Any James Evans stories?
- Thread starter Mkbtank
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James Evans
One story I heard that he ran 4 games in a row of straight pool
(The game back then) 150 n out each game without a miss. Another story that Willie Mosconi wouldn't play him and only referred to him as that hustler from Harlem. He was older then Willie , I think 10-15 year's but I'm not positive about that. I would certainly like to hear about him but there isn't much info from back in those days especially of black pool players.
One story I heard that he ran 4 games in a row of straight pool
(The game back then) 150 n out each game without a miss. Another story that Willie Mosconi wouldn't play him and only referred to him as that hustler from Harlem. He was older then Willie , I think 10-15 year's but I'm not positive about that. I would certainly like to hear about him but there isn't much info from back in those days especially of black pool players.
James Evans was a black player from harlem. and from my source (johnny ervilino) he was the best....nobody would play him, especially for the cash. The other poster was right, Mosconi refused to play him. he did gamble with all the top players and beat them. Because he was black they refused to let him play in any major tournaments. They were going to let him play in a major as long as he said he was from the Caribbean. He said hell no, "I'm fom Harlem. He had his own pool room in Harlem and usually went down to Philadelphia to get a game....this is my story and i am sticking to it... Johnny Ervilino, while quite a character himself, had hundreds of stories....R.I.P. Johnny....you are definately missed...
I think Fats might have wrote a passage about him in his book with Tom Fox. It's been years since I read it, and it's mostly bull anyway. I do remember Evans' picture being in there. I can't believe my hometown library had that book and Willie's Game.
Any video of the guy? What time frame are we talking here? The 60's?
James Evans broke and ran the full rack without the cueball touching a rail. It's in Ripley's Believe It Or Not. Country, who is almost 90, says that Evans would always bet his own money and never back down from anyone, world champion or road hustler. Evans told Ciscero Murphy not to enter tournaments because it would kill his action. Evans mentored Country and Murphy and Blood. There are no videos and almost no photos of James Evans. He did not like to be photographed. His prime was from the late 1930's up until the early 1960's.
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That photo is from the Fats book I was talking about.
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