Here’s a little anecdote from the first appearance of “Banking with the Beard.”
The book first appeared when the Derby was still being played at the old hotel. Freddy had a booth in the corridor you walked down to go to the tournament room. I waited until Tuesday or so when there weren’t a lot of people around. I approached the booth where Freddy was sitting. There was a group of seven or eight of his Chicago buddies standing behind him. Nobody knew me.
Now what I am thinking is, “Man! What a great idea! Someone has finally published a book on how to play bank pool. If it’s good that will answer a need. I better buy a copy.
But that’s not what I said.
You have to understand I don’t look like a pool player. I don’t dress like a pool player. I look and dress like a civilian.
I picked up one of the copies from the table and started leafing through it. After a bit, Freddy says to me, “That’s a great book. It’ll really help your bank game.” Of course what he’s thinking to himself is, “Can this guy even make a bridge. Look at those eye glasses.”
After a dramatic pause, I said,”I suppose the book’s alright. But, see, I’m afraid there might not be anything in it I don’t already know.”
That hit home. Not only did Freddy turn red, all the guys with him suddenly looked at me with expressions that said, “Did that guy just say what I think he said?”
Freddy came back with,”What do you mean nothing you don’t know.”
I answered, “Well, I grew up in Cincinnati and I’ve seen some guys who can bank a ball. Joey Spaeth. Clem Metz. Donny Anderson. So I’ve seen a lot of bank pool. I’ve played a lot of three cushion, so I know about connecting diamonds and distant aiming points. Acquired english and rail bounce and stuff like that. I’m just afraid there might not be anything in there I don’t already know so I could be wasting my money.”
By this time the guys behind Freddy are elbowing one another and laughing cautiously with their hands up to their mouths.
Finally I reached into my pocket and handed him a twenty dollar bill, or whatever the price was. Freddy’s face was an open book. You could see that he really wanted to say, “Stick your money where the sun don’t shine, Expletive. I wouldn’t sell you one of my books no matter what you paid me,”
But money was on the table, and you know pool players. I got the book.
But I don’t think the author signed it.
