infectious smile and everyone liked him.
One night Buddy and I were having a beer at my house in Moreno Valley and he asked if I played pool. This was after working together for over 6 months. I considered myself a pretty good player (boy did I find out I was wrong) and I broke playing 8 ball. I knocked three balls in and then he ran the table. Broke, ran the table. Broke, ran the table. I sat there mesmerized. He then said that he'd play me left handed. Broke, ran the table 3 times in a row.
He told me that pool was all about cue ball control, and marked an area on the table by wetting his finger. He said he'd knock a ball in, hit two rails and the ball would stop there. That's what he did, and the ball stopped right where he said it would.
In all my life, I've never met anyone who was so good, so dominating at a game or a sport. Buddy was so, so smart and calculating.
Buddy and I started playing a lot of pool together. He showed me as much as he could. In 9 ball, he started out giving me balls 1-7 when I played him, and I got that down to balls 1-5. 2 stinking ball improvement in 2 years. Not very good.
We played in several Riverside County Tournaments at Mister Q's in Riverside. He won every tournament he entered. Easily. He helped me get good enough to place 4th one time, but it was more luck of the draw, and just plain luck, that I placed that high.
Before the tournaments Buddy would clean up on the local talent. In fact I saw him lose less than a dozen times the couple years we played together.
Buddy never bragged about his playing abilities. We watched the Color of Money together and he immediately noticed Keith Mcready and pointed him out to me. He told me that they played several times against each other, and that it was basically a draw. For those who claim that Buddy wasn't in the same league as Keith, I'm highly skeptical.
I offered to pay Buddy's entry fee in a 9 ball tournament in Vegas, but he declined, saying he didn't want to be away from his wife Monica, and the kids. Buddy explained to me how hard and stressful it was to play pool for money. You'd never know it by the way he played, but he really hated going to the pool halls.
Unfortunately, Buddy and I drifted apart. We saw business differently, and we went our separate ways, but I've always missed him. I've tried for decades to find him, to reconnect with him, to no avail. I haven't given up hope though. It's good to see people talking about him in this forum.
Humbledservant
New member
See my reply later in the thread.
a bunch of top players came out of the bay area. good for him for going for a normal life. most just wasted their lives with booze, smoking , drugs, and going off gambling all their cash and are broke or died early broke. just like most pool players.
a few used their ability for a stepping stone to advance their lives. but not many.
a few used their ability for a stepping stone to advance their lives. but not many.
San Jose Buddy
Humbledservant: Buddy would love to make contact with you! Please email me your contact info at mkung723@yahoo.com
Humbledservant: Buddy would love to make contact with you! Please email me your contact info at mkung723@yahoo.com
Humbledservant: Buddy (Carl) would love to make contact with you! Please email me your contact info at mkung723@yahoo.com
I agree with your assessment of his skill level Jay. I saw him play a few times in the early 80's when he came to San Diego at the Billiard Tavern or College Billiards. He was a fierce competitor and well liked.
Billy Ray was in the Northeast around 93-96. I think he was based in Rhode Island but he made the rounds most anywhere within 300 miles or so. I saw the name mostly spelled Suda but im assuming it's the same guy.
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