OldHasBeen aka Tom Ferry

watchez

What time is it?
Silver Member
Tom Ferry aka AZBilliards user name OldHasBeen proved that he was nothing of the sort. In February 2005, he won his second Missouri State 9 ball tournament - 20 years after he won the title the first time. I think that this was one of his proudest accomplishments in pool.

Tom was an old school hustler back in the 60's, 70's, 80's. Later on in life, he found his family and putting them first, his world on the road ended. He was a close friend to Buddy Hall and Louie Roberts. He was also close to their ability as, although not many ever saw it, played the 8 under them.

Tom, on AZBilliards, was very upfront about his past life and didn't hold anything back. His honesty and unembelishing of old stories is what gained him the most respect on this board. He was one of the most popular posters and people were just waiting in anticipation for him to tell his next story or give his first hand insight on what really pool is about.

Finally, Tom was very instrumental & given credit as having the idea behind the AZBilliards room at the Derby City Classic. Tom enjoyed the 'country club' atmosphere of the pool room and wanted to bring this to the DCC, as a gathering place for forum members.

Not many knew Tom was very ill with inoperatable cancer and he wanted to keep it that way. When he told me I was shocked & tryed to convince him to let his forum followers know so they could say their good byes. Selfish on my part, I suppose, but Tom didn't want any of the fanfare. He told me he respected my thought of this but wanted to go out quietly. Til the end, Tom kept his interest in pool and desire to further the sport he loved. He would send me PMs wanting to make sure I was posting threads promoting local tournaments or action.

I miss Tom, his great play, knowledge and great stories. RIP.

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Kevin Lindstrom

14.1 Addict
Silver Member
Thanks

Rep for you on another great post. Thanks for posting this valuable thread.

RIP to AZBilliards friend Tom.

Kevin
 

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Revitalizer

I didn't know Tom was ill at the time when I first met him. In fact, I didn't know he was Tom Ferry or OldHasBeen. He just appeared one day at the AZ Room at the Derby City Classic one year. Sarah Rousey and I were going to play a friendly set of 9 ball for the AZ Room. We had decided to keep it short and sweet and the wager was $5 and the loser had to sign the bill. The race was maybe 3 or 5 games. Just as we started to play, a voice barked out something about who wants to make a $50 bet on the match and it was a heavy set man I had never laid eyes on before. He was looking directly at me and I took it as an affront and a little steam tried to exit my ears. I knew he was wanting to bet on Sarah and I had never seen Sarah play but this was supposed to be for fun and this guy was trying to drum up some side action with me or anyone else that would bet. I barked back at him, that he and I could play some $50 a game one pocket when I finished the match if he was interested. As anyone knows, I don't try to hustle any AZBers but I didn't like being needled either.

A few days went by and he and I crossed paths in the hallway and he told me that our one pocket games were close (he probably knew he had at least a ball the best of it) :D but I just nodded to him and went on my way. I hung out at the AZ Room and while I might not have liked it, I was steamed and ready to play. We never crossed paths after that and I came back home only to find out later that the heavy set man was none other than one of the more popular pool hustlers from AZ Billiards, OldHasBeen.

Even later when Tom passed away, I learned that he was ill even at the time he was at the Derby City Classic. I wish I would have known about his illness as I might not have bristled so and it would have been good to know the man behind the screen name OldHasBeen.

Tom had some great insights about pool and he was funny too.

My favorite story that Tom told was about him playing for long periods of time and finding ways to refresh himself. He shared one of his secrets in a thread about how to waken not just your feet but to virtually guarantee another few hours of concentrated play. This piqued my interest quickly as I have always had lags in my energy level. Tom carried on with the tale with intimate detail, reveling in his "secret". Perhaps one of the AZB sleuths will surely located the thread and post a link to it. I could never do the post or thread the justice it deserves.

R.I.P. TOM FERRY

JoeyA
 

watchez

What time is it?
Silver Member
Buddy Said in 2004;
"It is amazing how many players Tom defeated and never got a reputation".
Tom was The Real Deal; He was All About The HUSTLE & THE CASH"!
"I'll never forget that 1st Road Trip"!
Signed - Buddy Hall

The reason Buddy endorsed the poster is because Everyone knows of St. Louie, Louie - BUT - No one really ever heard that much about me - That was the whole idea and truthfully, I never played as well as Louie OR Buddy - But then again, I never had to.

TY & GL

Here is a great endorsement of Tom.

Joey - if he said that your one pocket games were close, he meant that you needed 10-7. :grin:
 

1on1pooltournys

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tom was a nice guy. I got to know him well at the end of his life, and he even would request to be a silent partner in some games. LOL it made me chuckle, because he still had that hustler in him!!;)
 

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Here is a great endorsement of Tom.

Joey - if he said that your one pocket games were close, he meant that you needed 10-7. :grin:

I figured as much but I guess in his later years Tom took pity on me with my nose wide open and let me slide. :D
JoeyA
 

Hal

Beer Player
Silver Member
This one of OldHasBeen's most memorable posts. He was definitely a character. I would loved to have met him.

OldHasBeen said:
Waaaaaaay Back in the early '60's (hippy days) I used to play all the time in bare feet. I loved it. There was something about it that made me more energetic and quick. During long sessions back then, I would take a break and wash my face, hands and put my foot (one at a time) into the toilet and flush. It was very refreshing and I could play for hours that way.
Way later in life, I told Louie about this because he sometimes would be playing for days on end. After a couple of days (in the same shoes and socks), there could be an odor. He liked the idea so much that he started doing it even when only playing for 6 or 8 hours.
Now I just wear NB walking shoes - and not for long.

TY & GL
 

Hal

Beer Player
Silver Member
Here is the one Koop mentioned.

THE BEST TIPS ARE - (IMHO)

The VERY BEST tip comes from a 2.3 ton Rhino. I like to use the fore-skin (leather) from a recently circumcised male Rhino.
It is the VERY BEST tip material for cues - BUT - they are very expensive.
The leather from this circumcised Rhino isn't that costly to make - BUT - the African Natives that harvest them want to charge a fortune.
I do have 3 that I can let go of - BUT - I would have to charge you $2,600 apiece because the tribe that has been getting them for me is running short on them.
Not the Rhinos - The Natives!

TY & GL
 

JoeyA

Efren's Mini-Tourn BACKER
Silver Member
Here is the one Koop mentioned.

Originally Posted by OldHasBeen
THE BEST TIPS ARE - (IMHO)

The VERY BEST tip comes from a 2.3 ton Rhino. I like to use the fore-skin (leather) from a recently circumcised male Rhino.
It is the VERY BEST tip material for cues - BUT - they are very expensive.
The leather from this circumcised Rhino isn't that costly to make - BUT - the African Natives that harvest them want to charge a fortune.
I do have 3 that I can let go of - BUT - I would have to charge you $2,600 apiece because the tribe that has been getting them for me is running short on them.
Not the Rhinos - The Natives!

TY & GL

---------------------
I didn't remember reading this one. Thanks for posting it Hal. It made me laugh out loud.
JoeyA
 

Sam Waltz

My way...
Silver Member
Regret

I don't have many regrets in my life, but one involved Mr. Ferry.

I played him in a Midwest 9-Ball Tour stop up in Cahokia, Ill just outside of St. Louis a little while after he had won the Missouri State 9-Ball title in 2005. Fortunately, I hadn't looked at the board or asked anyone who he was prior to our match. I ended up winning that match on the bar table, but I know if I had known the legend that he was I probably wouldn't have made a ball! I regret having someone of his stature that accessible to me and never gaining more out of it than one race to 7 on a bar box! I could have learned so much from him and would have greatly appreciated his knowledge and experience had we become friends. After hearing more about him after he passed away I'm sure his friends were many and I wish I could have been one of them.

Farewell to another true legend in our game...



Those who came before us shall lead the way to our future...so pay attention when in the presence of greatness!
 
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ironman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't have many regrets in my life, but one involved Mr. Ferry.

I played him in a Midwest 9-Ball Tour stop up in Cahokia, Ill just outside of St. Louis a little while after he had won the Missouri State 9-Ball title in 2005. Fortunately, I hadn't looked at the board or asked anyone who he was prior to our match. I ended up winning that match on the bar table, but I know if I had known the legend that he was I probably wouldn't have made a ball! I regret having someone of his stature that accessible to me and never gaining more out of it than one race to 7 on a bar box! I could have learned so much from him and would have greatly appreciated his knowledge and experience had we become friends. After hearing more about him after he passed away I'm sure his friends were many and I wish I could have been one of them.

Farewell to another true legend in our game...



Those who came before us shall lead the way to our future...so pay attention when in the presence of greatness!

Tom was a good guy and also wrote a lenghty and emotional peice about Loue Roberts. he and Loiue were very tight and Tom could get very defensive about his old friend. I wish I could find that because it ws gut wrenching to read. i think Freddy would remember it well. It was obvious it came from deep inside the man. I know Louie had a twinkle when he looked down and saw it realized what friend he had in Tom.
i met tome in the early 80"s in Wichita Kansas. I fancied myself a pretty fair bar table player at that time and had beaten a couple of guys recently.
Tom got his line on me quickly and then went to work on me. He was relentless. I knew I was going to play, but I staled wanting to sleep some first.
When I returned ready to go, he left to sleep. I got into a game with some cocon8ut and won a few hundred and we then went to another bar. By the time I got back i was almost pasted and there was Tom . i started woofing and he jumped up. I jumped from the frying pan directly into the fire.
We battled a long time and finally because i was so wired, ot even and quit.
his story about the comode near sucking his toes off nearly killed me. I swtill laugh about it>
 
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