Biggest Money Game You've Seen

bud green

bud green

Dolley and Django
Silver Member
I was watching a Varner/Mathews one pocket match (their tour stop in Detroit) and Freddie the Beard and Bill I. were talking about Detroit. They said they remembered one day where Cornbread was playing 15K a game on one table and there was another 15K-a-game on the next table. The action back then seems incredible- that's a lot of money even now.

What is the biggest money game you have seen ?

I was actually at the Sands and watched the money match described in Playing Off the Rail between Boy George and Kamikaze Bob. Twenty Benjamins stacked on the light per set and Bob couldn't hardly make a shot; lost 9 of 10 sets getting the 7 out if I remember correctly. Also watched him back the ten ahead between Tony Annigoni and L. Lemke and lose another 5500. The match lasted less than two hours and the table was so bad balls CURVED into the side pockets for scratches. There was a blond gal with him and people told me she was an owner of a brothel in Nevada (Kit Kat?) and it was her money getting thrown away.

If anyone watched the Efren/Cliff Joyner match at DCC, or has stories about action in Baton Rouge, Louisiana I'd like to hear about it.
 
During the Valley Forge Expo last year, Tony Watson beat Pat McNally in a 15-ahead 9-ball set for $20,000. I didn't get to see it, but that was the biggest money session I've personally heard of.
 
bud green said:
I was watching a Varner/Mathews one pocket match (their tour stop in Detroit) and Freddie the Beard and Bill I. were talking about Detroit. They said they remembered one day where Cornbread was playing 15K a game on one table and there was another 15K-a-game on the next table. The action back then seems incredible- that's a lot of money even now.

What is the biggest money game you have seen ?

I was actually at the Sands and watched the money match described in Playing Off the Rail between Boy George and Kamikaze Bob. Twenty Benjamins stacked on the light per set and Bob couldn't hardly make a shot; lost 9 of 10 sets getting the 7 out if I remember correctly. Also watched him back the ten ahead between Tony Annigoni and L. Lemke and lose another 5500. The match lasted less than two hours and the table was so bad balls CURVED into the side pockets for scratches. There was a blond gal with him and people told me she was an owner of a brothel in Nevada (Kit Kat?) and it was her money getting thrown away.

If anyone watched the Efren/Cliff Joyner match at DCC, or has stories about action in Baton Rouge, Louisiana I'd like to hear about it.
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I lived in Baton Rouge for 5 years in the 70's and saw a lot of high dollar action at Greenway billiards. My first night in town I watched a match for 10K between a bookie from New Orleans and an accountant from BR. It was a 10 ahead set and the accountant won 10 in a row and the match was over. I also watched Dan Louie and Buddy Hall match up for several thousand. There was also some incredible pay ball games there and huge action during major tournaments when all the top players in the country showed up. I watched a ring game with players like Keith McCready, Buddy Hall, Grady Mathews, Larry Hubbart and Flyboy. Didn't get any sleep for days. EVERYONE was gambling either on the table or on the side. Haven't seen anything like it since. Hemicuda was there from time to time and could add plenty I'm sure.

Lunchmoney
 
As far as Baton Rouge goes, I'll just about bet it all that there has been more action there thru the years than anywhere else! Back through the 70's and 80's when Greenway was rolling on up to the last few years when Flyboy and all were playing at Lambert's you could have seen it all. Throw the old years from New Orleans and the Sports Palace and guys like Humprey, Jamie and Gerome into the mix and I don't think you'll find more gamble anywhere else. I'm sure that others will disagree, but I'm telling ya... they've all been there and they've all bet it!

Best action in the world and I was happy to have been there for most of it. Greatest players and *best* stakehorses too!

Tammie Wesley-Jones :D
 
Humpty, do you know anything about pool? Wheres my 7 ball? I'm waiting.... Ok I'll let you slide. Good luck in Vegas, See ya Sam
 
satman said:
Humpty, do you know anything about pool? Wheres my 7 ball? I'm waiting.... Ok I'll let you slide. Good luck in Vegas, See ya Sam
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I got your 7 right here....... been waiting...... thanks for the good luck, I'm gonna need it! Haven't had anyone to practice with..... hint hint. I'll be there with my camera in hand to get your Hall of Fame pic though! Congrats.

Good luck to you too! C Ya there....

Tammie
;)
 
HumptyDumpty said:
As far as Baton Rouge goes, I'll just about bet it all that there has been more action there thru the years than anywhere else! Back through the 70's and 80's when Greenway was rolling on up to the last few years when Flyboy and all were playing at Lambert's you could have seen it all. Throw the old years from New Orleans and the Sports Palace and guys like Humprey, Jamie and Gerome into the mix and I don't think you'll find more gamble anywhere else. I'm sure that others will disagree, but I'm telling ya... they've all been there and they've all bet it!

Best action in the world and I was happy to have been there for most of it. Greatest players and *best* stakehorses too!

Tammie Wesley-Jones :D
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Well put Tammie.

I did see some "almost" action of another type. One night at the Greenway two guys got into an argument and decided to go outside and fight. They agreed that the winner got 5K. The fight didn't come off though as one of the guys was quite a bit bigger than the other and they couldn't agree on a spot. The whole place was rolling on the floor listening to these two arguing about a spot in a fight. They both realized how ridiculous things looked and settled their differences on a pool table playing 7 a head for 5K. I can't recall which one took the set though.
 
lunchmoney said:
Well put Tammie.

I did see some "almost" action of another type. One night at the Greenway two guys got into an argument and decided to go outside and fight. They agreed that the winner got 5K. The fight didn't come off though as one of the guys was quite a bit bigger than the other and they couldn't agree on a spot. The whole place was rolling on the floor listening to these two arguing about a spot in a fight. They both realized how ridiculous things looked and settled their differences on a pool table playing 7 a head for 5K. I can't recall which one took the set though.
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Ohhhh yess... some of the best *side* action in history at Greenway. Between the arm wrestling, foot racing, coin flipping, etc..... going on there was actually some pretty good pool, too!

One of the funniest things I ever saw was Carey Lawson spotting someone during a foot race. The spot was that Carey had to start the race laying flat of his back with his feet touching the curb. The other guy got like a 20 foot head start. The kicker was that Carey then had to jump up and race the guy around the parking lot WHILE smoking a cigaratte BACKWARDS......... Hilarious... The other guy, as I recall, was a little on the.... heavy... side and the outcome I don't remember cuz I was doubled over from watching these two go at it.

You are right, Lunchmoney, that some of the best *action* ;) was the actual matching up BEFORE anything happened. I can still hear some of the stories that were told in order to get someone matched up! I really do miss it.

Tammie
 
Who would want to be in Detroit in the winter?

Answer, every top player in the country. Freddy the Beard is not exagerating one bit about the action in Detroit. But strangely enough, the enormous action usually only happened in the winter time there. Don't ask me why.

Read closely what Bud Green wrote. $15K, per GAME. Not per set, in 1970s money too. How much would that be per game today? Mind boggling.

Jew Paul staked players to play 6 figure sets back then with the player receiving a mere 20-30% of the money. Did the players bitch? Hell no.

Other than in winter time, Lunchmoney and Humpty Dumpty are right. The best action in the country in the 70s-80s was the Greenway in Baton Rouge. Red's in Houston was a close second.

I truly miss those action days. It's rare to see such action any more. Again, don't ask me why?????????????
 
hemicudas said:
Answer, every top player in the country. Freddy the Beard is not exagerating one bit about the action in Detroit. But strangely enough, the enormous action usually only happened in the winter time there. Don't ask me why.

Read closely what Bud Green wrote. $15K, per GAME. Not per set, in 1970s money too. How much would that be per game today? Mind boggling.

Jew Paul staked players to play 6 figure sets back then with the player receiving a mere 20-30% of the money. Did the players bitch? Hell no.

Other than in winter time, Lunchmoney and Humpty Dumpty are right. The best action in the country in the 70s-80s was the Greenway in Baton Rouge. Red's in Houston was a close second.

I truly miss those action days. It's rare to see such action any more. Again, don't ask me why?????????????
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Ah, your right about Red's too! I was there when Efren, er... Cesar... came in and was priveledged enough to have seen that one..... was also priveledged enough to have just walked outside to sit in the van for a while when they got raided.......whew!

That was a great place and, like Johnson City, has it's place in pool history.

I've been in Detroit too, but just in the last ten years and can vouch for the gamble there too. Great spot.

Tammie
 
hemicudas said:
Answer, every top player in the country. Freddy the Beard is not exagerating one bit about the action in Detroit. But strangely enough, the enormous action usually only happened in the winter time there. Don't ask me why.

Read closely what Bud Green wrote. $15K, per GAME. Not per set, in 1970s money too. How much would that be per game today? Mind boggling.

Jew Paul staked players to play 6 figure sets back then with the player receiving a mere 20-30% of the money. Did the players bitch? Hell no.

Other than in winter time, Lunchmoney and Humpty Dumpty are right. The best action in the country in the 70s-80s was the Greenway in Baton Rouge. Red's in Houston was a close second.

I truly miss those action days. It's rare to see such action any more. Again, don't ask me why?????????????
Click to expand...

You are right about the rarity of big time action anymore, I can remember Dot getting on the phone and before you knew it there was a regular jamboree going on that lasted for weeks sometimes. It seemed that once the word was out everyone started showing up.

From time to time there is some fairly big action up in Seattle where ever Harry Platis is hanging out. That guy has as much gamble as anyone I've ever seen. He isn't a soft touch either.
 
lunchmoney said:
You are right about the rarity of big time action anymore, I can remember Dot getting on the phone and before you knew it there was a regular jamboree going on that lasted for weeks sometimes. It seemed that once the word was out everyone started showing up.

From time to time there is some fairly big action up in Seattle where ever Harry Platis is hanging out. That guy has as much gamble as anyone I've ever seen. He isn't a soft touch either.
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Yup, and I remember when Dot, Lambert and I believe Jesse Padilla went up to the Northwest to *visit* with Harry Platis and Dan Louie...... where is that kind of action now????? I also remember when Dot got on the phone at got Rich Geiler to fly down to BR for a tournament...... she didn't tell me (which she usually did) and I drew him in the first round. I wound up winning the match and boy, she let me have it...... I said, well, Dot..... next time you set something up you might want to inform SOMEBODY. Who knew I'd win but that's the way it goes. Richie took it real well and to this day everytime I see him he mentions it....

Dot was always planning something......... also remember the time she staked me to play Larry Price some for $20 a game getting the 7...... I asked her.... "r you nuts????" He had just got thru winning a big tournament there and she jumped right on it. She said, just go play and have fun. We were always in over our head but always came out okay. Had a lot of fun running the roads with Dot.

Tammie
 
HumptyDumpty said:
Yup, and I remember when Dot, Lambert and I believe Jesse Padilla went up to the Northwest to *visit* with Harry Platis and Dan Louie...... where is that kind of action now????? I also remember when Dot got on the phone at got Rich Geiler to fly down to BR for a tournament...... she didn't tell me (which she usually did) and I drew him in the first round. I wound up winning the match and boy, she let me have it...... I said, well, Dot..... next time you set something up you might want to inform SOMEBODY. Who knew I'd win but that's the way it goes. Richie took it real well and to this day everytime I see him he mentions it....

Dot was always planning something......... also remember the time she staked me to play Larry Price some for $20 a game getting the 7...... I asked her.... "r you nuts????" He had just got thru winning a big tournament there and she jumped right on it. She said, just go play and have fun. We were always in over our head but always came out okay. Had a lot of fun running the roads with Dot.

Tammie
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I didn't know Dot knew Rich... small world.

I just played in the Pechauer tournament this past weekend. Brady Gollan won it. Rich Geiler played in it along with Harry Platis, Dan Louie and Mike Massey. Rich is playing some fantastic pool these days, his stroke is so incredibly smooth it is mesmerizing. Dan's game isn't nearly what it used to be, although he stll has flashes of his old self. Harry Platis was hitting the ball well too. Didn't hang around afterwards too long though but I bet something happened....it usually does whenever Harry is around.
 
Bud go back to that tape and listen again. Freddie was not saying 15K but 50K a game. This was Detroit then. Read Cornbread's book. Enjoy!

PS I heard Flyboy passed away recently. Is this true?
 
yobagua said:
Bud go back to that tape and listen again. Freddie was not saying 15K but 50K a game. This was Detroit then. Read Cornbread's book. Enjoy!

PS I heard Flyboy passed away recently. Is this true?
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50K is easily believeable, Yo. I haven't heard anything about Flyboy but I put some feelers out, will let you know if I hear anything.
 
yobagua said:
Bud go back to that tape and listen again. Freddie was not saying 15K but 50K a game. This was Detroit then. Read Cornbread's book. Enjoy!

PS I heard Flyboy passed away recently. Is this true?
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I had heard the same thing about Flyboy too, Yobagua, I don't know if its true or not. I will ask around. He still has friends up here in the Northwest.
 
Action

Anybody remember all the action at Jack and Jills in Arlington, VA back in the 70's? Everybody who was anybody played there for big bucks. We had roadies sleeping under the stairwell back then. Place never closed. I don't think there was a key to the place.
Don P. :cool:
 
HumptyDumpty said:
As far as Baton Rouge goes, I'll just about bet it all that there has been more action there thru the years than anywhere else! Back through the 70's and 80's when Greenway was rolling on up to the last few years when Flyboy and all were playing at Lambert's you could have seen it all. Throw the old years from New Orleans and the Sports Palace and guys like Humprey, Jamie and Gerome into the mix and I don't think you'll find more gamble anywhere else. I'm sure that others will disagree, but I'm telling ya... they've all been there and they've all bet it!

Best action in the world and I was happy to have been there for most of it. Greatest players and *best* stakehorses too!

Tammie Wesley-Jones :D
Click to expand...
Hello Tammy,
Good to see you posting here!
I don't know for sure, but JW from the midwest, being staked by Mark B from LA won about $140,000 at Flyboy's about 5 years ago. I heard a lot of other stories as well.
 
Ted Harris said:
Hello Tammy,
Good to see you posting here!
I don't know for sure, but JW from the midwest, being staked by Mark B from LA won about $140,000 at Flyboy's about 5 years ago. I heard a lot of other stories as well.
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Good to hear from you too Ted! Man, I miss those days. I also miss the McDermott Tour, but that's another story! Man, all I want to do is play and there just aren't enough places anymore....

How are you doing??

Tammie
 
I watched Jack C and Toby of Las Vegas match up at Hardtimes in Bellflower for 40K -10 ahead. Lasted 3 days with Jack winning, There was more than that bet on the side. But from what I heard the action in La. was far heavier a few yrs ago when Flyboy was there. It seemed that the action was so heavy that everyone in the country passed through there. A stakehorse from So. Calif was there and ended up leasing a house. Morro called him and he told Morro to stay home as the action was basically 1H and the talent too strong. Grady finally got tired of all the info in forums like this one and told everyone to keep quiet and not spoil a good thing. I heard tales of 6 figure match ups and of more $ being there than at any other single place--period.
 
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