Big Jake, Jake Naumer, aka "The Stockbroker" died last week -- he was a bona fide St. Louis legend, perhaps only second to St. Louie Roberts and Blackie Lasour.
I actually have limited info on Jake but perhaps others from our area can chime in if they see this. In any case, here is what I know.
I first met Jake in the late 90's when I started up playing pool after a 10 year sojourn from the game after living in Washington, DC. Big Jake was physically big (fat) but also lived life bigger than the average human being. As I recall, he was a stock broker or money manger of some kind back in the go-go days of a hyper-inflated market. He profited immensely and he lived "big" in every sense of the word, always coming into the pool hall in nice suits and with the best looking strippers and/or hookers on his arm and willing to bet whatever you wanted. But it wasn't enough and the story was there was a nip there and tuck there that he relieved from his investor's accounts and eventually he lost his broker's license. From there Big Jake fell into destitution and was occasionally found to be pawning a collectable guitar here or a collectible pool cue there. At one point, reports were that he was driving a cab in Las Vegas.
The doctors were not kind to Big Jake and he reportably suffered complications from numerous surgeries that resulted in lasting physical ailments and eventually financial problems with his family. Big Jake got bigger, lost hearing in one ear, and was broke. But regardless, Big Jake was always ready for action. He was one of those guys that, if you were a $10 or $20 a game bettor, you *had* to play for $50 or $100 or more a game because if you won you were going to hit a good pay day. I can still hear him saying, "You hit 'em like Varner. I want 10-7."
None other than Jack Cooney came to town one year to find our local "whale," Big Jake. Jack and Barbara set up camp at room in St. Louis and Jack laid it down. For several weeks he would sit on the rail, play the local short stops 1pocket losing $200 there, and $300 there, until at some point Big Jake could no longer resist the lure.
Big Jake was also an avid backgammon player and introduced the doubling cube to St. Louis 1pocket players. He was fearless with that cube and once a game got going would scare the bejeezus out his opponents with calculated use of the cube. It could get pretty scary when Big Jake had the cube.
Lately he was conducting a small handicapped 1pocket tournament at my home room. I will always remember him and his rat terrier who would sit under the table at The Break until the dog got "the office" to run out and shark you.
Big Jake was a pool room character worth commemorating and that's all I'm trying to do. RIP, Big Jake.
Lou Figueroa
I actually have limited info on Jake but perhaps others from our area can chime in if they see this. In any case, here is what I know.
I first met Jake in the late 90's when I started up playing pool after a 10 year sojourn from the game after living in Washington, DC. Big Jake was physically big (fat) but also lived life bigger than the average human being. As I recall, he was a stock broker or money manger of some kind back in the go-go days of a hyper-inflated market. He profited immensely and he lived "big" in every sense of the word, always coming into the pool hall in nice suits and with the best looking strippers and/or hookers on his arm and willing to bet whatever you wanted. But it wasn't enough and the story was there was a nip there and tuck there that he relieved from his investor's accounts and eventually he lost his broker's license. From there Big Jake fell into destitution and was occasionally found to be pawning a collectable guitar here or a collectible pool cue there. At one point, reports were that he was driving a cab in Las Vegas.
The doctors were not kind to Big Jake and he reportably suffered complications from numerous surgeries that resulted in lasting physical ailments and eventually financial problems with his family. Big Jake got bigger, lost hearing in one ear, and was broke. But regardless, Big Jake was always ready for action. He was one of those guys that, if you were a $10 or $20 a game bettor, you *had* to play for $50 or $100 or more a game because if you won you were going to hit a good pay day. I can still hear him saying, "You hit 'em like Varner. I want 10-7."
None other than Jack Cooney came to town one year to find our local "whale," Big Jake. Jack and Barbara set up camp at room in St. Louis and Jack laid it down. For several weeks he would sit on the rail, play the local short stops 1pocket losing $200 there, and $300 there, until at some point Big Jake could no longer resist the lure.
Big Jake was also an avid backgammon player and introduced the doubling cube to St. Louis 1pocket players. He was fearless with that cube and once a game got going would scare the bejeezus out his opponents with calculated use of the cube. It could get pretty scary when Big Jake had the cube.
Lately he was conducting a small handicapped 1pocket tournament at my home room. I will always remember him and his rat terrier who would sit under the table at The Break until the dog got "the office" to run out and shark you.
Big Jake was a pool room character worth commemorating and that's all I'm trying to do. RIP, Big Jake.
Lou Figueroa
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