Downtown pool rooms.

[Fatboy]

Believe me if Grady had ever crossed swords with Rex he would have gone broke! Rex was a triple sharp game maker and he knew how to get the money. I watched him play Jack Perkins and Ervolino (with weight) when they all were in their prime. They finished second against him. I think Rex also schooled Toby and helped him develop into a winning player. In fact I think all the good One Pocket players that came out of Vegas like Bob Herchik and others learned from Rex.

Rex used to help both Bob and Toby-I was there & remwner well.

He didn’t talk to Perkins much. I watched Grady play Perkins 9/7 and rob him 2 sets in a row. He could have gave him 10/6.

Ervinolo was a next level player-wow. I don’t remember seeing them at the same time but I’m certain I did.

Ed Kelly was playing better than all of them at the time.

I was lucky enough to see some legends there. Perkins isn’t a legend, he’s a memory…..

 

[jay helfert]

Rex used to help both Bob and Toby-I was there & remwner well.

He didn’t talk to Perkins much. I watched Grady play Perkins 9/7 and rob him 2 sets in a row. He could have gave him 10/6.

Ervinolo was a next level player-wow. I don’t remember seeing them at the same time but I’m certain I did.

Ed Kelly was playing better than all of them at the time.

I was lucky enough to see some legends there. Perkins isn’t a legend, he’s a memory…..

I doubt that Rex wanted any part of Ed Kelly. They had a mutual respect for each other. True, Jack's game fell off as he got older. His eyes went out on him. At one time he was a killer of hustlers.

 

[Fatboy]

I doubt that Rex wanted any part of Ed Kelly. They had a mutual respect for each other. True, Jack's game fell off as he got older. His eyes went out on him. At one time he was a killer of hustlers.

He was a good hustler. Matched up pretty good. Rex and Wd never played that I can recall. Nobody wanted a piece of Ed then-or ever for that matter when I was around in the early 90’s. Bob practiced the most, Toby gambled the most.

 

[jay helfert]

He was a good hustler. Matched up pretty good. Rex and Wd never played that I can recall. Nobody wanted a piece of Ed then-or ever for that matter when I was around in the early 90’s. Bob practiced the most, Toby gambled the most.

First time I ever met Toby was in the Cue Club way before he bought in as an owner, maybe 25 years ago. I was practicing Banks with my friend Chris (who you know) and Toby came over to our table and sweated a couple of games. I was winning the games pretty easily and after a few games Toby asked me if I wanted to play some Banks for money. You know how I love to play Banks and of course I said sure. I asked him how much and he said how about fifty a game (Chris and I were playing 9-Ball Banks). I thought, "This guy is serious." Okay let's play! I found out pretty quick that Toby could play, but back then so could I. I battled that little sucker for hours and he couldn't beat me and I couldn't beat him. Finally I gave out, not well conditioned for such a long match. We were dead even. Toby and I never played again, but like two kids who had been in a fight we had mutual respect for each other from then on.

 

[soyale]

Felt is the room right now although its not close to downtown. Always a great place for action and yes the one pocket table is a beast but the players that use that table handle it very well...super tight! There are quite a few other rooms around the Burbs and I got word of a new room that will be opening on the North side in a month or two. This new place may have potential.

Tell me more about this new room!

I have yet to find a place here that i really love, and ive been looking for over ten years. I used to like going to the wynkoop when i lived right in the city, but even then it feels more like a bar than a pool room (its a brewery... duh). Sobo 151 was another good compromise, and if it was busy you could go across the street to the skylark (RIP).

Tarantula, zanzibar, whatever that other one is, generally just a lot of drunk people screaming and bumping into the two or three guys trying to play a game.

My lack of play over the years has led to me completely falling off my game, but i’m trying to get the elbow swinging again. Been trying to go to greenfields once a week this last month. Missing a lot of easy balls!

 

[Fatboy]

First time I ever met Toby was in the Cue Club way before he bought in as an owner, maybe 25 years ago. I was practicing Banks with my friend Chris (who you know) and Toby came over to our table and sweated a couple of games. I was winning the games pretty easily and after a few games Toby asked me if I wanted to play some Banks for money. You know how I love to play Banks and of course I said sure. I asked him how much and he said how about fifty a game (Chris and I were playing 9-Ball Banks). I thought, "This guy is serious." Okay let's play! I found out pretty quick that Toby could play, but back then so could I. I battled that little sucker for hours and he couldn't beat me and I couldn't beat him. Finally I gave out, not well conditioned for such a long match. We were dead even. Toby and I never played again, but like two kids who had been in a fight we had mutual respect for each other from then on.

I remember you telling me that. You were playing good then. Toby worked hard to beat Archie

 

[book collector]

Are there any left?
Vegas has a few?
In Houston they are all in the " outskirts ", there is one on Westheimer , just outside the loop but it is no players room.
In Seattle the last attempt at a " real pool hall" was in the late 90s. Even Tacoma recently lost is 9 ft tables.
Was Hard Time Bellflour in a metro area?

I don't know the answer to your question ,but I can tell you there were still some really nice pool rooms in downtown areas in the 1960s . Especially in the hotels. It was a special atmosphere.

 

[Cclark02]

Chattanooga Billiard Club has a downtown location at 725 Cherry St. Go to their website scroll down and you can take a tour of the place. The poolroom is up the stairs be sure to go up. https://www.cbceast.com/

Nice

 

[jbcueman]

Just wanted to say that there are some rooms in Connecticut(US 1 Billiards & Bar,Shooters,Racks,Pool Table Magic,Yale Blliards,Buckland Billiards and Bar and more).Also several in New York City.

 

[Cuebuddy]

Tell me more about this new room!

I have yet to find a place here that i really love, and ive been looking for over ten years. I used to like going to the wynkoop when i lived right in the city, but even then it feels more like a bar than a pool room (its a brewery... duh). Sobo 151 was another good compromise, and if it was busy you could go across the street to the skylark (RIP).

Tarantula, zanzibar, whatever that other one is, generally just a lot of drunk people screaming and bumping into the two or three guys trying to play a game.

My lack of play over the years has led to me completely falling off my game, but i’m trying to get the elbow swinging again. Been trying to go to greenfields once a week this last month. Missing a lot of easy balls!

I had David Isaacs from SPL billiards help with a Diamond Pro that my son bought. He had a helper with him named Brian and Brian told me about the room that I am referring too. Brian will be installing the Diamonds and it sounded like a larger place. All Diamonds and they have already been bought so it seems it will happen.