Chinese Mickey needs a miracle.

Nostroke

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Chinese Mickey, one of New York's best, famous for his battles with Toby Sweet 30 years ago or so, has entered Calvary Hospital in the Bronx.


Calvary is a "last stop" hospital where the "treatment" is solely to make you as comfortable as possible in your last days.

I dont even know MIckey's real name , something like Mng Hsu. At one time, he owned a room in Chinatown (NY) and hung out at Bayside Billiard Club before moving to White Plains for a job at HI Pockets maybe 10 years ago.

He is in room 630. He has battled cancer for the last 2 years or so and had a Kidney removed about 15 months ago. He rallied shortly thereafter and even returned to the table a bit where he still had the skills to beat 98% of pool players. Soon sadly the cancer returned.

Sorry to bring anyone down but i just wanted to give a heads-up to anyone who would want to know.
 
Thanks for the post, nostroke. This is very sad news indeed. Mickey and I always used to try to rob each other by asking for weight, fully believing in our hearts that the other was the better player, lol. So mostly, we did a lot of pretend barking and never really matched up much. The few times that we did, we had tough, tough matches.

He was a funny, good-hearted guy who could get under your skin in a playful manner. And boy, he could play. I'd try to play safe by sending him uptable, only to watch his 60-year-old-eyes fire it in from the rail. Such a sweet stroke.

I am indeed going to pray for a miracle.

- Steve
 
This is truly sad new. Mickey was one of the kindest guys out there. He could frequently be seen walking around our local pool room with his signature walking stick. Despite his age and his diminishing health, he still played lights out.

No matter how he was feeling, he always had the time to stop and help out a younger, less experienced player. He offered tips and advice and helped the games of many of today's young blood in New York.

I remember one time, approximately one or two years ago, walking into the poolhall at just past noon on a Saturday. Mickey and Victor Nau, another lights-out local shooter, had just started playing. I left later in the day and returned much, much later, closer to closing time. The two played through the afternoon, into the night, and on into the morning, finally finishing at just past 4am Sunday morning. Mickey was the winner by a margin of just one set. Even in his declining health, he pulled off a 16 hour stint and came out on top!

He truly was an amazing player to watch. He offered to spot me 125 in a race to 150 in straight pool and I never took him up on it because I knew he could beat me. He is a truly great player and the pool community ails alongside him.

My warmest wishes and prayers go out to Mickey, his friends, and his family. I hope all of you will keep him in your thoughts. THank you.
 
pharaoh68 said:
This is truly sad new. Mickey was one of the kindest guys out there. He could frequently be seen walking around our local pool room with his signature walking stick. Despite his age and his diminishing health, he still played lights out.

No matter how he was feeling, he always had the time to stop and help out a younger, less experienced player. He offered tips and advice and helped the games of many of today's young blood in New York.

I remember one time, approximately one or two years ago, walking into the poolhall at just past noon on a Saturday. Mickey and Victor Nau, another lights-out local shooter, had just started playing. I left later in the day and returned much, much later, closer to closing time. The two played through the afternoon, into the night, and on into the morning, finally finishing at just past 4am Sunday morning. Mickey was the winner by a margin of just one set. Even in his declining health, he pulled off a 16 hour stint and came out on top!

He truly was an amazing player to watch. He offered to spot me 125 in a race to 150 in straight pool and I never took him up on it because I knew he could beat me. He is a truly great player and the pool community ails alongside him.

My warmest wishes and prayers go out to Mickey, his friends, and his family. I hope all of you will keep him in your thoughts. THank you.
Click to expand...


I would put Mickey in the box against Earl or anyone else if both players had to play with a cigarette in their mouth with a minimum 3/4" ash. BIH if the ash drops.

Mickey played straight pool with a cig in his mouth and the smoke rising directly into his eye and it didnt matter. He could draw the length of the table with a 1" ash and never drop it. That is how still his head would be. He proved this most every set before the laws changed.

Mickey had that room in Chinatown and there was a major shooting there 25+ years ago. Automatic weapons and all carried out by one of the local gangs.
The place had to close its doors.

To this day, if you ask Mickey what happened, he will not utter a single word about it. Change the subject cause he just aint talking.
 
Steve Lipsky said:
Thanks for the post, nostroke. This is very sad news indeed. Mickey and I always used to try to rob each other by asking for weight, fully believing in our hearts that the other was the better player, lol. So mostly, we did a lot of pretend barking and never really matched up much. The few times that we did, we had tough, tough matches.

He was a funny, good-hearted guy who could get under your skin in a playful manner. And boy, he could play. I'd try to play safe by sending him uptable, only to watch his 60-year-old-eyes fire it in from the rail. Such a sweet stroke.

I am indeed going to pray for a miracle.

- Steve
Click to expand...

Great post Steve. And how true. To this day I don't think I have seen a stroke so smooth!
 
Can you tell us a bit about the Toby Sweet match?

Toby is a legend around South Florida and even today his name is mentioned whenever discussion comes up on who is the toughest to beat for the cheese.
 
uwate said:
Can you tell us a bit about the Toby Sweet match?

Toby is a legend around South Florida and even today his name is mentioned whenever discussion comes up on who is the toughest to beat for the cheese.
Click to expand...

No im sorry but i never heard any specifics-Just that they battled it out many times with some saying the overall result was too close to call and some giving the edge to Toby. They were not for huge money.

I would love to hear a little detail myself. Any real NY oldtimers out there? These matches were as far back as 35 years ago Im told.
 
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Mickey left us 2 days ago- Til the end he spoke of going back to Shanghai and teaching the young people there pool. Im very sad.

Services- Wednesday 9AM-12
26 Mulberry St
NYC
 
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We said goodbye to Mickey today.

Pool People in attendance were

My Vernon Tommy
Flatlands Freddy
Davey Gravy
Holly Hi Pockets
Neal

Some stories were told about Mickey getting the cash from Cole Dickson and Port Chester Mickey among others in his pool room in Chinatown way back when.

The Buddhist ceremony was quite interesting with the continual burning of money (some real-mostly fake I think) lots of bowing and insense.

Incredibly Mickey's FATHER was present and looking and acting as though he felt fit as a fiddle. He is in his 90's and apparently fought in WWII.

At the end his family gave Tommy a box of jewelry to give to those "who loved Mickey" and said they wanted Tommy to have his Scruggs as well. I thought this was such a beautiful gesture and i am glad that i now have something to remember him by.

Another good man gone-Chinese Mickey/Ning Tsu- We miss you.
 
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