Great article about reasons for the continuing decline of road players

thanks for the stories and pics, JAM
I think "running the table" was the first "pool book" I read outside of "the hustler"
that was just a few years ago
I can't attest to its accuracy, but I found it entertaining, and well-written
I knew of jon wertheim as a tennis pundit, but was impressed to find that he had written a book about pool
well wishes to kid delicious, wherever he is
 
The explosion of casinos and the growth of poker were major blows also. In my area(Ok., Ks, Mo.) the pool gambling faded quik when the casinos started opening. Not just the players but stakehorses who were tired of being treated like suckers also migrated to the casinos.

To further this...I would add they eat up disposable income....one of the biggest challenges is that a mark will now have to hit the ATM 3 or 4 times for a player to win $500....its so much easier to part with someones money when they have all of it, in their pocket. :cool:
 
Here's a copy and paste I wrote in 2006: The first time I ever met the SI writer, Jon Wertheim, was in November 2004 at the Glass City Open. He came to Toledo to work with Danny "Kid Delicious" Basavich on an article about him and Bristol Bob's road adventures, which eventually did publish on the SI website.

Later on, a movie production company caught wind and took an interest in Danny's story. Jon Wertheim is going to be working with Lions Gate as he is writing a book as well as a screen play.

About a month ago, I spoke to Jon on the phone, and he is still dilligently working on Danny's story. I told him that he would benefit from going to the DCC in Louisville because many of the players he was interested in talking to would be there. The movie production company, Lions Gate, suffered a financial blow last year due to one of the actors that had passed away during filming. They lost several millions of dollars is what I was told.

Jon Wertheim is still working on Danny's story and is continuing to gather data from anywhere and everywhere as it pertains to pool. I can't wait to see the end product when he's done, the book AND the movie. He sure is a fantastic writer, IMHO.


Can't find my photo of him at Glass City Open, but I have a couple of him and Kid Delicious.
Love the book!!! Read it a few times. Enjoyed meeting him too.
Offered to put him up and enter him our local yearly tournament. A couple looong fb msg conversations with his Dad but nothing yet.
Good posts!
 
The moment I saw a camera on a cel phone, my first thought was “pool hustling” is over-forever.

The big name guys weren't affected like weaker players.


I didn’t think about naked girl pics, just pool. Sadly my initial conclusion was right.

Another nail in the coffin is people in general don’t gamble as much. Of course the joints in Vegas or tribal land will always be loaded full of degenerate gamblers. The $20/rack for fun mentality got lost in time. Ppl just are more risk averse now. I can’t stand it
 
BB was not a top top player but a good guy who helped KD get the big action.

BB was a B++ player, KD was a thoroughbred. Don’t forget DF in this conversation as he had as much to do with KD as BB(almost)

I lived there and played there from 85-???? So I really know this one well.

Why are we using initials???

Best
Fatboy
 
The demise of out and out lock artist swindlers was a blessing, in my opinion.
Walking into a room and proclaiming "I am a helluva player...bring 'em on" is one thing. Laying down the lemonade and trying to work your way slowly through the small fry and shortstops to finally get to the big dog is another thing entirely...and totally disgusting.
I never liked Don Willis, but one thing's for sure. To my knowledge he never tried to ambush anybody. He always told 'em right up front before they put up the stake...."You might not like this game".
And another thing to be considered.........People, in general, might have just got tired of being swindled and making bad bets in pool rooms.
So...they opted for getting swindled and making bad bets in casinos. (but at least they weren't being hassled by some asshole pest with bad breath getting in their face trying the "I will give you the 8, man. come on and bet something")
:boring2:

I got swindled plenty of times. Learned my lessons, paid my dues and put the swindle down many times.

Not a dump(that’s bad action and killed more pool than poker did) mark my words on that. Too much business is really what happened. Especially the top guys. Stake horse $ dried up fast.

The dump did 100X more damage to big pool action than KT ever did. The internet, picture phones all hurt too. Lots of factors.

But the most real factor is business chopping up stake horses. Old guys know what I’m talking about.

Best
Fatboy
 
Doing business

Fatboy is 100% right. Those who've never been thrown in the river wouldn't understand.
Don't know why I didn't think of that myself.
The stakehorses kept getting dumped and dumped and dumped and finally they just pulled up and went somewhere else.
Even today, you really don't know which way the river is flowing.
 
Fatboy is 100% right. Those who've never been thrown in the river wouldn't understand.
Don't know why I didn't think of that myself.
The stakehorses kept getting dumped and dumped and dumped and finally they just pulled up and went somewhere else.
Even today, you really don't know which way the river is flowing.


It’s worse than ever. The dump ruined pool gambling.

Hustling, starting playing for a beer and get it up to $50/rack in a few hours is a long lost art. You know you laid it down real good when the mark buys you dinner after beating him to death.

Joe Villapondo (sorry joe-still can’t spell) and Dave Knottingham (RIP) taught me how to win and make the loser feel good and like he had a chance. That’s a great swindle and am proud that I e done it many many times. Didn’t learn it over night.

This are 2 extinct kinds of pool, big $ action with backers & ethical hustling.


Also the realestate boom made it impossible to open a 7500sq ft room as a viable business. That’s a big one ppl fail to realize. Bar tables help off-set problem. But when the rent is $300/day tuff nut to crack running a square pool room.


Now I’m sad,
Fatboy
 
BB was a B++ player, KD was a thoroughbred. Don’t forget DF in this conversation as he had as much to do with KD as BB(almost)

I lived there and played there from 85-???? So I really know this one well.

Why are we using initials???

Best
Fatboy
An why are you all using my initials?!
 
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