Ever heard of Bobby Johnson?

[Ky Boy]

This guy runs a pool room in Richmond, Ky. There are pictures of LOTS of well known pool players on the wall. If I am not mistaken they were taken right there in that pool room. There is one of Shannon D. when he was about 14. Very cool pic. Shannon is decked out with the suit, jewelry and all. There are also pics of Buddy, Earl, Efren, Nick V. and some more but I can't remember them all. It ahs been awhile since I have been there.

Back on topic:The guy that owns this place is Bobby Johnson. His son Bobby Jr. says that "Dad used to be a world class player." I don't know about that because I have never seen him play or heard anything about him from anyone else.

What say you? Have you ever heard of him?

Gary

 

[Blackjack]

This guy runs a pool room in Richmond, Ky. There are pictures of LOTS of well known pool players on the wall. If I am not mistaken they were taken right there in that pool room. There is one of Shannon D. when he was about 14. Very cool pic. Shannon is decked out with the suit, jewelry and all. There are also pics of Buddy, Earl, Efren, Nick V. and some more but I can't remember them all. It ahs been awhile since I have been there.

Back on topic:The guy that owns this place is Bobby Johnson. His son Bobby Jr. says that "Dad used to be a world class player." I don't know about that because I have never seen him play or heard anything about him from anyone else.

What say you? Have you ever heard of him?

Gary

Does he have a brother named "Billy"???

 

[crawfish]

Good thought.

Does he have a brother named "Billy"???

Wade-Billy-Robert-? All of those guys could trap you. Call him Bobby if you want to, but just call him. RIght or left handed still plays well.

 

[Ky Boy]

Does he have a brother named "Billy"???

LOL, I don't really know! But I think this place was a good action spot in the 80's. Bobby Jr. once told me that Buddy lived in an apartment in Richmond with a pool table in the living room that took up the whole place. And Earl would come over and play with Buddy alot back then. Also, I think Keith played around those parts as well back then. Lots of people say Richmond was a good action spot in the late 70's and early 80's.

Gary

 

[maxeypad2007]

I grew up in london, KY and have played at BJ's many times in Richmond in the 90s in tournaments.

Bobby used to be a strong player, but hardly world class. A lot of strong players came out of that area (Earl, Shannon, Brumback even played there for a while.). Bobby was a straight pool player and played some 9-ball. He didn't play anywhere close to guys like Shannon.

He has one of the most best playing bender cues i've EVER seen though.

 

[vagabond]

This guy runs a pool room in Richmond, Ky. There are pictures of LOTS of well known pool players on the wall. If I am not mistaken they were taken right there in that pool room. There is one of Shannon D. when he was about 14. Very cool pic. Shannon is decked out with the suit, jewelry and all. There are also pics of Buddy, Earl, Efren, Nick V. and some more but I can't remember them all. It ahs been awhile since I have been there.

Back on topic:The guy that owns this place is Bobby Johnson. His son Bobby Jr. says that "Dad used to be a world class player." I don't know about that because I have never seen him play or heard anything about him from anyone else.

What say you? Have you ever heard of him?

Gary

Yes he was a pro player.I met him only once.I never saw him when he was in peak of his form.In his last days of his pool carier I saw him playin willi Munson in lexington all stars in continental inn ? in Lexington, KY.I think it was a hil-hil match and willi Munson won that match. Bobby`s son used to hang around with Brumback and I do not know whether he still does.After leaving Houston Earl Strickland moved to Richmond, KY and played regularly in Bobby Johnson`s pool room.

 

[JG-in-KY]

Bobby Johnson used to play in a lot of the pro tournaments around the country. He had a pretty good record of finishing in the money in the 80s. I heard a good player once say that for $2 he was as good as there was. A lot of pros came through his room in the 80s. I believe Mike Bender used to hang out there some when he was attending Eastern Kentucky University.

 

[Ky Boy]

Yes he was a pro player.I met him only once.I never saw him when he was in peak of his form.In his last days of his pool carier I saw him playin willi Munson in lexington all stars in continental inn ? in Lexington, KY.I think it was a hil-hil match and willi Munson won that match. Bobby`s son used to hang around with Brumback and I do not know whether he still does.After leaving Houston Earl Strickland moved to Richmond, KY and played regularly in Bobby Johnson`s pool room.

I haven't talked to Jr in a while but I do remember on several occasions him referring to being buddies with Brumback. What or who was the big draw for Earl, Buddy, and keith and the others to stay for so long around there? Does anyone have any good action stories taking place around Richmond?

Gary

 

[sliprock]

I don't know about Bobby being "world class", but he used to hit'em pretty sporty. If I'm not mistaken, he won some kind of a senior U.S. Open event back in the 80's. I think that he beat Mike Lebron in the finals. Anyways, Richmond used to be a pretty good spot for action because of the late Monroe Brock. At one time, I heard that Monroe had both Buddy Hall and Earl Strickland in his stable of players. Monroe later had tournaments to honor another player from the area named Clyde Childress after he was killed. Monroe was later killed "sniper" style. Shot through his window at home. No arrest has ever been made.

Bobby used to have some what of a reputation as someone that could be an asshole. I guess that could be true, but he's always showed me respect and I've always liked Bobby. He's very knowledgeable of the game and can tell some good stories if you get him to talking. I don't think that Bobby dodged too many road players either. If they showed up, they could, most of the time, get action. He also used to have a pretty good poker game also.

 

[sliprock]

I haven't talked to Jr in a while but I do remember on several occasions him referring to being buddies with Brumback. What or who was the big draw for Earl, Buddy, and keith and the others to stay for so long around there? Does anyone have any good action stories taking place around Richmond?

Gary

Another Richmond tidbit I thought of when i saw your avator. Walter Tevis of "The Hustler" and "Color Of Money" fame, is buried there somewhere. One of these days when I'm there, I'm gonna stop off and find his grave.

 

[woodyosborne]

famous/infamous playes

let's just not be forgetting jack hines. this is the room where he took his willie hoppe cue fitted with a schon shaft and broke it into pieces when IT missed a money shot! i sure liked the looks of that cue. bj is right off the interstate, easy room to get to.

 

[Pinocchio]

???????????

At one time Bobby was ranked in the top twenty in one of the tour soon as he tuned the big 50 won on senior tour one of three people to win back to back tri-state opens. Played with Szam ebony 4 pt. maple window cue. was friends with Bender when he went to Eastern college in Richmond Ky.
His sons name is Keith. Keith an Brumback are fishin buds. Pretty much he was always a family man an did not do extensive traveling. To me he was always a nice guy an would help anyone improve their game. Today his pool-room is pretty much a poker place an as far as I know he really doesn't play anymore. Bobby played some straight pool but as far as I know he only gambled on 9ball, one-pocket an bank. One thing that probably hurt him was he was pretty much a 4x8 player but later on he got a 4 an ahalf by 9 an his game improved quite a bit. Bobby has played
many top notch roadies some he knew who they some he found out later.
when Batman an Robin were runnin up an down east coast he played (Robin) Hubbard for two days. I watched part of it he would be down win a game run 4 or 5 racks an be back in but in the long run hubbard bested him which he did to people all over the country in the late 70's. I miss those days Earl, Buddy, Freddy the Beard they were all regulars in Richmond but those days are gone. Pinocchio

 

[Ky Boy]

At one time Bobby was ranked in the top twenty in one of the tour soon as he tuned the big 50 won on senior tour one of three people to win back to back tri-state opens. Played with Szam ebony 4 pt. maple window cue. was friends with Bender when he went to Eastern college in Richmond Ky.
His sons name is Keith. Keith an Brumback are fishin buds. Pretty much he was always a family man an did not do extensive traveling. To me he was always a nice guy an would help anyone improve their game. Today his pool-room is pretty much a poker place an as far as I know he really doesn't play anymore. Bobby played some straight pool but as far as I know he only gambled on 9ball, one-pocket an bank. One thing that probably hurt him was he was pretty much a 4x8 player but later on he got a 4 an ahalf by 9 an his game improved quite a bit. Bobby has played
many top notch roadies some he knew who they some he found out later.
when Batman an Robin were runnin up an down east coast he played (Robin) Hubbard for two days. I watched part of it he would be down win a game run 4 or 5 racks an be back in but in the long run hubbard bested him which he did to people all over the country in the late 70's. I miss those days Earl, Buddy, Freddy the Beard they were all regulars in Richmond but those days are gone. Pinocchio

I didn't know his sons name was Keith. Your right though He has mentioned to me on several occasions that he fishes alot with Brumback. It sounds like Bobby was a pretty good player though. I have thought about asking him for some tips about improving my game. He comes off (to me) as kind of arrogant. I know that he has a 4.5x9 Brunswick that he calls his table. He rents it out but it is more expensive than the 8 footers. I haven't been to BJ's for a couple of years now. I played in a couple of tournaments there when they used to have them. They had alot of descent players that showed up. Usually around 30 players for their Sunday afternoon tourney. I guess Richmond is like so many other places that have dried up. But its cool to know it has some pool history involving some great players.

Gary

 

[rhncue]

At one time Bobby was ranked in the top twenty in one of the tour soon as he tuned the big 50 won on senior tour one of three people to win back to back tri-state opens. Played with Szam ebony 4 pt. maple window cue. was friends with Bender when he went to Eastern college in Richmond Ky.
His sons name is Keith. Keith an Brumback are fishin buds. Pretty much he was always a family man an did not do extensive traveling. To me he was always a nice guy an would help anyone improve their game. Today his pool-room is pretty much a poker place an as far as I know he really doesn't play anymore. Bobby played some straight pool but as far as I know he only gambled on 9ball, one-pocket an bank. One thing that probably hurt him was he was pretty much a 4x8 player but later on he got a 4 an ahalf by 9 an his game improved quite a bit. Bobby has played
many top notch roadies some he knew who they some he found out later.
when Batman an Robin were runnin up an down east coast he played (Robin) Hubbard for two days. I watched part of it he would be down win a game run 4 or 5 racks an be back in but in the long run hubbard bested him which he did to people all over the country in the late 70's. I miss those days Earl, Buddy, Freddy the Beard they were all regulars in Richmond but those days are gone. Pinocchio

If I remember correctly, Mike bender got his start working on cues, at Bobby Johnson's place, while in college

Dick

 

[deerhunter]

Bobby Johnson

Bobby Johnson was quite a character and rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. I got along with him most of the time, but he hated to lose. 9-ball is the only game I seen him play very much and he was defiantly a world-beater. I first meet him in 1980 and back then it would take an Earl, Buddy or someone that caliber to beat him.
I saw him play Bucky Bell at Starchers in Akron and Bobby run over him like a truck. I bet on Bobby a few times in tournaments and he won me money every time. And that includes 3 matches against Gary Spaeth. But the best I ever seen him play was in Portsmouth Ohio. He was playing a real good local player for 30 a game and Bobby gave the guy 2 kick shots in 24 games. That is pretty sporty by anyone?s standards. Beat him for 720 and the guy never made a ball. Bobby always wanted to bet something goofy to throw his opponent off, he asked me to bet 30 once, and I asked him to bet 37.50
Richmond was a hot bed for pool; (back in those days, almost anywhere in Kentucky was a hot spot) Monroe Brock that owned the Maverick Club would always have players close. I heard that at one time he had Buddy Hall, Earl Strickland and Jimmy Reed staying in Richmond at the same time. But my favorite player from that area was Clyde Childress. Clyde was coming on strong when he was killed in a car wreck. I bet on Clyde everywhere I seen him and I didn?t care who he was playing.
Rambled on a little, but it?s fun to remember the old times. I wish there was playing and gambling like that today.

 

[vagabond]

Bobby always wanted to bet something goofy to throw his opponent off, he asked me to bet 30 once, and I asked him to bet 37.50
.

That was my trick too.