This is another Dave Piona and Mike war story. Back then, players from the east and players from the west would exchange information with each other on different spots where you could make a score. It's not like today with the internet - players had to rely on each other and the information kept in their books. Some guys came through and said they had beat a guy named Bobby Fisher out of $4000, in Tulsa, OK.
Dave and Mike were in Denver, and a little burned out; they had been there a month or so and the action had dried up. They were getting ready to go to Detroit to match up with Rosie, a billionaire. Rosie had a private room and you had to know someone to get entree' into the inner sanctum. Dave had already been there and knew he could get in again. But they decided to take a little detour through Tulsa.
It took about a week to get to Tulsa from Denver and they hit all the likely haunts, looking for Bobby Fisher. They'd wait around an hour or so, then call it a night and come back the next night. Finally, after several days of this, he showed.
They matched up for $30-50 a game, 9 ball bar box, even. Dave and Mike had about $1500 on them, so they were feeling pretty healthy. Mike played 90% of the time when they were on the road and he was in the pit, struggling to get some momentum going his way. Dave was on the side, 30-40' away, mingling with the customers, and, Mike knew, side-betting. Mike never went over to talk to him, but he is sure that's what Davey is doing.
After about 2 hours, Mike is down 5 games, but not overly worried. He had another couple gears that hadn't kicked in yet.
Dave approaches him, all red-faced and with a mean look, the veins popping out of his neck. Next to them is a side room, with a curtain over the doorway. Dave grabs Mike hard by the arm, sweeps the curtain aside, and shoves Mike past it, into the next room, and he is shaking, he is so ticked off.
"What the F are you doing???!!!!!", he hisses.
Mike replies, "It's all right, we're only 5 games loser. I'm all right, I haven't played my best, I ain't breaking good, and not stringing the racks."
"Well, we're down to our last barrel!", says Dave.
"WHAT the F are you talking about?", Mike asks. "I'm only 5 games loser. How much are you betting on the side?"
Dave gets this excited look on his face and says, "I'm betting $200 a game!"
Mike sarcastically says, "Thanks for telling me!"
Dave exclaims, "I oughts slap the sh** out of you! This is your chance to make a good score and you're F'en it off!"
Now Mike is shaking and goes back through the curtain and his face is red, sure everyone heard Dave lecturing him.
Of course, since Bobby just won the last game, he is breaking and he breaks the next rack really good. There is nothing stopping this run out either. He has a half table shot on the 5, down the rail, about an inch off the rail. Mike knows it's all but over, when miraculously, Bobby misses the shot!
Mike got his second wind and starting breaking good, running 2's, 3's and 4's. Dave kept raising the side bet until he was betting $400/game. When all was said and done, they won about $7600.
That was a great comeback, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, but the tale doesn't end there.....
In a celebratory mood, the boys are ready to party, even on into the next night. Mike in particular is searching for a lady to share his bed. (Good thing I didn't know him then!
) He goes to a hotspot to go pick up on the wimmen, and lo and behold, who does he see in this joint, but Bobby Fisher! He's sitting at the bar having a drink, so Mike goes over to shoot the breeze, sits down, and starts drinking with him. They start talking, telling stories, and shooting the sh** until it's closing time, where they go their separate ways, and Mike still without a lovely to keep him warm that night.
The next evening, he goes to the poolroom at 6, business as usual. Right before he gets to the door, he's approached by a guy with his hand stuffed into his pocket like he's holding a gun and pointing it right at Mike.
The guy says he was at the nightclub the night before and says he saw Bobby and Mike at the bar and asked if there was any business involved in the matches last night.
Mike stammered his innocence, swore up and down that there was no business, saying completely truthfully that he had been out looking to get laid and Bobby happened to be in the same joint, and they started talking there. Mike must have had the ring of truthfulness in his voice, because the guy let him go, satisfied by Mike's explanation.
Mike felt that he was given a new life, because he felt sure he was going to get plugged right then and there.
