Can anyone put a caption to this picture?
- Thread starter Mike Porter
- Start date
Mike Porter said:
Mike,
That is a rare photo of Freddy Bentivegna's great grandpappy, Luigi Bentivegna of Bologna, Italy, circa 1892.
Here's the story behind this photo.....
Luigi Bentivegna was the second Italian to ever open a bank account. As fate would have it, the town's sole banker was an old rival of Luigi's from their days rolling boce' ball in San Romeo, Carlos Berstein. Carlos was the second cousin, twice removed, of the Cuban great, Alfredo DeOro, and was privy to have THE original pool table that DeOro's uncle Frankie had built for him while working part time at the local "Wagon-Wheel".
Back to our story...Seems as though Carlos fancied himself as quite a pool player. Luigi, knowing nothing about pool other than the betting pools him and his brothers often engaged in, thought that whatever Carlos could do, he (Luigi) could do better. So he challenged Carlos to a game of pool. Carlos said "OK, but we gotta play for lots of cheese!" Luigi agreed.
When Luigi showed up with a burlap sack full of home made Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Carlos laughed so hard that he fell off his chair, breaking his arm. Unable to play, Carlos conceeded the game to Luigi, who "won" the table that they were to play on. The picture you posted shows him in the 600 block of South Artichoke Ave. The original burlap bag containing the cheese is seen resting in utter repose atop the table. Luigi's house is just out of view on the lower left side of the photo.
When Luigi came to America shorty there after, customs officials wanted to know where he got his money. Luigi, not yet fluent in english, said "I win bank pool." And after the words "Bank Pool" was stamped on Luigi's passport, you guessed it, it became the Bentivegna family trade.
And know you know the rest of the story.
"Having partnered on a new venture, Eddie Wheat delivered the first of his and Kevin's much anticipated Varney Tables."
"After several years in the patent office, Mike Janis unveiled his new line of Amateur Only Tables."
Mike Porter said:
Hey, Mike... if you recall, that's the picture on the cover of my book of short stories 'Hamster Tales'.
The picture was taken in a Chinese province by a National Geographic photographer. Apparently most homes in the area are too small to accomodate a pool table so they mounted this table-top on wheels and periodically set it up in the village square.
Cost me a fortune to get permission to use the picture...
The Hamster said:
David,
Hi, how are things in the sunny south? I did remember and I was going to add a picture of your book this evening. For others reading this, the book "Hamster Tales" is a must for your collection.
I see that you will have to find a new venue if you ever hold another tournament, Coronation closed a year ago in August. At the time Keith said that his taxes were in the $90000/yr range. No wonder he closed. I can't imagine how many hours of pool it would take to pay for just the taxes.
My daughter still lives in your neck of the woods. I'll drop you a line, maybe we can shoot some when I am in town.
Mike
Beat me to it.cuenut said:
I'm on the hill,Thank god,this things getting heavy.
Terry Ardeno said:Mike,
That is a rare photo of Freddy Bentivegna's great grandpappy, Luigi Bentivegna of Bologna, Italy, circa 1892.
Here's the story behind this photo.....
Luigi Bentivegna was the second Italian to ever open a bank account. As fate would have it, the town's sole banker was an old rival of Luigi's from their days rolling boce' ball in San Romeo, Carlos Berstein. Carlos was the second cousin, twice removed, of the Cuban great, Alfredo DeOro, and was privy to have THE original pool table that DeOro's uncle Frankie had built for him while working part time at the local "Wagon-Wheel".
Back to our story...Seems as though Carlos fancied himself as quite a pool player. Luigi, knowing nothing about pool other than the betting pools him and his brothers often engaged in, thought that whatever Carlos could do, he (Luigi) could do better. So he challenged Carlos to a game of pool. Carlos said "OK, but we gotta play for lots of cheese!" Luigi agreed.
When Luigi showed up with a burlap sack full of home made Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, Carlos laughed so hard that he fell off his chair, breaking his arm. Unable to play, Carlos conceeded the game to Luigi, who "won" the table that they were to play on. The picture you posted shows him in the 600 block of South Artichoke Ave. The original burlap bag containing the cheese is seen resting in utter repose atop the table. Luigi's house is just out of view on the lower left side of the photo.
When Luigi came to America shorty there after, customs officials wanted to know where he got his money. Luigi, not yet fluent in english, said "I win bank pool." And after the words "Bank Pool" was stamped on Luigi's passport, you guessed it, it became the Bentivegna family trade.
And know you know the rest of the story.
what a concoction!!!! u deserve a gold medal for that.:thumbup: