Allen Hopkins The Gambler
- Thread starter Matt_24
- Start date
SpiderWebComm said:
There's a lot of power in that little jab stroke. He knocked out a lot of big guns with it. Danny D. had a similar stroke and used it equally effectively.
MikeJanis said:
Sorry, but I have to set this straight. Allen says Leil and he are good friends and they never gambled ever (mainly because Leil never had any money). He did have good things to say about his game, however. He said this story never happened and to call Leil up to verify.
Allen continued to say he's up lotsa lotsa money in Cleveland. He said he lost a $200 14.1 game to someone there one time.
Allen is a great guy and solid gambler, but I heard of him getting a couple of bad spots over the years. Although only two of them I witnessed. The first spot was only told second hand to me. Allen betting big with Jack Cooney giving him 8-7 for a large sum. The second was Allen playing Efren Rotation even around 1989 or 1990. Lastly Allen sat down in a 100-200 stud game at the Taj in 95? with Rocco, Stevie Z and a few others. They put quite a dent into him that session. He is not afraid to bet and wins more then he losses, but I would not put him in the game maker or action guys as some of our esteemed board members.
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perfectpocketz
Banned
Back in 90-91 Alan came to Pittsburgh for the king of the hill match with Jimmy Marino, Mike Sigel, and himself. After the match was over Mike Gulyassi matched up with Alan.
Gulyassi's picture was on the cover of billiards digest at the time and played great.
Alan told Mike that he would play every shot with his right foot in front of his left.
Gulyassi could not wait to get to the table and play.
Alan never missed a ball, it was ugly!!!
Gulyassi's stake horse got up, took a big spot playing 3-cushion billiards.
All said and done, Alan broke them.
Try to shoot every shot with your right foot in front of the left. (right hand players only)
Very difficult on a lot of shots.
Mark Gregory
Gulyassi's picture was on the cover of billiards digest at the time and played great.
Alan told Mike that he would play every shot with his right foot in front of his left.
Gulyassi could not wait to get to the table and play.
Alan never missed a ball, it was ugly!!!
Gulyassi's stake horse got up, took a big spot playing 3-cushion billiards.
All said and done, Alan broke them.
Try to shoot every shot with your right foot in front of the left. (right hand players only)
Very difficult on a lot of shots.
Mark Gregory
perfectpocketz said:
That's Allen's natural stance.
Actually the lesson here is to NOT play any game that another guy proposes. He just might know something you don't.
Did you know that NO ONE could beat Don Willis in a foot race running backwards? Not even the fastest sprinters in the world. True Story!
jay helfert said:That's Allen's natural stance.
Actually the lesson here is to NOT play any game that another guy proposes. He just might know something you don't.
Did you know that NO ONE could beat Don Willis in a foot race running backwards? Not even the fastest sprinters in the world. True Story!
Jay,
Wasn't Don a short, squatty-looking guy? MAN, how strong is that move with a guy who looks like that?
Dave
Allen The Man
The old timers in my room tell of a story back in the 70s . Allen would bet on 45 playing the 1 pocket ghost. Needing 13 for the cash ,200 I believe in rack 5 he has 2 uptable in the jaws a few open ,and what was described as an immpossible frozen ball . He hits the bank and gets the cash. He spotted a B player both pockets in 1 hole . The B player said he spent the day jacked up in the top middle of the stack. Verry funny story with the visual .
He was one of a few Top pros willing to boycott a big event that wouldnt let my friend Earl H. play because of his race. He is a great player, gambler , promoter and person .
The old timers in my room tell of a story back in the 70s . Allen would bet on 45 playing the 1 pocket ghost. Needing 13 for the cash ,200 I believe in rack 5 he has 2 uptable in the jaws a few open ,and what was described as an immpossible frozen ball . He hits the bank and gets the cash. He spotted a B player both pockets in 1 hole . The B player said he spent the day jacked up in the top middle of the stack. Verry funny story with the visual .
He was one of a few Top pros willing to boycott a big event that wouldnt let my friend Earl H. play because of his race. He is a great player, gambler , promoter and person .
perfectpocketz
Banned
jay helfert said:That's Allen's natural stance.
Actually the lesson here is to NOT play any game that another guy proposes. He just might know something you don't.
Did you know that NO ONE could beat Don Willis in a foot race running backwards? Not even the fastest sprinters in the world. True Story!
Jay, Nice to hear from you and a man so pool educated. Your right to not play a mans game
he can't wait to play but, you know how the ego works in us pool players. (LOL)
Allen could really play so awesome pool and, his knowledge was even stronger!!
Jay, I guess the young players coming up will never understand just how great the 70's & 80's
players really were. Just as Don Willis was awesome. I never got to see him play but, heard a lot of stories.
My top pick in my years of playing was by far Keith. You more than likely agree!!!!
Take care of yourself and, hope to see ya on the east coast sometime.
YOUR FRIEND!
Mark Gregory
racefornine said:
That's when they played the One Pocket "ghost" with BIH after the break.
Spotting a guy two pockets to one in One Hole? Pretty clever move by Allen!
SpiderWebComm said:
Don was about 5'7" and kind of dumpy looking. When he was younger, he wasn't quite so portly I was told (by him). He also beat the U.S. National champion at Ping Pong. Don Willis was the second most amazing athlete to play pool after Danny D.
Allen Hopkins, pure class!
I once made Allen a case. He wanted to pay for it and I said just give me a good road story. Then he ducks me on the payment for years.
So finally one year I trap him at the Super Billiards Expo the day before it kicks off and demand payment.....
So Allen tells me these stories,
One is that he was on the road with a partner who was a little green to the road. Allen goes into a pool room and starts playing a guy for low stakes and the bet escalates until Allen has won $5000. The next day they go into another spot and Allen gets into $5 a game a action. His new partner pulls him aside and asks him why he is messing around with $5 action when they won $5000 the day before. Allen replies, "We haven't made the room rent today."
Another one goes that he was hustling a mob guy, really laying down the lemon, in straight pool and after getting paid he went to an exhibition a couple days later and the mob guy was in the front row. He said that the mob guy wasn't upset that he got hustled by a world champion. Allen said he was really sweating it though during the exhibition.
Another one he tells me about hustling this sweet young pool player named Dawn Meurin. Allen really laid it down thick to trap her into dating him. She outran the nuts though and trapped him good and now she's Dawn Hopkins. Ok the last one is made up but Allen and Dawn are two of my favorite people on planet Earth. Solid gold in my book.
I once made Allen a case. He wanted to pay for it and I said just give me a good road story. Then he ducks me on the payment for years.
So finally one year I trap him at the Super Billiards Expo the day before it kicks off and demand payment.....
So Allen tells me these stories,
One is that he was on the road with a partner who was a little green to the road. Allen goes into a pool room and starts playing a guy for low stakes and the bet escalates until Allen has won $5000. The next day they go into another spot and Allen gets into $5 a game a action. His new partner pulls him aside and asks him why he is messing around with $5 action when they won $5000 the day before. Allen replies, "We haven't made the room rent today."
Another one goes that he was hustling a mob guy, really laying down the lemon, in straight pool and after getting paid he went to an exhibition a couple days later and the mob guy was in the front row. He said that the mob guy wasn't upset that he got hustled by a world champion. Allen said he was really sweating it though during the exhibition.
Another one he tells me about hustling this sweet young pool player named Dawn Meurin. Allen really laid it down thick to trap her into dating him. She outran the nuts though and trapped him good and now she's Dawn Hopkins. Ok the last one is made up but Allen and Dawn are two of my favorite people on planet Earth. Solid gold in my book.
Hey Dave nice to see you post and look forward to coming back to NY and seeing you guys at Gallery,miss the room and all of you.I got Jay Burner out here running around with me,he loves it here.racefornine said:
This isn't a gambling story although it's a funny Hopkins road story....
Allen and Mike McAndrew are on the road (maybe 20 years ago?). They're staying in hotels, mixing it up in all the action they could find and trying their best to split expenses to keep things fair.
They have an agreement to alternate meals. So they wake up, check-out of the hotel, and go grab breakfast. Mike, being the chipper guy that he is, immediately grabs the check when it arrives - gladly paying the $12 for a nice breakfast for two.
Dinner rolls around.... they eat a nice steak dinner with some beer and dessert.... Allen's turn, he buys. $50
Next day...breakfast. Mike quickly grabs the check for breakfast...$11
Dinner time...seafood and pasta and beer. A few slices of cheesecake. Allen's turn...$60
Breakfast...Mike grabs it...$10....bagels and eggs.
Lunchtime...Allen wants to go to a burger joint....Mike says he's "not hungry," so they don't stop.
Dinner time... Italian food and wine...$45...Allen's turn!
This pattern repeats itself for two weeks before Allen FINALLY caught on.
Allen and Mike McAndrew are on the road (maybe 20 years ago?). They're staying in hotels, mixing it up in all the action they could find and trying their best to split expenses to keep things fair.
They have an agreement to alternate meals. So they wake up, check-out of the hotel, and go grab breakfast. Mike, being the chipper guy that he is, immediately grabs the check when it arrives - gladly paying the $12 for a nice breakfast for two.
Dinner rolls around.... they eat a nice steak dinner with some beer and dessert.... Allen's turn, he buys. $50
Next day...breakfast. Mike quickly grabs the check for breakfast...$11
Dinner time...seafood and pasta and beer. A few slices of cheesecake. Allen's turn...$60
Breakfast...Mike grabs it...$10....bagels and eggs.
Lunchtime...Allen wants to go to a burger joint....Mike says he's "not hungry," so they don't stop.
Dinner time... Italian food and wine...$45...Allen's turn!
This pattern repeats itself for two weeks before Allen FINALLY caught on.
Funny story and rep for you.SpiderWebComm said:
In the book The Green Felt Jungle, Humphrey tells the story of Allen and his road partner coming to Louisiana to play Scotty Townsend. I believe the story goes that Allen's M.O. was to pick the table in town with the tightest corner pockets and then offer his opponent the break. That way the opponent would just bust the balls open for him and he'd sweep the tables clean. The legend goes that Allen Hopkins is the only man to ever come through Monroe, Louisiana and come out a winner against Scotty Townsend.
Nobody else can say that.
Nobody else can say that.
Back in the mid to late 70's I played as banger at a place called the "8 Ball" in Dallas on a daily basis because it was open 24x7. I came in one afternoon and there was a guy I didn't recognize practicing on one of the front money tables who was setting up difficult shots like 2 and 3 rail banks, kicks, and all and making them like he could do them in his sleep. The manager pulled me aside and asked me very quietly if I knew who that was and then proceeded to tell me it was Allen Hopkins who had just dusted everyone in a Vegas 9 Ball open or something. My buddy told me he had called everyone in Dallas that he had numbers for that might want some serious action and they all declined. After watching for Allen for about 20 minutes I asked him if he would show me his 9 ball game and he said his minimum game was $20. So for a front row seat with cue in hand, I watched him run 5 racks in a row and he let me shoot twice (intentionally) in the 6th game. I gladly paid him the $120 so he wouldn't be able to say he couldn't get any action in Dallas. he went back to practicing and would not practice 9 ball or any other game in front of everyone. I also learned the center diamond end to end rail 90 degree masse shot to the corner from watching him. He used that shot to make money in Dallas off the money gamblers that wouldn't step up to play him at night. I don't think anyone stepped up while he was passing through Dallas that year.
I've heard a couple of stories, some from his mouth, some from others. But, there is a story of Allen playing against Jew Paul. Someone correct all my inaccuracies please:Matt_24 said:
I believe the game was one pocket with pool balls on a snooker table. After beating up on Paul for a huge score, Paul quit telling Allen that he would never play Allen again. And Paul he bet (somethink like $500) that he wouldn't play Hopkins again.
The next day, Jew Paul paid Allen off the $500 just to play him again! And he lost again. All told, a six figure score for Young Hoppe. And to top it off, Jew Paul took Hopkins out for dinner later!
Fred <~~~ or so the story goes.
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