Fred Guraino Passes

Baby Huey

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My friend Freddy Guarino passed away this weekend. He was the former owner of Cuetopia in Las Vegas along with Mary Kenniston in the 1980's and 1990's. He was a pretty fair player in his own right and a friend for over 55 years. RIP FRED.
 

thenuke

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Jerry, Did not personally know Fred, but was well aware of his support and promotion of the pool world over the years. He and Mary had a great room in Vegas.

We are losing the old timers a little too fast.
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
So sorry to hear this news. Freddie was one of my long time sparring partners (for $$) when I first arrived in Las Angeles. After awhile he wised up and sic'ed Baby Huey on me. Freddie was one smart cookie! :D

Fred was another pool "lifer" totally dedicated to the game. He did the whole nine yards - as a player first, backer/side better second and room owner third.
 

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
I met the man yrs ago in Vegas, when he and M. Kenniston ran their room. Nice man with a great attitude. He will be missed. To his family and Mare, sorry for your loss. bm
 

topjob

New member
Where was Cuetopia ? off of Paradise and what? Just randomly saw this older post and brought back good memories. Tortured that poor Dave Nottingham RIP The Sheriff. He had so much pool Talc on him, he looked just like a ghost. Good Times
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Where was Cuetopia ? off of Paradise and what? Just randomly saw this older post and brought back good memories. Tortured that poor Dave Nottingham RIP The Sheriff. He had so much pool Talc on him, he looked just like a ghost. Good Times
Twain & Swenson

I played there for years

Dave Nottingham was a very close friend of mine as well
 

rexus31

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My friend Freddy Guarino passed away this weekend. He was the former owner of Cuetopia in Las Vegas along with Mary Kenniston in the 1980's and 1990's. He was a pretty fair player in his own right and a friend for over 55 years. RIP FRED.
Sorry for your loss, Jerry.
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
No disrespect to your friend Dave, he was a good guy. Maybe overrated his game a little...like we all tend to do. Respect
He only ever played “good enough to win” he never took on any tough action. We used to sit on the rail for hours waiting for a customer, we used to go do laundry together a few doors down, eat Chinese food.

He was a good guy. Was a true hustler, dressed like a college professor-kaki pants and collared shirts. He didn’t look like he was playing for a living. Nobody would guessed it. No flashy shots or big breaks, soft easy action and always polite. He hooked his fish real good, he helped me refine my fishing skills. I was already hood at that when we met-he just made me better at that. Being more gentle

He added the real wood kit into his Camery(or what ever it was) he was very proud of his car. The wood accents were very nice.

He mentored me for a few years, when I fell into telemarketing he said “run with it-you’re locking up a big score every week”. He was happy for me, not jealous.

We both shared a love for Tad cues. Both played with Tads. He played stronger than I did. At one time before his shoulder got bad he played a lot stronger.

I remember when Freddy told me Dave had passed away. That was brutal, lost a good friend. Freddy was a friend too. I always got along well with him.

Cuetopia was one hell of a pool room. It was mostly Mary’s work that made it great. Sadly it didn’t end well(and no I will never make that public). It just didn’t work out after 7-8 years I’d guess. That’s all I’ll ever say about that. Not my biz to put in public.

Good memories,

Fatboy😃
 
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topjob

New member
He only ever played “good enough to win” he never took on any tough action. We used to sit on the rail for hours waiting for a customer, we used to go do laundry together a few doors down, eat Chinese food.

He was a good guy. Was a true hustler, dressed like a college professor-kaki pants and collared shirts. He didn’t look like he was playing for a living. Nobody would guessed it. No flashy shots or big breaks, soft easy action and always polite. He hooked his fish real good, he helped me refine my fishing skills. I was already hood at that when we met-he just made me better at that. Being more gentle

He added the real wood kit into his Camery(or what ever it was) he was very proud of his car. The wood accents were very nice.

He mentored me for a few years, when I fell into telemarketing he said “run with it-you’re locking up a big score every week”. He was happy for me, not jealous.

We both shared a love for Tad cues. Both played with Tads. He played stronger than I did. At one time before his shoulder got bad he played a lot stronger.

I remember when Freddy told me Dave had passed away. That was brutal, lost a good friend. Freddy was a friend too. I always got along well with him.

Cuetopia was one hell of a pool room. It was mostly Mary’s work that made it great. Sadly it didn’t end well(and no I will never make that public). It just didn’t work out after 7-8 years I’d guess. That’s all I’ll ever say about that. Not my biz to put in public.

Good memories,

Fatboy😃
You probably know what happened to Richie Ambrose too. What a character.
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
You probably know what happened to Richie Ambrose too. What a character.
I knew him. Last time I saw him I gave him $300 for Harry Platis and dropped him off at 7/11. That was in 2011ish. Before I moved out of vegas.

I knew Richie at Cuetopia from 91 until 94 when I went to Beverly Hills. From 94-08 I only saw him a few times.

Richie has a great craps hustle he used to lay down on tourists. He was something else.

I don’t know what happened to him.

Fatboy😃
 
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maha

from way back when
Silver Member
i knew dave for many years. and his partner rich. in all that time i only saw dave make a game once or twice. he had to have so much of a lock even the bad players wouldnt play. but when they went on the road or where ever, that might have been different. he was a good guy and never screwed anyone. rich, oh well he was different.
richie i kind of knew from back in new york. that's way back. we called him, spin the ball richie.
he bought a camper once and i remember telling him he cant be driving that when the winds are big in the desert. have to pull over and face them.
well it blew over on him.
 
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