Bar Games

[JAM]

Derby starters are still a coin flip. Looks like Old Fashioned is the early consensus pick.
We'll know more once March is done.

On the bar game thing we did - it was all about fun and everyone enjoyed razzing and being razzed -
especially in foosball. Luckily we never had a problem getting press.
Here's a newspaper promo from the event -

Thanks for sharing that pic. That is a very innovative concept, and I'll bet everybody looks forward to it. There's a little something for everyone to flex their competitive muscles, so to speak!

In recent times, I've been leaning towards the Louisiana jockeys. I will NEVER FORGET how much excitement was generated for me when Calvin Borel rode Street Sense to the finish line, riding that rail from last place to first place. Oh, yeah! :thumbup:

Meanwhile, recently in N'Orlins:

Rachel Alexandra strengthened her status as the top filly in the Midwest as she turned in a dominating wire-to-wire effort to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks. Rachel Alexandra was three lengths clear in the stretch when jockey Calvin Borel began to wrap up on her at the sixteenth pole, and he began to celebrate with 40 yards to go.

Here's my man Calvin on Rachel Alexandra. I won't bet against him if he's in the Derby. He'll at least be in my Pick 3.

Interestingly, when they interviewed Calvin last year right before his race in the Derby, he was trying to relax, playing pool in the jockey quarters. Gotta love Calvin Borel.

 

[JAM]

Holy Bar Games, here's an article about Johnny Archer and Kim Davenport's pool room, the Marietta Billiard Club:


Places like the pool hall have been around for a long time, of course, but as the job market unravels, more people reach for a "third place" —- neither home nor work, but a substitute with some of the best attributes of each.

"One of the major reasons that people go is just to hang out with other people," said Ray Oldenburg, best known for writing "The Great Good Place," a look at such sanctuaries. "There are dozens of functions of third places, but what it comes down to is not being alone," Oldenburg said.There are a lot of potential players these days: roughly 11.6 million Americans —- about 400,000 in Georgia —- are officially out of work.

Some "third places" are obvious: libraries, beer gardens, pubs and coffeehouses. Some are less so: post offices and barber shops, for example. These places can bring people together across class and race lines. They offer a kind of social democracy, albeit one that often has a hierarchy of regulars and outsiders. Most important, with minimal admission fees, they are communities.

I can definitely agree with this line of thinking in the article.

In today's tough economic times, it does bring people together, and the Marietta Billiard Club is offering an array of games to keep their patrons happy while they're going through the tough times together.

Continuing:
For the customers who are struggling, the pool hall provides comfort, companionship and —- for patrons —- a kind of part-time employment: Cards.

Four nights a week, poker offers customers a chance to play for "bar cash," chits that can be cashed in to buy food. You have to spend at least $5 on food to get into the game.

"A guy came in last night with $50 in bar cash," Berry said. He bought chicken wings and took them home to his family.

There are a lot of potential players these days: roughly 11.6 million Americans —- about 400,000 in Georgia —- are officially out of work.

This sounds like a GREAT pool room, man! Bravo to Kim Davenport!

One recent weekday was a day off for Mark Raniere, a 49-year-old mechanical engineer. He arrived at the pool hall by 11:30 a.m.

By 3:30 p.m., the play-for-free period had passed, and he stood, chain-smoking and watching others shoot.

He lives alone, a mile away. At the billiards club he feels at home, especially now that he knows he, too, could be jobless at some point.

Four hours after arriving, he still had his cup of water —- and a full ashtray.

"Because I’ve come here every day for so long, it wouldn't be a good idea to change my routine now," Raniere said.

Recession has softened spending in the club, but it hasn't completely blunted the desire to play pool with other people, said co-owner Kim Davenport.

"We have tournaments or leagues seven days a week," he said. “Thursday night is our busiest night —- every table is going.”

Sometimes, though, solace lies in the warm lights and a smaller crowd on a cold afternoon.

Harold Dorden comes to the pool hall three or four times a week, now that he’s closed his construction business. The recession forced him to shut down. He and his wife are living off the salary she earns at a collection agency.

The pool hall is "an outlet," he said. "It relieves stress."

He will sometimes contribute a little money for players who don’t have quite enough cash to get a table. And he’s seen the owners sometimes let someone play without paying.

What would he do without the pool hall?

"Oh, God —- I’ve been doing this 10 years," he said. "I’d be lost. … Not only are these people friends, they are family."

Source:
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/printedition/2009/03/15/poolhall0315.html [Retrieved 15 March 2009]

THIRD PLACES

Sociologists have dubbed places other than a workplace or home where people spend a great amount of time 'third places." As more folks cope with joblessness and other economic uncertainties, "third places" are filling a need for haven. "I think it makes this more important. If you are down and out, to hang around with friends helps," said Ray Oldenburg, author of "The Great Good Place."

So who here has a Third Place in their life? We used to have a "third place" in my neck of the woods, but it closed down. :frown:

Link for Marietta Billiard Club: http://www.mariettabilliardclub.com/default.htm

Picture of Kim Davenport.

 

[ShootingArts]

Horse, jockey trainer

JAM,

When I bet the horses a lot I took a hard look at horse, jockey, and trainer. Louisiana jockeys are tough anywhere as indicated by the multiple champions out of our smallish state and when they are backed up by a great trainer and sitting on top of a good mount they seem to usually get a piece of the money.

One trainer really telegraphed when to leave his horses alone years ago. He liked the way the shadow roll across a horse's nose looked in the winner's circle photo's, didn't matter if the horse needed one or not. See a shadow roll on the horse and he was at least trying and hoping to win. No shadow roll, bad bet!

Hu

Thanks for sharing that pic. That is a very innovative concept, and I'll bet everybody looks forward to it. There's a little something for everyone to flex their competitive muscles, so to speak!

In recent times, I've been leaning towards the Louisiana jockeys. I will NEVER FORGET how much excitement was generated for me when Calvin Borel rode Street Sense to the finish line, riding that rail from last place to first place. Oh, yeah! :thumbup:

Meanwhile, recently in N'Orlins:

Rachel Alexandra strengthened her status as the top filly in the Midwest as she turned in a dominating wire-to-wire effort to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Fair Grounds Oaks. Rachel Alexandra was three lengths clear in the stretch when jockey Calvin Borel began to wrap up on her at the sixteenth pole, and he began to celebrate with 40 yards to go.

Here's my man Calvin on Rachel Alexandra. I won't bet against him if he's in the Derby. He'll at least be in my Pick 3.

Interestingly, when they interviewed Calvin last year right before his race in the Derby, he was trying to relax, playing pool in the jockey quarters. Gotta love Calvin Borel.

 

[JAM]

Free WiFI at Cue Club in Vegas

Speaking of bar games, here's a new twist. FREE WiFI at the Cue Club in Las Vegas. That is a nice draw to pack 'em in. Anything FREE Is nice. :wink:

Source: http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/ka...ansmission-cue-club-very-wet-stamp-free-wifi/ [Retrieved 16 March 2009]

The journalist who wrote this article gives a little bit of Cue Club smut, to include its rich history.

By John Katsilometes · March 15, 2009 · 11:36 PM

I just ducked into the Cue Club at the Commercial Center to catch up on some work. Why it is in the neighborhood of midnight on a Sunday and I am catching up on work anywhere the Commercial Center is another story for another time. If you’re familiar with what happens specifically at midnight at the Commercial Center, you can probably sort it out. It’s not illegal, unethical or (typically) dangerous.

Anyway, I walk in and I am instantly asked for my ID. Really, now? But this happens every so often, in cases where everybody is carded, so I pull out my ID, along with my Archie Press Club card, and the guy behind the counter gives it good scanning. Then he grabs an ink pad to stamp my hand, to prove I’m not only 21, but 21 twice over plus one. He should have stamped my feet, too. And he his working with a brand-new ink pad, because the old one was faded and you couldn’t read the lettering, whatever it is. So, now I am typing away energetically, beating the crap out of my keyboard as usual, and this stamp is rubbing off all over. I’ve been stamped probably thousands of times in Las Vegas and I’ve never experienced an oil slick like the one leaking across my left hand.

But know this about the Cue Club, opened in 1962 with a rich and colorful history (ownership of the club changed hands about 25 years ago after a long game of billiards): There is free wireless Internet service here. No kidding. That makes it worth the trip, the ink, and God bless the Cue Club.

 

[Gerry]

Hi JAM, not to hijack ,but tell Kiether I just got done dubbing a VHS tape of the 2000 Catfish Classic 1P Finals of Quake and Cecil Tugwell at Hardtimes I think?

great stuff!

Tell Quake we are all waiting for the come back!

 

[HumdingerBarry]

Hello JAM !

I was rockin' in The late 60's at the Humdinger on Lincoln in Buena Park. I lived there for 2 years among other places in OC. It was a pretty good living and exciting life back then. Me and Shorty Brown would hit all the bars and then end up back at the Humdinger or Daisy May's. I remember watching Sergio Varges play all night long for a hundred a game. Fat Rat., Artesia Kenny. Wonder what happened to everybody? Wasn't Bob's billiards by Beach and Ball in Buena Park ? I played Keith in the 70's in San Diego. Before I knew it he was in and out and I was $100 lighter goin' who the hell was that..lol

 

[JAM]

Hi JAM, not to hijack ,but tell Kiether I just got done dubbing a VHS tape of the 2000 Catfish Classic 1P Finals of Quake and Cecil Tugwell at Hardtimes I think?

great stuff!

Tell Quake we are all waiting for the come back!

That sounds so cool: Catfish Classic! :grin-square:

I'd love to see that someday. Definitely, I will be in Pennsylvania soon. We were going to go this weekend for the ProAm tournament at SBE, but after this past weekend, we decided not to. My workload here is brutal in recent times.

I have never seen Cecil Tugwell play, only still photos of him. I actually had been collecting little snippets about Cecil, but quit doing it a few years ago. This video would wonderful keepsake for me, and I'm sure Keith would love it.

Was Cecil shooting with his left hand in this video?

 

[JAM]

I was rockin' in The late 60's at the Humdinger on Lincoln in Buena Park. I lived there for 2 years among other places in OC. It was a pretty good living and exciting life back then. Me and Shorty Brown would hit all the bars and then end up back at the Humdinger or Daisy May's. I remember watching Sergio Varges play all night long for a hundred a game. Fat Rat., Artesia Kenny. Wonder what happened to everybody? Wasn't Bob's billiards by Beach and Ball in Buena Park ? I played Keith in the 70's in San Diego. Before I knew it he was in and out and I was $100 lighter goin' who the hell was that..lol

Wow, I feel quite honored to be on the receiving end of your very first post on AzBilliards. :smile:

The only thing I am familiar with in your post is "Bob's Billiards," as I have never been to California as an adult. You must have quite a memory.

BTW, in case anyone hasn't said it yet, welcome to AzBilliards Discussion Forum, the biggest and best pool website on the Internet, bar none.

There's quite a few members here from California who you may know. I'm sure you'll be running into them on the threads. Thanks for the post! :smile:

 

[HumdingerBarry]

Thanks JAM !

I wasn't really sure how to reply on this Forum so I have been monitoring it for some time. I'm alittle shy so I figured from your My Space and Accu-Stats that you are very cool. You made it seem easy for me. You're right for now my memory is sharp at least 40 years ago but if you asked me 1 hour ago I have to write it down so I don't forget. I'm 64 and played a solid 'A' game on a 7' Bartable from '62' to '71'. I started playing again about 3 yrs ago 3 hrs in the morning and 2 hrs at night. This old folks resort has a great room with 6 Olehausens. Finally after all this time in the last 6 months I feel I have gotten my 'A' game back. Didn't say Pro but I play anybody if the game is right. So far my best game is straight pool since thats what I practice all the time. High run 67 balls. I have started entering Hardtimes 3rd Sat of the month Straight pool. Most fun you can have at my age for $30. Single elimination so if I win a match I feel great. Inevitably (sic) the World Beaters prevail, Jose, Oscar etc. but thats OK. In the 60's it was totally different with the gamble and all. Road player for 2 years. From Medford and Eugene to Albuquergue (sic) Gallop and back to Barstow. So that was my introduction JAM. Thanks for the Welcome and making me feel comfortable...

 

[ShootingArts]

just extending another welcome

Barry,

Looks like you will fit right in. Welcome!

Hu

I wasn't really sure how to reply on this Forum so I have been monitoring it for some time. I'm alittle shy so I figured from your My Space and Accu-Stats that you are very cool. You made it seem easy for me. You're right for now my memory is sharp at least 40 years ago but if you asked me 1 hour ago I have to write it down so I don't forget. I'm 64 and played a solid 'A' game on a 7' Bartable from '62' to '71'. I started playing again about 3 yrs ago 3 hrs in the morning and 2 hrs at night. This old folks resort has a great room with 6 Olehausens. Finally after all this time in the last 6 months I feel I have gotten my 'A' game back. Didn't say Pro but I play anybody if the game is right. So far my best game is straight pool since thats what I practice all the time. High run 67 balls. I have started entering Hardtimes 3rd Sat of the month Straight pool. Most fun you can have at my age for $30. Single elimination so if I win a match I feel great. Inevitably (sic) the World Beaters prevail, Jose, Oscar etc. but thats OK. In the 60's it was totally different with the gamble and all. Road player for 2 years. From Medford and Eugene to Albuquergue (sic) Gallop and back to Barstow. So that was my introduction JAM. Thanks for the Welcome and making me feel comfortable...

 

[JAM]

I wasn't really sure how to reply on this Forum so I have been monitoring it for some time. I'm alittle shy so I figured from your My Space and Accu-Stats that you are very cool. You made it seem easy for me. You're right for now my memory is sharp at least 40 years ago but if you asked me 1 hour ago I have to write it down so I don't forget. I'm 64 and played a solid 'A' game on a 7' Bartable from '62' to '71'. I started playing again about 3 yrs ago 3 hrs in the morning and 2 hrs at night. This old folks resort has a great room with 6 Olehausens. Finally after all this time in the last 6 months I feel I have gotten my 'A' game back. Didn't say Pro but I play anybody if the game is right. So far my best game is straight pool since thats what I practice all the time. High run 67 balls. I have started entering Hardtimes 3rd Sat of the month Straight pool. Most fun you can have at my age for $30. Single elimination so if I win a match I feel great. Inevitably (sic) the World Beaters prevail, Jose, Oscar etc. but thats OK. In the 60's it was totally different with the gamble and all. Road player for 2 years. From Medford and Eugene to Albuquergue (sic) Gallop and back to Barstow. So that was my introduction JAM. Thanks for the Welcome and making me feel comfortable...

Keith said you must know Charlie the Ape, Don Percy [ph], and Bud Bull. He said that's going way back.

Hey, if you're running 67 balls in straight pool, you're doing okay in my book. WOW!

I really hope you enjoy your experience on this forum. There truly are some GREAT members here. Before long, I'll bet you'll be hooking up with a few of them. I look forward to your participation in the future! :smile:

 

[HumdingerBarry]

Old day's in OC

JAM tell Keith I think I remember Don Percy. I think he was a friend of Robin's in the 70's. My time was alittle before that I think. When I played you in the 70's you were pretty young. I remember people like Welden (Junior) Rogers from Tucson. Would come out playing right handed then bet it up and telling the mark "I'll play you left handed" of course he was left handed and played like GOD. Fat Rat was pretty good. Artesia Kenny played real steady. He ran 10 racks of 8 ball on me for $10 a game on a bar table. Don't misunderstand me I was unbeatable at times with the right combo of whites and beer. I can remember living over that bar thats right downtown Medford and beating everybody that came thru for a week. I had a bankroll that would choke a horse but then I started givin' up the seven to anybody and was broke in a couple of days. I remember Popcorn, Stormin' Norman. Sergio probably was the best in my day. JAM that 67 balls was in practice but I'm pretty consistent in the 40's. My first Straight pool Tournament at Hard times I won my 1st match and lost my second. Running in the 30's and safe. I got a long way to go. Just somethin' to do.

 

[HumdingerBarry]

Thanks Hu

Thanks HU for the Welcome.

 

[JAM]

JAM tell Keith I think I remember Don Percy. I think he was a friend of Robin's in the 70's. My time was alittle before that I think. When I played you in the 70's you were pretty young. I remember people like Welden (Junior) Rogers from Tucson. Would come out playing right handed then bet it up and telling the mark "I'll play you left handed" of course he was left handed and played like GOD. Fat Rat was pretty good. Artesia Kenny played real steady. He ran 10 racks of 8 ball on me for $10 a game on a bar table. Don't misunderstand me I was unbeatable at times with the right combo of whites and beer. I can remember living over that bar thats right downtown Medford and beating everybody that came thru for a week. I had a bankroll that would choke a horse but then I started givin' up the seven to anybody and was broke in a couple of days. I remember Popcorn, Stormin' Norman. Sergio probably was the best in my day. JAM that 67 balls was in practice but I'm pretty consistent in the 40's. My first Straight pool Tournament at Hard times I won my 1st match and lost my second. Running in the 30's and safe. I got a long way to go. Just somethin' to do.

I have a brother who lives in Happy Camp, and I hear him talking about getting supplies and "going to town up in Medford" all the time. He said they have cougars, bears, wolves, and all kinds of wild critters where he lives.

Robin posts on this forum. Her forum name is "Robroy." Of course, I'm sure you knew she was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame. She is very nice, and everybody really enjoys having her as a forum member. Here is Robin's website. She's still gorgeous and sweet: http://www.robindodson.com/

Also, you might know John "Jack" Madden, who also is a member here. He lives in Montana now and makes custom cues. He made a real beauty of a cue for Keith. The "hit" of this cue is what makes it so special. Keith really loves that cue. Here is Jack's website: http://johnmaddencues.com

I'm sure you know Grady Mathews, and he also posts here sometimes. He's married and lives in South Carolina, runs his own pool room called "Grady's Place" in Lexington, SC. Here is Grady's website: http://gradymathews.com/blog/ Here is Grady's pool room's website: http://www.gradysbilliards.com/

Also, there's quite a few California posters and other players on the one pocket website. They have some incredibly cool stories about One Pocket Hall of Fame inductees, players that I am postive that you know. Their website is: http://www.onepocket.org

Hard Times pool room, that's the one where they have/had that big table named Big Bertha. Boy, if that table could only talk, the stories it could tell. :grin-square:

 

[HumdingerBarry]

Happy Camp

I was on the road in 1969 with a Canadian from Long Beach. His name was Gary Collette ( The Canuck). He was a great bar room Hustler and would loosely bridge with his little pinkie straight up in the air. He was a great opened bridged player. We got alot of Action! One day we decided to go to Eugene where He had a girlfriend and knew where the action was. Eugene's top spot was The Golden Canary (The Dirty Bird) Cards, dice, Pool, College Town. Well he ended up staying and I headed back to California. I found good action in Medford so I stopped there for a month or so. When I left I had about $50, an old hand painted red Karmen Ghia and my TAD. I decided to take the back road and when I crossed into California there was Happy Camp. Beautiful little lumber town with a river running below it. There was a small restaurant in the middle of town so I stopped for breakfast. Mostly redneck logger's. Friendly even though I had a zz top goatee and hair to the middle of my back. No action there but stopped in the river and took a bath before heading back to 101. JAM I'll get off you're thread now and Thanks again for the Welcome. Who know's maybe I'll start my own thread if I get up enough nerve and run into an ole' memory.

 

[JAM]

I was on the road in 1969 with a Canadian from Long Beach. His name was Gary Collette ( The Canuck). He was a great bar room Hustler and would loosely bridge with his little pinkie straight up in the air. He was a great opened bridged player. We got alot of Action! One day we decided to go to Eugene where He had a girlfriend and knew where the action was. Eugene's top spot was The Golden Canary (The Dirty Bird) Cards, dice, Pool, College Town. Well he ended up staying and I headed back to California. I found good action in Medford so I stopped there for a month or so. When I left I had about $50, an old hand painted red Karmen Ghia and my TAD. I decided to take the back road and when I crossed into California there was Happy Camp. Beautiful little lumber town with a river running below it. There was a small restaurant in the middle of town so I stopped for breakfast. Mostly redneck logger's. Friendly even though I had a zz top goatee and hair to the middle of my back. No action there but stopped in the river and took a bath before heading back to 101. JAM I'll get off you're thread now and Thanks again for the Welcome. Who know's maybe I'll start my own thread if I get up enough nerve and run into an ole' memory.

Hey, you post on this thread whenever you want to. I enjoy reading your posts.

Happy Camp probably hasn't changed much since you were there last, though my brother says a lot of folks are buying lots up there, panning for gold in recent times.

Do not forget to go to the http://www.onepocket.org/forum/index.php

There's a lot of California players on there. I'm sure you may know some of them.

So glad to meet you!