Does anyone in here remember Leo Newberry??

[Anteezy73]

I am looking for anyone who knew my late Uncle Leo Newberry. I am trying to learn more about his life as a pool player. Growing up I knew he was really good and would hustle pool for money but recently I have found some stories of his times in Arizona hot shots tournaments.....anyway, if there is anyone that can shed some light ot would really be appreciated....

Thanks!

 

[dwalding]

He was one of the top two cash players in Portland, Or for a quite a while. He had a powerful sweet pool stroke. I bought my car from him. He was known to have bet real high. Andrew Monstis may be the one around Portland to contact for more details on his pool playing. I'll reach out to him this weekend when I see him and ask him to reply to this post.

He had two nicknames. Leo "the Lion" and Leo "the Lip" because he barked at everyone and backed it up.

Hope this helps.

 

[8ballEinstein]

I didn't know Leo had passed away. He couldn't have been that old.

Leo was a real solid player who was able to stop my road partner when we passed through Portland. My partner stiffed him on the last game they played and I told Leo I'll cover it the next time I see him. He seemed OK with it but I never saw him again. Damn, that was over 20 years ago!

 

[Henry W]

I am looking for anyone who knew my late Uncle Leo Newberry. I am trying to learn more about his life as a pool player. Growing up I knew he was really good and would hustle pool for money but recently I have found some stories of his times in Arizona hot shots tournaments.....anyway, if there is anyone that can shed some light ot would really be appreciated....

Thanks!

I knew Leo pretty well he was from Portland and I was from Medford Ore. He came to Medford and I would go to Portland. He was probably the 4th best player in the Northwest behind Dan Louie, David Rhodes and Rich Geiler although he was close to Rich. Leo was a gunfighter with a big reputation which means most of the action he got was tough action mostly from Road Players. Leo was really likable and had a great personality. When I first met him he had real long hair and was 19 years old and was on the way to L.A. looking for action. Brad Gowan and Ron Cook from Portland would know more. Leo was a great shot maker, very aggressive he played fast and confident and was fun to watch. I think he played in the Sacramento open once and they still have the brackets on the wall at he jointed cue.

 

[Anteezy73]

Leo passed about 5 years ago....he ran pretty hard and fast which eventually catches up to you...thanks for the story!

 

[Anteezy73]

He was one of the top two cash players in Portland, Or for a quite a while. He had a powerful sweet pool stroke. I bought my car from him. He was known to have bet real high. Andrew Monstis may be the one around Portland to contact for more details on his pool playing. I'll reach out to him this weekend when I see him and ask him to reply to this post.

He had two nicknames. Leo "the Lion" and Leo "the Lip" because he barked at everyone and backed it up.

Hope this helps.

Never heard of those nicknames before...."leapin" Leo is the only one I knew...I was really close to him but he never talked about his pool game and I don't think my family knows just how good he really was.

 

[Anteezy73]

I knew Leo pretty well he was from Portland and I was from Medford Ore. He came to Medford and I would go to Portland. He was probably the 4th best player in the Northwest behind Dan Louie, David Rhodes and Rich Geiler although he was close to Rich. Leo was a gunfighter with a big reputation which means most of the action he got was tough action mostly from Road Players. Leo was really likable and had a great personality. When I first met him he had real long hair and was 19 years old and was on the way to L.A. looking for action. Brad Gowan and Ron Cook from Portland would know more. Leo was a great shot maker, very aggressive he played fast and confident and was fun to watch. I think he played in the Sacramento open once and they still have the brackets on the wall at he jointed cue.

I remember Ron Cook. I was pretty close to him but he kept his pool playing stories to himself. I would assume because he hustled people?? He hustled some college guys at a bar we were at during my brothers college graduation.....he had them laughing so hard and then took all their dough....9 ball of course!

 

[mmktierney]

I met Leo at Amatos in Portland....a bowling alley ..pool rooom....open 24/7...never closed. He was like 16 with long bushy blond hair, very feisty. Watched him learn from scratch...played with him on the 12' snooker table many times...he liked nine ball and action..he picked the game up very fast...I was there the first time he ran 4 racks of nine ball. A retired army guy (can't recall his name) took Leo to Miami to see if he could handle some better players...he came back a much improved player. Brad Gowen knew Leo better than most. One last story.....he was playing Rich Geiler $50 nine ball when Mt St Hellens blew...sorry to hear he is gone...he did abuse alcohol and others chemicals....so he paid his dues..

 

[SpiderWeb]

Leo played at the Hunt & Fish in Beaverton, or many time. He played Rich Geiler and beat him more times than I have fingers and toes, but eventually Rich was the better player. One had a pimp for a backer and the other one had a drug dealer backer so it was clean money. Leo was a very nice likeable person with a few bad habits and always put on a show. He went to az for a few years and never played the same after his return to oregon. I talked to him many times and he was always open and honest & sorry that he is gone.

 

[1 Lone Wolf]

1985

I was in Phoenix for about 9 months in 1985, I played all the top players out there. Leo was one of the best players on the bartable hanging around Phoenix at the time. We had a few battles, and I can tell you this, Leo could play, him and I had a few spats gambling, but all in all, we got along, and we also had some fun together, I am sorry for your loss. Gary Lutman

 

[Anteezy73]

I met Leo at Amatos in Portland....a bowling alley ..pool rooom....open 24/7...never closed. He was like 16 with long bushy blond hair, very feisty. Watched him learn from scratch...played with him on the 12' snooker table many times...he liked nine ball and action..he picked the game up very fast...I was there the first time he ran 4 racks of nine ball. A retired army guy (can't recall his name) took Leo to Miami to see if he could handle some better players...he came back a much improved player. Brad Gowen knew Leo better than most. One last story.....he was playing Rich Geiler $50 nine ball when Mt St Hellens blew...sorry to hear he is gone...he did abuse alcohol and others chemicals....so he paid his dues..

Wow.....never heard the story of a guy taking him to Miami?? I will try and find out some more info on that....thanks for the story!

 

[Anteezy73]

Leo played at the Hunt & Fish in Beaverton, or many time. He played Rich Geiler and beat him more times than I have fingers and toes, but eventually Rich was the better player. One had a pimp for a backer and the other one had a drug dealer backer so it was clean money. Leo was a very nice likeable person with a few bad habits and always put on a show. He went to az for a few years and never played the same after his return to oregon. I talked to him many times and he was always open and honest & sorry that he is gone.

I would assume Leo had the drug dealer as a backer? So something happened in AZ that affected his play for the worst? Thanks for sharing!

 

[Anteezy73]

I met Leo at Amatos in Portland....a bowling alley ..pool rooom....open 24/7...never closed. He was like 16 with long bushy blond hair, very feisty. Watched him learn from scratch...played with him on the 12' snooker table many times...he liked nine ball and action..he picked the game up very fast...I was there the first time he ran 4 racks of nine ball. A retired army guy (can't recall his name) took Leo to Miami to see if he could handle some better players...he came back a much improved player. Brad Gowen knew Leo better than most. One last story.....he was playing Rich Geiler $50 nine ball when Mt St Hellens blew...sorry to hear he is gone...he did abuse alcohol and others chemicals....so he paid his dues..

I never heard of Leo being taken to Miami to play pool??
Who was the Army guy?

 

[dabarbr]

I met Leo in the late seventies in Port Angeles Washington. Easy guy to remember because he was a very likable person. Sorry to hear that's he's not with us anymore. Must have been pretty young when he left us. RIP Leo

 

[sharandrew]

Leo Newberry

I knew Leo since he was in 1st grade, played sports with him in grade school, berry picking with family etc.. when i left the hood so to speak to go to on to better things like college did see him till 12 years later. I had started to play pool in early 80's and ran into him at hunt at fish. i didn't know he was an accomplished pool player.... Leo the lip they called him..... fearless player....huge reputation he could talk up a storm why playing and shooting at same time..he was a unique character.. he spent a lot of time making money at pool. He was making money in high school down at the pool halls and lots of it.... A friend told me a story that he backed Leo down in California in a $20 ring game where top national level players, 6 handed, were playing in it, and Leo busted them, putting on 5's and 6's. made a few thousand that day... He went and played on road with Brad Gowin and they were close friends.
Regardless of all the negative stuff .He could aggravate people, it was a ploy. He had a sweet stroke not skilled technically but a natural talent....Leo would and did give the shirt off his back many times. So much could be said about Leo but: To the author of thread your uncle was a good man..

 

[Anteezy73]

I knew Leo since he was in 1st grade, played sports with him in grade school, berry picking with family etc.. when i left the hood so to speak to go to on to better things like college did see him till 12 years later. I had started to play pool in early 80's and ran into him at hunt at fish. i didn't know he was an accomplished pool player.... Leo the lip they called him..... fearless player....huge reputation he could talk up a storm why playing and shooting at same time..he was a unique character.. he spent a lot of time making money at pool. He was making money in high school down at the pool halls and lots of it.... A friend told me a story that he backed Leo down in California in a $20 ring game where top national level players, 6 handed, were playing in it, and Leo busted them, putting on 5's and 6's. made a few thousand that day... He went and played on road with Brad Gowin and they were close friends.
Regardless of all the negative stuff .He could aggravate people, it was a ploy. He had a sweet stroke not skilled technically but a natural talent....Leo would and did give the shirt off his back many times. So much could be said about Leo but: To the author of thread your uncle was a good man..

If you picked berrys with the family I might know you....Sylvia is my mom which is Leo's sister. There was a lot of negative to Leo but he never talked about pool. The stories so far have been great!

 

[TWOFORPOOL]

Leo Newberry

I new Leo for around 30 years. He made me so mad one time I chased him around a pool table and I was going to kill him if I could catch him but I didn't and people stopped me. That being said I really like Leo he just hit a nerve that night.

At 61 years old I have seen the best players in the world play and I will say this: Leo was one of the most naturally talented players I have ever seen. He could make tough shots like they were in front of the pocket. He was an amazing player. When I found out he has passed I was shocked and even to this day I miss him. I hope to see him again someday.

 

[Anteezy73]

I new Leo for around 30 years. He made me so mad one time I chased him around a pool table and I was going to kill him if I could catch him but I didn't and people stopped me. That being said I really like Leo he just hit a nerve that night.

At 61 years old I have seen the best players in the world play and I will say this: Leo was one of the most naturally talented players I have ever seen. He could make tough shots like they were in front of the pocket. He was an amazing player. When I found out he has passed I was shocked and even to this day I miss him. I hope to see him again someday.

It's funny that you commented on this post because I was researching some information and stumbled on this forum which you had made a comment about Leo and I was hoping to talk with you.

In my life Leo was a super fun Uncle. Unfortunately there were 3 versions of him....The cool Uncle, the drug and alcohol abuser, and the pool player. I loved the cool Uncle to death, hated the substance abuser and never knew the pool player.

My mom would keep his hustling pool stories to minimum bexause thats all she thought he did and I don't think her family knew how good he really was. They were all clouded by the negative stuff and didn't see the talent he truly had.

Do you know what happened in Arizona that made his playing worse?

 

[NobodyUC]

I used to play with Leo at the Hunt and Fish Tavern in Beaverton. Leo was a really good player. He could cut the ball in from anywhere! He was good friends with David Rhoads. Leo was always ready to play anyone. Rest in peace Leo.