Allen Hopkins The Gambler

Matt_24

Matt_24

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Allen Hopkins is obviously a famous pool champion/businessman.

I want to hear about Allen Hopkins the triple-smart, stone cold, gambler.

I've heard stories about how smart - and how great of a gambler that Allen was. I've heard that if he couldn't find a big game, he had no table playing cheap games just to make his nut for the day.

For you old timers, I mean experienced folks on here......any good Hopkins gambling stories?
 
Matt_24 said:
Allen Hopkins is obviously a famous pool champion/businessman.

I want to hear about Allen Hopkins the triple-smart, stone cold, gambler.

I've heard stories about how smart - and how great of a gambler that Allen was. I've heard that if he couldn't find a big game, he had no table playing cheap games just to make his nut for the day.

For you old timers, I mean experienced folks on here......any good Hopkins gambling stories?
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The only story I recall is when Allen came through the Cleveland area. Specifically the Hill Top and he ran into Leil Gay (JR). This was many, many years ago.

To keep the story short. Allen left the place and was still cussing up a storm in the parking lot after JR put a whoopin on him.

I am sure Allen did well in most other places but Cleveland was just downright treacherous for road players back in the day.

Mj
 
MikeJanis said:
The only story I recall is when Allen came through the Cleveland area. Specifically the Hill Top and he ran into Leil Gay (JR). This was many, many years ago.

To keep the story short. Allen left the place and was still cussing up a storm in the parking lot after JR put a whoopin on him.

I am sure Allen did well in most other places but Cleveland was just downright treacherous for road players back in the day.

Mj
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Well, nobody wins all the time. Not sure who Leil Gay was or how they were playing (I'm sure he was a PLAYER). However, back-in-the-day I'd go "all-in" on my life savings that Allen would take that guy's life savings in the long run playing even up in nearly any game for the big cash.

There weren't many players on earth who wanted Allen's action when was in his gear (gambling with their own money).

There were many legend-legend best-ever players who would go up to Allen to ask him if they should play so-and-so with whatever spot. Allen's best gift, in my opinion, is the ability to handicap games between himself and others - and between other top players.

I know people here may disagree because they have their favorites and may not be in the know, but Allen is generally considered one of the hardest/toughest American gamblers ever by other top players.
 
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SpiderWebComm said:
Not sure who Leil Gay was (I'm sure he was a PLAYER).
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Leil Gay Jr.

Straight Pool High run = 326, verified.

1997? US Open 1-Pocket Champion

2 X Viking Tour National Champion. ( The only other player to ever accomplish this was Corey Deuel. )

+ Way, Way too many other titles to list.


From the IPT player site:

About Leil Gay
Leil Gay, more commonly known as JR, grew up around billiards as his father used to sell merchandise to poolrooms when JR was very young. Leil used to spend late nights at the pool halls brushing the tables and studying their dimensions. During high school, Leil?s dad would pull him from school to go on road trips so the two could develop their skills together. Until the age of 19, Leil played quite a bit of pool, before he decided to take some time off from the sport. It was in 1994 that pool became important in J.R.?s life. His first big tournament was at the Viking Tour where he was invited back for the next three years. J.R. also played and won in the US Open, minus the set-back of breaking his foot. In the next coming years J.R. was invited to play in Spain, then Germany in the World Championships. He also won the coveted US Open One-Pocket Championship. He has also played in the Legends of One-Pocket events in Baton Rouge.
 
MikeJanis said:
Leil Gay Jr.

Straight Pool High run = 326, verified.

1997? US Open 1-Pocket Champion

2 X Viking Tour National Champion. ( The only other player to ever accomplish this was Corey Deuel. )

+ Way, Way too many other titles to list.


From the IPT player site:

About Leil Gay
Leil Gay, more commonly known as JR, grew up around billiards as his father used to sell merchandise to poolrooms when JR was very young. Leil used to spend late nights at the pool halls brushing the tables and studying their dimensions. During high school, Leil?s dad would pull him from school to go on road trips so the two could develop their skills together. Until the age of 19, Leil played quite a bit of pool, before he decided to take some time off from the sport. It was in 1994 that pool became important in J.R.?s life. His first big tournament was at the Viking Tour where he was invited back for the next three years. J.R. also played and won in the US Open, minus the set-back of breaking his foot. In the next coming years J.R. was invited to play in Spain, then Germany in the World Championships. He also won the coveted US Open One-Pocket Championship. He has also played in the Legends of One-Pocket events in Baton Rouge.
Click to expand...

And most importantly.......AZ forum member!;) Although he hasn't been around here for a while. :mad:
 
MikeJanis said:
Leil Gay Jr.

Straight Pool High run = 326, verified.

1997? US Open 1-Pocket Champion

2 X Viking Tour National Champion. ( The only other player to ever accomplish this was Corey Deuel. )

+ Way, Way too many other titles to list.


From the IPT player site:

About Leil Gay
Leil Gay, more commonly known as JR, grew up around billiards as his father used to sell merchandise to poolrooms when JR was very young. Leil used to spend late nights at the pool halls brushing the tables and studying their dimensions. During high school, Leil?s dad would pull him from school to go on road trips so the two could develop their skills together. Until the age of 19, Leil played quite a bit of pool, before he decided to take some time off from the sport. It was in 1994 that pool became important in J.R.?s life. His first big tournament was at the Viking Tour where he was invited back for the next three years. J.R. also played and won in the US Open, minus the set-back of breaking his foot. In the next coming years J.R. was invited to play in Spain, then Germany in the World Championships. He also won the coveted US Open One-Pocket Championship. He has also played in the Legends of One-Pocket events in Baton Rouge.
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Mike:

I love ya buddy :) Thanks.

I wish we had a time machine... I'd still pull you all-in for all you could bet/get.

EDIT: Not trying to get into a post war, but if I posted Allen's resume like you did for Leil, it'd make Leil look like a league player.
 
Matt_24 said:
Allen Hopkins is obviously a famous pool champion/businessman.

I want to hear about Allen Hopkins the triple-smart, stone cold, gambler.

I've heard stories about how smart - and how great of a gambler that Allen was. I've heard that if he couldn't find a big game, he had no table playing cheap games just to make his nut for the day.

For you old timers, I mean experienced folks on here......any good Hopkins gambling stories?
Click to expand...

Back in the early 80's at the world series of Tavern Pool, Rod Curry {SUrfer Rod} was known as one hell of a bar box, last pocket 8 ball player.

Rod called me in my room and stated he had a game at the old Serene Room, a bar in Vegas and asked if I wanted in. I had just won about $20,000 and we knew each other pretty well.

I asked Rod who he was playing and his response was, "what's it matter?"

Well, it mattered a lot to me and Rod told me he was playing Allen Hopkins for $1000 per game. I said no thank you which pissed him off. He said he's a big table player and doesn't play bar tableds.

I said Rod, the man is a world champion and can probably play on a ping pong table.

I drove down to sweat it and everybody in the world is there. The short of it is that Rod played better than i'd ever seen him play. They started about 1AM, but by 6 in the morning Rod had dropped $20,000 and Allen never, never missed anything he shot out and made one miracle out after another. Banks, multiple banks, combiinations, you name it, he made it to get out.

When it was over Rod was literaly dizzy and had to sit down. It was an amazing exhibition. It took Rod a while to get over that one and Rod was no stranger to upping his dough and taking it off, or GOING OFF.
 
Double Dipped in Richmond

This was before I was even a thought, but a great story.

The way it was told to me, Hoppe comes into the poolroom wearing overalls, greasy hair and a beard. Looking like a real rube. A finger gets put on him the minute he gets there. One guy (guy #1) in there says "I know a guy (guy #2)who will play him. He'll play anybody." They call him and say there is a guy down here looking for some action, not giving any names. The guy comes down there and loses the do-re-mi. Hoppe leaves town.

A year later Hoppe comes back into the same poolroom. This time, dressed nice and clean shaven. Once again, everyone know who he is and no one will play him.

THE BEST PART: Guy #1 calls Guy#2 again. He comes down and loses another stack of green to Hoppe!

Classic!
 
ironman said:
I asked Rod who he was playing and his response was, "what's it matter?"

Well, it mattered a lot to me and Rod told me he was playing Allen Hopkins for $1000 per game. I said no thank you which pissed him off. He said he's a big table player and doesn't play bar tableds.

I said Rod, the man is a world champion and can probably play on a ping pong table.
Click to expand...
I laughed so hard at that I spit my spaghetti out.
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Well, nobody wins all the time. Not sure who Leil Gay was or how they were playing (I'm sure he was a PLAYER). However, back-in-the-day I'd go "all-in" on my life savings that Allen would take that guy's life savings in the long run playing even up in nearly any game for the big cash.

There weren't many players on earth who wanted Allen's action when was in his gear (gambling with their own money).

There were many legend-legend best-ever players who would go up to Allen to ask him if they should play so-and-so with whatever spot. Allen's best gift, in my opinion, is the ability to handicap games between himself and others - and between other top players.

I know people here may disagree because they have their favorites and may not be in the know, but Allen is generally considered one of the hardest/toughest American gamblers ever by other top players.
Click to expand...

all in for your life savings I hope was an overstatement....heck there are guys out there who'd make a gazillion freethrows in a row and take down Michael Jordan in such a contest. Jordan's heart and playing ability be damned - though he might be the best basketball player ever to lace em up on this planet; even he couldn't win every basketball related contest in his heyday.

Pool is even worse. A champion could go down on any given day (even in his own "BEST" game) to someone who has yet to be heard of (or may never be heard from again). happens, and I'm sure there are those out there that have gone "all in" on so called -locks- before, and been busted.
 
trustyrusty said:
all in for your life savings I hope was an overstatement....heck there are guys out there who'd make a gazillion freethrows in a row and take down Michael Jordan in such a contest. Jordan's heart and playing ability be damned - though he might be the best basketball player ever to lace em up on this planet; even he couldn't win every basketball related contest in his heyday.

Pool is even worse. A champion could go down on any given day (even in his own "BEST" game) to someone who has yet to be heard of (or may never be heard from again). happens, and I'm sure there are those out there that have gone "all in" on so called -locks- before, and been busted.
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Of course it was an overstatement. The only reason I said that is because Mike was making it sound like Allen couldn't get there against the guy, that's all. Anyone can beat anyone on any day or short-spurt. I was merely saying Allen is the definitive "favorite" in the long-run, for big money.

All-in, meaning, I'd go broke betting Allen in that game. And if they matched up the following week, I'd send it in again, and again and again. I was only saying that "in the long run" I'd have a smile on my face, that's all. :rolleyes:
 
SpiderWebComm said:
Of course it was an overstatement. The only reason I said that is because Mike was making it sound like Allen couldn't get there against the guy, that's all. Anyone can beat anyone on any day or short-spurt. I was merely saying Allen is the definitive "favorite" in the long-run, for big money.

All-in, meaning, I'd go broke betting Allen in that game. And if they matched up the following week, I'd send it in again, and again and again. I was only saying that "in the long run" I'd have a smile on my face, that's all. :rolleyes:
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I get that he was easily the favorite, but I guess I'm not a "sweat" kinda guy. Not the NFL, MLB, NBA, anything. Now, I would definitely be willing to see what it'd take to play against either of these fellers personally :D .
 
instroke75 said:
Just don't play cards with him, he's a little slick with the deck!
Jeremy
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lol. for one of the best gamblers of all time he might be one of the worst card players. lol love to gamble there.

living 5 mins from allen and also dealing poker in ac im lucky to see allen in two different forums.

he is so well known for making sick games and winning. maybe not everytime but if allen made a game he probably was 60-40 favorite. never lost a straightpool game to 1,000. i wasnt around for the tilton billiards (closed) days but my best friend is his protege'. ive heard all the stories
 
During the 70's and 80's, the generation of many top East Coast players (Mizerak, Rempe, Margo, Sigel etc.), Allen had the reputation of being the best gambler of the bunch. He was never afraid to bet it up with anyone.

One game in particular that I remember was a young Hopkins (maybe 19 or 20) giving Harley Bryant (a noted road man) the 8 ball for a hundred or two a game in the early 70's. A very big bet back then. Allen dug down and played all night and won ALL the money! The story was that Harley followed Allen around the country playing the game again a few times, and Allen always came out on top. I believe that Harley owns a room today in Florida and occasionally posts on here. Maybe he can tell his side of the story. I only saw the one game in Dayton.

Allen was known as an All Around player because he excelled at 9-Ball, One Pocket and 14.1 And he would gamble with anyone at any of these games. No one was barred from his action list. Prior to Allen appearing on the scene, Johnny Ervolino was the most highly regarded East Coast gambler.

As far as Allen's poker prowess, let's just say I love having him in the game. :)
 
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Speaking of....

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