I’ve known Cole for 43 years and he’s always been a class act. Cole lived in the east bay of San Francisco when I first met him. It was 1963 and I was working in Cochrun’s. At that time he was still a shortstop but was improving rapidly. Right from the beginning he had a lot of gamble. If you were a Cochrun’s regular, it was pretty much required that you behave yourself.
Within only a two or three year period from the above described, Cole was playing championship 9 Ball. He possessed as pretty a stroke as you ever saw. I bested him once in a tough bar table match at Daisy Mae’s in Orange County but he beat me a set on the big table. Cole was the ultimate warrior on a pool table. He was absolutely fearless and a big, big bettor. Case in point: One time, Cole was playing Weenie Beenie upstairs at the Stardust. They were betting $1000 a game which was a huge bet at the time. Cole had heard Beenie say once that he had never turned down the offer of a big bet so Cole asked Beenie to play for $3000 a game. Beenie politely declined.
One time in Colorado Springs, at my own pool room, Cole beat me four days in a row to the tune of about $12,000. On the fifth day, I came to life pretty good and won all my money back plus $10,000 on the wire. Cole had come with a high rolling card player who, when they had been winning, had really been giving me the psychological treatment. To make a long story short, they were broke which embarrassed Cole mightily. Cole, over about a five year period, paid me his half of the $10,000. The card player, of course, vanished forever.
Cole learned how to cheat casinos in a variety of ways and he always had cast iron cajones. Of course he would periodically get caught and have to pay huge attorney fees and spend a little time in jail. When the smoke cleared, I don’t think he was any money ahead and he’s barred permanently from casinos.
Cole can build an entire house by himself. He’s a man of many talents but he’s not had an easy life. I met his wife and family when he lived in Carson City, Nevada probably 25 years ago.
I don’t know what else to say except it’s been a privilege to have him as my friend all these years. I’ve always found him to be honorable to a fault. If I could magically resurrect Cole’s ability when he was at the top of his game, I’d gladly stake him to play any of these modern world beaters.
Next posting, I’ll do Weldon Rodgers, then Strawberry Brooks, and Rags Fitzpatrick.
Within only a two or three year period from the above described, Cole was playing championship 9 Ball. He possessed as pretty a stroke as you ever saw. I bested him once in a tough bar table match at Daisy Mae’s in Orange County but he beat me a set on the big table. Cole was the ultimate warrior on a pool table. He was absolutely fearless and a big, big bettor. Case in point: One time, Cole was playing Weenie Beenie upstairs at the Stardust. They were betting $1000 a game which was a huge bet at the time. Cole had heard Beenie say once that he had never turned down the offer of a big bet so Cole asked Beenie to play for $3000 a game. Beenie politely declined.
One time in Colorado Springs, at my own pool room, Cole beat me four days in a row to the tune of about $12,000. On the fifth day, I came to life pretty good and won all my money back plus $10,000 on the wire. Cole had come with a high rolling card player who, when they had been winning, had really been giving me the psychological treatment. To make a long story short, they were broke which embarrassed Cole mightily. Cole, over about a five year period, paid me his half of the $10,000. The card player, of course, vanished forever.
Cole learned how to cheat casinos in a variety of ways and he always had cast iron cajones. Of course he would periodically get caught and have to pay huge attorney fees and spend a little time in jail. When the smoke cleared, I don’t think he was any money ahead and he’s barred permanently from casinos.
Cole can build an entire house by himself. He’s a man of many talents but he’s not had an easy life. I met his wife and family when he lived in Carson City, Nevada probably 25 years ago.
I don’t know what else to say except it’s been a privilege to have him as my friend all these years. I’ve always found him to be honorable to a fault. If I could magically resurrect Cole’s ability when he was at the top of his game, I’d gladly stake him to play any of these modern world beaters.
Next posting, I’ll do Weldon Rodgers, then Strawberry Brooks, and Rags Fitzpatrick.
