Anyone remember Jimmy Hodges?
- Thread starter DTL
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.he was a meticulous player and played consistently.
Yes, I played Jimmy at his pool room in Bowling Green in around 1986. I gave him the "Wild 8" on one of his 4.5/9' Gold Crowns and won a pretty good score....he was a meticulous player and played consistently.....I think Nick Varner was giving him the 8 Ball occasionally too, I know they played together because they were from the same area.
Yes, I played Jimmy at his pool room in Bowling Green in around 1986. I gave him the "Wild 8" on one of his 4.5/9' Gold Crowns and won a pretty good score....he was a meticulous player and played consistently.....I think Nick Varner was giving him the 8 Ball occasionally too, I know they played together because they were from the same area.
Didn't he own the poolroom? Think it may have been called "Cue Time?"
I hope he's doing well, he's a sharp businessman from what I could distinguish.
Yes,B., you have a very close relative that was there many times.
- you walked in the door and turned right. The eating area was in the center, and the pool tables were all the way back in a separate room. The kitchen/cafe was on the right and he had an extensive Pro Shop on the opposite side.
His equipment was top notch and he hosted a very clean, and friendly environment. The "model" pool room for the time and place in history. He later moved to South Carolina and opened a pool room/night club (more bar driven) southwest of Greenville. It was doing tremendous business back in the late 80s and I believe he had it for several years.....I'm not sure what his current "update" is, I hope he's doing well, he's a sharp businessman from what I could distinguish.
Yes,B., you have a very close relative that was there many times.
- you walked in the door and turned right. The eating area was in the center, and the pool tables were all the way back in a separate room. The kitchen/cafe was on the right and he had an extensive Pro Shop on the opposite side.His equipment was top notch and he hosted a very clean, and friendly environment. The "model" pool room for the time and place in history. He later moved to South Carolina and opened a pool room/night club (more bar driven) southwest of Greenville. It was doing tremendous business back in the late 80s and I believe he had it for several years.....I'm not sure what his current "update" is, I hope he's doing well, he's a sharp businessman from what I could distinguish.
Yes,B., you have a very close relative that was there many times.
His equipment was top notch and he hosted a very clean, and friendly environment. The "model" pool room for the time and place in history. He later moved to South Carolina and opened a pool room/night club (more bar driven) southwest of Greenville. It was doing tremendous business back in the late 80s and I believe he had it for several years.....I'm not sure what his current "update" is, I hope he's doing well, he's a sharp businessman from what I could distinguish.
It was in Mauldin, SC, just as you described. Fountain Inn Red, Bob King, Ray Cheek, Bob Carter and others. I got to going in when Gullyassy was doing cue work. Jimmy ran a good place and good tournaments. All the older players are familiar with that place. Sold lots of booze and had the poker machines which did real well for him. When the poker machines were outlawed, many a room went under. The no good creepy politicians wanted it ALL, with the lottery. Later he opened the big place. I liked him and his brother...
In the late 90s in South Carolina he had a real nice room called Gametime Riptide. Had quite a few 9ft gold crowns. I played in there daily for about a month straight. I think it turned into a complete nightclub, before later closing down. It was a money making machine.
I think he's still around the Greenville area. Last time I talked to Mike gulyassy, we spoke about Jimmy, if I recall he said he is still around the area but pool had died down a ton there, and this area use to be a hot action spot. Stevie Moore is from near the area in Spartanburg, BRIAN white also from the area and a slew of other talent. Was always a good place to stop in as there was tons of gamblers around like jerry banks, hump, don Stevens, crazy teddy, etc.........
There was some good joints around there. Golden cue billiards, lucky break, airport billiards, and a few others....I think they are all gone except airport now. And it was the one with the least action.
I think he's still around the Greenville area. Last time I talked to Mike gulyassy, we spoke about Jimmy, if I recall he said he is still around the area but pool had died down a ton there, and this area use to be a hot action spot. Stevie Moore is from near the area in Spartanburg, BRIAN white also from the area and a slew of other talent. Was always a good place to stop in as there was tons of gamblers around like jerry banks, hump, don Stevens, crazy teddy, etc.........
There was some good joints around there. Golden cue billiards, lucky break, airport billiards, and a few others....I think they are all gone except airport now. And it was the one with the least action.
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We used to go up to Gametime for most of the big tourneys and hang with Brian and Stevie. It was the place to be for gambling and going out. I think I batted around .750 for hooking up at that place, lol.
I remember one night we were up there and me and a buddy of mine that used to own a pool room with me here in Georgia were absolutely trashed. We'd been drinking along with the regular crew all day, since the tourney started around noon. We were all sitting at a table with a bunch of girls and it was late. My buddy Andy was hammered and spilled an entire pitcher of crown and diet all over the table, girls, and dance floor. Jimmy happened to be standing close by and he comes over and says "Andy, what in the #$@% are you doing?".
We thought he was mad for a second but then he just started laughing because it was so damn funny. Jimmy came to our place a few times also because we always let Red Willis run our tourneys. He was always a good guy and that place in Greenville was a goldmine for quite a while.
I remember one night we were up there and me and a buddy of mine that used to own a pool room with me here in Georgia were absolutely trashed. We'd been drinking along with the regular crew all day, since the tourney started around noon. We were all sitting at a table with a bunch of girls and it was late. My buddy Andy was hammered and spilled an entire pitcher of crown and diet all over the table, girls, and dance floor. Jimmy happened to be standing close by and he comes over and says "Andy, what in the #$@% are you doing?".
We thought he was mad for a second but then he just started laughing because it was so damn funny. Jimmy came to our place a few times also because we always let Red Willis run our tourneys. He was always a good guy and that place in Greenville was a goldmine for quite a while.
Hodges came to Bennie's in the 70's. We called him " Gomer ". He made a few scores , but got ID'ed early. He played good. Didn't see him again until the 88' U S Open at q-masters ( last open in the pool room. He lost to a player that he could give the 7 ball. Next match, he played another guy he could give the 7. Sammy Jones was making lines on each match and had Jimmy a 9-6 dog! I bet $300 on Jimmy. He won 9-2 I think! Sammy didn't know him well.
Glad to hear he's doing well
Glad to hear he's doing well
This would be what's known as The Palace Billiards, on Airport Road? I met Jimmy when he owned Gametime/Riptide and played or practiced there often. It was where I met Tommy Kennedy several years ago. Also renewed my acquaintance with Niki Benish, her father Ray, Sammy Jones, met Shannon Daulton for the first time since the first BC Open, and a whole bunch of very good local and regional players whose names escape me now. Seemed like any of the known players who came in there knew Jimmy and thought well of him.
Gametime/Riptide had 13 Gold Crowns and 5 bar tables. Shame it's gone now.
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Your avatars are always seasonlly pool-related. I love that. :smiling-heart:
Jimmy Hodges is one of pool's unsung heroes. I've heard his name bandied about quite often in pool rooms. He sounds like a character, one I'd like to have gotten to know.
Your avatars are always seasonlly pool-related. I love that. :smiling-heart:
Jimmy Hodges is one of pool's unsung heroes. I've heard his name bandied about quite often in pool rooms. He sounds like a character, one I'd like to have gotten to know.
I know he's still in the Greenville, SC area but haven't seen him since the room closed.
I looked in a log that I kept. I played Jimmy a 24 hour session in 1977 in a little poolroom in Boone NC. No one was ever ahead anything worth mentioning. We quit even. It was just too hard. Man, I liked his game. Two-shot push-out has always been the best way to gamble at Nine-Ball. He was a great push-out artist.....smart player.
within 3 hours the kids started delivering our belongings BACK to the house.........
Fountain Inn Red was a character, I lived in Greer SC back in my early 20s. Talk about a wild area, I have some stories that were like science fiction. Like the time we were "guarding" these guys sub machine guns (have no earthly idea why) , with some "inside information" some kids broke into our house and stole them......and everything else they could get their hands on.
We called the guys that owned the guns (who were respected and feared in the area) and within 3 hours the kids started delivering our belongings BACK to the house....starting with the guns. What a crazy ordeal that was!!!
Fountain Inn Red was a character, I lived in Greer SC back in my early 20s. Talk about a wild area, I have some stories that were like science fiction. Like the time we were "guarding" these guys sub machine guns (have no earthly idea why) , with some "inside information" some kids broke into our house and stole them......and everything else they could get their hands on.
We called the guys that owned the guns (who were respected and feared in the area) and within 3 hours the kids started delivering our belongings BACK to the house....starting with the guns. What a crazy ordeal that was!!!
Funny seeing someone mention calling him "Gomer". He looked exactly like Gomer Pyle, except he was short. I saw him at a tournament in N. Carolina @ 85 or so. He was scuffling around with Jay Swanson and they were both in the tournament. Jimmy was playing Harry the Horse from Detroit and slow-playing him. Harry was so mad he looked like he was going to chew his arm off. Swanson lost a match badly and we were talking to him after. He said Jimmy had him on "bee pollen". We asked him what happened in his match ( he got annihilated ) and he says "I guess I over-amped on that bee pollen." Hodges was ( is ) a hell of a player and really bore down for the cheese.