Peter Linhard (Peter Rabbit) book

rackmsuckr · Apr 27, 2006

I just started reading a book last night entitled How to Get By Without Working, A Hustler's Memoirs by Peter Linhard.

It was published in 1983 and reprinted again in 1991. It is highly entertaining and he grew up watching players like Mosconi, Caras and Crane.

He also mentions going on the road with our friend, Monk (not the one who writes the books) and gambling with Weanie Beanie.

In just the first 25 pages, he mentions players with names like Sausage, Wingy, The Sarge, L.D. Gobbin, Miami, P.J., Nicky Vatciano, Fitzgerald, Herbie Merrell, Cuban Joe, Harry Norris, the Springfield Rifle, Rhalahan, Joe Russo, Country, Fifth Avenue Red, The Touchdown Twins - Nicky and Tom, One Hundred Ball Blackie, Landy, Georgia Slim, and Madigan.

He also chronicles his start in pool related to his family being forced to give up all their money to the Gestapo for Hitler's birthday and his outlook on life -"What's the use of having money?"

I recommend this book if you can find it and I wanted to know if any old-timers here know of any players he mentions, excluding Monk and Weanie Beanie.

I heard he died last year, in another thread here. RIP, Peter Rabbit.

Nostroke · Apr 27, 2006

rackmsuckr said:
I just started reading a book last night entitled How to Get By Without Working, A Hustler's Memoirs by Peter Linhard.

It was published in 1983 and reprinted again in 1991. It is highly entertaining and he grew up watching players like Mosconi, Caras and Crane.

He also mentions going on the road with our friend, Monk (not the one who writes the books) and gambling with Weanie Beanie.

In just the first 25 pages, he mentions players with names like Sausage, Wingy, The Sarge, L.D. Gobbin, Miami, P.J., Nicky Vatciano, Fitzgerald, Herbie Merrell, Cuban Joe, Harry Norris, the Springfield Rifle, Rhalahan, Joe Russo, Country, Fifth Avenue Red, The Touchdown Twins - Nicky and Tom, One Hundred Ball Blackie, Landy, Georgia Slim, and Madigan.

He also chronicles his start in pool related to his family being forced to give up all their money to the Gestapo for Hitler's birthday and his outlook on life -"What's the use of having money?"

I recommend this book if you can find it and I wanted to know if any old-timers here know of any players he mentions, excluding Monk and Weanie Beanie.

I heard he died last year, in another thread here. RIP, Peter Rabbit.

Country is a big old bear of a man that as of 7-8 months or so was still around NYC and showing up at Pool rooms. I saw him at the Golden Cue just before it closed. He has quite a reputation for hustling-some say he is the best. He must be near 80 years old now.

Just as recently as 10 years ago, he took-off a whole pool room in CT for about 30K.

Fifth Ave red is another black guy from NYC who died sometime back. I never saw him but I think he was well known for carrying around his stick in newspaper!

Barbara · Apr 27, 2006

rackmsuckr said:
I heard he died last year, in another thread here. RIP, Peter Rabbit.

I did a search for this and didn't see anything.

Can anyone confirm this? He used to play out of Tacony a lot.

Barbara

jay helfert · Apr 27, 2006

rackmsuckr said:
I just started reading a book last night entitled How to Get By Without Working, A Hustler's Memoirs by Peter Linhard.

It was published in 1983 and reprinted again in 1991. It is highly entertaining and he grew up watching players like Mosconi, Caras and Crane.

He also mentions going on the road with our friend, Monk (not the one who writes the books) and gambling with Weanie Beanie.

In just the first 25 pages, he mentions players with names like Sausage, Wingy, The Sarge, L.D. Gobbin, Miami, P.J., Nicky Vatciano, Fitzgerald, Herbie Merrell, Cuban Joe, Harry Norris, the Springfield Rifle, Rhalahan, Joe Russo, Country, Fifth Avenue Red, The Touchdown Twins - Nicky and Tom, One Hundred Ball Blackie, Landy, Georgia Slim, and Madigan.

He also chronicles his start in pool related to his family being forced to give up all their money to the Gestapo for Hitler's birthday and his outlook on life -"What's the use of having money?"

I recommend this book if you can find it and I wanted to know if any old-timers here know of any players he mentions, excluding Monk and Weanie Beanie.

I heard he died last year, in another thread here. RIP, Peter Rabbit.

I believe Peter "Rabbit" Linhard died a couple of years ago. He was a well known Philly area hustler. One Hundred Ball Blackie was Blackie Lesieur, out of St. Louis. Another good hustler. The Sarge was a high rolling gambler who became more famous as a poker player. There was also an Air Force Sergeant who played good that they called Sarge. Nicky Vacchiano was a top speed Philly hustler, who made zillions at pool and poker. Joe Russo was a Pennsylvania 14.1 player (a top player) who invented the interlocking bridge. He may be still alive.

Cuban Joe Valdez was a pool hustler from Cuba who won and lost fortunes. In failing health today in Los Angeles. Miami was Little Miami, one of the best one handed players ever. From Puerto Rico, he stood about 5' tall, and also may still be alive. Jim Relihan was a top speed 14.1 player out of Springfield, Mass. He was also known as the Springfield Rifle. He was a track degenerate, and is probably still betting the nags somewhere.
He probably mentions the Jockey in there too. His name was Norman Howard, and he got kicked off the track for cheating and became a decent little hustler.

That's about it for me.

BillPorter · Apr 27, 2006

Georgie Slim - Maybe the same one, I'll check the book

rackmsuckr said:
I just started reading a book last night entitled How to Get By Without Working, A Hustler's Memoirs by Peter Linhard.

It was published in 1983 and reprinted again in 1991. It is highly entertaining and he grew up watching players like Mosconi, Caras and Crane.

He also mentions going on the road with our friend, Monk (not the one who writes the books) and gambling with Weanie Beanie.

In just the first 25 pages, he mentions players with names like Sausage, Wingy, The Sarge, L.D. Gobbin, Miami, P.J., Nicky Vatciano, Fitzgerald, Herbie Merrell, Cuban Joe, Harry Norris, the Springfield Rifle, Rhalahan, Joe Russo, Country, Fifth Avenue Red, The Touchdown Twins - Nicky and Tom, One Hundred Ball Blackie, Landy, Georgia Slim, and Madigan.

He also chronicles his start in pool related to his family being forced to give up all their money to the Gestapo for Hitler's birthday and his outlook on life -"What's the use of having money?"

I recommend this book if you can find it and I wanted to know if any old-timers here know of any players he mentions, excluding Monk and Weanie Beanie.

I heard he died last year, in another thread here. RIP, Peter Rabbit.

Jay, I knew Georgia Slim (Robert Clayton Burrell) pretty well. Took a trip or two with him. But my wife just called me for dinner, so I'll have to do another post later!
(Burp)....Dinner was pretty tasty! I knew Georgia Slim back in the early 1960s in Dallas, TX. He was a regular at Cotton Bowling Palace, a big bowling alley with 12 pool tables. It was a 24/7 place and where all the characters, gamblers, and pool players gravitated to when the bars closed down. Others who were in that locale at that time and who knew Slim include Bill Stroud (who was 19-20 at that time and just becoming known as the best 9-ball player in Dallas) and Alfie Taylor (also about 19 and who was a road player for a while before becoming an oriental rug merchant). A rather notorious character who was around Cotton Palace a lot in those days was Jack Ruby (who shot straighter with a pistol than with a pool cue).

ajrack · Apr 27, 2006

The "Springfield Rifle" was > Jim Rehilhan... got married in Vegas and was running a company selling venitian blinds about 15-20 years ago.
When the " Rabbit" was playing someoone he liked to sing or hum..."Wish I were a rich man" when he was going up to shoot. Pretty solid one pocket player.

rackmsuckr · Apr 27, 2006

jay helfert said:
I believe Peter "Rabbit" Linhard died a couple of years ago. He was a well known Philly area hustler. One Hundred Ball Blackie was Blackie Lesieur, out of St. Louis. Another good hustler. The Sarge was a high rolling gambler who became more famous as a poker player. There was also an Air Force Sergeant who played good that they called Sarge. Nicky Vacchiano was a top speed Philly hustler, who made zillions at pool and poker. Joe Russo was a Pennsylvania 14.1 player (a top player) who invented the interlocking bridge. He may be still alive.

Cuban Joe Valdez was a pool hustler from Cuba who won and lost fortunes. In failing health today in Los Angeles. Miami was Little Miami, one of the best one handed players ever. From Puerto Rico, he stood about 5' tall, and also may still be alive. Jim Relihan was a top speed 14.1 player out of Springfield, Mass. He was also known as the Springfield Rifle. He was a track degenerate, and is probably still betting the nags somewhere.
He probably mentions the Jockey in there too. His name was Norman Howard, and he got kicked off the track for cheating and became a decent little hustler.

That's about it for me.

To all, thanks for all your feedback. Jay, when are you going to write your own book??

sjm · Apr 27, 2006

I played against Peter Rabbit at Mike Fusco's room on the outskirts of Philadelphia when I was a student at University of Pennsylvania in the late 1970's. Quirky fellow, but one hell of a player. I remember he beat me easily playing a game of straight pool. He always looked a bit burned out to me, even then, but his high playing IQ was obvious I didn't run into him again until I attended a torunament at Petey Fusco's room in Feasterville in 1997. I mentioned our game, but he didn't remember it or me. Still, he was friendly and we had a short chat. This is the first I've heard of his passing.

Scott Lee · Apr 27, 2006

BillPorter said:
Jay, I knew Georgia Slim (Robert Clayton Burrell) pretty well. Took a trip or two with him. But my wife just called me for dinner, so I'll have to do another post later!
(Burp)....Dinner was pretty tasty! I knew Georgia Slim back in the early 1960s in Dallas, TX. He was a regular at Cotton Bowling Palace, a big bowling alley with 12 pool tables. It was a 24/7 place and where all the characters, gamblers, and pool players gravitated to when the bars closed down. Others who were in that locale at that time and who knew Slim include Bill Stroud (who was 19-20 at that time and just becoming known as the best 9-ball player in Dallas) and Alfie Taylor (also about 19 and who was a road player for a while before becoming an oriental rug merchant). A rather notorious character who was around Cotton Palace a lot in those days was Jack Ruby (who shot straighter with a pistol than with a pool cue).

Bill...Did you ever see Jack White in Dallas? He also used to hang out at the Cotton Bowl, on Lemmon Ave, when he was hustling in Texas. He tells a story about playing Georgia Slim, and a time when Slim tried to hustle him, but ended up getting hustled himself...a very hilarious story, that I am lucky enough to have recorded on audio tape.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

rackmsuckr · Apr 27, 2006

sjm said:
I played against Peter Rabbit at Mike Fusco's room on the outskirts of Philadelphia when I was a student at University of Pennsylvania in the late 1970's. Quirky fellow, but one hell of a player. I remember he beat me easily playing a game of straight pool. He always looked a bit burned out to me, even then, but his high playing IQ was obvious I didn't run into him again until I attended a torunament at Petey Fusco's room in Feasterville in 1997. I mentioned our game, but he didn't remember it or me. Still, he was friendly and we had a short chat. This is the first I've heard of his passing.

Barbara and SJM, this is where I read it:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=21713&highlight=Peter+Linhard

BillPorter · Apr 27, 2006

Yes, I saw Jack White at Cotton Bowling Palace, but not often

Scott Lee said:
Bill...Did you ever see Jack White in Dallas? He also used to hang out at the Cotton Bowl, on Lemmon Ave, when he was hustling in Texas. He tells a story about playing Georgia Slim, and a time when Slim tried to hustle him, but ended up getting hustled himself...a very hilarious story, that I am lucky enough to have recorded on audio tape.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Scott, I remember seeing Jack White a time or two at Cotton Palace. I seem to recall watching him do a coin trick of all things. Wasn't he a mentor of yours? Ever think about converting your audio tape to digital audio so that it might be put on a CD? I'd like to hear it sometime. Danny Janes is supposed to be sending me an old VHS tape of Eddie Taylor and Alfie Taylor talking about old times. Can't wait to watch it. If the quality of the copy is good enough, I'll put it on a DVD. Alfie and I used to hang around together 40+ years ago, but we lost touch. Just yesterday I emailed him and in his reply he told a story about his last night at Cotton Palace that was so funny it had me laughing out loud.

Scott Lee · Apr 27, 2006

BillPorter said:
Scott, I remember seeing Jack White a time or two at Cotton Palace. I seem to recall watching him do a coin trick of all things. Wasn't he a mentor of yours? Ever think about converting your audio tape to digital audio so that it might be put on a CD? I'd like to hear it sometime.

Bill...Yes, Jack White was one of my mentors. I took over his trick shot tour in 1995. Jack was a fair magician too, including coin tricks, card tricks, and many others! He has THE best 'french drop' I have ever seen...and I've seen all the top magicians. LOL He would do the drop with his diamond pinkie ring at every show, and if you could pick which hand it was in, you'd get the ring. I saw him do that at least 200x, and no matter WHICH hand you chose, it was always in the other one! LMAO I plan to do just that, with those tapes, and include them as a part of the instructional book/DVD that I am producing. The tapes will be called, "Conversations with Jack White...the greatest hustler you never heard of!" LOL

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

BillPorter · Apr 27, 2006

Converting audio tapes to digital audio files

Scott Lee said:
Bill...Yes, Jack White was one of my mentors. I took over his trick shot tour in 1995. Jack was a fair magician too, including coin tricks, card tricks, and many others! He has THE best 'french drop' I have ever seen...and I've seen all the top magicians. LOL He would do the drop with his diamond pinkie ring at every show, and if you could pick which hand it was in, you'd get the ring. I saw him do that at least 200x, and no matter WHICH hand you chose, it was always in the other one! LMAO I plan to do just that, with those tapes, and include them as a part of the instructional book/DVD that I am producing. The tapes will be called, "Conversations with Jack White...the greatest hustler you never heard of!" LOL

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Scott, if you have any trouble converting the tapes to digital audio files, let me know. I'd be glad to help you out. I just finished converting about five hours of old taped interviews to MP3 files.

Barbara · Apr 27, 2006

rackmsuckr said:
Barbara and SJM, this is where I read it:

http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=21713&highlight=Peter+Linhard

Thanks for the link. I saw over at onepocket.org that he had passed. Such a shame. He always said hi to me when I used to frequent Tacony.

And he always had some type of proposition game going! He was the King Of Proposition games.

Barbara

freddy the beard · Apr 28, 2006

The Rabbit

"If it looks like a rabbit, talks like a rabbit, and shoots like a rabbit, it's
Peter Rabbit."

Here is another excerpt from my upcoming book, The GosPool, According To The Beard:

....Bobby Strauss was also party to a tremendous reversal of fortune when he played Peter "Rabbit" Linhardt of Philadelphia at the Congress Bowl in North Miami, FL. They were playing, even-up best 2 out of 3 One Pocket, for $200 dollars a set. Rabbit, as usual, was getting staked to play and was strumming Strauss. Rabbit won the first 18 out of 19 games played, and was 9 sets and $1800 ahead. It was now about 6 am, and Rabbit's backer had to go to work, so he split up the money, giving Peter his share, $900. Rabbit wanted to quit and go home, but how could he justify quitting when he had only lost 1 game out of the last 19? The outcome was predictable. Rabbit, now betting his own money, lost 10 games in a row and the $900. He went so far as to stiff Strauss for the last $100 of the last bet. Strauss was justifiably upset. He had broke the Rabbit, but he was still stuck $900 and would now have to pay the time, since the Rabbit was empty. When asked how he could have possibly dogged it that bad betting his own money, Peter replied candidly, "I just feel naked without a backer."

the Beard

X Breaker · Apr 28, 2006

freddy the beard said:
"If it looks like a rabbit, talks like a rabbit, and shoots like a rabbit, it's
Peter Rabbit."

Here is another excerpt from my upcoming book, The GosPool, According To The Beard:

....Bobby Strauss was also party to a tremendous reversal of fortune when he played Peter "Rabbit" Linhardt of Philadelphia at the Congress Bowl in North Miami, FL. They were playing, even-up best 2 out of 3 One Pocket, for $200 dollars a set. Rabbit, as usual, was getting staked to play and was strumming Strauss. Rabbit won the first 18 out of 19 games played, and was 9 sets and $1800 ahead. It was now about 6 am, and Rabbit's backer had to go to work, so he split up the money, giving Peter his share, $900. Rabbit wanted to quit and go home, but how could he justify quitting when he had only lost 1 game out of the last 19? The outcome was predictable. Rabbit, now betting his own money, lost 10 games in a row and the $900. He went so far as to stiff Strauss for the last $100 of the last bet. Strauss was justifiably upset. He had broke the Rabbit, but he was still stuck $900 and would now have to pay the time, since the Rabbit was empty. When asked how he could have possibly dogged it that bad betting his own money, Peter replied candidly, "I just feel naked without a backer."

the Beard

Can't wait to read your book, Freddy.

BillPorter · Apr 28, 2006

I agree that this book is worth a read

rackmsuckr said:
I recommend this book if you can find it and I wanted to know if any old-timers here know of any players he mentions, excluding Monk and Weanie Beanie.

I heard he died last year, in another thread here. RIP, Peter Rabbit.

This is a slender little book (77 pages) that will take only a couple of hours to read. Some good pool stories here, and Peter Rabbit was certainly one of the interesting characters in the world of pool. I just read the book after seeing this post and found that reading about Peter's life saddened me somewhat, especially toward the end of the book. He tells of having so little to show for his life as a pool player. One small trophy for coming in second in a one-pocket tournament (Mike Sigel came from the losers' side and beat him two sets in the double-elimination format to win the tournament). You get the feeling that even if Peter had caught a lucky break somewhere along the line, he would have found a way to mess it up. When he won big, the race track ended up with the money. I guess what's most sad to me about this life story is that the pattern you see in Peter's life is so common among people in the world of pool.

Hey, don't get me wrong here, I'm still recommending the book as worth a read!

jay helfert · Apr 28, 2006

freddy the beard said:
"If it looks like a rabbit, talks like a rabbit, and shoots like a rabbit, it's
Peter Rabbit."

Here is another excerpt from my upcoming book, The GosPool, According To The Beard:

....Bobby Strauss was also party to a tremendous reversal of fortune when he played Peter "Rabbit" Linhardt of Philadelphia at the Congress Bowl in North Miami, FL. They were playing, even-up best 2 out of 3 One Pocket, for $200 dollars a set. Rabbit, as usual, was getting staked to play and was strumming Strauss. Rabbit won the first 18 out of 19 games played, and was 9 sets and $1800 ahead. It was now about 6 am, and Rabbit's backer had to go to work, so he split up the money, giving Peter his share, $900. Rabbit wanted to quit and go home, but how could he justify quitting when he had only lost 1 game out of the last 19? The outcome was predictable. Rabbit, now betting his own money, lost 10 games in a row and the $900. He went so far as to stiff Strauss for the last $100 of the last bet. Strauss was justifiably upset. He had broke the Rabbit, but he was still stuck $900 and would now have to pay the time, since the Rabbit was empty. When asked how he could have possibly dogged it that bad betting his own money, Peter replied candidly, "I just feel naked without a backer."

the Beard

Freddie,

That last line is one of the funniest I've ever heard. I always tell people the funniest things I've ever seen or heard have been in poolrooms. Funnier than any comedian, ever. And you know what I mean.

jay helfert · Apr 28, 2006

BillPorter said:
This is a slender little book (77 pages) that will take only a couple of hours to read. Some good pool stories here, and Peter Rabbit was certainly one of the interesting characters in the world of pool. I just read the book after seeing this post and found that reading about Peter's life saddened me somewhat, especially toward the end of the book. He tells of having so little to show for his life as a pool player. One small trophy for coming in second in a one-pocket tournament (Mike Sigel came from the losers' side and beat him two sets in the double-elimination format to win the tournament). You get the feeling that even if Peter had caught a lucky break somewhere along the line, he would have found a way to mess it up. When he won big, the race track ended up with the money. I guess what's most sad to me about this life story is that the pattern you see in Peter's life is so common among people in the world of pool.

Hey, don't get me wrong here, I'm still recommending the book as worth a read!

And he happened to be a very intelligent man. Funny, insightful and articulate. Of course, like you say there are more than a few like him hanging around in pool halls. Maybe I should add lazy to that list. Some people are just allergic to work (and a job).

frankncali · Apr 28, 2006

Scott Lee said:
Bill...Yes, Jack White was one of my mentors. I took over his trick shot tour in 1995. Jack was a fair magician too, including coin tricks, card tricks, and many others! He has THE best 'french drop' I have ever seen...and I've seen all the top magicians. LOL He would do the drop with his diamond pinkie ring at every show, and if you could pick which hand it was in, you'd get the ring. I saw him do that at least 200x, and no matter WHICH hand you chose, it was always in the other one! LMAO I plan to do just that, with those tapes, and include them as a part of the instructional book/DVD that I am producing. The tapes will be called, "Conversations with Jack White...the greatest hustler you never heard of!" LOL

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

Scott

How long until the release? Put me down for one.
Is Jack doing okay. I was sorry to hear about Mollie.

A conversation with Jack would be a little one sided

That guy could tell a story or a hundred

Peter Linhard (Peter Rabbit) book

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