Crazy Frank Piasecki 1949-2014

[Paul Schofield]

Crazy Frank from Buffalo passed away two days ago from lung cancer. Crazy Frank was one of pooldoms unforgetable characters from a time gone by. He was liable to say or do anything. Frank could play some one-hole. One of his favorite moves was to steal balls from his opponant's pocket or side of the ball rack. You could not turn your back on him. Below is a 27 year old picture of Frank (on the right) and myself in dispute over a ruling.

 

[macguy]

Crazy Frank from Buffalo passed away two days ago from lung cancer. Crazy Frank was one of pooldoms unforgetable characters from a time gone by. He was liable to say or do anything. Frank could play some one-hole. One of his favorite moves was to steal balls from his opponant's pocket or side of the ball rack. You could not turn your back on him. Below is a 27 year old picture of Frank and myself in dispute over a ruling.

My friend, who also passed away a few years ago, Phil Fasciana, used to talk about him all the time.
Who is who in the picture?

 

[Paul Schofield]

macguy, Frank is on the right in the picture above.
Here is a picture of Phil. Phis was also a fine player.

 

[cardiac kid]

Paul,

One of Frank's other favorite moves was to handle the balls as much as possible. He sweated more than anyone I knew. Even if he scratched, he'd want to get the cue ball out of the pocket or return. Frank could also play some nine ball. Lost a tournament to him a few years ago because I underestimated his playing speed. Used to love to watch him play one hole when he visited Rochester with Phil or Danny. Never knew what move he would try next! Frank achieved near legend status around Western New York.

Lyn

 

[Pushout]

My friend, who also passed away a few years ago, Phil Fasciana, used to talk about him all the time.
Who is who in the picture?

The guy sitting down, in the dark shirt, is Joe Kachara {sp?} from Binghamton, NY. I knew Frank enough to say hello, they didn't call him "Crazy Frank" for nothin'!!

 

[Pushout]

I have two memories of Frank. 1. A friend and I played in a tournament at Caps in Syracuse, NY and after we were both eliminated my friend backed Jerry "Bugsy" Fiehl against Frank playing One Pocket. Anyone who knows Jerry knows he can play a bit
Anyway, Frank banked in balls from places I didn't think they could possibly be made from. My friend pulled up after 3 games. I think that game was one of the reasons I later got into playing One Pocket.
2. I remember Frank playing Grady Mathews in the practice room at the BC Open after the tournament was over for the day. Frank was getting some kind of outrageous spot and had to use a bridge every shot for $500 a game. Frank was bombed to the gills! His backer pulled up after two or three games, I forget now.

 

[Paul Schofield]

Many of the Crazy Frank stories are not appropriate for this forum. He was shameless. He could not be embarassed. I can never remember him feeling bad or guilty about any of his dirty deeds and indiscretions. I remember in 1973 when he got barred from the Side Pocket on Baily Avenue in Buffalo for pulling a gun (or knife) on a fellow player. To Frank, everything was funny. Everything was a joke. He always played with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

If he could not argue and employ intimidation to get what he wanted, he would turn to begging. He could beg better than anyone I knew.

 

[cardiac kid]

Many of the Crazy Frank stories are not appropriate for this forum. He was shameless. He could not be embarassed. I can never remember him feeling bad or guilty about any of his dirty deeds and indiscretions. I remember in 1973 when he got barred from the Side Pocket on Baily Avenue in Buffalo for pulling a gun (or knife) on a fellow player. To Frank, everything was funny. Everything was a joke. He always played with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

If he could not argue and employ intimidation to get what he wanted, he would turn to begging. He could beg better than anyone I knew.

Paul,

You're correct. When I told the guys at Classic Billiards that Frank had passed, some of the stories best not told on this forum came to light. He was simultaniously intimidating and laughable. He was the kind of person to whom a story told was better if embellished rather than true. Even if the truth was equally funny or funnier. May he rest in peace. That cigarette finally got the best of him.

Lyn

 

[Paul Schofield]

I had Crazy Frank burried one night. He was down to his last barrel or two. He proceeded to take his shoes off. OH MY GOD! His feet stunk so bad that it sent many of the patrons to the door. It became as tough a conditions you could play in. What a move!

 

[Pushout]

Many of the Crazy Frank stories are not appropriate for this forum. He was shameless. He could not be embarassed. I can never remember him feeling bad or guilty about any of his dirty deeds and indiscretions. I remember in 1973 when he got barred from the Side Pocket on Baily Avenue in Buffalo for pulling a gun (or knife) on a fellow player. To Frank, everything was funny. Everything was a joke. He always played with a cigarette hanging from his lips.

If he could not argue and employ intimidation to get what he wanted, he would turn to begging. He could beg better than anyone I knew.

That was Frank, all right! Gary Pinkowski told me a story about him and Frank on the road that Gary was embarrassed about and that was a hard thing to do, embarrass Pinky!!

 

[Paul Schofield]

Pushout, Are you talking about this guy?

 

[Pushout]

Pushout, Are you talking about this guy?

Yeah, you know who I'm talking about Paul! I was there when your buddy beat Gary two sets of 10 ahead

 

[sharkmate]

Poolplayers curse...

Frank use to play at the Akron open years ago and was a chain smoker. I wonder how many states still allow smoking in pool halls?


"If you can't say anything nice it's Best not to say anything at all."

 

[Paul Schofield]

"If you can't say anything nice it's Best not to say anything at all."

You obviously did not know Crazy Frank very well. He would be proud and pleased as could be to have all of his dadstardly escapades told on a public forum. The stories only enhance the legend. He had a sense of humor like no one I ever knew. He was a one of a kind.

 

[jay helfert]

Sorry to hear that. I kind of liked Frank. He was a true pool character.

 

[thebark]

I only saw Frank once. He was warming up with Ike Runnels at the Derby around 2005. He ran all 15 balls. It was beautiful. The way he manipulated the rack to open up some more balls told me this guy really knew about pool. I only knew he was from so I asked Diliberto about him. Danny didn't have much good to say. Since then I have asked others from the area and they say what a character he was. I'll never forget the moment of brilliance I saw from this man.

 

[buffthestuff]

Crazy Frank had lots of moves----here's a few. He would put some powder on his hands and wait until the perfect moment to slap them together and act like he was rubbin it in but in reality was creating a dust cloud .to shark his opponent.....or say you were playing straight pool....and the cue ball is frozen to another ball ----Frank would use those fat hands and try to pull and stretch the cloth under the cue ball to try and free it up just a sliver...----Another move ...if you were playing him in like a weekly tournament ,---he would have one of his cohorts keep talking to you in between your shots---it would really **** up your concentration---until you finally told the guy ---get the **** away from me...----He was plenty sharp now....I saw him beat a 3 card monte game at a tournament in East Lansing----the 2 guys were laying it down----Frank got over the cards looked hard----Says -everyone get away....i gonna pick it----I really forget how much but it was a pretty good bet like 500....This one -,thats it-----BAM --Crazy picks a winner.-----Little while later --he waves everyone out of the way----ok -ok get away ---this one-----BAM --another winner for Not So Crazy Frank---that was all for those 2 guys.....I asked Frank how he did it a little while later ----This was my first road trip---I didn't know shit and couldn't beat nobody....a bad combination.....He told me you have to find something on the red card ---some kind of imperfection in the pattern --anything that the guy throwing the cards doesn't even know is there ....I haven't seen Frank in years but he was kicks brother let me tell ya.