Most any road player that came through Sacramento in the 70s and for many years since has run into Fast Eddie. I'm talking about Eddie Clark. He played at the Jointed Cue during the days of the old tournaments. In the 70s he co-owned Family Billiards with his friend Gene Ahola.
Eddie was my close friend also during that time and since. We learned to play pool, cards and just generally gamble together. We made many short and long road trips.
We went in the service together and were in the same training company, and ultimately the same Southeast Asian country. We even managed to get together while we were there, but thats another story.
He was also a very accomplished card player. We've played since we were teens. He was well know in Vegas and he made it to the last table of the WSOP seniors recently. He could toss a coin to a line or the wall, flip it and call it every time and he knew hundreds of other hustles and gafs.
Eddie was also a charismatic storyteller. Thats what made him such a good hustler. He could charm you into anything, and then you were broke. It was his way.
Saturday night the 4th of January, actually Sunday morning, he collapsed at the Jointed Cue while playing $100.00 a game 1P with a road player. I was backing him, just like old times. He never woke up and they pulled the plug a couple of days later. His last words were "take care of my cue"
It was a shocking loss to everyone that knew him.
Here is his Obit., from the newspaper, simple, no BS and couldn't be more accurate.
CLARK, Edward Raymond
(Fast Eddy)
Feb. 6, 1948 - Jan. 7, 2009
Husband, father, grandfather, loyal friend, pool player, poker player, and hustler. Memorial on Sunday, 1-11-09 at 2:00 p.m. at the Jointed Cue; burial services at East Lawn Greenback on Monday, 1-12-09 at 2:30 p.m.
He will be missed.
Eddie was my close friend also during that time and since. We learned to play pool, cards and just generally gamble together. We made many short and long road trips.
We went in the service together and were in the same training company, and ultimately the same Southeast Asian country. We even managed to get together while we were there, but thats another story.
He was also a very accomplished card player. We've played since we were teens. He was well know in Vegas and he made it to the last table of the WSOP seniors recently. He could toss a coin to a line or the wall, flip it and call it every time and he knew hundreds of other hustles and gafs.
Eddie was also a charismatic storyteller. Thats what made him such a good hustler. He could charm you into anything, and then you were broke. It was his way.
Saturday night the 4th of January, actually Sunday morning, he collapsed at the Jointed Cue while playing $100.00 a game 1P with a road player. I was backing him, just like old times. He never woke up and they pulled the plug a couple of days later. His last words were "take care of my cue"
It was a shocking loss to everyone that knew him.
Here is his Obit., from the newspaper, simple, no BS and couldn't be more accurate.
CLARK, Edward Raymond
(Fast Eddy)
Feb. 6, 1948 - Jan. 7, 2009
Husband, father, grandfather, loyal friend, pool player, poker player, and hustler. Memorial on Sunday, 1-11-09 at 2:00 p.m. at the Jointed Cue; burial services at East Lawn Greenback on Monday, 1-12-09 at 2:30 p.m.
He will be missed.
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