Death of the road runner

[West Point 1987]

There are a few road runners around that still fly under the radar, mainly because the average population in the average room is too young to know who they are, even if they carded them. A lot of them do their best on the rail, making games and sweating them. Then finishing the evening with a strong 1 pocket score against one of the winners or someone else on the rail before moving on. They don't even show up to tournaments, just the action. Next time you're in a room with some fairly serious sweat action, ask the oldest guy you see who's who and he may just point out three or four of the strongest players from the '70s/'80s you've never heard of who are still running.

 

[measureman]

Credit cards, when I first started playing pool in the mid 60s , almost every guy in the pool room had most of his money in his pocket.
Lower economics people still didn't trust banks, so most guys had their last weeks pay in their pocket till someone got it.
Now, unless there is a reason to have it , nobody carries more than 20 or 30 dollars in cash, as a rule , most a lot less.
As someone said, Direct Deposit was the next nail.

I play every Saturday for very,very modest amounts.
I usually have no cash or maybe $10.
But if I do lose I have plastic and there's an ATM machine.
I have done business with the ATM on a couple of bad days.

 

[pt109]

Today they don't just break your thumbs, they shoot you. The few road players I've known, the smart ones chose work over Hustling. Much safer. Those who chose the life on the road ended up broke and living on SS in assisted living.

I was never afraid to work.....couple old timers told me early that the only way to hustle
is part time....so I worked and usually had something going on the side....
...but once in a while I’d get in stroke and take a sabbatical....
...and drive wherever the action was popping....
...those were the best times of my life.....but I never stayed out long enough to go feral..
...and tried to avoid players who had given into desperation.

 

[jrctherake]

I am glad I chose to work instead of staying on the road when in early 20's.

I did pretty good to great at times. Other times, just ok but I never once remember not coming home with "enough" to pay my Bill's (house, car, wife etc...) with enough left over to save part of it and still have enough to go back out.

Like PT said, hustling "part time" was smart money in the long run.

I'm glad I did it that way. Doing so afforded me the life I have today. I was able to retire early (50 years old). Now, I can play all I want. To bad I can't make a ball anymore.

 

[chefjeff]

Even though money is available, rarely is it needed...... to pay for anything.

Actually if you think of it, the only time you really absolutely need it, is to do something south of proper in the law's eyes.

(snip)
.

I think I'm beginning to really understand you.


Jeff Livingston

 

[Fenwick]

If you're a roadrunner who spent your life on the road, there *IS* no "SS". You're on your own. And assisted living ain't cheap. Sadly enough, the reality is, after a life on the road, if you weren't good enough or smart enough ( or, both ) to tuck away a TON of cash, then you end up living with relatives, if you have any at that point. Or friends...

You ever hear of Obama care insurance. That's what this former road Hustler is living on now. I won't name names. He did work at the same place I did but many years before.