Any old famous poolrooms in Kansas City??

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Winne2tough

Lion or the Lamb
Silver Member
Every time i go up to Kansas City to shoot pool i end up at shooter's in Olathe KS or Sidepockets in KC. I always thought there would be a room there that has seen its years. I thought there would be some really neat old joints that had alot of life and alot of stories to tell but i guess i was wrong. If there were any i guess there all long gone. Shooters is definitely a great room but you pull up into a shopping center and it just doesnt seem old school. I did read in mosconis autobiography about a place that was owned by weenie beenie i believe and i thought that place would still be around. If anybody knows of any cool old pool joints in the kc area, let me know. Im heading up there tonight and staying till tuesday afternoon. Sidepockets and the brass rail are just pool hall/sports bars. I want to be in a true pool hall if there is one. Just my opinion, all these places are nice just not my style. Shooters is awesome, i dont discredit that place one bit, but if it were in a turn of the century old brick building with old guys talking pigeon stories, that would suit me well.
Jay
 
Winne2tough said:
Every time i go up to Kansas City to shoot pool i end up at shooter's in Olathe KS or Sidepockets in KC. I always thought there would be a room there that has seen its years. I thought there would be some really neat old joints that had alot of life and alot of stories to tell but i guess i was wrong. If there were any i guess there all long gone. Shooters is definitely a great room but you pull up into a shopping center and it just doesnt seem old school. I did read in mosconis autobiography about a place that was owned by weenie beenie i believe and i thought that place would still be around. If anybody knows of any cool old pool joints in the kc area, let me know. Im heading up there tonight and staying till tuesday afternoon. Sidepockets and the brass rail are just pool hall/sports bars. I want to be in a true pool hall if there is one. Just my opinion, all these places are nice just not my style. Shooters is awesome, i dont discredit that place one bit, but if it were in a turn of the century old brick building with old guys talking pigeon stories, that would suit me well.
Jay
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Jay,

Try Raytown Recreation in downtown Raytown off 63rd st. It's as old time as you can get. I haven't been down there in a few years but they have a nice billiard table and 9 or so 9' footers. It's like stepping back in time.

Darryl
 
Hi there,

i lived in lees summit for about 7 years. I was about 5 miles from raytown rec. The people that own it are the nicest people you ever want to meet. Don brink and his son Doug have kept this blast from the past going and going.

There is this table in there called big bertha. I've heard that all the greats at one time have played on it. It's a 10 foot pool table. Worth the 15 minute drive just to see this and play on it. If that table could talk. But Doug is the next best thing. He's there most of the time and he will share a few stories if you get him goin.

Then there is probably on off the nicest billiard tables in the country. Doug is the master there. He plays in competitions all over the country. He knows all the top guns in the world.

The other tables are kind of mixed and matched brunswick gold crowns. 2 are in about as good of shape as they can be and the rest kind of all have their own characteristics. Some have bigger pockets. Some are slow.

When i was out and around trying to play again a little when i lived there i would always stop in there to see darrell and just see if there was anyone to play.

And yes you can even find a game there. A couple of my friends down there play pretty good and will play cheap and give you some good competition.

When you go in there you walk down into a basement. It is just the way it was so many years ago. I don't think anything has changed at all hardlt for years.

If your there don't miss it. It's like a poolhalls museum.

When it's gone it's gone but i have a feeling that as long as the brinks are around it will keep on goin.

Stop there for sure and let me know if it isn't like i said it was.

I think you'll like the uiniqueness and the experience.

Have a great day. Geno
 
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I heard Don's wife was in a bad way with cancer but haven't heard any updates for a while now. Hope she is beating it!

Played in that Raytown room about 45 years ago and it sure wasn't new then.
 
Raytown Rec is definitely old school & has TONS of history... and it's Doug, by the way...
 
Yep. Raytown Rec, downstairs, to the right of thr bar. Actually, its small and not much to see, but if those walls could talk...

Anyone know if they still have the camel colored cloth on the tables?


Eric
 
no its

no its all green now that was terrible though don was tryin to save some money....if you like playing some one hole for some $ have em call mickey he lives real close and plays well.
 
Bennie Allen (Apr 8, 1890 - Dec 5, 1953) was a 6 time World Straight Pool Champion. Johnny Kling, a catcher with the Chicago Cubs, was also a very, very good pool player. Bennie married Johnny's sister and then he and Johnny opened a great pool room called "Kling & Allens." I believe it closed around 1947, after Kling died.

Every time I think of Kansas City, I don't think of the Chief's or Royals, I think of Bennie Allen. Just like if somebody says "Rochester, NY" you think of Irving Crane and Mike Sigel. Chicago = Bugs and The Beard. KC=Bennie Allen.

Funny how our pool brains are wired....:)
 
sorry to hear.......

underclocked said:
i heard don's wife was in a bad way with cancer but haven't heard any updates for a while now. Hope she is beating it!

Played in that raytown room about 45 years ago and it sure wasn't new then.
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doug beat cancer a few years back in his throat. Knowing don and doug i'm sure she's a sweetheart.

I'll be saying a few prayers for her for sure.
 
It was green 2 years ago.

eric. said:
yep. Raytown rec, downstairs, to the right of thr bar. Actually, its small and not much to see, but if those walls could talk...

Anyone know if they still have the camel colored cloth on the tables?


Eric
Click to expand...

that's how long i've been back in wisconsin.
 
I sold mickey my table indirectly........

poolfire said:
no its all green now that was terrible though don was tryin to save some money....if you like playing some one hole for some $ have em call mickey he lives real close and plays well.
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i sold a gold crown to one of the guys that came into the rec. His wife kicked him out and mickey got it from the guys wife real cheap. It was a great table too.

Mickeys a great guy. Also stan is good action there also. You got to play good if you want to keep up with these guys.
 
This was the place i read about!

Terry Ardeno said:
Bennie Allen (Apr 8, 1890 - Dec 5, 1953) was a 6 time World Straight Pool Champion. Johnny Kling, a catcher with the Chicago Cubs, was also a very, very good pool player. Bennie married Johnny's sister and then he and Johnny opened a great pool room called "Kling & Allens." I believe it closed around 1947, after Kling died.

Every time I think of Kansas City, I don't think of the Chief's or Royals, I think of Bennie Allen. Just like if somebody says "Rochester, NY" you think of Irving Crane and Mike Sigel. Chicago = Bugs and The Beard. KC=Bennie Allen.

Funny how our pool brains are wired....:)
Click to expand...

This is the place i read about in mosconis autobiography. I had mixed up bennie allen with the hot dog guy!! I bet it was a great hall because KC is right in the middle of the country. All the action must have come through there back in those days. I wish that place was still around. Thanks man for the info about Klings. Also thanks everybody for the info about raytown rec. Im going to go there tomorrow for a few hours around 1pm. Hopefully they will be open when i get up there. Today i went by shooters and bought some new t shirts and the book bet high kiss low by grady matthews. I think it will be a good read at work. The shimmed table in the back right corner in shooters was a challenge but i think if will make a better pool player out of anyone who practices on it full time. I wish i could move up here but my pops needs me in Little Rock right now but i will say KC has a pretty damn good pool scene. Again thanks to everyone for the info, cant waith to check out the raytown rec. Sound like my kinda joint. Later everyone
Thanks
Jay
Arkie
 
Terry Ardeno said:
Bennie Allen (Apr 8, 1890 - Dec 5, 1953) was a 6 time World Straight Pool Champion. Johnny Kling, a catcher with the Chicago Cubs, was also a very, very good pool player. Bennie married Johnny's sister and then he and Johnny opened a great pool room called "Kling & Allens." I believe it closed around 1947, after Kling died.

Every time I think of Kansas City, I don't think of the Chief's or Royals, I think of Bennie Allen. Just like if somebody says "Rochester, NY" you think of Irving Crane and Mike Sigel. Chicago = Bugs and The Beard. KC=Bennie Allen.

Funny how our pool brains are wired....:)
Click to expand...

Full Name: John Kling
Nickname: Noisy
Born: Feb 25,1875 in Kansas City, Missouri
Death: Jan 31,1947
Height: 5-9 Weight: 160 Bats: Right Throws: Right
High School: -
College: None
 
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