Best night at the pool hall, and never picked up a stick (Grady come in please)

G

glfgd82

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
So last night I went up to the pool hall to check out what the regulars were doing and see if anyone was playing (always fun watching the better guys play), after all the sets were done, one of the better players decides to play three cushion with the owner for a while, so I get my seat and study that game, while this game is going on, a guy who I consider in the top 2 of players around here comes in and decides to play one pocket by himself right next to where I'm sitting. So I get to watch two great three cushion players play in front of me, and to the side I get to watch a guy who can easily run 150 in the blink of an eye, pretty cool to be able to watch a book full of knowledge within 15 feet of myself.

So I start talking to Larry, who is the straight pool player, about cues and whatnot and how he was using his "cheap" stick (a custom Gilbert...value 2,700) because he doesnt like to travel with his "player stick" an 8K customTascarella, unless he is playing for a purpose. So on and on we talk, and I get a ton of insight about cues and custom makers and what he has in his collection (amazing...absolutely amazing). Next we start talking about what pool was like back in the late 60's and early 70's and what the pool rooms were like, the stories were funny and really a bummer since it will probably never be that way again. He told me about rooms in Detroit and how guys would play for $20 a rack and some for $100,000 a set and how all the "dirty money" guys all played at certain halls because they knew nobody would try to roll them (honesty among theives). The other two guys playing 3 cushion got into the converstaion as all three pretty much grew up playing together, so we heard stories about cornbread and all the true road hustlers.

The picture they painted of lansing in the 60's and 70's was really amazing, they said the biggest action took place in Michigan and that every week guys like Mizerak and other "pro hall of fame" guys were regulars around here and at the tournaments, truely mind blowing to think this town was
"IT" and that so many big guns were in the same place. We heard a story about Mataya playing a road guy for somewhere between 5 and 10 thousand and Mataya gave the guy the 8, they said there were off duty policemen who guarded the money while they played, and that Mataya go killed by the guy, who just happened to be Bushwacker....lol

The stories kept coming for about an hour and a half, just hustler stories and about the characters of the day, and the attire you would see (platforms, plaid pants, long hair, true "pimp" ware....lol) It was the best time I have ever had in a pool room without even touching a stick, to think that Lansing was the "mecca" for a breif time, I just wish I could go back to see it all happen. I can truely say "thank you" to all the old timers who have stories just like they did, just wish I had time to hear them all from everyone, sadly those days will soon be totally forgotten as everyone ages, I'm just 23 and the only thing I know of a pool hall is it's just a place to go play.

Grady, any good stories you might have from around this area (central Michigan, Detroit, Battle Creek?)
 
glfgd82 said:
So last night I went up to the pool hall to check out what the regulars were doing and see if anyone was playing (always fun watching the better guys play), after all the sets were done, one of the better players decides to play three cushion with the owner for a while, so I get my seat and study that game, while this game is going on, a guy who I consider in the top 2 of players around here comes in and decides to play one pocket by himself right next to where I'm sitting. So I get to watch two great three cushion players play in front of me, and to the side I get to watch a guy who can easily run 150 in the blink of an eye, pretty cool to be able to watch a book full of knowledge within 15 feet of myself.

So I start talking to Larry, who is the straight pool player, about cues and whatnot and how he was using his "cheap" stick (a custom Gilbert...value 2,700) because he doesnt like to travel with his "player stick" an 8K customTascarella, unless he is playing for a purpose. So on and on we talk, and I get a ton of insight about cues and custom makers and what he has in his collection (amazing...absolutely amazing). Next we start talking about what pool was like back in the late 60's and early 70's and what the pool rooms were like, the stories were funny and really a bummer since it will probably never be that way again. He told me about rooms in Detroit and how guys would play for $20 a rack and some for $100,000 a set and how all the "dirty money" guys all played at certain halls because they knew nobody would try to roll them (honesty among theives). The other two guys playing 3 cushion got into the converstaion as all three pretty much grew up playing together, so we heard stories about cornbread and all the true road hustlers.

The picture they painted of lansing in the 60's and 70's was really amazing, they said the biggest action took place in Michigan and that every week guys like Mizerak and other "pro hall of fame" guys were regulars around here and at the tournaments, truely mind blowing to think this town was
"IT" and that so many big guns were in the same place. We heard a story about Mataya playing a road guy for somewhere between 5 and 10 thousand and Mataya gave the guy the 8, they said there were off duty policemen who guarded the money while they played, and that Mataya go killed by the guy, who just happened to be Bushwacker....lol

The stories kept coming for about an hour and a half, just hustler stories and about the characters of the day, and the attire you would see (platforms, plaid pants, long hair, true "pimp" ware....lol) It was the best time I have ever had in a pool room without even touching a stick, to think that Lansing was the "mecca" for a breif time, I just wish I could go back to see it all happen. I can truely say "thank you" to all the old timers who have stories just like they did, just wish I had time to hear them all from everyone, sadly those days will soon be totally forgotten as everyone ages, I'm just 23 and the only thing I know of a pool hall is it's just a place to go play.

Grady, any good stories you might have from around this area (central Michigan, Detroit, Battle Creek?)
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I was in Detroit just a couple of weeks ago and there is still potential for good action.
Still, you can go to The Rack or Hall of Fame Billiards and hear some great sories of years past. They still talk everyday about "the airplane guy" and the 30 million lost.
I was there for 8 days and had a blast.
 
glfgd82,

What poolroom do you go to and are you talking about Larry Wiggins?

We're (The Rack) having an 8-ball tournament this Saturday if you got nothing to do, there's a few people here that could keep you entertained with stories.

Lansing always had a ton of good players and I mean a ton but the action was a little smaller than Detroit. I hope they talk about Joe Farhat still, because he used to do all the tournaments at his place (Velvet Rail) and everybody would show up.
 
Order the Grady Matthews vs Varner one pocket challenge match from Detroit Accu-Stats filmed. Bill Incardona and Freddie the beard talk about the old days at the Rack where guys would be playing $5000 a game one pocket and have the table next to them playing for just as much or more. This is in the freakin 60's - I can't even guess how much money that equates to in todays money. Unreal.

Bill I. and Freddie are also great commentators for learning one pocket.
 
glfgd82 said:
So I start talking to Larry, who is the straight pool player
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Would this be Larry Wiggins? I lived in Lansing in the 80's when I was a kid. I played at the Hall of Fame before it closed down. After Pockets opened, most of the regulars from the HoF started playing there. I think I heard Pockets closed down also. The action was already gone by that time, but I did see Jimmy Mataya play a guy from Detroit that they called "Poor Boy" some one pocket some time around 1987. Jimmy won something like $12k, if I remember correctly.

When I first started playing a little better, I told someone that I would play Wiggins some 9-ball. So whoever I told that to immediately ran into the room where the poker machine was (which I think Larry was either playing or watching someone else play) and told Larry what I said. So Larry comes out and asked, "you wanna play some?", which I remember thinking was kind of funny because I had already said that I wanted to play. Anyway, he wanted to play me a race to 11 for ... $50! I know that had to be his idea because, even at that age, with no real bankroll to speak of, I wouldn't be out of town somewhere wanting to bet $50. I had already moved back home to California, but was visiting a friend (Nate Haddad - if you play around Lansing you might know him) back in Michigan at the time. So, to make a long story short, he got me stuck something ridiculous like 10-1 or 10-2. I can't remember exactly. I came back and won the set and he pulled up!! Amazing, huh? Haha. :)

Anyway, I usually wouldn't post a story that might make someone look bad, but it's a true story so I guess he couldn't get too upset with me for telling it. In his defense, I was a punk kid at the time and he might have just not wanted to play me anymore for that reason. Whatever the case, every time I hear Larry Wiggins' name, that whole story is the first thing that pops into my head. :)
 
Jimmy M. said:
Would this be Larry Wiggins? I lived in Lansing in the 80's when I was a kid. I played at the Hall of Fame before it closed down. After Pockets opened, most of the regulars from the HoF started playing there. I think I heard Pockets closed down also. The action was already gone by that time, but I did see Jimmy Mataya play a guy from Detroit that they called "Poor Boy" some one pocket some time around 1987. Jimmy won something like $12k, if I remember correctly.

When I first started playing a little better, I told someone that I would play Wiggins some 9-ball. So whoever I told that to immediately ran into the room where the poker machine was (which I think Larry was either playing or watching someone else play) and told Larry what I said. So Larry comes out and asked, "you wanna play some?", which I remember thinking was kind of funny because I had already said that I wanted to play. Anyway, he wanted to play me a race to 11 for ... $50! I know that had to be his idea because, even at that age, with no real bankroll to speak of, I wouldn't be out of town somewhere wanting to bet $50. I had already moved back home to California, but was visiting a friend (Nate Haddad - if you play around Lansing you might know him) back in Michigan at the time. So, to make a long story short, he got me stuck something ridiculous like 10-1 or 10-2. I can't remember exactly. I came back and won the set and he pulled up!! Amazing, huh? Haha. :)

Anyway, I usually wouldn't post a story that might make someone look bad, but it's a true story so I guess he couldn't get too upset with me for telling it. In his defense, I was a punk kid at the time and he might have just not wanted to play me anymore for that reason. Whatever the case, every time I hear Larry Wiggins' name, that whole story is the first thing that pops into my head. :)
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Jimmy,
Was the the guy named "poor boy" a thin black gentleman who would be in his early fifties now? If so their is a player around Akron who plays low shortstop level named poor bpy who used to be good action. He had something to do with the Motown record label and bands. He used to play in a ring game with a drug dealer, a guy who owned a bunch of body shops, and a guy who was a "made" guy. They played 300 a game every week for years. The drug dealer went off for over 10 million over the years. My grandfather beat him out of the price of a buick in the sixties. when the D.E.A finally caught him and sent him to prison for 70 years he had 12 mil in cash, 10 mil in gold bars, 4 mil in diamonds and a barn full of pot.
 
Steve- I play at pockets, havent been up to RG's (in dewitt) yet, its owned by a guy I used to play against all the time. The "larry" is Larry Wiggins, and unfortunately I'm not up to speed yet so traveling to play in a tournament just isnt in the picture yet, I just got back into playing pool after a long break, just got to kick off the rust and get back in form. And yes Farhat is still talked when old time pool is mentioned.

Jimmy- pockets is still open, just purchased by new owners and hopefully it can get back into shape. Thanks for the story and thanks for saying something about poor boy, his name was one of the many that came up, they described him as the image that you see in movies of a 1970's "pimp" in harlem. They say he had a different colored suit for every day and they all were color matched, he was about 6'4" and wore 4" platforms that matched his outfits. One guy said when he played him he was wearing purple pants, purple shirt, purple vest, purple sport coat, purple hat with a purple feather in the hat, and his purple platforms on top of that, what a picture...lol. They said he always played a house cue and could shoot the lights out, wasnt unusual to see him run 100 balls, and some times he would play people for time plus whatever the bet was, and would run out playing straight pool and never give the person a shot, some would pay the bet but not the time since they never had a chance.
 
glfgd82 said:
Steve- I play at pockets, havent been up to RG's (in dewitt) yet, its owned by a guy I used to play against all the time. The "larry" is Larry Wiggins, and unfortunately I'm not up to speed yet so traveling to play in a tournament just isnt in the picture yet, I just got back into playing pool after a long break, just got to kick off the rust and get back in form. And yes Farhat is still talked when old time pool is mentioned.

Jimmy- pockets is still open, just purchased by new owners and hopefully it can get back into shape. Thanks for the story and thanks for saying something about poor boy, his name was one of the many that came up, they described him as the image that you see in movies of a 1970's "pimp" in harlem. They say he had a different colored suit for every day and they all were color matched, he was about 6'4" and wore 4" platforms that matched his outfits. One guy said when he played him he was wearing purple pants, purple shirt, purple vest, purple sport coat, purple hat with a purple feather in the hat, and his purple platforms on top of that, what a picture...lol. They said he always played a house cue and could shoot the lights out, wasnt unusual to see him run 100 balls, and some times he would play people for time plus whatever the bet was, and would run out playing straight pool and never give the person a shot, some would pay the bet but not the time since they never had a chance.
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Poor Boy was very well dressed [in a pimp sort of way] when I saw him as well. I don't remember the platform shoes, but I do remember the colorful outfits.
 
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