Dc pool death- Kevin Barks

[Black-Balled]

Well, I sadly report that Kevin died last Sunday.

He had not been well for years, so it does not come as too much of a surprise, but nonetheless, he is no longer in earth's pool hall.

Kevin was likely the best 1p player we had when I was coming up, he once battled for a good long while with cliff Joyner, 10-7, as I recall.

A lifelong resident of Arlington, Kevin was truly old school. Not sure I ever saw him hit a ball for funsies, and he always sought to stir some kind of action up in the room.

Like Keith and Ronnie Allen...and his name, I guess, Kevin had the gift of gab. He was always entertaining and I guess I will alway remember him best for one phrase which he used often, when attempting to bet more: midget nuts.

Rip, kevie-Kev-kev. We will miss ya.

Services:
Murphy's funeral home, Arlington, va
Viewing 1-330
Funeral 330-5

Repast, fast eddies Springfield, 6pm- whenever everyone gets played.

 

[Eric.]

Sorry for your loss, BB. Sounds like Kev moved on to greener pastures. Godspeed.


Eric

 

[Kid Dynomite]

Well, I sadly report that Kevin died last Sunday.

He had not been well for years, so it does not come as too much of a surprise, but nonetheless, he is no longer in earth's pool hall.

Kevin was likely the best 1p player we had when I was coming up, he once battled for a good long while with cliff Joyner, 10-7, as I recall.

A lifelong resident of Arlington, Kevin was truly old school. Not sure I ever saw him hit a ball for funsies, and he always sought to stir some kind of action up in the room.

Like Keith and Ronnie Allen...and his name, I guess, Kevin had the gift of gab. He was always entertaining and I guess I will alway remember him best for one phrase which he used often, when attempting to bet more: midget nuts.

Rip, kevie-Kev-kev. We will miss ya.

Services:
Murphy's funeral home, Arlington, va
Viewing 1-330
Funeral 330-5

Repast, fast eddies Springfield, 6pm- whenever everyone gets played.

Thanks for posting this. Sammy told me on Sunday at Fast Eddies. I had just saw him play Alleer 10 to 8 the week prior in a great battle. I could be thinking of Kevin Bailey??? but, he looked pretty bad when I saw him! Must have been Kevin Barks.

He will be missed.

Mike Wilson
KD

 

[Colonel]

That is a loss, I haven't seen him in a few years, I always told him he had the perfect name because Kevin could bark.


Why am I the Colonel? Because I always get the chicken

 

[pokerplayer]

in the mid 90s I played a guy named kevin one pocket in the d.c. area. we played 5 or 6 times. I cant remember his last name though but I think this is him. did he have blonde hair. I believe he only played one pocket and the first time I played him he was pretty drunk and the next day of course he played much better when he was sober.

 

[Black-Balled]

in the mid 90s I played a guy named kevin one pocket in the d.c. area. we played 5 or 6 times. I cant remember his last name though but I think this is him. did he have blonde hair. I believe he only played one pocket and the first time I played him he was pretty drunk and the next day of course he played much better when he was sober.

I almost don't want to speak freely here, I am sure his twins (c & j) will see this...but it is the truth and this is my house anyway.

Yes, that was Kevin. How did you fare?

I remember when he liked to drink, then when he needed to drink. It was what killed him, basically.

Oh, the stories he made.

 

[pokerplayer]

I did get the best of kevin but it was close. I liked playing him because he was good action and always acted like a gentlemen when we played. he moved much better then he shot. the last time I played him I was down 5 games, I won 4 in a row and he quit saying he didn't know if he could win. I discovered when you push all the balls down to the other end of the table he did not have much patients for this and he would take some bad shots that would lead to me picking up a few balls here and there. like I said it was close so I took advantage of this. I am pretty sure we played in 96 and 97. I also think we played in a city called manassas. it does bring back memories. sorry to hear what happen to him he seemed like a pretty good guy

 

[one stroke]

I almost don't want to speak freely here, I am sure his twins (c & j) will see this...but it is the truth and this is my house anyway.

Yes, that was Kevin. How did you fare?

I remember when he liked to drink, then when he needed to drink. It was what killed him, basically.

Oh, the stories he made.

I didn't know him real good talked to him several times got some good war stories ,we only played once in 9 ball and I won ,, saw him a few months ago they just took out some of his liver ,, ,, I had just lost to Sammy he saw it , the next day he wanted to play some .. I told him I would want to play me too if I were you ,, he said but I just had surgery ,, I said well if they took part of your brain I would consider it ,, he laughed ,, we shot the breeze for a while always like talking to him,,


1

 

[axejunkie]

Nice tribute BB. I saw him in action about 15 mos. ago and he looked well but that was the first time I had seen him. Sorry to hear about his passing.

 

[Black-Balled]

I did get the best of kevin but it was close. I liked playing him because he was good action and always acted like a gentlemen when we played. he moved much better then he shot. the last time I played him I was down 5 games, I won 4 in a row and he quit saying he didn't know if he could win. I discovered when you push all the balls down to the other end of the table he did not have much patients for this and he would take some bad shots that would lead to me picking up a few balls here and there. like I said it was close so I took advantage of this. I am pretty sure we played in 96 and 97. I also think we played in a city called manassas. it does bring back memories. sorry to hear what happen to him he seemed like a pretty good guy

You must play pretty well. Are ya famous?!:wink:
You did hit on Kevin's Achilles heel: he wasn't a ball runner. He did know lots of moves though, he showed me a lotta shots, especially ones wher multiple balls go to the hole, banks that are hidden, kicks, etc... I have no idea where he learned that stuff, you don't see it on tourney vids and not too many folks in our area knew that stuff.

He told me Seattle Sam learned him some 1p smarts, now that I think about it.

 

[wrldpro]

Im sorry to hear this.I knew Kevin for exactly 30 years. I remember when his twins were born and his girlfriend/wife I believe her name was Juanita but not sure.
Kevin was taught 1 pocket by 1 of the greatest hustlers I ever met Sam Trivett AKA Seattle Sam or when Sam was on the golf course Seattle Slew.

I remember 100s of times at Westmont Champion billiards which was open 24 hours seeing kevin in action all the time. What a lot of people didn't know was Kevin played 3 cushion really well and I saw many times him beating the regular Asian players out of a lot of dough.
kevin lived his life how he wanted and the one thing I know is he loved his kids very much.

 

[Black-Balled]

I didn't know him real good talked to him several times got some good war stories ,we only played once in 9 ball and I won ,, saw him a few months ago they just took out some of his liver ,, ,, I had just lost to Sammy he saw it , the next day he wanted to play some .. I told him I would want to play me too if I were you ,, he said but I just had surgery ,, I said well if they took part of your brain I would consider it ,, he laughed ,, we shot the breeze for a while always like talking to him,,


1

Funny stuff. Sounds like you hold your own in the poolroom.

Edit- though now Sammy holds some of yours too. I hate to read that.

 

[Black-Balled]

Im sorry to hear this.I knew Kevin for exactly 30 years. I remember when his twins were born and his girlfriend/wife I believe her name was Juanita but not sure.
Kevin was taught 1 pocket by 1 of the greatest hustlers I ever met Sam Trivett AKA Seattle Sam or when Sam was on the golf course Seattle Slew.

I remember 100s of times at Westmont Champion billiards which was open 24 hours seeing kevin in action all the time. What a lot of people didn't know was Kevin played 3 cushion really well and I saw many times him beating the regular Asian players out of a lot of dough.
kevin lived his life how he wanted and the one thing I know is he loved his kids very much.

I was hoping you'd chime in, bobby. We saw some shit in that room and Kevin played a starring role .

Now we are just missing the gunn slinger.

 

[Black-Balled]

Nice tribute BB. I saw him in action about 15 mos. ago and he looked well but that was the first time I had seen him. Sorry to hear about his passing.

Once he got off the drink, he returned to some decent pool, but at his best, when he returned...he couldn't beat me.

He used to give me 6-4 1p and it was pretty close.

 

[wrldpro]

I was hoping you'd chime in, bobby. We saw some shit in that room and Kevin played a starring role .

Now we are just missing the gunn slinger.

I saw Kevin only a couple times the last couple years. I saw him at Shirlington Champions or whatever it was called when Billy Stephens was there. I just got done beating Mike Sigel in the 9 ball tourney and Aleer wanted to play me some straight pool race to 250 with a 50 point spot for 500 .Kevin had quite a few to drink and I hit Aleer with a 92 and a 113 back to back and Kevin made me laugh when he told me Bobby you make a lot of balls but if you think you can make 8 balls in 1 hole before me than I will play you some 1 pocket.

The last time I saw him it was at Fast Eddies and we were laughing together. Kevin was the ultimate pool hall grinder and just a guy that no matter how mad he would make anyone you would just have to look past it because he was just the guy who everybody seemed to like.

 

[Black-Balled]

I hit Aleer with a 92 and a 113 back to back and Kevin made me laugh when he told me Bobby you make a lot of balls but if you think you can make 8 balls in 1 hole before me than I will play you some 1 pocket.

The last time I saw him it was at Fast Eddies and we were laughing together. Kevin was the ultimate pool hall grinder and just a guy that no matter how mad he would make anyone you would just have to look past it because he was just the guy who everybody seemed to like.

Too funny, so Kevin.

He made a lotta people mad, but had a way of staying on people's good side too.

 

[pokerplayer]

no iam not famous, I quit playing in 98. I was a decent player at one time but I got sick of the road life and trying to make money playing pool. now that I look back I realize all my mistakes, I didn't practice and work hard enough at my game

 

[Black-Balled]

no iam not famous, I quit playing in 98. I was a decent player at one time but I got sick of the road life and trying to make money playing pool. now that I look back I realize all my mistakes, I didn't practice and work hard enough at my game

Or you realized no matter how well you played, it would be a brutal career choice.

 

[gesan]

Kb

Kevin will be missed! Guys like him are what make pool rooms worth going to.


For the money and when he was on his game in my opinion, Kevin Barks was at his best the tougher the competition, the more cash changing hands and the bigger the audience! The man had heart!

I talked to him a couple a weeks ago and while he didn't look good it's still hard to believe he's gone.

Are those services Wednesday?

 

[pokerplayer]

Or you realized no matter how well you played, it would be a brutal career choice.

for sure, even when I first started playing at 16 I always wondered what pool players that played for a living would do when they hit 45 and there pool game starts to decline