Banks

[cuesmith]

Truthfully, when Gary was at his best, I was probably on the way out, so I judged him from my earlier point of view. My last impression was when he played Black Howard the Coward banks in Kalamazoo, MI. He couldnt beat Howard. Also the final score between him and I in the finals was 23 to 21, not 23 to 18. We were both in the 2 hole when I had him in a trap, and he stabbed at a long straight back, missed it badly and froze me in the stack. I couldnt play safe and he banked in the next two. No apologies forthcoming from me for being a journeyman "sharker" either. When you beat me, you had to beat the whole package. I came out of a rough school, just like Gary's old man Joey. Another thing, while Gary was a cocky kid, he was always very respectful to me. Ok, Ok, put the kid in the top 10. I stand corrected.
the Beard

Yes I remember the match with Howard very well. That was another of our "short money" trips! lol Howard played probably the best 4 games of bank pool in his life! We had just gotten out of the car after a 4 hour drive to Kalamazoo and Howard asked Gary to play! We thought that the Gods were looking down on us! He beat us 4 straight for $100 and put us in jeopardy of sleeping in the car for the rest of the tourney. Howard made more straight back banks with the cue ball frozen on the other end rail, than I've ever seen anyone make in 4 games! Luckily we picked up a little $20 one pocket action that got us a room!
As far as you being a "journeyman sharker", I respect that. I've seen some of the best in the business and you were among them. That was one of the things I think I helped Gary with. Dealing with those situations. In the earlier days, he could be manipulated easily by the other players style. Slow players especially gave him fits! I think you know a buddy of mine, Billy Carrelli (a horse trainer & pool player), also from Cincinnati. Billy played at least a ball under Gary but for a while Gary had trouble playing him. When Gary got a little momentum, Billy would slow the game down and Gary would just go nuts! lol He eventually developed some patience and his game got a lot better. Billy and I laugh about this even now.
Yes you're right that Gary was very cocky, especially in his younger years. But as you said he was respectful to those he felt deserved respect, and he liked you as well. He thought you were one of the funniest pool players he knew. You always had a way of telling the story in a funny way.
Joey was also a good friend of mine but I didn't know him til 1980 when I moved back to Cincinnati from Miami. I wish I'd known him when he was in his prime. Joey came to work for me when I bought Oakley Royal Family Billiards in 1984 and was helping me til his death in 1986. He was a great guy! I have the memories of being a pall bearer at both Joey's and Gary's funerals and I'd have to say that Gary was my best friend for about 20 years. This is the reason for my wanting Gary to get the respect he deserves! RIP buddy!
Thanks Freddie! If you're ever passing through Cincinnati, look me up. I'll buy lunch!

just more hot air!

Sherm

 

[freddy the beard]

Thanks Sherm for a wonderful series of threads

Yes I remember the match with Howard very well. That was another of our "short money" trips! lol Howard played probably the best 4 games of bank pool in his life! We had just gotten out of the car after a 4 hour drive to Kalamazoo and Howard asked Gary to play! We thought that the Gods were looking down on us! He beat us 4 straight for $100 and put us in jeopardy of sleeping in the car for the rest of the tourney. Howard made more straight back banks with the cue ball frozen on the other end rail, than I've ever seen anyone make in 4 games! Luckily we picked up a little $20 one pocket action that got us a room!
As far as you being a "journeyman sharker", I respect that. I've seen some of the best in the business and you were among them. That was one of the things I think I helped Gary with. Dealing with those situations. In the earlier days, he could be manipulated easily by the other players style. Slow players especially gave him fits! I think you know a buddy of mine, Billy Carrelli (a horse trainer & pool player), also from Cincinnati. Billy played at least a ball under Gary but for a while Gary had trouble playing him. When Gary got a little momentum, Billy would slow the game down and Gary would just go nuts! lol He eventually developed some patience and his game got a lot better. Billy and I laugh about this even now.
Yes you're right that Gary was very cocky, especially in his younger years. But as you said he was respectful to those he felt deserved respect, and he liked you as well. He thought you were one of the funniest pool players he knew. You always had a way of telling the story in a funny way.
Joey was also a good friend of mine but I didn't know him til 1980 when I moved back to Cincinnati from Miami. I wish I'd known him when he was in his prime. Joey came to work for me when I bought Oakley Royal Family Billiards in 1984 and was helping me til his death in 1986. He was a great guy! I have the memories of being a pall bearer at both Joey's and Gary's funerals and I'd have to say that Gary was my best friend for about 20 years. This is the reason for my wanting Gary to get the respect he deserves! RIP buddy!
Thanks Freddie! If you're ever passing through Cincinnati, look me up. I'll buy lunch!

just more hot air!

Sherm

That was a wonderful series of threads between you and I. It brought back some fine memories. I really enjoyed the interplay. Especially from someone who knew what the hell he was talking about. Anybody that can trump me, I appreciate.
Private to Gary: RIP kid, you werent here near long enough.
the Beard

 

[Danny Harriman]

Mike Janis

Hello Mike you and I have never played any kind of pool together, the only time I remember you in OK was when you came to Tulsa for your Viking event. I did play in that event as it was the only Viking event I have ever particapated in but you and I have never played any pool together of this I am sure. You must have me mistaken with someone else cause I know your face, I'm sure your a fine player but I can assure you that if you would have played me in Bumps then I would certainly remember it, especially if you would have got the best of me even playing cheap. I'm listening
Sincerely, Danny Harriman

 

[Danny Harriman]

Re: Bump Pool

Well there are a few names missing, Brian Gregg from Indiana banks real well,
plus there are some Kentucky players that I'm sure have not been noticed as well. Keep in mind when I talk of Bank Pool I'm referring only to full rack bank and not the short rack, when I was a kid I witnessed Tony Fargo run three racks of nine ball - but here is the kicker he banked every ball out in numerical order, so his name should be included also. I have never seen Bugs (Leonard Rucker) play Bank but I did get to watch him play One-Pocket about 15 years ago and he was such a huge talent in the bank Dept. that he was capable of winning against anyone. I know were talking about todays players but let's please not exclude possibly the best Bank pool player ever to live Mr. Eddy Taylor. So here is my list- Bugs, Eddy Taylor, Brian Gregg, Gary Spaeth, Tony Fargo and all the players that were mentioned before.
There are so many banks and so little time ha ha.
Sincerely, Danny

 

[3RAIL KICK]

Bend a bank?

Me sure hopes to have my name included on this list of awesome bank pool players some day. I have been fortunate enough to play for some jellybeans with most of these guys and I truly respect all of their abilities.

Here are my results / comments about playing these guys.

John Brumback - Johnny tought me soo much about banking I don't think I could ever even try to match up with him. The best thing he ever showed me was how to bend the ball. Johnny is an awesome person. If you ever get a chance to talk to or play some with him you will enjoy the time spent.

My apologies. My stupid is showing again. I understand shortening or lengthening a natural bank angle with speed or english (or both) BUT what is meant by bending a bank? Are you somehow curving around an interfereing ball along the rebound path towards the intended pocket? That is what I am picturing in my mind. If that is what you meant -- WOW!!!

 

[cuesmith]

So here is my list- Bugs, Eddy Taylor, Brian Gregg, Gary Spaeth, Tony Fargo and all the players that were mentioned before.
There are so many banks and so little time ha ha.
Sincerely, Danny

Yes Danny
and I believe the time will come when your name will adorn that list! I've spent a lot of years playing, watching and staking bank pool and I know talent when I see it! Add you, Brumback, Piggy and Jason Miller to that list!

just more hot air!


Sherm

 

[cuesmith]

That was a wonderful series of threads between you and I. It brought back some fine memories. I really enjoyed the interplay. Especially from someone who knew what the hell he was talking about. Anybody that can trump me, I appreciate.
Private to Gary: RIP kid, you werent here near long enough.
the Beard

Thank you Freddie, I also really enjoyed the thread! As you said the memories are flowing when I think about these guys and some of the matches they've played, the perdicaments they've encountered and the heart they showed through it all!

I mentioned this thread to a mutual friend of ours, Billy Carrelli. He told me a story about him bringing Little Al ( David Allen I think his name was) the road agent one pocket player from Texas, in to play you in Hot Springs, I think he said! Do you remember the time I'm talking about? He said he also gave you a winner at the track, (he said you wouldn't take it from him so he told you he was going to write it down on a piece of paper and put it under your doormat, in case you changed your mind) but you were afraid to trust the tip! lol

How would you rate Little Al's one pocket game in relation to currrent players? Billy also brought him to Cincinnati to play Gary. We lost $1200 the first night and won $800 back the second night before they pulled up and asked for weight. But Gary really got a gear the second time they played and he was pissed about Billy sneaking in an unknown roadie on him! lol He won 4 straight @ $200ea the second night (took a little over an hour) where it took about 14 hours for Al to come up 6 games the first night. Al outmoved Gary and played the "SLOWDOWN" game which worked the first night, but he never got past Gary's momentum the second night! I would have liked to have come out winners overall, but was pretty happy to get back 2/3 of my dough. That Al could move!

just more hot air!

Sherm

 

[MikeJanis]

Hello Mike you and I have never played any kind of pool together, the only time I remember you in OK was when you came to Tulsa for your Viking event. I did play in that event as it was the only Viking event I have ever particapated in but you and I have never played any pool together of this I am sure. You must have me mistaken with someone else cause I know your face, I'm sure your a fine player but I can assure you that if you would have played me in Bumps then I would certainly remember it, especially if you would have got the best of me even playing cheap. I'm listening
Sincerely, Danny Harriman

Danny, we played when Leil Gay and I came to Tulsa right after he won the US Open 1-Pocket Championship. He got down with Gabe Owen playing some 9-Ball and 1-Hole. While Leil was playing Gabe 9-Ball in the front of the room we played some. Again it was real cheap so it wasn't real memorable. I remember it well, it was about 1997. while we were playing Leil walked away from the table he was playing Gabe at and bitched me out for playing you. He told me I was in bad game and even if I got lucky and won it would ruin any action for me later in that area. I also kew who you were because I was scouting for Viking at the time and you were on my list of people to check out while I was in the area. Do you remember when you were given a Viking Cue to play with?

This happend several years prior to you playing in my event at Magoos, which is when we officially met. This happened at the Tulsa Billiard Palace. When we came in the room it was late Sunday night right after a McD 9-Ball event. Some of the 1st people I remember being in the room when we walked in were you, Benny the Goose, Walden, JJ and several other top players. I remember thinking that we were in a den of thieves. The main reason you probably don't remember is because we (Leil and I) were trying to stay under the radar and we didn't tell anyone who we were. It was our 1st time in the area.

Another thing that made the experience memorable for me and helps me to date the time we were there is that Leil's picture was on the front of National Billiard News for winning the US Open 1-Pocket Championship in Kalamazoo at the time and since we were trying to stay undercover I had to remove all the magazines from the room without anybody noticing. Ahhh, life on the road, isn't it great?

Mj

 

[vagabond]

Tony is from Benton (H)arbor,MI.