Billiard Room - Sands Bowl, Lancaster, CA, circa 1959

[Biloxi Boy]

And while we are "off subject", for you old car lovers, "Cruisin the Coast" is in its 25th year here and is strong as ever. If old cars are your thing, its something you must check out -- kind of like DCC -- you have to see it to believe it.

Cruisin' The Coast | America's Largest Block Party

cruisinthecoast.com

 

[Hans N]

I also played Artie straight pool in 61 (i think) at the Elmhurst Recreation Bowling Alley on Roosevelt Rd, i think we were both about 16.

He was working a carnival which was either in Elmhurst or Villa Park.

The bet was a "fin" ($5).

He won and i pulled up because i didn't like my chances

Your right, fond memories due to a kinder, gentler society with much less mis-information and strife let alone it not taking our bodies a half hour +- to get lubricated after we get out of bed.

Where was your "home" room?

I played out of Breems on Wolcott and Welligton, also played at Johnsons on Roscoe.
There was a bar on Belmont just west of Elston and California called the Circus club, gone a long time ago, played a lot there,
the owner was Paul Sang who now owns the Four Treys on Damen and Henderson.

 

[VarmintKong]

Dang, man... bowling and pool. My dad worked at a small college. Down in the student union was a small bowling alley with a half dozen pool tables. He’d teach summer evening classes for C.E.S.A. (Continuing education students association) and sometimes would take me down there beforehand to spend a little time with me and then let me do my own thing, while he went and did his.

At the time, the Cleveland Browns training camp was held at the school and the players stayed at the dorms. Sometimes they would head down to the union and shoot some stick. I guess they didn’t want to be hassled out in public, or more likely Coach Schottenheimer wouldn’t let them leave the grounds.

Different era, but that picture still brought back fond memories. Tanks fer dat.

 

[1 Pocket Ghost]

Top shelf, reminds me of Town & Country Bowling Alley on North Ave. in Northlake, Il

10 pool tables, 76 lanes, great food and a rocking bar

i worked the graveyard shift with Abruzzo & Haddad.

And one of those nights you might have seen me walk in with Joey Gold, Tommy Spencer, George Michaels, or 'Waterdog'

 

[1 Pocket Ghost]

The old Belmont Theater at Belmont Ash;and and Lincoln in Chicago turned into a bowling alley/Billiards place around 1964.
Jimmy Caras represented Brunswick and gave an exhibition, Artie Bodendorfer and I had a match there, straight pool at that time,
before he became the one pocket player everyone talks about today.
Good old days.

I was there, but the action was at Bensinger's.....and as a kid, I was also at the two story high bowling alley, with pool tables 1 mile away at the corner of Aldine & Clark st. <--- that bowling alley burned to the ground in a huge fire in 1961 - us kids climbed around (dangerously) late that night in the blackened ruins taking home partly charred bowling balls and pins, lol.

 

[fastone371]

I don't see any Tri-Five Chevy's but I do see a '56 Pontiac or Olds (tough to make out).
View attachment 612272

I see one next to the old 56-57 Chevy pick up on the right, I think.

 

[fastone371]

On the cars.. the black one to the left of the door looks like a 1956 Chevy to me.....

But what is confusing is the Fords and Chevys have almost the exact same "greenhouse" front to rear.

View attachment 612298

I think the black car to the left of the door, next to the light colored fat fender car is a Ford.

 

[rexus31]

I see one next to the old 56-57 Chevy pick up on the right, I think.

Possibly! So tough to tell!

 

[silverice]

I see one next to the old 56-57 Chevy pick up on the right, I think.

56 pontiac for sure. was my second car, from a 50 chevy to Wow.

 

[ribdoner]

And one of those nights you might have seen me walk in with Joey Gold, Tommy Spencer, George Michaels, or 'Waterdog'

i got square when i got drafted and located in 65. Stayed square for many years and didn't play enough to play a "player" until about 89. Joey and Tommy were probably a decade or so behind myself, Abruzzo, Hadded and my road partner (Bill Blake). I recall running into Freddie the Banker from time to time more often at the Stardust Lounge than anywhere else. Although i wasn't playing a friend and i went to Marie's where i met Joey and Michaels who both played more in a week than i did per year, which i think was in 75.

Who was/is "warterdog"?

LOL, i was at Maries for a tourney when Meachem robbed one of the several straight pool monsters who were part of the furniture there. Bill played them 9B.

My son lives in the western burbs and i'll send you a pm next time i visit him, i could use some 1P lessons

Stay healthy, adam

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Look at how clean this place is! I can tell that the owner(s) and all that worked there were very proud.

I do not think people were a piggish in the 1950’s they understood trash when into trash can.

Today many people are pigs, example is I at post office the other day look across parking lot.

Person in another park car apparently finish sack lunch, roll window down dropped sack on ground, drove off.

One only drive down road to see how dirty people are.

 

[DJKeys]

When I was growing up in New Jersey, we had Butler Bowl which was 50 lanes and a huge poolroom as well. They later turned the pool room into slot car racing.

-dj

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

When I was growing up in New Jersey, we had Butler Bowl which was 50 lanes and a huge poolroom as well. They later turned the pool room into slot car racing.

-dj

Slot Car Racing was big for 3-5 years. Willie Mosconi’s cousin Lou & his Wife Joanne Mosconi owned Racetime Slot Car Shop, and Tracks in Burbank, CA.

 

[1 Pocket Ghost]

i got square when i got drafted and located in 65. Stayed square for many years and didn't play enough to play a "player" until about 89. Joey and Tommy were probably a decade or so behind myself, Abruzzo, Hadded and my road partner (Bill Blake). I recall running into Freddie the Banker from time to time more often at the Stardust Lounge than anywhere else. Although i wasn't playing a friend and i went to Marie's where i met Joey and Michaels who both played more in a week than i did per year, which i think was in 75.

Who was/is "warterdog"?

LOL, i was at Maries for a tourney when Meachem robbed one of the several straight pool monsters who were part of the furniture there. Bill played them 9B.

My son lives in the western burbs and i'll send you a pm next time i visit him, i could use some 1P lessons

Stay healthy, adam

Hi Adam....I don't know if we ever crossed paths back in the day - I was also at Marie's a fair amount in the 70's-80's.

Waterdog was one of the better players around Chicago back then...he also spent a lot of time in the N.Y.C. poolrooms.

For sure pm me if next time you come to town, and we'll play some One Pocket...and having said that...let me extend that same invitation to any azbilliard member that visits Chicago and would like to get together to play some One Pocket.

Take care, Ghost

P.S. Speaking of playing azbilliard members One Pocket...I have a date to torture the infamous Patrick Johnson for a few hours tomorrow

 

[Patrick Johnson]

...I have a date to torture the infamous Patrick Johnson for a few hours tomorrow

How about we skip the torture and I just Paypal you the $5?

And you misspelled “incontinent”.

pj
chgo

 

[1 Pocket Ghost]

How about we skip the torture and I just Paypal you the $5?

And you misspelled “incontinent”.

pj
chgo

and you, misspelled $50

 

[Dead Money]

Slot Car Racing was big for 3-5 years. Willie Mosconi’s cousin Lou & his Wife Joanne Mosconi owned Racetime Slot Car Shop, and Tracks in Burbank, CA.

There is actually a little boomlet of places like that again.

This is near me:

Home — Capital City Slot Car

www.capitalcityslotcar.com

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[CocoboloCowboy]

There is actually a little boomlet of places like that again.

This is near me:

Home — Capital City Slot Car

www.capitalcityslotcar.com

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Well like I said there were Slot Car Tracks all over Southern California in the 1960’s, then like other fad it died off.

Nice to see the Sport Might come back in small way.

 

[Dead Money]

Slot Car Racing was big for 3-5 years. Willie Mosconi’s cousin Lou & his Wife Joanne Mosconi owned Racetime Slot Car Shop, and Tracks in Burbank, CA.

There is actually a little boomlet of places like that again.

This is near me:

Home — Capital City Slot Car

www.capitalcityslotcar.com

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

Well like I said there were Slot Car Tracks all over Southern California in the 1960’s, then like other fad it died off.

Nice to see the Sport Might come back in small way.

yes!