Great Pool Room Stories
- Thread starter brunswick1901
- Start date
I don't claim to know all of them but there have been some impressive players behind anonymous handles too. Avoids the unnecessary flack. Unfortunately death is claiming the old time posters. Rumor has it I only have a few years left myself. Got that opinion from a doctor. I'm going find an old drunk for a second opinion. There are a lot more old drunks than old doctors!
Hu
brunswick1901
Well-known member
George Redman, better known as George the Drummer because he headed a popular band in Los Angeles and in Hollywood movies.
George could be found in the day at the race track and at night in a pool room.
What I remember most about George is when he said hoped his Cataract surgery would help him to see better and improve his game.
Cataract surgery is necessary when the lenses in your eyes darken and it is harder to see especially in a dark pool room.
I am not sure of George's age but he must have been in his 60's and sadly the surgery didn't help.
George could be found in the day at the race track and at night in a pool room.
What I remember most about George is when he said hoped his Cataract surgery would help him to see better and improve his game.
Cataract surgery is necessary when the lenses in your eyes darken and it is harder to see especially in a dark pool room.
I am not sure of George's age but he must have been in his 60's and sadly the surgery didn't help.
brunswick1901
Well-known member
Marina Billiards located near Marina Del Rey just West of Los Angeles was a small pool room with a lot of action in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
One of the housemen was Lou "Machine Gun" Butera, who won the World Poker Billiards Championship in 1973.
When Lou would teach a pool lesson the first question he would ask is, "How many hours a day do you practice?".
This was because the answer would tell him what kind of lesson he would teach.
One of the housemen was Lou "Machine Gun" Butera, who won the World Poker Billiards Championship in 1973.
When Lou would teach a pool lesson the first question he would ask is, "How many hours a day do you practice?".
This was because the answer would tell him what kind of lesson he would teach.
Not sure if this qualifies as a poolroom story, but I recall the day of BCA Hall of Famer Cisero Murphy's funeral in New York in what I believe was 1996. The Reverend at the funeral was a fellow who regularly played in the Chelsea Billiards weekly tournaments that were going strong at the time. He was as nice a man as I've ever met. He was also known as one of the higher bidders in the calcutta that took place prior to that weekly tournament.
When I saw a friend of mine the next day at the pool hall and told him which Reverend has presided over Cisero's funeral, he asked me whether there had been a calcutta. I laughed so hard I nearly dropped to the floor.
When I saw a friend of mine the next day at the pool hall and told him which Reverend has presided over Cisero's funeral, he asked me whether there had been a calcutta. I laughed so hard I nearly dropped to the floor.
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brunswick1901
Well-known member
This is a copy of a post I made on Monday.
Because Gus and I had a mutual friend he arranged for me to visit Gus at his home in Penndel Pennsylvania.
The first thing Gus said to me when he opened the door was, "I understand you want to make cues".
I said yes and Gus said, "I don't let cue makers into my shop", then he let me in.
There are no words that can explain how nice Gus was to me while answering all my questions.
My first question was, when did you make your first cue.
Gus said a wife of a co-worker asked him to make a cue for her husband. Gus charged her $20.
I asked what happened to the cue.
Gus said he bought it back and put it through the bandsaw because he didn't want there to be a bad Szamboti out there.
Bad or not, what would Gus' first cue be worth today?.
As we descended into the basement I asked how he got all his machines down here.
Gus pointed to a small window with sunlight coming through it.
I took everything apart and put it back together after it was down here.
Gus explained what each machine did and while on the last machine under the small window Gus said, "This cue had a linen wrap and the owner now wants a leather wrap".
"I also took the butt apart and rebuilt it for free because I figured out a better way to build it".
What Gus didn't have to repeat was, "I didn't want a bad Szamboti out there".
We spent most of time talking about making cues and Gus said one of the things that helped him the most was a player who kept coming back asking for small changes.
While this was not easy to deal with Gus said it was one of the things that helped him make the cue he makes now.
Gus never said who the player was and I did not ask who.
Gus also said when a Balabushka came in for a repair he would take apart what he could and put it back together to learn what he could about how George made his cues.
The phone rang and I seem to remember the phone that was near a curtain towards what I think was the back of the house. I'm 76 years old and at first I thought it was the old style black phones with a loud ringer but now I seem to think it was a "Princess" phone but back to the phone call.
After a few words Gus said, "I started your cue", then a few more words I do not remember then Gus hung up.
After hanging up Gus kept starting at the phone Gus said, "I can't stand that guy!".
I said but you said you started his cue.
Gus said, "Yes, I planted the tree".
Gus had a great sense of humor.
As we talked Gus suddenly said, "I didn't let cue makers into my shop except for one, because I didn't think he could do anything with what he saw".
Gus told me the name but I am not going to say who the cue maker was.
Again, a great sense of humor.
Gus said after he was satisfied with his cue he placed the business card size ad in the National Billiard News and in nine months he had more orders than he could expect to make in his lifetime.
Certainly the greatest compliment I have received was when out of nowhere Gus asked if we would like to stay for dinner.
After a wonderful visit as I was leaving Gus said, "I'm guessing you would like a cue".
I would have never asked Gus to make me a cue but he had offered.
I said yes and we exchanged telephone numbers.
On the long plane flight back home I decided that I would no longer try to make cues.
I realized I couldn't do anything with what I saw.
**********************
Back to why there are no new signed Szambotis as there is with new signed Balabushkas.
The above was to show how Gus and I became friends, such good friends that Gus helped me collect $5,000 from a guy in Japan but that story is for another day.
**********************
I do not remember anything on the day Barry called to explained what happened to Gus.
I do remember that Barry saying his father made nice comments about me in his notes about cues.
After the shock wore off I called Barry back and explained that he should contact David Forman who owned Sutro and tell Forman he should not use his father's name to sell cues.
Sutro was a wholesale distributor of billiard supplies, they were Imperial's main competitor.
Yes that is correct, they were Imperial before they became Imperial International.
Barry said that one of his dad's close friends was an attorney and he would do something to make sure no one could sell a fake Szamboti.
Clearly it worked because to this day no one else except Barry has sold Szamboti cues.
Because Gus and I had a mutual friend he arranged for me to visit Gus at his home in Penndel Pennsylvania.
The first thing Gus said to me when he opened the door was, "I understand you want to make cues".
I said yes and Gus said, "I don't let cue makers into my shop", then he let me in.
There are no words that can explain how nice Gus was to me while answering all my questions.
My first question was, when did you make your first cue.
Gus said a wife of a co-worker asked him to make a cue for her husband. Gus charged her $20.
I asked what happened to the cue.
Gus said he bought it back and put it through the bandsaw because he didn't want there to be a bad Szamboti out there.
Bad or not, what would Gus' first cue be worth today?.
As we descended into the basement I asked how he got all his machines down here.
Gus pointed to a small window with sunlight coming through it.
I took everything apart and put it back together after it was down here.
Gus explained what each machine did and while on the last machine under the small window Gus said, "This cue had a linen wrap and the owner now wants a leather wrap".
"I also took the butt apart and rebuilt it for free because I figured out a better way to build it".
What Gus didn't have to repeat was, "I didn't want a bad Szamboti out there".
We spent most of time talking about making cues and Gus said one of the things that helped him the most was a player who kept coming back asking for small changes.
While this was not easy to deal with Gus said it was one of the things that helped him make the cue he makes now.
Gus never said who the player was and I did not ask who.
Gus also said when a Balabushka came in for a repair he would take apart what he could and put it back together to learn what he could about how George made his cues.
The phone rang and I seem to remember the phone that was near a curtain towards what I think was the back of the house. I'm 76 years old and at first I thought it was the old style black phones with a loud ringer but now I seem to think it was a "Princess" phone but back to the phone call.
After a few words Gus said, "I started your cue", then a few more words I do not remember then Gus hung up.
After hanging up Gus kept starting at the phone Gus said, "I can't stand that guy!".
I said but you said you started his cue.
Gus said, "Yes, I planted the tree".
Gus had a great sense of humor.
As we talked Gus suddenly said, "I didn't let cue makers into my shop except for one, because I didn't think he could do anything with what he saw".
Gus told me the name but I am not going to say who the cue maker was.
Again, a great sense of humor.
Gus said after he was satisfied with his cue he placed the business card size ad in the National Billiard News and in nine months he had more orders than he could expect to make in his lifetime.
Certainly the greatest compliment I have received was when out of nowhere Gus asked if we would like to stay for dinner.
After a wonderful visit as I was leaving Gus said, "I'm guessing you would like a cue".
I would have never asked Gus to make me a cue but he had offered.
I said yes and we exchanged telephone numbers.
On the long plane flight back home I decided that I would no longer try to make cues.
I realized I couldn't do anything with what I saw.
**********************
Back to why there are no new signed Szambotis as there is with new signed Balabushkas.
The above was to show how Gus and I became friends, such good friends that Gus helped me collect $5,000 from a guy in Japan but that story is for another day.
**********************
I do not remember anything on the day Barry called to explained what happened to Gus.
I do remember that Barry saying his father made nice comments about me in his notes about cues.
After the shock wore off I called Barry back and explained that he should contact David Forman who owned Sutro and tell Forman he should not use his father's name to sell cues.
Sutro was a wholesale distributor of billiard supplies, they were Imperial's main competitor.
Yes that is correct, they were Imperial before they became Imperial International.
Barry said that one of his dad's close friends was an attorney and he would do something to make sure no one could sell a fake Szamboti.
Clearly it worked because to this day no one else except Barry has sold Szamboti cues.
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I've told this one before, but it is short, funny, and tells of some struggles.
Really good bank player at this pool hall I grew up in. Was in there every day like clockwork. Taught me how to boil water and clean the dents out of shafts.
Never played "fun pool" you always had to bet something, and while he didn't have much to bet, when players came through, we would all get together and stake him.
Good player from Ohio (IIRC) comes through and our local is putting the beating to him for a good amount per game back then.
Local wins a lot of games in a row 10-15 of full rack banks. This guy played tight too, he would get a lot of his knowledge from Bugs as Bug's backer was from our pool hall too. So he would shoot a bank and not play for shape, but play to make that ball, and then come up with another shot somehow.
So local guy has won every game 10-15 of them ALL OF THEM, and the out of town guy finally wins a game.
Local guy says "I'm tired of all this back and fourth shit, I'm done." Quits the guy up all those games after the guy won one.
He was flush for the next few months.
Really good bank player at this pool hall I grew up in. Was in there every day like clockwork. Taught me how to boil water and clean the dents out of shafts.
Never played "fun pool" you always had to bet something, and while he didn't have much to bet, when players came through, we would all get together and stake him.
Good player from Ohio (IIRC) comes through and our local is putting the beating to him for a good amount per game back then.
Local wins a lot of games in a row 10-15 of full rack banks. This guy played tight too, he would get a lot of his knowledge from Bugs as Bug's backer was from our pool hall too. So he would shoot a bank and not play for shape, but play to make that ball, and then come up with another shot somehow.
So local guy has won every game 10-15 of them ALL OF THEM, and the out of town guy finally wins a game.
Local guy says "I'm tired of all this back and fourth shit, I'm done." Quits the guy up all those games after the guy won one.
He was flush for the next few months.
Gonzo09
Active member
Thanks for sharing this! Alli, Mark Wilson and I appreciate it. Glad you are enjoying these stories.I just listened to the Billy Incardona interview on Legends of the Cue.
If you like pool and would like to hear what pool stories from the 1960s to the late 1990s it will be well worth your time.
This is the link to Part 1.
Billy Incardona - Part 1 (The Early Hustle — From Pittsburgh Str…
In this first installment of our six-part conversation with the great Billy Incardona — known to pool fans everywhere as “Nine-Ball Billy” and later the unmistakabl…www.legendsofthecue.com
brunswick1901
Well-known member
The corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Western Avenue where Hollywood Billiards was located according to LAPD reports the area around Hollywood Billiards had the highest crime in Los Angeles in the mid 1980s.
The drug of choice was Cocaine and the competition between the drug dealers was constant and dangerous.
In spite of this the room did not have a drug problem because of Arnie.
Arnie, the principal owner was a small white guy with a bad toupee who always carried a gun was the reason why the pool room was drug free and safe.
It wasn't carrying the gun that made the room safe. In the words of one of the dealers on the street who explained the problem to a new guy, "It's not the gun you have to worry about, it's that Arnie has shot at some of us".
To clarify, those are not the exact words the dealer used".
As a customer being around more than the owners I knew one of the regulars sold drugs. The guy was careful and it didn't seem like the guy was doing any harm until I became a part owner of the room.
Sergio, not his real name, knew I had become an owner and I am guessing because we had a nodding relationship he figured I would not say anything.
After sleeping on it the next day when I saw him I said, "Sergio, I heard someone was selling drugs in here last night".
Sergio looked surprised and I said, "If I hear of anyone selling drugs in here I'm going to have to 86 him".
Will you spread the word? Sergio said, "Yes".
I never saw Sergio sell drugs again.
The drug of choice was Cocaine and the competition between the drug dealers was constant and dangerous.
In spite of this the room did not have a drug problem because of Arnie.
Arnie, the principal owner was a small white guy with a bad toupee who always carried a gun was the reason why the pool room was drug free and safe.
It wasn't carrying the gun that made the room safe. In the words of one of the dealers on the street who explained the problem to a new guy, "It's not the gun you have to worry about, it's that Arnie has shot at some of us".
To clarify, those are not the exact words the dealer used".
As a customer being around more than the owners I knew one of the regulars sold drugs. The guy was careful and it didn't seem like the guy was doing any harm until I became a part owner of the room.
Sergio, not his real name, knew I had become an owner and I am guessing because we had a nodding relationship he figured I would not say anything.
After sleeping on it the next day when I saw him I said, "Sergio, I heard someone was selling drugs in here last night".
Sergio looked surprised and I said, "If I hear of anyone selling drugs in here I'm going to have to 86 him".
Will you spread the word? Sergio said, "Yes".
I never saw Sergio sell drugs again.
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Rusty in Montana
Well-known member
In one of the bars my folks enjoyed an adult beverage in the owner Chuck was a WW 2 vet just like dad and he didn't have a problem with me in there playing pool which I took full advantage of .
I noticed the Chuck never turned his back to the patrons sitting at the bar and of all the bars in town I honestly can't remember very many fights or trouble in Chuck's bar .
I asked dad why he thought that was ? He laughted and asked me if I ever seen what was hanging off Chuck's belt it was a colt Government 1911 in a .45 gov and there were more than one oak night sticks under the bar also !
At times you couldn't hardly walk in there on some Friday and Saturday nights ! I sure miss that bar ! Ha ha
I noticed the Chuck never turned his back to the patrons sitting at the bar and of all the bars in town I honestly can't remember very many fights or trouble in Chuck's bar .
I asked dad why he thought that was ? He laughted and asked me if I ever seen what was hanging off Chuck's belt it was a colt Government 1911 in a .45 gov and there were more than one oak night sticks under the bar also !
At times you couldn't hardly walk in there on some Friday and Saturday nights ! I sure miss that bar ! Ha ha
In Maryland the excuse was much shorter and to the point: "Too much see-saw."
when i play i say that anyone can quit anytime they want for any reason same as playing in a casino gambling.
i for one do not want to be playing for hours on end after i want to stop just because i am up money.
it used to be that you cant quit winner. in those cases i told them play one short set or game for all of what i am winning and you can double up until even or broke. take it or leave it.
i for one do not want to be playing for hours on end after i want to stop just because i am up money.
it used to be that you cant quit winner. in those cases i told them play one short set or game for all of what i am winning and you can double up until even or broke. take it or leave it.
Since you mentioned Paul's name and the Corner Pocket.
The ‘Big Sky’ Montana gives up my second BIG score!
Part 1:
I'll share a story about my second biggest score in 3C. In 1970 a friend of mine, Nicky and I decided to go West, Nicky was a VERY good "short card" player, and I handled pool in the right spots and the 3C. One of the last stops before we got to the West coast was, Denver. We stayed off of Colfax Ave., and across from the Capital building was a billiard room, with 2 3C tables and about 20 pool tables.
It was early in the morning; I always would to get to a room early before any of the regulars, so I could practice without getting "eye-balled". When players started coming in a round noon, I quit, and just sat around the 3c table to clock players. A couple hours later, the room started to get a little action in it on the pool tables. By that time a guy asked me to play some $50.00 a game 15 points, so I'm involved in a game and Nicky is in the middle of some action on a table in the opposite corner of the room, but, I could tell I knew it wasn't pool.
A big loud black guy, Nicky and 3 or 4 other white guys were gambling on something. After about 30 minutes, I'm almost done with the billiard bird and Nicky comes over to ask me for some cheese, "Give me two hundred Billy," I asked, "For what?" He says, "We're gambling with the black guy on the 3 cards." I yelled, "Are you f***I ng crazy," "You're done!" So I finished the billiard game, and went to sweat the, “Three Card Monty.” So, naturally the black guy tries to get me involved, along with the two young white “Cap Men” he had down with it. I said, “NO” and “He’s done too!”
Now, by this time, I’m steaming, Nicky had blown $800.00 of our $2,500.00 bankroll. This is the first, and may I add the last time I took the heat like a sucker. The guys keeps asking and egging me on, finally I say, “I’ll play you some of that,” pointing to the 3C table. He shouts, “Nobody plays that but old men, and they don’t bet nothing!” I reply, “I don’t care how old or young they are I’ll play,” and I'll play for what Nicky lost to you, now go find someone!” He says, “You that good boy, maybe we can make some money with you.”
No cell phones back then, the guy goes to the payphone and comes back and says, “You got a game,” “OK,” at another poolroom, Colfax Billiards. So, we follow the “Monty” crew to the room, now, I really know what’s going on, these three are “Double steering” us in this spot. The guy their going to have me play had NEVER been beaten playing 3C before. Meanwhile, I already about knew the guy they were having me play. He was the BIGGEST “bookmaker” in the Denver area, his name was “Pic” short for an Italian name they couldn’t pronounce. The guy I had been given the 411 on before we started out on the trip.
Our bankroll now was $1,700.00, We agreed to play 15 points for a $1,000.00, Nicky bet $300.00 on the side, we found out later it was the, “Monty crew” that bet the 3 bills. After about 10 minutes, I can see just how the guy plays, a cake walk! I let him get close, 15-12. Next game, the guy bets $2,000.00, I wasn’t sure why, but we did and Nicky bet $600.00 on the side this time. I beat him this time 15-11, He quit, He just quit! I said, “Make a game,” “I can’t I’m broke.” I was astonished, he said, “maybe some other time.” He said, “Thanks for the game,” You play good for a kid,” and walked out the door. Got a REAL bad break with this score, the "BM" had just lost $150.000.00 on the sports that week. After Nicky had blown that money, I could see He wasn’t sharp enough to be with me on the road, I gave him back what He’d lost and 50% of the money we had won so far. Then He drove back to Chi-Town!
When the smoke cleared a couple days later, the “Monty crew”, by the way, the black guy’s name was, Harold Densen. After that first meeting of ours we would become very close partners and friends until his untimely death in 1991. Harold and his crew came over to ask me, “You hanging around town for a while?” “I don’t know, is the action here better than this?” “We have a spot to take you to, and you’ll win as much as you can carry, if you do it the right way.”
The crew takes me up to, Billings Montana. At that time there was a chain of poolrooms around called, “Corner Pocket Billiards,” owned by, “One Eye George” George Franks, pretty fair player/hustler in his day. The guy Harold was steering me to into was a guy they called, “Smitto” he was about 40 years old then. One of the cap men for Harold was a pretty good pool player, Denny Port. He had played Smitto already 6 ball, $20.00 a ball. Denny already beat him a couple of times for about $2,000.00, one of the sessions went on till the room closed, and Smitto invited them to come to his house to play, He had this huge home built into the side of a mountain. In his basement, He had a ping pong table, 4.5x9 GC and a GC 3C billiard table, plus a beautiful bar, with part of the mountain as the back wall. When they got there, Smitto says, “I’ll play you some of this,” pointing to the 3C table. Denny played 1 game, 10 points and quit.
continued;
Here's Part 2
When I went to the “Corner Pocket,” I went in by myself, I knew what day, (Friday night), and time, about 10:00 pm that Smitto came in every week, also the table He liked to play on, right in front of the counter. I was on it already hitting balls in 8 ball, He came in and saw someone on his table, and asked me, “you just practicing, or would you like to play some?” “Ok, what do you want to play?” He said,”6 ball,” I told him, “I never played 6 ball, is it like 9 ball?” “Yes. But faster, since we don’t’ have much time to play.” So, we decided to play for $10.00 a ball, pay after every game, I’m the stranger! We raised the bet to, $20.00 after about an hour, about 12:30 am, they started to clean up the poolroom. When we quit, I was about $850.00 winner, and could still see he still had a knot that would choke a horse on him. So, I asked, “Is there was any bar or room that stays open to continue playing, since you’re stuck,” “I have a couple of tables at my house, we can play there.” I looked at him sort of funny, and he said, “Don’t worry everyone knows me around the state!” He looked towards George for the nod, George speaks right up and says, “Are you kidding, this guy’s as good as gold, He’s the biggest electrical contractor in the state of Montana!”
I follow him to his home, a mansion, just beautiful! WE go down to the basement, I already knew what to expect! Pool table, billiard and ping pong table. He says, “I don’t think I can beat you playing pool, I’ll play you some 3 cushion.” I reply, “Are you kidding me, I don’t know the first thing about that, “old man’s” game!” “Besides, I don’t even know all the rules!“ “If you don’t want to play some more 6 ball, I’m leaving!” He says, “Hit some balls on the table, maybe I’ll make a game with you.” I stalled with the “open hand” bridge, like in the pool game. After a dozen shots, the guy was convinced I couldn’t play a lick. He says, “I’ll give you 2 points going to 10,” “no way, I need 5 and the break!” We agree on, just 5 points on 10, for $300.00 a game pay after every game. We jockey back and forth for the first few games, He’s one game winner and asked to raise the bet to, $500.00, I said, “OK, this billiards takes too long anyway!” By 4:00 am in the morning, We’re playing for a $1,000.00 a game and I’m only getting 2 on 10, and I’m about , $9,000.00 winners, after another 5 games, he runs out of cash in his pocket, but, still wants to keep playing. He tells me, he has more money in the safe, and gets another $10.000.00 out!
Now the Sun’s coming up outside, it’s about, 7:00am,and it’s Saturday, and He’s lost the other 10 dimes, but He’s steaming now, he can’t quit, and by now , I’m only getting the break going to 10 points. I’m about, $20.000.00 winners and the guy wont’ quit, I F***en couldn’t believe it! He’s out of cash, but, still wants to play, He says, “If I lose, I’ll write a check for it, my checks are good as GOLD!” I said, “listen Smitto, we been playing for 9 straight hours, I’m not use to this, we have to set a time limit.” I’ll tell you what I’ll do, since you’re stuck, I’ll play some till 9:00 am, (when the banks open on Saturday), and We’ll play even for $3,000.00 a game, this way you may have a chance to win some money back!” He says, “OK, that’s fair enough.”
Well, 8:30 rolls along and He’s stuck another, $21,000.00! I say, “Smitto, I’m exhausted, let’s quit, you’re not going to get your money back this way, He adamantly says, “NO, give me 2 points and we’ll play till 9 am, I promise. Meanwhile, what I didn’t realize is that, Smitto, every time he went to get a drink, He was popping, “Benny’s,” and just couldn’t stop! Need I elaborate on the final outcome, Smitto lost, a check for $30.000.00 on top of the, $19,000.00 in cash!
He writes out the check, and it dawns on me, it’s Saturday, the inside bank most likely won’t be open. Now, I’m a little worried, I ask Smitto, “Is the inside bank open today, it’s Saturday?” He says, “NO,” ONLY the drive-thru.” Now, I thought to myself, “They’re NOT going to cash this BIG check at the drive-thru window, NO way!” I knew if I waited till Monday, someone would wake him up when he came off the pills. I said again, “Smitto, are you sure they’ll cash it at the drive-thru!” “I’m going to call them right now.” He did, I left and went to the bank, put my ID and check in the tube and sent it away. A few minutes later teller says, “Mr. Smith,” I said to myself, “Here we go, He stopped the check already.” “Do you have another form of ID?” I sent in my SS card, 5 minutes later here comes one tube with my ID’s and a stack of hundreds and then another tube with a stack of hundreds and a, “Thank you!” I met up with Harold at the Hotel, we cut up the money, went to sleep, woke up, got a couple of chicks and partied! Harold and I went on the road together for 25 years.
A funny ending to this story, years later, when I more or less stopped going around the country hustling, I was playing in a huge international 3C tournament in NYC. At Abel Caulderon’s room in Queens, first time I met Sang Lee, he finished second. I had just finished playing the Belgian Champion at the time, Marin Spoormans, I won the game and had the high run of the tournament 16. After the match, a tall lanky older guy with a not so good grey-haired rug, but, with a gorgeous young blonde on his arm. He says to me, “good to see you again after all these years, “can you sign my program?” I ask, “What’s your name?” He says, “make it out to Paul,” you want your last name too.” “Instead, just make it out to, “Smitto!” I take a closer look at the guy and yell out, “SMITTO!” Didn’t recognize him with the rug, we laughed together about the past. His parting words to me were, “You taught me a VERY valuable lesson, that I was only a BIG fish in a LITTLE pond!” “And, I can see you certainly know this game, good luck in the FINALS!”
Remembering the good old Hustling days!
Bill Smith “Mr3Cushion"
Here's Part 2
When I went to the “Corner Pocket,” I went in by myself, I knew what day, (Friday night), and time, about 10:00 pm that Smitto came in every week, also the table He liked to play on, right in front of the counter. I was on it already hitting balls in 8 ball, He came in and saw someone on his table, and asked me, “you just practicing, or would you like to play some?” “Ok, what do you want to play?” He said,”6 ball,” I told him, “I never played 6 ball, is it like 9 ball?” “Yes. But faster, since we don’t’ have much time to play.” So, we decided to play for $10.00 a ball, pay after every game, I’m the stranger! We raised the bet to, $20.00 after about an hour, about 12:30 am, they started to clean up the poolroom. When we quit, I was about $850.00 winner, and could still see he still had a knot that would choke a horse on him. So, I asked, “Is there was any bar or room that stays open to continue playing, since you’re stuck,” “I have a couple of tables at my house, we can play there.” I looked at him sort of funny, and he said, “Don’t worry everyone knows me around the state!” He looked towards George for the nod, George speaks right up and says, “Are you kidding, this guy’s as good as gold, He’s the biggest electrical contractor in the state of Montana!”
I follow him to his home, a mansion, just beautiful! WE go down to the basement, I already knew what to expect! Pool table, billiard and ping pong table. He says, “I don’t think I can beat you playing pool, I’ll play you some 3 cushion.” I reply, “Are you kidding me, I don’t know the first thing about that, “old man’s” game!” “Besides, I don’t even know all the rules!“ “If you don’t want to play some more 6 ball, I’m leaving!” He says, “Hit some balls on the table, maybe I’ll make a game with you.” I stalled with the “open hand” bridge, like in the pool game. After a dozen shots, the guy was convinced I couldn’t play a lick. He says, “I’ll give you 2 points going to 10,” “no way, I need 5 and the break!” We agree on, just 5 points on 10, for $300.00 a game pay after every game. We jockey back and forth for the first few games, He’s one game winner and asked to raise the bet to, $500.00, I said, “OK, this billiards takes too long anyway!” By 4:00 am in the morning, We’re playing for a $1,000.00 a game and I’m only getting 2 on 10, and I’m about , $9,000.00 winners, after another 5 games, he runs out of cash in his pocket, but, still wants to keep playing. He tells me, he has more money in the safe, and gets another $10.000.00 out!
Now the Sun’s coming up outside, it’s about, 7:00am,and it’s Saturday, and He’s lost the other 10 dimes, but He’s steaming now, he can’t quit, and by now , I’m only getting the break going to 10 points. I’m about, $20.000.00 winners and the guy wont’ quit, I F***en couldn’t believe it! He’s out of cash, but, still wants to play, He says, “If I lose, I’ll write a check for it, my checks are good as GOLD!” I said, “listen Smitto, we been playing for 9 straight hours, I’m not use to this, we have to set a time limit.” I’ll tell you what I’ll do, since you’re stuck, I’ll play some till 9:00 am, (when the banks open on Saturday), and We’ll play even for $3,000.00 a game, this way you may have a chance to win some money back!” He says, “OK, that’s fair enough.”
Well, 8:30 rolls along and He’s stuck another, $21,000.00! I say, “Smitto, I’m exhausted, let’s quit, you’re not going to get your money back this way, He adamantly says, “NO, give me 2 points and we’ll play till 9 am, I promise. Meanwhile, what I didn’t realize is that, Smitto, every time he went to get a drink, He was popping, “Benny’s,” and just couldn’t stop! Need I elaborate on the final outcome, Smitto lost, a check for $30.000.00 on top of the, $19,000.00 in cash!
He writes out the check, and it dawns on me, it’s Saturday, the inside bank most likely won’t be open. Now, I’m a little worried, I ask Smitto, “Is the inside bank open today, it’s Saturday?” He says, “NO,” ONLY the drive-thru.” Now, I thought to myself, “They’re NOT going to cash this BIG check at the drive-thru window, NO way!” I knew if I waited till Monday, someone would wake him up when he came off the pills. I said again, “Smitto, are you sure they’ll cash it at the drive-thru!” “I’m going to call them right now.” He did, I left and went to the bank, put my ID and check in the tube and sent it away. A few minutes later teller says, “Mr. Smith,” I said to myself, “Here we go, He stopped the check already.” “Do you have another form of ID?” I sent in my SS card, 5 minutes later here comes one tube with my ID’s and a stack of hundreds and then another tube with a stack of hundreds and a, “Thank you!” I met up with Harold at the Hotel, we cut up the money, went to sleep, woke up, got a couple of chicks and partied! Harold and I went on the road together for 25 years.
A funny ending to this story, years later, when I more or less stopped going around the country hustling, I was playing in a huge international 3C tournament in NYC. At Abel Caulderon’s room in Queens, first time I met Sang Lee, he finished second. I had just finished playing the Belgian Champion at the time, Marin Spoormans, I won the game and had the high run of the tournament 16. After the match, a tall lanky older guy with a not so good grey-haired rug, but, with a gorgeous young blonde on his arm. He says to me, “good to see you again after all these years, “can you sign my program?” I ask, “What’s your name?” He says, “make it out to Paul,” you want your last name too.” “Instead, just make it out to, “Smitto!” I take a closer look at the guy and yell out, “SMITTO!” Didn’t recognize him with the rug, we laughed together about the past. His parting words to me were, “You taught me a VERY valuable lesson, that I was only a BIG fish in a LITTLE pond!” “And, I can see you certainly know this game, good luck in the FINALS!”
Remembering the good old Hustling days!
Bill Smith “Mr3Cushion"
A fellow named Jesse owned a pool hall in what had went from a blue collar to a rough part of town. Jesse had been a roughneck on oilrigs before he retired. Had arms like tree trunks. He also had a chunk of tree trunk behind the bar that would have done Buford Pusser proud. About four inches diameter, maybe five, about four feet long! He had carved it down to a comfortable handle on one end. I asked him if he had ever brought it out from behind the bar. He said a couple times! The entire arm wrestling team from LSU Baton Rouge came to take on Jesse. He took them down back to back, both arms! Jesse did acknowledge his arms were a little sore the next day. Most of the time things were quiet and polite in Jesse's, nobody wanted to piss in his ear!
It was the place that had the most gunshots of any I ever went to though. Seemed half or more of the people were armed and carrying poorly in that bygone day. Just moving around and hitting cue balls, a lot of guns fell on the concrete and linoleum floor. Without modern safety features the guns tended to go bang! I was playing on the back table when a bullet flew by me from about seventy-five feet and hit the switch box on the back wall about eight feet away. I did pocket the ball I was shooting at. Stray bullets were just a playing hazard at Shoppers. In a lot of hours there, it was my second home, I never saw a shot fired in anger, not even a gun drawn.
Before Jesse bought the place a small lady named Sue ran it for Lambert of Greenway owner fame. People thought they wanted to start trouble in there a few times, mostly wanting to get rowdy about not being served. Shoppers was long and thin, the way a pool hall should be. For some reason I never knew the counter was about three-quarters of the way back from the front door. Come to think of it, Greenway's was designed the same way. Anyway, any sign of trouble at the counter and a dozen or two of the regulars would stroll that way. Most including me, brought house cues with them in case they needed something to lean on. It was always funny to see the deer in the headlights look when strangers realized they were surrounded by an unhappy crowd and it was a long long ways to the front door! Funny thing, none of the regulars ever said anything, presence was enough.
Buffalo's on Airline was much the same way when I think about it. In a very rough part of town. Whores sometimes used it as a shortcut between Airline and the side street behind when things looked like they might get warm on Airline. I never noticed them plying their trade in Buff's and they played the poker machines so they were customers. Only heard voices raised in real anger in there three times over years, sorry to say twice it was mine.
Hu