Fast Eddie Parker Pt 1
- Thread starter Mick56
- Start date
Fast Eddie Parker was a very nice man, who put on a good exhibition. Walter Tevis signed affidavits stating that neither the "Fast Eddie Felson" character, nor the "Minnesota Fats" character were based on real people. He swore that was true until the day he died. There was no real life Fast Eddie (Ronnie Allen comes the closest), or Minnesota Fats (although Rudolph Wanderone successfully posed as him for decades).
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
The book didn't claim that the character's were based on anyone...
If you read that carefully, it doesn't claim that the character was based on him, only the name. With Rudolph, that couldn't be claimed because he went by New York Fats until after the book came out, but with Fast Eddie, it could be argued that the name was based on him, but not the character...
Writer's distinguish between the two quite readily and it would make sense for him to deny that the characters were based on anyone for royalty reasons...
Scott Lee said:
If you read that carefully, it doesn't claim that the character was based on him, only the name. With Rudolph, that couldn't be claimed because he went by New York Fats until after the book came out, but with Fast Eddie, it could be argued that the name was based on him, but not the character...
Writer's distinguish between the two quite readily and it would make sense for him to deny that the characters were based on anyone for royalty reasons...
I was with Eddie when he passed away a few years ago. He was a great guy.
Eydie Romano said:
It was so strange, but Eddie and I had been talking in Woody's booth there at South Padre for about an hour or so. They called my match and I took off. Just as we flipping the coin, a whole herd of people took off toward the front and then a friend came up to me and looked like he had seen a ghost. He then informed me Eddie had collapsed. I couldn't believe it.
When I got up front, they were putting him in the ambulance. Then a few minutes later, they announced he had passed. It was so strange, but one minute he was having a ball and then, he was just gone.
I really liiked the man. He was harmless as a flea.
ironman said:
Fast Eddie was there and gone in a split second. I remember calling your match then running to the front and calling an ambulance.
I had an opportunity to spend quite a bit of time with Eddie. I think I learned alot about teaching styles from him. I also really liked the man....SPF=randyg
I think it was 2000-01. More than 4 years ago. He was gone in just a second. Completely flatlined. We worked for over an hour to bring him back, but he was gone the minute he hit the floor.