Table Top Joe
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Who are the best players in Baltimore both current and past? Would like to here who plays the best for the money or old gambling stories.
Best Players In Baltimore
- Thread starter Table Top Joe
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Baltimore was a good area for pool.
Jr. Harris was around for a while, Sigel would have to be the best though. Tuff to argue that.
Plus there were plenty of guys that were a step below him, the Boggs brothers played some fine pool, As did some guy named Tom .
. you also had a lotta untaxed income and lottery winners...
there was a pool room, featured in both the Kid D book and playing off the rail, that was like an amusementy park.
Table Top Joe
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I have heard stories of Sigel and Cigar tom. I haven't heard of the Boggs brothers, though.Any stories of them. It seems like Baltimore used to be a popular town for pool. I see a lot of cheap action here and there but haven't heard of any large action games recently. Do people still bet it up In Baltimore like I heard they used to?
Baltimore/DC area
I lived up in that area from '88-'95.
Among the players I got to meet, play, and occasionally beat were:
Tom Wirth, the Boggs brothers, Danny Wohlhaefer (?), Danny Green, Jimmy Scrima, William Morton, Reggie Barksdale, "Peaches", Doug Sharp, Pat O'neill, and a bunch of others whose names are hiding in my old memory bank.
I lived up in that area from '88-'95.
Among the players I got to meet, play, and occasionally beat were:
Tom Wirth, the Boggs brothers, Danny Wohlhaefer (?), Danny Green, Jimmy Scrima, William Morton, Reggie Barksdale, "Peaches", Doug Sharp, Pat O'neill, and a bunch of others whose names are hiding in my old memory bank.
I was actually gonna mention Rockville Danny...might have spelled the last name like that too:sorry:.
Reggie is a good call, I still don't know how good he plays. And I'd play him again today!
Gotta give honorable mention to the Newports, Korean Lee and the best of them all, Huey.
Geese and Slivka too.
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Table Top Joe
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how about current action players?
Where do you play and who are the best around you?
http://azbilliards.com/thepros/2000playerfinder.php
Legend has it...a Boggs was engaged for an undetermined large sum against the DC Hotdog King (RIP), lost the first game or 2 and said he had to go to the laundromat to flip his clothes into dryer. Still waiting for him to come back and continue taking his whuppin.
Tony long is a solid player in all games and bets as high as anyone, Black Henry plays dam good also, there not much left here in baltimore anymore, At one time you had Cigar Tom Vanover, Buddy Dennis, Mike GEESE Gerace, little Nicky, Loud mouth Tony, Jarbo, Richard Riggi, Larry Safia, Bobby Legg, slivka, Fat Wayne, Bo Newport, Carl punky Jones, Pittsburge Mike Katsaris, Jeff Adams, Sigel was never around very long, thats to name a few!
Jeff (piano man) brinkman, Max, Baldwin, Stancliff, Richie adams, i gamble with anyone that walk through the doors in dundalk for 30years, i always needed weight, but i always matched up and bet my own and all of it too!, Cigar TOM he gamble with all of the top players back in the 70s n 80s, played all even 9 ball and Tom won alot more then he lost!, Black Nate, Rockville Danny, Tom-Tom (best 1pocket player in maryland, 1 of the best in the world), Don Gibson (don owned the kin ten bar in baltimore), Turkey Tom, Ed the lawyer, Tall Paul, Ryan McCreesh, man there was a lot of players!
Tom Vanover won 9 straight maryland all around championships in the 70s threw 80s, Tom won 10 all together, mite be more, if you would like to verifie this go to running out billiards in dundalk Tom is there everyday, he works weekends or call him at 410-284-1032. Iam getting tire of typing this and i know some are tired of reading it too, but here we go again any way, Cigar TOM VANOVER played JIM REMPE 50 a game 9ball in the 70s in dundalk, Rempe had Tom stuck around 15 games after a few hours, after a few more hours Tom gets it back to even, Rempe jumps up and says Tom i think i can beat you but iam wasting may time and unscrews his stick and quits, when Strickland was the best player in the world he came to dundalk and Tom and him played the same thing 50 a game even 9ball, after over 24 hours they both agreed to quit EVEN, Tom played ARCHER in dundalk also in the late 80s or early 90s, they played Tom had the 7 but Archer had all the breaks, Tom got destroyed in that game (very bad game for Tom), Tom also beat guys like POLO,CRAZY JERRY, New york Frank, Tom beat Shannon Dalton playing 9ball over at Bill n billies when Shannon was about 16, Tom beat Slivka playing 9ball ABOUT 15 YEARS AGO over at Sonnys pool room on pulaski highway, About 10 years ago ANDAM came calling and spotted Tom the 7 and just destroyed him, i think that was the end for Tom there, plus his age he is 73 o4 74 today, i hope u like the stories, i have plenty more tooooo!
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Back in the early 80's, a fellow by the name of "Baltimore" Jerry Hanna came through Southern California. He was definitely a strong player that few would mess with.Is there anyone from Baltimore know this guy?
The Baltimore & Washington D.C. area was a great place for some of the best pool action in the States from the '60s through the '90s. Anyone could get played in One Pocket or Nineball around there. The best players in the Country didn't have to come out of the B'more & Washington area with the money. In the '60s there was The Jack & Jill Cue Club in Shirlington, Va. This was partly owned by Weenie Beenie. As a very young man I had the opportunity to watch many U.S. Open NineBall and Straight Pool Championship tournaments in that room. There was a show every night for years!
I saw Larry Lisciotti beat Steve Cook two games of Straight Pool on one of the tournament tables at Jack & Jill's. Steve stratched from an imposible angle needing three balls and Larry ran over seventy to win that first game. In the second game Steve looked like a duck that had been hit over the head with a hammer.
What a time to be a pool player and living in that area. It was great! I saw all the greats. Luther Lassiter, The Miz, Fats, Ronnie Allen, Richie Florence, Eddie Taylor, and all the rest of the biggest names in the game. There was also at that time a room in Silver Hill, Md. called Guys & Dolls. This room had some of the highest action in the U.S.A. One guy who was known to lose his money, leave that room and come back within a few minutes with a fresh bankroll lost the front seat of his Cadilac. While he was in action a group of guys rifled through his car thinking his stash of cash must be there. When they couldn't find it they got mad and stole the seat leaving him a wooden box to sit on as he drove home. Nice guys! He had hidden the money under one of his tires.
The '90s brought in a pool room in Glen Burnie, MD. called Jack & Jill (not affiliated with the one in Va.). This was a real dive located in the back of a warehouse area. This joint was pure proof you didn't have to have the finest tables in a good location to house great action. Jack Cooney would come by and hang out for a few weeks looking to play a millionaire some one hand jacked up One Pocket. Joe Vesey (sp) was a great One Pocket player who was playing in that room for quite a while. I got in dead stroke playing him one night and ran through him like gamma rays.
Beside the names already mentioned there were a few others which need mentioning. Local talented players included Nate, (I never knew his last name) was a great One Pocket and 9Ball player. One day he broke the nineball in on me four straight times to get even. I had had enough and quit hiim. Larry Neudecker was amazing. His stroke was so smooth the cue ball traveled around the table like you were watching a ballet. Melvin Brooks (Strawberry) who past away not that long ago loved One Pocket and promoted two major One Pocket tournaments ('92 and '93) in New Carrolton, Md. I won the second of those events beating Jose Parica in the finals.
In earlier times Earl Shriver. He was like a scorpion around the pool rooms of Washington D.C. He had more moves than Trailways and single handily proved that you really can take it with you. He died owing everyone who knew him. Sam Trivett aka Seattle Sam lived in the Northern Va. area a number of years. What a charactor he was! Pure action! And funny? He could have been a stand up comedian and made a fortune. Billy Stevens was a cab driver in the area for a while and a great One Pocket player. He later moved to Richmond and opened a super room down there. He now has a room in Shirlington, Va. I'm sure he still plays well, and a nicer guy you won't meet.
I was lucky to live in such an area with so many great pool players at a time in my life when I was still young and learning. I picked the brains of every good player who was willing to give me the time of day. I owe so much to so many and I will never be able to pay them back except by paying it forward to the next generation of players. I guess that is one more reason I like to teach.
Tom
I saw Larry Lisciotti beat Steve Cook two games of Straight Pool on one of the tournament tables at Jack & Jill's. Steve stratched from an imposible angle needing three balls and Larry ran over seventy to win that first game. In the second game Steve looked like a duck that had been hit over the head with a hammer.
What a time to be a pool player and living in that area. It was great! I saw all the greats. Luther Lassiter, The Miz, Fats, Ronnie Allen, Richie Florence, Eddie Taylor, and all the rest of the biggest names in the game. There was also at that time a room in Silver Hill, Md. called Guys & Dolls. This room had some of the highest action in the U.S.A. One guy who was known to lose his money, leave that room and come back within a few minutes with a fresh bankroll lost the front seat of his Cadilac. While he was in action a group of guys rifled through his car thinking his stash of cash must be there. When they couldn't find it they got mad and stole the seat leaving him a wooden box to sit on as he drove home. Nice guys! He had hidden the money under one of his tires.
The '90s brought in a pool room in Glen Burnie, MD. called Jack & Jill (not affiliated with the one in Va.). This was a real dive located in the back of a warehouse area. This joint was pure proof you didn't have to have the finest tables in a good location to house great action. Jack Cooney would come by and hang out for a few weeks looking to play a millionaire some one hand jacked up One Pocket. Joe Vesey (sp) was a great One Pocket player who was playing in that room for quite a while. I got in dead stroke playing him one night and ran through him like gamma rays.
Beside the names already mentioned there were a few others which need mentioning. Local talented players included Nate, (I never knew his last name) was a great One Pocket and 9Ball player. One day he broke the nineball in on me four straight times to get even. I had had enough and quit hiim. Larry Neudecker was amazing. His stroke was so smooth the cue ball traveled around the table like you were watching a ballet. Melvin Brooks (Strawberry) who past away not that long ago loved One Pocket and promoted two major One Pocket tournaments ('92 and '93) in New Carrolton, Md. I won the second of those events beating Jose Parica in the finals.
In earlier times Earl Shriver. He was like a scorpion around the pool rooms of Washington D.C. He had more moves than Trailways and single handily proved that you really can take it with you. He died owing everyone who knew him. Sam Trivett aka Seattle Sam lived in the Northern Va. area a number of years. What a charactor he was! Pure action! And funny? He could have been a stand up comedian and made a fortune. Billy Stevens was a cab driver in the area for a while and a great One Pocket player. He later moved to Richmond and opened a super room down there. He now has a room in Shirlington, Va. I'm sure he still plays well, and a nicer guy you won't meet.
I was lucky to live in such an area with so many great pool players at a time in my life when I was still young and learning. I picked the brains of every good player who was willing to give me the time of day. I owe so much to so many and I will never be able to pay them back except by paying it forward to the next generation of players. I guess that is one more reason I like to teach.
Tom
Thanks, Tom. I has forgotten about Neudecker.
Being a VA guy, I am very familiar with Seattle Sam and Bill Stephen. One I would trust with my wallet
The mid atlantic did have some good action, though I came in at the tail end of it, sadly.
Being a VA guy, I am very familiar with Seattle Sam and Bill Stephen. One I would trust with my wallet
The mid atlantic did have some good action, though I came in at the tail end of it, sadly.
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Tom tom
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Mike Wilson
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Tom tom
Tap tap!!!
Mike Wilson
Kd
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richiebalto said:
There is alot of strong players still around now. Tony Long def is. You got Shaun Wilkie, Joe Wright, Robb Saez has been around lately as well as Josh Brothers. Rick Molinero over at Big daddys and Brett Stottlemeyer lives around here now too. Theres a tourney every saturday night at bank shots in Laurel where Pat o'neal, Bobford Bob, Larry Armiger and a couple other strong players show. Theres a couple guys that play at the green room in dundalk like Mark Ford, Dave stem, Al carrington, Shaun Toni and others.
Just outta curiosity Rich do you have any stories about Jarbo? He made some repairs on a house I sold his brother Glenny and Im best friends with john his son. John used to tell me how good he was and I didnt believe him at first so I googled him. Sure enough he showed up there with all the big names back in the 85-87 stats. Had a kicking percentage of like 97% outta 18 kicks LOL. Im supposed to go shoot some with him this weekend and learn some banks. Any stories about him would be appreciated.
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Where's Jerry Slivka these days?
Of what i know about Jarbo is he was a top of the line bank pool player and played 9ball well to, 8 ball under Vanover which still made you one hell of a player, i was going in Jack n Jills (the one in glen burnie) in the late 80s and through the 90s the action was just unbelieveable, on the weekends you would have so many players in there all looking to gamble and most of this went on after the bars closed (place never closed), I gamble against Jarbo one time, i was in with Greg Riggi they were playing 200 a game 9ball banks, so they start off Riggi jump up 4-5 games rite away, now after about 6 hours Riggi is still up about 6 or 7 ( they were playing 200 a game but it was 10 ahead for 2000) Riggi comes over n i can see something not rite well Riggi says his feet are all swelled up and are killing him and i tell him if you win a couple more games it will be over (well that never happen) all of a sudden here comes Jarbo banking everything in the middle of the pockets ( i swear Jarbo must of made over 20 banks in a row) well before you know it they are even and Riggies feet are like ballons, being the man that Jarbo was he seen what was going on and he let Riggi pull up even, if Jarbo wouldnt of let Riggi quit theres no doubt in my mind Jarbo would of won 10 more in a row, thats how strong he was hitting those banks after about 8 hours of playing, JARBO AND RIGGI were the 2 best bank players around at that time (in the tri state area), i would bet now after all i seen that Jarbo was one of the best bank pool players of all time, i dont think nobody would of liked it except a few players like brumback, piggy,bugs and Grady, Truman, Jarbo getting a ball would of busted them all! i remember back then THAT Jarbo had a construction business going on, But yea what ever they say about Jarbo believe it, THE MAN COULD BANK WITH THE BEST OF THEM! mistake taking care of thanks to TOM-TOM!
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