If you could travel back in time, where would you travel to, and why?

If you could travel back in time, even just for a day, a week, a month, or a year, to any era in pools history of the game, and to any specific pool room, where would you want to travel to, and why?

For me, I would wish to travel back to the early to mid 80's, and see Keith McCready in his prime.

I do not know where specifically he is from, or if he had a specific pool room that he often frequented, but that is where I would love to travel back to, and to visit the pool room that he frequented most often.

He was such a great character, and a great player.

Would still love to meet him, and maybe even have a chance to shoot with him someday.
 

DecentShot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'd travel to seattle in the 80's and ask this guy Bill if he likes to shoot pool and wants to be my friend, and find out if he has any investment opportunities.
 

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1965- any NYC area room with good action players coming in and out for some 14.1 and rotation. I was just a little too young- 12- and even though I was playing on our home table then; my older brothers got to actually experience that great pool window after the Hustler movie and before the Vietnam war decimated pool hall regulars who were in the 17 to 24 year old range. By the time i was 18 in 1971 many of the rooms were already closing- by 1975 very few survived. Glad I stayed with the game though, and got to enjoy the post Color of Money boom in the late 80s and though the 90s- really enjoyed seeing all the new rooms open; even though most have closed again by now- sadly!
 

trinacria

in efren we trust
Silver Member
In the history of mankind, american life today for the common man is as good as its ever been. Enjoy it.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
I'd go back to 1970 and watch Steve Mizerak winning his first of four consecutive US Open 14.1 titles.

I'd also like to go back to the 1930's and watch Ralph Greenleaf playing in his prime.
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Johnston City. Pick a year, i don't care. Hell, how 'bout being at all of the JC jamborees.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
Johnston City. Pick a year, i don't care. Hell, how 'bout being at all of the JC jamborees.

That's what I was thinking too. ALL the top players and hustlers were there! Not even The Rack had so many players at one time, although the biggest games ever were being played at The Rack (How about 10K a game 9-Ball in the early 70's, I saw it!). 10K a game One Pocket was an every day occurrence. A small game was for a thousand a pop. If you wanted to side bet you had to bet at least 500 a game! I had 5,000 in my pocket and never made a bet. I was too intimidated. :eek:

JC was like a three ring circus every day! Great tournament matches and then action in the back room all night, with just about everybody working angles and trying to make a game. It was both funny (these guys could really make me laugh) and exciting at the same time. Can you imagine Fats, Jersey Red, Cornbread, Beenie, Omaha Fats, Ervolino, Ed Kelly, Blackie, Shorty, Hubert Cokes, Cuban Joe, The Jockey, Grady, Ronnie and Richie from Cali, Richie Ambrose, Benny Conway, Danny Jones, Diliberto all in the same room at the same time? I never had so much fun just watching guys talk! And it went on like that for three weeks.

The longest I ever stayed was maybe ten or twelve days and even then I had to find a ride back home to Dayton. One time I caught a ride with Danny D. and Cornbread. I was just a dumb kid that Danny felt sorry for because I was stuck and had no way home. For once in my life I was like a bump on a log in the back seat, never opening my mouth. I listened to them gab about making games, who to play and good spots to exploit. I got an education that trip!

P.S. I want to add this. Danny looked out for me all the time I was out there trying to hustle up games. I went to some rough spots (where the action was) by myself and a couple of times guys gave me a hard time. Danny had a rep for being triple tough and no one wanted to mess with him either (he was maybe 5'9 and 160 pounds dripping wet). He would cool things out for me and make sure I got paid when I won and wouldn't let anyone cheat me. I will always love him for that. I returned the favor years later when he had medical issues that required surgery.
 
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WildWing

Super Gun Mod
Silver Member
I'd travel back to Oxon Hill High school, Maryland, in 1967 to watch Luther Lassiter play Eddie Taylor in straight pool, an exhibition. That's what got me into playing pool. Organized by Red Jones.

But then, I'd travel back and watch Mosconi's 526, and Cranfield's 768, just for the history of it.

All the best,
WW
 

PickPocket

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What I wanna know: When is THIS movie coming out?!

That's what I was thinking too. ALL the top players and hustlers were there! Not even The Rack had so many players at one time, although the biggest games ever were being played at The Rack (How about 10K a game 9-Ball in the early 70's, I saw it!). 10K a game One Pocket was an every day occurrence. A small game was for a thousand a pop. If you wanted to side bet you had to bet at least 500 a game! I had 5,000 in my pocket and never made a bet. I was too intimidated. :eek:

JC was like a three ring circus every day! Great tournament matches and then action in the back room all night, with just about everybody working angles and trying to make a game. It was both funny (these guys could really make me laugh) and exciting at the same time. Can you imagine Fats, Jersey Red, Cornbread, Beenie, Omaha Fats, Ervolino, Ed Kelly, Blackie, Shorty, Hubert Cokes, Cuban Joe, The Jockey, Grady, Ronnie and Richie from Cali, Richie Ambrose, Benny Conway, Danny Jones, Diliberto all in the same room at the same time? I never had so much fun just watching guys talk! And it went on like that for three weeks.

The longest I ever stayed was maybe ten or twelve days and even then I had to find a ride back home to Dayton. One time I caught a ride with Danny D. and Cornbread. I was just a dumb kid that Danny felt sorry for because I was stuck and had no way home. For once in my life I was like a bump on a log in the back seat, never opening my mouth. I listened to them gab about making games, who to play and good spots to exploit. I got an education that trip!

P.S. I want to add this. Danny looked out for me all the time I was out there trying to hustle up games. I went to some rough spots (where the action was) by myself and a couple of times guys gave me a hard time. Danny had a rep for being triple tough and no one wanted to mess with him either (he was maybe 5'9 and 160 pounds dripping wet). He would cool things out for me and make sure I got paid when I won and wouldn't let anyone cheat me. I will always love him for that. I returned the favor years later when he had medical issues that required surgery.

I'd like to see this also, someone should do a retro-semi historical movie that is all about these players & the Johnson City Hustlers Jamboree.
 

CocoboloCowboy

Cowboys are my hero's
Silver Member
I would like to travel to 1870 Post Civil War in the USA, be out West in Virginia City, Neveda during the mining boom. Would be intresting.
 

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'd travel back to a time before they had leather tips on cues and I'd bring my Becue and some chalk with me.

I'D BE THE POOL GOD!
 
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GoldCrown

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Back to the 60’s. Phila. Burholme for .50 an hour. Blvd pool room. But mainly the Cue and Cushion on Cottman ave Roosevelt Mall. House men Walt and Charlie had character. The room was upscale. Also it was the era of Fusco and Harry Petros.
Edit: would like to have watched Tom Wirth play 1p in his prime.
 
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couldnthinkof01

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I wouldn't mind going to some sweat
soaked Phillipenes pool room in the early 70s
to watch a young Efren slicing in balls
for his lunch.
 

Maniac

2manyQ's
Silver Member
1966, to a pool hall in Springfield, Illinois. On a trip to Pennsylvania to visit family, we stopped there and my dad introduced me to the game of pool.

I'd like to go back in time to that old, musty-smelling room playing again with Pop. :angel2:

A great road trip that is forever etched into my memory bank.

Maniac
 
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