Alaskan Oil Pipeline $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Paul Schofield]

What year were those prices Paul? Johnnyt

Those would be 1976 prices in 2012 dollars.

I drove that Alcan both ways. When I was done, my van needed 4 new tires, shocks all the way around, a new exhaust system, a new windshield, and new light lenses. That drive was tough on a vehicle, especially the road between Fort Saint Johns and Whitehorse.

 

[Johnnyt]

Those would be 1976 prices in 2012 dollars.

I drove that Alcan both ways. When I was done, my van needed 4 new tires, shocks all the way around, a new exhaust system, a new windshield, and new light lenses. That drive was tough on a vehicle, especially the road between Fort Saint Johns and Whitehorse.

I know what you mean. Two of us drove up to Fairbanks from Detroit in his 1960 or 61 Dodge Charger. I believe it was the Charger. Only 300 were made of that year. I know it just about flew and passed everything but a gas station. We drove like race car drivers and almost joined the 1000's of people in thier cars and trucks 100's of foot down below. The time I almost went over I was only inches from going over when I finally got it to stop. I flew the next two times I went up and back. Johnnyt

 

[Paul Schofield]

I walked into one of the many bars in Fairbanks at 10:00 in the morning. There was only the bartender and a pool player banging balls on a bar box. I asked him to play and in an hours time he was empty. He complained that he had just arrived up there and it was his bad luck to run into another player. He was stressed and felt foolish for going off.

Twenty minutes passed and he approached me with a proposition: “You busted me. How about you help me get live? We both can make money.”

I asked him what he had in mind. He said: “Let me show you something.” He pulled out four quarters out of his pocket. He stood about 10-12 feet away from the spot on the pool table. He then proceeded to toss the quarters to the spot. He landed all of them within an inch of the spot! I tried it and bounced the quarters right off the table.

He said “I will teach you how to toss the quarters so you can keep the coins on the table and be relatively close to the spot. We can stage an ongoing $20 closest to the spot proposition. We will be partners. Stragglers wander in and will want to know what we are doing and will want to play too. If you don’t make the winner, I will lay one in tight.”

I gave him some money. We left the bar separately and strolled over to the Polaris. After five minutes of playing $20 closest to the spot, a worker off the slopes came over and asked what we were doing and asked if he could get in. It grew from there. Four, five, six and more guys jumped in and it went on all day and into the night as many strangers jumped in and out.

If my toss was not good enough to win the cash, my new found partner would just land one on the spot!

This is just one of my experiences near the Arctic Circle.

 

[Mark Griffin]

Alaskan Pipeline$$$$$$$$$$$

Sorry Mark. I thought you were a room owner in the early 80s.
.

Paul - I owned my first room in 1969. Had another room the next year.
I also ran a couple of rooms since around 1967 or so.

I used to see $100 3-ball games on the 38" x 76" tables ( smaller than 7' tables). Sometimes 5-6 guys and last for hours.

Markg

 

[Mark Griffin]

Alaskan pipeline$$$$$$

I drove the Alcan many times. The asphalt stoped about 40 miles outside of Dawson City.

That was still 1,300 miles or so from Anchorage. The road was gravel - very dusty - and washboard.

The options were to drive under 25 or to find that perfect speed where you would 'glide' over the tops of the bumps. Usually around 55 or so.

Kinda dangerous on the curves because you did not have good tire contact with the road and would slide around a lot.

Aaaahhhh- the good old days! Anybody remember stopping at Laird Hot Springs?

Mark Griffin

 

[Paul Schofield]

I drove the Alcan many times. The asphalt stoped about 40 miles outside of Dawson City.

That was still 1,300 miles or so from Anchorage. The road was gravel - very dusty - and washboard.

The options were to drive under 25 or to find that perfect speed where you would 'glide' over the tops of the bumps. Usually around 55 or so.

Kinda dangerous on the curves because you did not have good tire contact with the road and would slide around a lot.

Aaaahhhh- the good old days! Anybody remember stopping at Laird Hot Springs?

Mark Griffin

I was in Anchorage playing Nine-Ball in some guy's garage. I had action with the player and a half dozen rail birds. I was right up on the table on all fours shooting the 9 when all of a sudden the table began to shake. Bottles began to rattle. The railbirds flew outside. I was left alone with my money ball and everything vibrating around me. I was trying to figure out what was going on.

Mark, tell us where you were when the big one hit in 64.

 

[scratchs]

Any players out there that worked this beat back in the early seventies? I had a gal that wanted to go and hook while I played, that's not me. But there were some that did, kinda like the Dakota Oil boom town goin' on as we type. Lot$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ of ''fun ne mon knee'' goin on up there I'm sure.

early 70s..I was to young..my best friends dad worked up there for years..then he bought a bar in northern Idaho..played lots of pool in there..
My son-law works in the oil fields there in Dakota..flys in for two weeks at a time from
Utah..been doing for a few years..some of his story are a little funky..

 

[Mark Griffin]

Alaskan oil pipeline

Paul,
What kind of table was in the guys garage? Not too many homes ad tables in their garage - especially back then.

Does the name Royce curry ring a bell? Al's known as Tex Curry- played pretty good for lower amounts. Nice long stroke - tall - and shot left handed.

Just thought I would thrown that out there - just in case!


Now - for me. Hard to believe but I was actually playing a game of 8-ball when the 1964 earthquake hit. I was in Wasilla - about 50 miles north of Anchrage (the home of Sarah Palin). When all the shaking was over the balls were laying in 3 clusters - one around each spot (head, center and foot).

Scared the crap out f everybody!

Mark n

I was in Anchorage playing Nine-Ball in some guy's garage. I had action with the player and a half dozen rail birds. I was right up on the table on all fours shooting the 9 when all of a sudden the table began to shake. Bottles began to rattle. The railbirds flew outside. I was left alone with my money ball and everything vibrating around me. I was trying to figure out what was going on.

Mark, tell us where you were when the big one hit in 64.

 

[alphadog]

I walked into one of the many bars in Fairbanks at 10:00 in the morning. There was only the bartender and a pool player banging balls on a bar box. I asked him to play and in an hours time he was empty. He complained that he had just arrived up there and it was his bad luck to run into another player. He was stressed and felt foolish for going off.

Twenty minutes passed and he approached me with a proposition: “You busted me. How about you help me get live? We both can make money.”

I asked him what he had in mind. He said: “Let me show you something.” He pulled out four quarters out of his pocket. He stood about 10-12 feet away from the spot on the pool table. He then proceeded to toss the quarters to the spot. He landed all of them within an inch of the spot! I tried it and bounced the quarters right off the table.

He said “I will teach you how to toss the quarters so you can keep the coins on the table and be relatively close to the spot. We can stage an ongoing $20 closest to the spot proposition. We will be partners. Stragglers wander in and will want to know what we are doing and will want to play too. If you don’t make the winner, I will lay one in tight.”

I gave him some money. We left the bar separately and strolled over to the Polaris. After five minutes of playing $20 closest to the spot, a worker off the slopes came over and asked what we were doing and asked if he could get in. It grew from there. Four, five, six and more guys jumped in and it went on all day and into the night as many strangers jumped in and out.

If my toss was not good enough to win the cash, my new found partner would just land one on the spot!

This is just one of my experiences near the Arctic Circle.

Danny Greer?

 

[alstl]

I lived in Alaska as a kid, my Dad was a construction worker who was working on the Denali highway, a gravel road through the wilderness. My only regret is I wasn't older so I could have been more aware of the experience.


I doubt if anybody on this website has ever been on the Denali highway but if you have, I was there when it was built.

 

[Paul Schofield]

Paul,
What kind of table was in the guys garage? Not too many homes ad tables in their garage - especially back then.

John Duclos (spelling?) had a Gold Crown in his garage. He was a pretty good player. At that time he was working as a dealer in a private high-stakes low-ball poker game. He had a wife named Francis. John was a great guy. I have no idea of his where-abouts or if he is even still alive.

Danny Greer?

As to the name of the expert coin pitcher, I have no idea. I do know that he was from the lower 48.

 

[Mark Griffin]

Well - I have known John since he first came to Anchorage aroun 1965.
I Think you are in the early 70's when he had the GC and lived out around Turpin Avenue area.

He and I were real close and we still talk once in awhile.
He lives around Tri-Cities in Washington - Kennewick area.

Yeah he played real good at one time.
Played in the US Open stright pool in Chicago in mid 70's.
(So did Bill Stock - who works in our office - He also knows John real well).

Francis and John split many years ago. She was a pretty good ole gal!

Ronnie - John's younger brother drove up the Alcan with me with a truck full of pool tables - from Macon Georgia to Anchorage, AK.
What a trip! That was in summer of 1970.

John was mentioned in Bobby Cotton's book.
He was probably the best player in ANchorage for quite a few years.
He won the AK State tournament like 7 years in a row. His best game was 14.1.

Seems like yesterday.
I will PM you his current phone number - he has a good memory and would love to talk to you. John was real funny - he would walk up to a stranger playing pool in Anchorage and say "Hi, I'm John Duclos, Ak state champion. Want to play some?" He was very honorable and a nice guy.

Mark Griffin

 

[Paul Schofield]

Yeah he played real good at one time.
Played in the US Open stright pool in Chicago in mid 70's. He was very honorable and a nice guy.

Mark Griffin

Mark, Check out this Bob Jewett post from years ago on the 1975 U.S. open. I was 21. It is a small world:

The younger participants here might be interested in how 14.1 tournaments used to be organized and the general level of play. I just scanned the 1977 rule book and it has some detailed stats and other info. Here are the 28(?) qualifying tournaments that were held to determine the 32-man field for the men's division in 1975. -- Bob

1975 U.S. OPEN QUALIFYING TOURNAMENTS Men's Division
Aug. 31-Sept. 2, 1974 Labor Day Open, Velvet Rail Billiards, Lansing, Michigan. Winner: Dan Louie.
Oct. 25-27, 1974 Trenton's 1st Regional Pocket Billiard Tournament, Civic Center, Trenton, New Jersey. Winner: Paul Schofield.
Nov. 14-24, 1974 Hi-Cue Qualifier 1, Hi-Cue Billiard Lounge, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Winner: Pete Margo.
December, 1974 Japanese National Championships, Tokyo, Japan. Winner: Masaru Hatani.
Dec. 13-15, 1974 New Jersey State Championship, Hi-Cue Billiard Lounge, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Winner: Allen Hopkins.
Jan. 20-Mar. 15, 1975 Eastern United States Championship, Rack 'em Up Billiards, Richmond Hill, New York. Winner: Ernie Costa.
March 7-9, 1975 Alaska State Championship, Crown Cue, Anchorage, Alaska. Winner: John Duclos.
March 11-14, 1975 American College Unions—International, University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland. Winner: Robert Jewett.
March 29-31, 1975 Missouri State Tournament, Columbia Billiard Center, Columbia, Missouri. Winner: Steve Cook.
April 4-6, 1975 Chicago Open, Corner Pocket Billiards, Chicago, Illinois. Winner: Dallas West.
April 5-6, 1975 BCA's New England Championship, Cue & Billiard Lounge, Salem, Massachusetts. Winner: Roger Boucher.
April 11-13, 1975 1975 BCA Empire State Open, Rack 'em Up, Inc., Richmond Hill, New York. Winner: Steve Mizerak.
April 18-26, 1975 Hi-Q 1975 U.S. Masters Classic, Hi-Q Billiard Lounge, Toledo, Ohio. Winner: Larry Lisciotti.
May 2-4, 1975 — 10th Annual Midwest Open, State & Madison Recreation, Rockford, Illinois. Winner: Lou Butera.
May 2-4, 1975 — Hi-Cue Qualifier 2, Hi-Cue Billiard Lounge, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Winner: Jack Colavita.
May 9-11, 1975 — BCA New England Men's Open, Gold Crown Billiards, New London, Connecticut. Winner: Max Klindtwort.
May 16-18, 1975 — Hall of Fame Billiard Lounge Open, Hall of Fame Billiard Lounge, Lansing, Michigan. Winner: Ray Martin.
May 23-26, 1975 — Billiard News National Open, Cushion ln' Cue, Livonia, Michigan. Winner: Richie Florence.
May 30-June 1, 1975 — Hi-Cue Masters, Hi-Cue Billiard Lounge, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Winner: Ernie Lager.
June 6-8, 1975 — Family Billiards BCA June Open Qualifier, Family Billiards, Scarborough, Maine. Winner: Tom Jennings.
June 7-8, 1975 — German National Championships, Verband Deutschen Billiard, Cologne, Germany. Winner: Udo Moers.
June 14-15, 1975 — Cue & Billiard BCA Open, Cue & Billiard Lounge, Salem, Massachusetts. Winner: Herb Lehmann.
June 18-22, 1975 — California Straight Pool Open, Jointed Cue Billiards, Sacramento, California. Winner: Cisero Murphy.
June 21-22, 1975 — National Junior Championships. Velvet Rail Billiards, Lansing, Michigan. Winner: Mark Beilfuss. Hi-Cue Billiard Lounge, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Winner: Brian Asch. Qualifier: Mark Beilfuss.
June 23-25, 1975 — 4th Annual Mississippi State Championship, Ken's Ball & Cue, Gulfport, Mississippi. Winner: Robert Vanover.
June 27-29, 1975 — BCA's Family Billiards Maine Open, Family Billiards, Scarborough, Maine. Winner: Pat Fleming.
June 27-29, 1975 — Southwest Regional BCA Qualifier, Albert Pick Motor Inn, Houston, Texas. Winner: Richard Lane.
July 4-6, 1976 — Capital City Men's Open, Velvet Rail Billiards, Lansing, Michigan. Winner: Tom Spencer.

 

[michael4]

My dad worked for an oil co and moved us all to Anchorage in 1970. I left and came back to Cali when I was 19 years old (this was 1980), so I was too young and missed the fun times you are talking about....

But I did sneak into the "flying machine" bar a few times for some beers and loud disco music........what can I say :thumbup:

 

[Johnnyt]

After the Good Friday Earthquake in 64 there were many top country singers and tv/movie cowboys that came up to help raise money for people to rebuild. Johnnyt

 

[Paul Schofield]

Anybody who has ever been to Alaska during the summer has got a story about the mosquitos.

I was driving north toward Fairbanks. With about 30 miles to go at 11:00 at night, the sun was moving along the horizon. The sky was red and amber and stayed red and amber. It never did get dark. My wife asked me to pull over so she could go in the weeds. No sooner had she gotten out of the van, in seconds she was screaming in terror and racing to get back in the vehicle. In those few seconds, she was bitten hundreds of times. Her body became one big welt.

As I continued to drive in the endless sunset, I noticed low laying clouds against the horizon. A closer inspection revealed the clouds to be mosquitos!...billions upon billions of them.

I talked to John Duclos (a very good player from the 70's and 80's) the other night. He told me a story of being stranded and having to run with a full backpack for more than 5 miles back to civilization just to keep the mosquito feast to a minimum.

Tell us , Mark. Was there action in Laird Springs BC

You cannot imagine how bad it can be untill you experience it. Keep in mind, this is all about finding some action.

 

[Fast Lenny]

Keep the stories coming, great reading. Thanks. :smile:

 

[Island Drive]

Anybody who has ever been to Alaska during the summer has got a story about the mosquitos.

I was driving north toward Fairbanks. With about 30 miles to go at 11:00 at night, the sun was moving along the horizon. The sky was red and amber and stayed red and amber. It never did get dark. My wife asked me to pull over so she could go in the weeds. No sooner had she gotten out of the van, in seconds she was screaming in terror and racing to get back in the vehicle. In those few seconds, she was bitten hundreds of times. Her body became one big welt.

As I continued to drive in the endless sunset, I noticed low laying clouds against the horizon. A closer inspection revealed the clouds to be mosquitos!...billions upon billions of them.

I talked to John Duclos (a very good player from the 70's and 80's) the other night. He told me a story of being stranded and having to run with a full backpack for more than 5 miles back to civilization just to keep the mosquito feast to a minimum.

Tell us , Mark. Was there action in Laird Springs BC

You cannot imagine how bad it can be untill you experience it. Keep in mind, this is all about finding some action.

Reminds me of my two mth trip thru Mexico with my future wife. Started in So. Cal. thru Baja to Cabo San Lucas. Then on a ship with my boat, trailer, dive gear and girlfriend to the mainland, a twenty three hour ride and we got off at Puerto Vallarta. Once on the mainland your in the Tropics. While on our trip we took a drive down a country hwy that was a major thruway north. We heard about San Blas, and how the surfers from the states were there because of the waves. As we pulled off the main road and headed toward the ocean the sky darkened, as I looked up it was swams, but NOT mosquitos, dragon flies. My thoughts, if there was That many dragon flies, I can imagine how many more smaller flying bugs there must be there, well we found out that night. We're asleep, but had No idea what noseeums were in 1978, we had screens on the windows, didn't help, they flew right thru the holes. We left in the middle of the night and camped along the highway, eventually going back to Ensenada and the Blow hole for our last week of diving. Saved two lives that last week at the Blow hole just outside of ensenada. Weekend warriors going diving when conditions were NOT conducive for that, they were lucky I had my Zodiac and quick thinking, tho I had now been living off the ocean for almost two mths, and developed allot of common sense from my trip and all the diving and snorkeling/gathering I did.

 

[wahcheck]

did I miss the boat

In the mid '70's when I was a young journeyman electrician, my buddy asked me if I wanted to go up to Valdez, where we might get a job on the pipeline....
I thought about it and decided not to....

A little over 4 months later ... he comes back and tells me he made $80,000 gross and came home with $50,000 in his pocket........really made me feel like I missed the boat.......talk about money flying around .........that was another latter day Gold Rush.....but so many stories as you all have told plus probably thousands more..........like the wild west days.....lol

 

[Bill S]

Anybody who has ever been to Alaska during the summer has got a story about the mosquitos.

I was driving north toward Fairbanks. With about 30 miles to go at 11:00 at night, the sun was moving along the horizon. The sky was red and amber and stayed red and amber. It never did get dark. My wife asked me to pull over so she could go in the weeds. No sooner had she gotten out of the van, in seconds she was screaming in terror and racing to get back in the vehicle. In those few seconds, she was bitten hundreds of times. Her body became one big welt.

As I continued to drive in the endless sunset, I noticed low laying clouds against the horizon. A closer inspection revealed the clouds to be mosquitos!...billions upon billions of them.

I talked to John Duclos (a very good player from the 70's and 80's) the other night. He told me a story of being stranded and having to run with a full backpack for more than 5 miles back to civilization just to keep the mosquito feast to a minimum.

Tell us , Mark. Was there action in Laird Springs BC

You cannot imagine how bad it can be untill you experience it. Keep in mind, this is all about finding some action.

John Duclos is a good friend of mine and Mark's. I believe his mosquito story as I have a similar one. I was working on the pipeline in 1972. My job at the particular time was called "fire watch". It was in Franklin Bluffs. I would make sure that all of the fire extinguishers were charged. I know, tough duty! I also went to the landing strip in my pickup truck whenever a plane was coming in. C130's used to land often with supplies. I would park about 100 feet from the landing strip waiting on the plane. I remember one day sitting there and I could hear the C130 coming in for a landing but could not see it because of the dense cloud of mosquito's. That's how thick they were sometimes! If there was a problem and I needed to get out of the truck, they were on their own. No way I was getting out into the mosquito's.

Bill Stock