anyone have any stories about George Rood

Until I read an article about him six or seven years ago, I'd never even heard of George Rood. I asked Johnny Ervolino about him, and Johnny described George as "a great road player who never went on the road." Apparently, George played as well as nearly all the best road hustlers of his day, but preferred not to travel, waiting for the road warriors to come to him.
 
hangemhigh said:
The "Old Trapper" is still alive, but in a nursing home. One of the greats, Tate has a great article written by Todd Recter on his site:


http://www.palmercollector.com/RoodPage.html


I don't have any first hand stories, but have heard he had moves in 1P that no one had ever seen, at age 90!
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You must be from around the same area that I am since you know that George is in a nursing home.
 
We honored George at the One Pocket Hall of Fame dinner at Derby City in 2007 with our Lifetime Pool in Action award. It really meant a lot to him. He came back last year as well, but this year his health was not up for the trip. He certainly is a class act 110% in my book.

Rood0179.jpg
 
Joe Pickens said:
You must be from around the same area that I am since you know that George is in a nursing home.
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I'm in Jackson, TN. , but I get updates from friends in your area. Sam Engles is always asking me to find out about him.
 
shootnlightsout said:
Is he still around?
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One of the most interesting pool stories I've read was a hand written account of George Rood's life, as told a while back to one of George's good friends. It was interesting and very well written. It has some great stories of him and his road trips. Unfortunately, the write up was given to me without the permission to publish it.

Chris
 
Chris,

I saw a similar written account about George. I am from Ohio, lived there 40 years and still have a place there.

George was a monster in his early days. I enjoyed getting my picture with him a couple of years ago at DCC.

What a great person!

Will Prout
 
I grew up in Dayton, so I got lucky and got to see George play in his prime. He used to come into The Cue and Bridge in Northtown Shopping Center and practice nearly every afternoon. He would first rack up fourteen balls and leave himself a break shot. He would proceed to run about 100 balls until he felt sufficiently warmed up. He rarely missed! Very rarely! Maybe once or twice a day at the most.

After his 14.1 practice he would throw nine balls on the table and practice 9-Ball for an hour or so. He would keep running out racks and throwing the balls back out there. He ran out almost every time. He was BY FAR the best player around. No one was even in his league. Joey Spaeth was the top hustler out of Cincinnati but he would have no part of George Rood. A fellow named Buddy Wallace from Cleveland was the state champion back then and once someone asked George why he didn't go up there and play him. He just laughed and said "Buddy Wallace won't play me, he'd just go running out of the poolroom."

One time Ed Kelly chanced to come into the Cue & Bridge on a road trip. I won't tell the whole story here, but George got the better of him that day. When next I saw Kelly at Johnston City, I was informed that he was the top young player in the country. I replied that I just saw him get beat a couple of months before. When I told these guys that a man named George Rood beat him, they had no idea who he was.

Lassiter used to come to Dayton often to visit with his old buddy George. They would hang out together at the old Airway Billiards, where Luther would play in the daily Pinochle game. During one interview Lassiter said that George was the best player he ever played. Another of George's friends was Don Willis, who would stop by from time to time. When Fats would come to town he was all buddy-buddy with George. He didn't want George to challenge him. It would be bad for his image to get beat by George. All Fat's bragging didn't bother George. He knew he was a better player and didn't really care what Fat's said.

George and his wife ran a dog breeding operation for many years, breeding show dogs. He was partners with Russ Maddox for awhile in East Side Billiards in Springfield where Mosconi ran his 526.
 
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Sounds like Mr. Rood played as much, or more, for the love of rolling the balls, and rolling them correctly (!), as he did for competition and proving he could win. I admire that.
 
jay helfert said:
. He was partners with Russ Maddox for awhile in East Side Billiards in Springfield where Mosconi ran his 526.
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I heard George Rood kept the table that Mosconi ran 526 on in his home.

George came into Snookers in Cincy one afternoon. I was practicing and the owner introduced him to me. Sadly, I had never heard of him (I didn't tell him that).
 
Did you all no that George Rood was a world class dog handler for many years. Mostly handling doberman pinschers and later became a judge.
 
the night i was introduced to mr rood, was at airway in dayton
it was just a few days after his hoppe was stolen from him there
i thought he was going to breakdown when he told me about it
apparently that cue was very sentimental to him
i told him i'd keep an eye out on ebay for him, thinking it might show up there
i dont know if he ever got it back or not
 
He was recognized as a top show dog Judge, and qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. The most recurring theme I have heard about Mr. Rood is that he was always a perfect gentleman, with a profound respect for the game he loved.
 
jay helfert said:
I grew up in Dayton, so I got lucky and got to see George play in his prime. He used to come into The Cue and Bridge in Northtown shopping Center and practice nearly every afternoon. He would first rack up fourteen balls and leave himself a break shot. He would proceed to run about 100 balls until he felt sufficiently warmed up. He rarely missed! Very rarely! Maybe once or twice a day at the most.

After his 14.1 practice he would throw nine balls on the table and practice 9-Ball for an hour or so. He would keep running out racks and throwing the balls back out there. He ran out almost every time. He was BY FAR the best player around. No one was even in his league. Joey Spaeth was the top hustler out of Cincinnati but he would have no part of George Rood. A fellow named Buddy Wallace from Cleveland was the state champion back then and once someone asked George why he didn't go up there and play him. He just laughed and said "Buddy Wallace won't play me, he'd just go running out of the poolroom."

One time Ed Kelly chanced to come into the Cue & Bridge on a road trip. I won't tell the whole story here, but George got the better of him that day. When next I saw Kelly at Johnston City, I was informed that he was the top young player in the country. I replied that I just saw him get beat a couple of months before. When I told these guys that a man named George Rood beat him, they had no idea who he was.

Lassiter used to come to Dayton often to visit with his old buddy George. They would hang out together at the old Airway Billiards, where Luther would play in the daily Pinochle game. During one interview Lassiter said the George was the best player he ever played. Another of George's friends was Don Willis, who would stop by from time to time. When Fats would come to town he was all buddy-buddy with George. He didn't want George to challenge him. It would be bad for his image to get beat by George. All Fat's bragging didn't bother George. He knew he was a better player and didn't really care what Fat's said.

George and his wife ran a dog breeding operation for many years, breeding show dogs. He was partners with Russ Maddox for awhile in East Side Billiards in Springfield where Mosconi ran his 526.
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Great stories Jay. Did George make it into your upcoming book?
 
Does anyone have the address of the nursing home, I'm sure it would do him good to hear from some us. George use to show dogs for me years back.
 
I went to Dayton, OH to take some lessons from George Rood, in 2000. I met George at the Airway Billiards club, Great place to go. He introduced me to Todd Recher & we're all friends. I spent two days with George & videoed my lessons, he was great. He won the Tournament that night, I think there were 52 players.

George was the finest gentleman I ever met & damn near the best player I ever crossed sticks with. I am sorry that George now lives in a nursing home, he had a very nice home himself, I know he must miss that.
 
Jody C said:
Does anyone have the address of the nursing home, I'm sure it would do him good to hear from some us. George use to show dogs for me years back.
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Someone who frequents Airway Billiards can find out for us. An address and phone number would be great.
 
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