9 Ball road player 1970s-90’s

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Speedwagon13

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I’m not sure if anyone in the Kansas Colorado Oklahoma and elsewhere but Jim Buss, played out of McPherson/Hutchinson/Wichita, has passed away May 26, 2026. He had just celebrated his 79th birthday the preceding Friday.
Jimmy and his brother Bill often combined where they wanted to travel to with the question Are there any good players around that want to put money on the table? Jim has told me countless stories. Crazy stories lol. He often said he didn’t know if he was hitchhiking to the next game or riding in a limo. And how rough it could be to have to fight to get his opponent to pay up. He worked as a bouncer for 35 years so he was very confident that he could back up his game. I especially liked the stories of where he played. From Papa Burks Steakhouse in Wichita were some really interesting stories. Also playing out of Bobby Well’s house-the wagers got large! Greg Matlock caught a game at Bobby’s that was more money than the tournament he was currently in lol! He played out of Vick’s in Hutchinson as well as the Cowboy Casino. Back in the day it was the largest nightclub in the area. Jim booked the entertainment there as well. A lot of people didn’t ever know what an accomplished musician he was as well. He would make money doing studio work and that took him on some travels as well. His most favorite player of the times was Buddy Hall. They never matched up because neither of them wanted to lose to the other. They respected each other’s game too much to sour it. Jim, in the 20 years we were married, did everything he could to pass on his knowledge and while I’ve improved drastically I knew I’d never have his skills. He developed those skills early in life playing at the local YMCA. There was a adjustable height stool on rollers that got the kids up so they could actually play. Pretty cool. By the time he was 14 he was at Shorty’s pool hall every chance he got. At 16 he went into a local bar and won so much he had to borrow Bill’s pockets to put it all I ln lmao. I will really miss him but his health had suffered in recent years and at least now he’s not fighting anymore.
Jesslyn Buss
 

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Speedwagon13 said:
I’m not sure if anyone in the Kansas Colorado Oklahoma and elsewhere but Jim Buss, played out of McPherson/Hutchinson/Wichita, has passed away May 26, 2026. He had just celebrated his 79th birthday the preceding Friday.
Jimmy and his brother Bill often combined where they wanted to travel to with the question Are there any good players around that want to put money on the table? Jim has told me countless stories. Crazy stories lol. He often said he didn’t know if he was hitchhiking to the next game or riding in a limo. And how rough it could be to have to fight to get his opponent to pay up. He worked as a bouncer for 35 years so he was very confident that he could back up his game. I especially liked the stories of where he played. From Papa Burks Steakhouse in Wichita were some really interesting stories. Also playing out of Bobby Well’s house-the wagers got large! Greg Matlock caught a game at Bobby’s that was more money than the tournament he was currently in lol! He played out of Vick’s in Hutchinson as well as the Cowboy Casino. Back in the day it was the largest nightclub in the area. Jim booked the entertainment there as well. A lot of people didn’t ever know what an accomplished musician he was as well. He would make money doing studio work and that took him on some travels as well. His most favorite player of the times was Buddy Hall. They never matched up because neither of them wanted to lose to the other. They respected each other’s game too much to sour it. Jim, in the 20 years we were married, did everything he could to pass on his knowledge and while I’ve improved drastically I knew I’d never have his skills. He developed those skills early in life playing at the local YMCA. There was a adjustable height stool on rollers that got the kids up so they could actually play. Pretty cool. By the time he was 14 he was at Shorty’s pool hall every chance he got. At 16 he went into a local bar and won so much he had to borrow Bill’s pockets to put it all I ln lmao. I will really miss him but his health had suffered in recent years and at least now he’s not fighting anymore.
Jesslyn Buss
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Sorry for your loss!
 
I've never met you folks but sadly in to many cases other folks never learn of the colorful characters of years gone by along with their love of the game and the willingness to share his knowledge with others so that maybe they will fell the same admiration for it .

My deepest heart felt condolences to you Jesslyn and you're family and friends !
 
Rusty in Montana said:
I've never met you folks but sadly in to many cases other folks never learn of the colorful characters of years gone by along with their love of the game and the willingness to share his knowledge with others so that maybe they will fell the same admiration for it .

My deepest heart felt condolences to you Jesslyn and you're family and friends !
Click to expand...
I had my own athletic skills such as bowling so I believed in Jimmy when he said he could coach me. And I was quite a bit younger and had that in my favor as well. Because of his absolute skill at playing a rack-he was always laying out his path 3 balls at a time. He had control of the cue ball that his shape rarely failed him. Watching him run a rack was like watching a painting being painted. It just made so much sense. Sadly we hadn’t gotten out much to shoot because of Jim’s health issues. But that picture of him at the table was March 4th. It’s the last pic of him that I have and I’ll treasure it always. The other pic was from 2024.
 
Thanks so much! Do you remember where you heard of Jim? And I will add that he could be quite an a**hole so some memories may not be nice ones lol. But his road days were behind him the 20 years we were married. I just could always see him walking into a bar in Somewhere USA, picking out a house stick and then challenging the gambling table. And leaving with all the money. And music was always with him on the road as well He was quite the guitarist. He’d often hear of a studio needing a guitarist to lay down some tracks and he’d grab a bag and hit the road. Now his road is different but I do believe that he’s in a very good place.
 
tough to remember but sitting near joey spaeth and norm hitchcock at the stardust i remember them talking about a jim buss player. he must of walked by or something. saying he was real tough from the midwest.
that had to of a real been a compliment from them, as no one in the midwest was better than either of them.
 
Thanks so much! Do you remember where you heard of Jim? And I will add that he could be quite an a**hole so some memories may not be nice ones lol. But his road days were behind him the 20 years we were married. I just could always see him walking into a bar in Somewhere USA, picking out a house stick and then challenging the gambling table. And leaving with all the money. And music was always with him on the road as well He was quite the guitarist. He’d often hear of a studio needing a guitarist to lay down some tracks and he’d grab a bag and hit the road. Now his road is different but I do believe that he’s in a very good place.
Black-Balled said:
Is this Jim Buss the cue maker?
Click to expand...
No
 
Speedwagon13 said:
I’m not sure if anyone in the Kansas Colorado Oklahoma and elsewhere but Jim Buss, played out of McPherson/Hutchinson/Wichita, has passed away May 26, 2026. He had just celebrated his 79th birthday the preceding Friday.
Jimmy and his brother Bill often combined where they wanted to travel to with the question Are there any good players around that want to put money on the table? Jim has told me countless stories. Crazy stories lol. He often said he didn’t know if he was hitchhiking to the next game or riding in a limo. And how rough it could be to have to fight to get his opponent to pay up. He worked as a bouncer for 35 years so he was very confident that he could back up his game. I especially liked the stories of where he played. From Papa Burks Steakhouse in Wichita were some really interesting stories. Also playing out of Bobby Well’s house-the wagers got large! Greg Matlock caught a game at Bobby’s that was more money than the tournament he was currently in lol! He played out of Vick’s in Hutchinson as well as the Cowboy Casino. Back in the day it was the largest nightclub in the area. Jim booked the entertainment there as well. A lot of people didn’t ever know what an accomplished musician he was as well. He would make money doing studio work and that took him on some travels as well. His most favorite player of the times was Buddy Hall. They never matched up because neither of them wanted to lose to the other. They respected each other’s game too much to sour it. Jim, in the 20 years we were married, did everything he could to pass on his knowledge and while I’ve improved drastically I knew I’d never have his skills. He developed those skills early in life playing at the local YMCA. There was a adjustable height stool on rollers that got the kids up so they could actually play. Pretty cool. By the time he was 14 he was at Shorty’s pool hall every chance he got. At 16 he went into a local bar and won so much he had to borrow Bill’s pockets to put it all I ln lmao. I will really miss him but his health had suffered in recent years and at least now he’s not fighting anymore.
Jesslyn Buss
Click to expand...
I'm sorry for your loss. I lived in Wichita from 1997-1999 and he looks familiar but I can't be sure.
 
"He would make money doing studio work and that took him on some travels as well. His most favorite player of the times was Buddy Hall. They never matched up because neither of them wanted to lose to the other. They respected each other’s game too much to sour it."

I don't know if you're saying because they were friends, cause Buddy played everyone. I'll have to look through the Rifleman and see if it mentions Jim.
 
maha said:
tough to remember but sitting near joey spaeth and norm hitchcock at the stardust i remember them talking about a jim buss player. he must of walked by or something. saying he was real tough from the midwest.
that had to of a real been a compliment from them, as no one in the midwest was better than either of them.
Click to expand...
Joey nor Norm were best in the midwest. Heck Joey or Norm would have their hands full with Artie Clemens.
 
u12armresl said:
"He would make money doing studio work and that took him on some travels as well. His most favorite player of the times was Buddy Hall. They never matched up because neither of them wanted to lose to the other. They respected each other’s game too much to sour it."

I don't know if you're saying because they were friends, cause Buddy played everyone. I'll have to look through the Rifleman and see if it mentions Jim.
Click to expand...
I’m sure it doesn’t by name. And I didn’t say they were close friends. Buddy would come to Wichita and Jim would watch him shoot and talk with him a bit but they never played.
 
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