Benny is my Uncle. I remember Joe the Barber, the exterminator, Joe Rock, Squeeze, Artie, Scott and Barry, "little man" Mike Sika, Mike the Russian, Ed Hodan, tons of amazing people, we could have had a reality show.
Benny opened Sharkey's after he left B&L, as you know. Sharkey's is now Sandcastle.
Joe the Barber Incadela(sp?) passed away a few years back. Not too long before passing, Joe won Carteret Red's Balabushka. Scott Evans? Young Scott grew up, got married, dropped out of Pool and started up again, recreationally, after his break up, several years ago. Still plays at a decent speed. Little Man Mike moved to Vegas. He won a bracelet playing poker and since his retirement, is more or less a full time poker player. Eddie Hodan kinda dropped out of sight.
B&L was definitely a players room and a road player's stop. When Danny Basavich was coming up, and already a very solid player, he called over to B&L one night. Benny, who answered the phone, announced to the room that "Kid Delicious sez that anyone here can get the 7". Everyone looked at each other, wondering who "Kid Delicious" was, someone asked who? Benny then sez "you know, Fat Danny". At that time, Danny was well known as Fat Danny and he just started using the Kid D nickname.
Miz's son Steve did drop in at times. He wasn't much of a player, unlike his father.
Another great unknown player, prolly the best player (cept for the top guys like Hopkins, et al) in B&L was Al Lapena. At the US Open, one year, Efren, who knew Al from the PI, would only offer the 8 ball to him. Taht about says it all.
Eric
