Grady Mathews video

[J0HN0]

Hello.

I had not watched this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJWBthmM4DI

Some interesting stuff, and some similarities to some of the newer videos I've seen.
Enjoyable.

 

[easy-e]

I miss Grady. I was lucky enough to play a lot of pool with him at his pool room in South Carolina before he passed. I enjoyed spending time with him.

 

[Blackjack]

I miss Grady. I was lucky enough to play a lot of pool with him at his pool room in South Carolina before he passed. I enjoyed spending time with him.

Ditto. Grady was good people. IMO, he should be in the HOF.

 

[Cuebuddy]

I know that Grady had a Colorado connection many years ago, I believe he had a room in Colorado Springs. I have always been curious if any AZers remember anything about it(stories or room name?).

 

[Low500]

I know that Grady had a Colorado connection many years ago, I believe he had a room in Colorado Springs. I have always been curious if any AZers remember anything about it(stories or room name?).

It was at 1834 E. Platte in Colorado Springs....called "Grady's". Lots about it in his book.
You should avail yourself of his great book "Bet High and Kiss Low".
It is a great read about pool gambling, girls, and all the rest.
It also has some great exposes of some of the bullshit artist "sacred cows" who come around this place.
The good thing about Grady's stories is that every one of them can be verified by someone who is still alive.
Here's an example of some of the stuff: "During that year, Sandi and I saved our cash and I looked for suitable buildings for a pool room. I found one at 1834 E. Platte. It was 3000 sq. feet, not as big as I had desired but in a great location. I made an appointment to see the property and when I got there, to my surprise, two other men were trying to rent the building also. One wanted to put in a hardware store, the other a flower shop, and dumb me:a pool hall. The real estate guy says to me, in front of the other gentlemen, "I really don't think a pool hall is the best use for this property". Thinking fast, I said to him, where the other guys could hear, "I'm going to make you an offer and then I'm going to walk away for a few minutes. Then when I come back, you can tell me what you've decided." I didn't hesitate, "I 'll give you one year's rent in advance in cash and sign a 5 year lease". Needless to say he accepted the offer".
The book is 8x10, 150 pages and filled with photographs and great stories from a REAL pool player who would bet with both hands using his own money..
I had mine spiral bound and must have read it forty times.
:thumbup:

 

[Island Drive]

E. Platte and Union, H Salt Fish and chips around the corner on N. Union. Charlie Shootman drove Gradys Cadillac twice from OK to Colorado Springs, hauling Gold Crowns in the trunk and back seat. Second time around a gal pool player named Dell? hitched a ride. He with Andy Dejesus help, got things ah going. Allot of domino action, Dick Henry loved the place, and all the roadies came thru, well not all. To get action from Matthews, some times it was Reds/den mothers money. Early seventies in CO, lots of action, titty bars and military. The gal that married Boom Boom/Wade Crane, came from S. Platte Ave. pool room was right next door to the Pharmacy 1600 south. Diane Schmidt. Here parents built a pool room, across the street from the peppermint lounge titty bar. Diane is a cop, in the south, MS I think.

 

[GideonF]

Thanks for this.

Thoughts on the shot at 10:03? If "nearly frozen" I don't see how this avoids a foul.

 

[easy-e]

Thanks for this.

Thoughts on the shot at 10:03? If "nearly frozen" I don't see how this avoids a foul.

Old school rules

 

[Poolhall60561]

Thanks Johno, I remember watching that in the early 80’s, still good advice for me today
I also love that GC 1.

 

[lfigueroa]

I miss Grady. I was lucky enough to play a lot of pool with him at his pool room in South Carolina before he passed. I enjoyed spending time with him.

I had the chance to play Grady at his room there. He was the total gentleman and, of course, beat me like a red headed step child. We played for several hours and I swear he never missed a cross-corner. Didn’t matter if my hole was surrounded by balls and a miss would incur a severe penalty -- they were all hangers to him and it was one of the more impressive displays of banking I’ve ever witnessed.

I actually first met Grady at the 2000 US One Pocket Open held in Kalamazoo, MI. I had drawn Harry Platis as my first round opponent. Grady was in the stands and asked who Harry was playing his first round. Not too surprisingly, Grady had never heard of me but Tim from Airway Billiards handicapped me and Grady offered Harry a $500 “sweat bet” on the match. (I beat Harry 4-2

I last saw Grady at the DCC several years back. Of course I knew of his medical battle but I was pleasantly surprised to see him looking great, in a bright red silk shirt, shaking hands with everyone, though he could barely rasp out many words, post radiation therapy. I went up to shake his hand and, I will never forget this, he warmly greeted me like an old, lost buddy, “Why, it’s my good friend, Lou Figueroa.” And he turned to his friend sitting next to him and said, “Hell of a player, from St. Louis.”

Needless to say, I also miss Grady.

Lou Figueroa

 

[Michael Webb]

Ditto. Grady was good people. IMO, he should be in the HOF.

I can't believe he's not! I miss him too. He was never short on stories.

 

[moose man]

Grady

Grady is of course in the one-pocket HOF, but I'm pretty sure he's not in the BCA HOF. It's not too hard of an argument to make that he deserves to be. If anyone out there is familiar enough with all of his accomplishments, and willing to write up a letter to nominate him, the nomination procedure is quite simple.

I was lucky enough to have known Grady, and the pool World absolutely lost a gem when Grady passed. He gave me the old carrom table that he used to have in his pool hall in Columbia, South Carolina. If anybody knows the story of that old table, I would love to hear it.

I'm trying to attach a picture on here of Grady's pool room in Colorado Springs. Hopefully it works...

 

[Taxi]

I used to sell Grady's book in my former book shop, and I loved the title:

"Bet High and Kiss Low"

 

[Cuebuddy]

It was at 1834 E. Platte in Colorado Springs....called "Grady's". Lots about it in his book.
You should avail yourself of his great book "Bet High and Kiss Low".
It is a great read about pool gambling, girls, and all the rest.
It also has some great exposes of some of the bullshit artist "sacred cows" who come around this place.
The good thing about Grady's stories is that every one of them can be verified by someone who is still alive.
Here's an example of some of the stuff: "During that year, Sandi and I saved our cash and I looked for suitable buildings for a pool room. I found one at 1834 E. Platte. It was 3000 sq. feet, not as big as I had desired but in a great location. I made an appointment to see the property and when I got there, to my surprise, two other men were trying to rent the building also. One wanted to put in a hardware store, the other a flower shop, and dumb me:a pool hall. The real estate guy says to me, in front of the other gentlemen, "I really don't think a pool hall is the best use for this property". Thinking fast, I said to him, where the other guys could hear, "I'm going to make you an offer and then I'm going to walk away for a few minutes. Then when I come back, you can tell me what you've decided." I didn't hesitate, "I 'll give you one year's rent in advance in cash and sign a 5 year lease". Needless to say he accepted the offer".
The book is 8x10, 150 pages and filled with photographs and great stories from a REAL pool player who would bet with both hands using his own money..
I had mine spiral bound and must have read it forty times.
:thumbup:

Fantastic, I will look for the book and add it to my collection, Thanks for the info, very cool.

E. Platte and Union, H Salt Fish and chips around the corner on N. Union. Charlie Shootman drove Gradys Cadillac twice from OK to Colorado Springs, hauling Gold Crowns in the trunk and back seat. Second time around a gal pool player named Dell? hitched a ride. He with Andy Dejesus help, got things ah going. Allot of domino action, Dick Henry loved the place, and all the roadies came thru, well not all. To get action from Matthews, some times it was Reds/den mothers money. Early seventies in CO, lots of action, titty bars and military. The gal that married Boom Boom/Wade Crane, came from S. Platte Ave. pool room was right next door to the Pharmacy 1600 south. Diane Schmidt. Here parents built a pool room, across the street from the peppermint lounge titty bar. Diane is a cop, in the south, MS I think.

Thanks Bill, I should of known you would be in the know.

Grady is of course in the one-pocket HOF, but I'm pretty sure he's not in the BCA HOF. It's not too hard of an argument to make that he deserves to be. If anyone out there is familiar enough with all of his accomplishments, and willing to write up a letter to nominate him, the nomination procedure is quite simple.

I was lucky enough to have known Grady, and the pool World absolutely lost a gem when Grady passed. He gave me the old carrom table that he used to have in his pool hall in Columbia, South Carolina. If anybody knows the story of that old table, I would love to hear it.

I'm trying to attach a picture on here of Grady's pool room in Colorado Springs. Hopefully it works...

Wow, there can't be many pics of this room in existence. Thanks for the picture and it was great getting to meet you in Vegas, I hope our paths cross again.

 

[kor b]

Grady and Bucky Bell...two of the best story tellers.

 

[moose man]

Wow, there can't be many pics of this room in existence. Thanks for the picture and it was great getting to meet you in Vegas, I hope our paths cross again.[/QUOTE]

You're welcome, it was nice meeting you as well! I expect we will probably bump into each other pretty regularly. Do you go to the DCC?

 

[HUKIT]

He was certainly a class act for sure but can someone tell me what the hell is drambuie and potato salad? I've always been curious as to what that meant in TCOM,

 

[alstl]

He was certainly a class act for sure but can someone tell me what the hell is drambuie and potato salad? I've always been curious as to what that meant in TCOM,

I don't drink but I believe he was referring to alcoholic beverage. He ordered a drambuie for himself which is a type of alcohol and I think potato salad might be slang for vodka. The then bought Eddie a drink and asked if he wanted to keep playing.

I knew a guy who would do the same thing with the bartender working with him to get the opponent drunk while the he was drinking non-alcoholic beverage unbeknownst to his opponent. Opponent got drunk, he stayed sober, guess who got the money?

 

[islandboy]

I sure do miss Grady.

Man, what a treat listening to Grady and Billy in the booth together. They'd start arguing and Grady would be teasing Billy about being a lock artist. Hilarious.

Grady would always refer to Billy as "Cardone." Add Buddy to the mix, and pretty soon the storytelling and cutting up would reach epic proportions and you really didn't care who was playing.

I have the utmost respect for Grady. He never shied away from tough action, would always bet his own, and didn't have an ounce of give up in him.

He will always be one of my all time favorites. Those were the best of times.

Peace be with you My Man.

 

[Icon of Sin]

IMO, he should be in the HOF.

I agree with that...