Greenway 1973

[8ballchump]

Could be Henry Carr as you describe him. I don't remember him as more than middle sized but our perception of size is a bit different!(grin) This was a good guy. We had a few friendly conversations and he was the one that stepped between me and Keith when I was gonna give Keith a little tap one night for saying something about a young lady I was with.

Hu

Yep, it was probably him....it wasn't that he was a giant of a guy, but I only weighed in at 5'2" and 90 lbs.....so he was a giant to me!

He was a good guy.....another story... back when GW had the illegal machines in, Henry was the "mover" when they were getting raided. GW didn't actually have locks on the doors so when someone would see the cops (feds, locals, etc...) pull up they would bar up the door like they were closed and give Henry a few minutes to push the machines out the back door....

 

[ShootingArts]

It was interesting!

You guys can go to a pm now but I must say this thread is a very cool read. I almost feel as if I were eves dropping. The area of the country that you speak of sounds like it was/is very interesting. Thanks for the history and the stories.

Some friends of mine over Tangipahoa way were all friends of each other and all seemed to be coming into money. They were poorer than dirt then three of them built new brick homes, nice ones. Another one was buying every piece of land he could find around his. He walked me up a hill one day and described the house he was gonna build, something just a little bigger and nicer than the governor's mansion.

About six weeks later they made the national news. Big Fanny still, the boys were thinking big. It filled a 100x200 barn and instead of the drip from a coil like you see on TV they condensed the whiskey in a dragline radiator and it shot a six foot stream out of a 2" PVC pipe. They were cooking off 3500 gallons a week. One of the revenuers had just toured the Old Forester distillery and said that Big Fanny was bigger. Not being rocket scientists they were buying corn, rye, and sugar by the truckload and had installed a huge propane tank, 5000 or 10,000 gallon I believe.

These folks weren't very smart but they were entertaining. I used to love to go over that way just to hear about the latest messes they had gotten into. My road partner was the same way. He could get in more trouble walking to the road to check his mail than most normal human beings could chase down in a month of Sundays. One reason I quit our little trips, his wife was a good shot with Bobby's 30-30 and wasn't real fond of some of the things Bobby was doing besides shooting pool. A fortuitous flat tire kept us both from getting shot one night!. :grin: :grin: :grin:

Tammy is absolutely correct, everybody that was anybody in the pool world passed through Greenway sooner or later. The Green Felt Jungle is supposed to be about my favorite haunts around Baton Rouge during the same time frame but I haven't been quite curious enough to buy it. Kind of like watching the video and rambling through this old thread, I would like to see how many folks in it I recognize.

I don't feel like I am really derailing a thread that has been dead for ages but I did take the personal stuff to PM's.

Hu

 

[Ball Banger]

Hello Tammy

Sorry I am very close to 70 yrs old and must apology for my sometimers mind. I never was good at remembering names any way. But I can shut my eyes and see your long straight hair and slender shape. The second I saw your first name I remembered it. I never knew most peoples last name. I am not sure if you remember me from the above comments?? I must admit I was more of a sweater and hanger on than a Player. But we talked often about horses. I also tried to pick Earl's brain all the time.

Sorry to hear about Earl, he was a real student of the game and had a lot of book knowledge about it as well as being a player. I believe you two parted company before I left BR. He once told me a story about going to a tournament for the Greenroom action. I forget names but anyway he got a game and cleaned up shooting great. The guy he played told everyone to stay away from him and he couldn't get another game to save his life.

Yep Henry was the man we are all talking about. Tammy best described him. Because I am small also, Henry might not of been real big but he could be intimidating if he had too. But Henry wasn't that type. He was more of a small time hustler who liked to match up and steal a little when he could. Of course I did a little of that also. If I remember right there was a Monday night 9 ball tournament for a while. I sandbagged the tournament and then got weight from guys I should give weight to. The Bracket was posted and my name always showed as two up and out.

Speaking of Brackets, the 1979 tournament Bracket was on the wall for many years. I don't know what happened to that board, but I would love to have it now as big and dirty as it was.

Cuebuddy

I understand your interest. Louisiana has a long and unique culture and history. It is truly the Sportsman's State in many ways. GW is only a small part in that wonderful culture. Jessie the last owner of GW I knew of, was in fact a Cajun commercial Cat fisherman from the Bayou. Buster, the Yazoo Kid was his buddy and a road player who played every local tournament in 3 states. I loved Louisiana and was sad to go, but family matters were more important.

 

[Ball Banger]

hey

When I bumped this thread from the search feature it had just over 2,000 views. In just this short time it now has over 2,700 views. I guess I was wrong about taking it to PM. People are interested in our Old Fart Stories. I have to admit when I first traveled through the South in the early 60's it was like a 1930's type movie of the South. Slave shacks and share croppers with Mules. Two different Louisiana Parish Sheriffs were arrested, convicted and served time in there own jail and were re-elected. One while still serving time in his own jail. From Jean Laffite, Huey P Long to Edwin Edwards (Now serving time in club fed) Louisiana has always been unique.

 

[JoeyA]

Hu

I was on the Pride Rd in KKK country. Not real far from the end of Hopper Rd and the bar you talked about. But I never went in that bar. I had a Hunting Mule and he would ride in the back of my Datsun Pick up like a dog. You would remember seeing that. I also had Chickens and went to all the Chicken events. Living in the Philippines I got into Chickens.

But since this is the main forum, Maybe we should continue in with Private Messaging

NO! NO! NO! Don't do that. I want to hear more about that Hunting Mule riding in the back of a Datsun pickup. This is a first for me. What was the size of the King Cab? j/k I enjoy hearing about the lives that people live and I will surely miss it if you move the story to NPR or even worse, PM.

JoeyA

 

[hemicudas]

hey

When I bumped this thread from the search feature it had just over 2,000 views. In just this short time it now has over 2,700 views. I guess I was wrong about taking it to PM. People are interested in our Old Fart Stories. I have to admit when I first traveled through the South in the early 60's it was like a 1930's type movie of the South. Slave shacks and share croppers with Mules. Two different Louisiana Parish Sheriffs were arrested, convicted and served time in there own jail and were re-elected. One while still serving time in his own jail. From Jean Laffite, Huey P Long to Edwin Edwards (Now serving time in club fed) Louisiana has always been unique.

You tell-um, Ball Banger. Many of us who knew Baton Rouge and the Greenway really well from the old days enjoy this. When JAM and I started this thread long ago we knew it would draw interest. Just for speed's sake, how did you guys match up with Shorty or Lambert circa 1979? Do any of you guys remember your humble $Bill from those golden days? I looked a lot like this in those days.

 

[ShootingArts]

four insurance commissioners in a row

hey

When I bumped this thread from the search feature it had just over 2,000 views. In just this short time it now has over 2,700 views. I guess I was wrong about taking it to PM. People are interested in our Old Fart Stories. I have to admit when I first traveled through the South in the early 60's it was like a 1930's type movie of the South. Slave shacks and share croppers with Mules. Two different Louisiana Parish Sheriffs were arrested, convicted and served time in there own jail and were re-elected. One while still serving time in his own jail. From Jean Laffite, Huey P Long to Edwin Edwards (Now serving time in club fed) Louisiana has always been unique.

If I remember correctly it was four Louisiana State Insurance Commissioners in a row that went to prison not too many years ago. Hard to tell if they were being elected to office or prison. They were spending more personal money to get elected than the position paid for the whole term so there was little doubt where they were trying to make a buck.

To bring it sorta back to pool, Jessie wasn't real tall but he was a very powerful man. LSU had an arm wrestling team and they heard about him and came to challenge him. Four or six big kids and Jessie beat them all, twicet! I wasn't there that night but was there the next day. Jessie admitted his arm was a little sore. I never did see him beaten arm wrestling although I saw many people try.

There never was much trouble in Shoppers when I was there, it was quietened down in a hurry if anything did start. A few shots fired when I was there but mostly accidental. I remember one bad shooting outside the place but I'm not sure if it was poolroom related or not. When Jessie took over the place he carved a handle in one end of a four or five inch log about four feet long. I only saw him come from behind the counter with that club a couple of times but it had a real calming influence when he did!

Shopper's was my second home for years. I didn't gamble there or Greenway for the same reason it was bad to win tournaments at Greenway. I gambled a couple times in Greenway and it killed my action up and down Plank and Airline for weeks each time. Soon as I got on a table somebody would remember the game at Greenway. I could go for bigger bucks and limit myself to a handful of people at Greenway and the road players or I could party and play for small stakes seven days a week. Being a youngster it wasn't hard to choose! Folks do know how to party in South Louisiana and I headed for the swamps every weekend for years.

Jessie was one of the few people that knew my game at Greenway, he had taught me a lot of it at Shoppers. Could be why Danny Medina and Johnny Archer both chased me down in a bar room for small stakes. I played a few other road players but most didn't stick in my mind. One name I wish I could remember was a player that was sly enough to scout me for three nights. After a few hours on the third night he decided he didn't want to play me and we talked. He was an interesting fellow.

Hu

 

[ShootingArts]

We were a couple of pretty boys back then!

You tell-um, Ball Banger. Many of us who knew Baton Rouge and the Greenway really well from the old days enjoy this. When JAM and I started this thread long ago we knew it would draw interest. Just for speed's sake, how did you guys match up with Shorty or Lambert circa 1979? Do any of you guys remember your humble $Bill from those golden days? I looked a lot like this in those days.

We were a couple of pretty boys back then. You do look much more familiar in that picture!

Hu

 

[Ball Banger]

You tell-um, Ball Banger. Many of us who knew Baton Rouge and the Greenway really well from the old days enjoy this. When JAM and I started this thread long ago we knew it would draw interest. Just for speed's sake, how did you guys match up with Shorty or Lambert circa 1979? Do any of you guys remember your humble $Bill from those golden days? I looked a lot like this in those days.

$Bill

I am going to pass to Tammy, She was pretty sharp in those days and seems to still have it. She knows more about GW than me. But you do look familiar.

Shorty and Lambert were both out of my league at that time. I would come and go from pool over the years and as my Screen name suggest I am Just a Ball Banger. I am actually at the Top of my game right now that the kids are grown and gone. I am divorced many years now and was the custody single parent. I now play 6 nights a week, Friday being the only night there are no tournaments or League play.

 

[hemicudas]

We were a couple of pretty boys back then. You do look much more familiar in that picture!

Hu

You are telling the truth, Hu. You can tell, I didn't have much trouble getting out with the cash in those days and it was tough to do when you were on the road with guys like Bob Dancer. You guys remember him or his "WIFE", Barbie???

 

[8ballchump]

$Bill

I am going to pass to Tammy, She was pretty sharp in those days and seems to still have it. She knows more about GW than me. But you do look familiar.

Shorty and Lambert were both out of my league at that time. I would come and go from pool over the years and as my Screen name suggest I am Just a Ball Banger. I am actually at the Top of my game right now that the kids are grown and gone. I am divorced many years now and was the custody single parent. I now play 6 nights a week, Friday being the only night there are no tournaments or League play.

Back in those days I was real tight with Dot - and therefore Lambert - so we never played. Dot was always putting me in action or taking me somewhere to play. We made many trips out of town either for tournaments or to set up a play somewhere.....we had some good times, some reeeallyyyy good times and some, not so much. Many didn't think a lot of Dot, but she was a good friend to me - and gave me opportunities that others would not. I owe a lot of my experience to her. Lambert was always around and we had some great talks with him and with Jesse Padilla (who was a genius at the game).....I would stop by the car lot when they were there and just listen to all of the old stories. One of their fav stories was about a trip to Bend, OR.....heard it on many occasions. At that time, Danny Jones was also around and I got to know him well also. Everyone else called him "Handsome" Danny.....we just called him Danny. Cool fellow, but had a bit of a mean streak. Shorty and his brothers were always around. I only matched up with Shorty a couple of times and that was in the later years. At that time it was pretty even, although I thought to myself I could outplay him....I just couldn't last through the "other" issues that came from playing Shorty. Last time I played him at the new Lamberts - back when all of the action was surrounding Flyboy - and I was injured so I had to have Strong Arm Johns wife, Kathy, break for me......I think we wound up even, but I was pretty pregnant at the time and was playing with a bad right wrist. Having to listen to him the entire time was too much. We had a pool history before that and he was never a nice guy around me... nuff said. Now, his brother I would play often and would usually win and before the end was giving him weight. If I'm not mistaken, Pete (I think) was killed in the car accident that killed another GW native (stakehorse) Vernon Oliver. Vernon Oliver can be seen sitting on a stool in the video....I think its at about 3:55. He took me under his wing in the later years and took me to places in New Orleans, Houma and around southern Louisiana where we took off some real nice scores without ever tipping the hat. One place, I snapped off a 3K score without ever doing more than stopping my ball. Was real sweet - and the guy could play too! Vernon just set it up real good. Another place he took me - he told me just to play as hard as I could - make every ball I shot at and not give the guy any air....I gave the guy the break and the 2 ball and beat him out of $2K before the guy looked at Vernon, threw the last pay on the table, flipped him the bird and walked out. Vernon just smiled and said the guy had that one coming for a long time.....

Then there was Chinky, Lamberts son, who played pretty well, but I don't remember ever gambling with him. Chinky was a nice kid who I think turned out really well, although I haven't heard anything about him for quite some time.

And.....Jamie Farrell... Jamies Dad played in GW every day. They owned a transmission shop in town and Harry would come in and play snooker during the day (or golf?)......was a pretty good player. Jamie started playing pool around town during the tournaments at night - he wasn't old enough to get in the bars, but most would let him come in and play the tournaments. He could play from the get go.....J D Anders was a pretty good player during that time frame and I'll never forget him saying - back when I first saw Jamie play - that the kid was going to be the best player to ever come from this area...said he "had what it takes" - a brain. :grin:
He was right.....

another player in that video that deserves mentioning is Old Man Earl. Old Man Earl was a GW fixture - I didn't know him in his early days but he was always there... I would try to do an impression of him, but you would just have to see it - I couldn't describe it. Those who were around GW during that time know what I mean. Earl and his wife, Doris can be seen in the video somewhere around 1:18.

Speaking of Jesse Padilla.....later on - in the mid 90's when I moved back to Baton Rouge with my new husband, Troy and my soon to be baby, Allison, we spent a lot of time with Jesse. Jesse taught Troy and I a lot of different systems and a lot of cool one-pocket moves. I just can't tell you enough about how smart this guy is....you never heard a lot about him outside of that area but he was one of the true students of the game. He didn't "guess" at anything.....he knew. I miss Jesse - and Troy does too - what we wouldn't give to live near him where we could ENJOY pool everyday and continue learning things every time we play. I think that is what pool is missing now.....people like Jesse who will not only share their knowlege but help people learn to ENJOY playing...... Jesse YOU ARE THE BEST!

My fingers hurt, but just thinking about the old times has me conjuring up memories of all kinds of things..... those really were "the days"....

 

[hemicudas]

Back in those days I was real tight with Dot - and therefore Lambert - so we never played. Dot was always putting me in action or taking me somewhere to play. We made many trips out of town either for tournaments or to set up a play somewhere.....we had some good times, some reeeallyyyy good times and some, not so much. Many didn't think a lot of Dot, but she was a good friend to me - and gave me opportunities that others would not. I owe a lot of my experience to her. Lambert was always around and we had some great talks with him and with Jesse Padilla (who was a genius at the game).....I would stop by the car lot when they were there and just listen to all of the old stories. One of their fav stories was about a trip to Bend, OR.....heard it on many occasions. At that time, Danny Jones was also around and I got to know him well also. Everyone else called him "Handsome" Danny.....we just called him Danny. Cool fellow, but had a bit of a mean streak. Shorty and his brothers were always around. I only matched up with Shorty a couple of times and that was in the later years. At that time it was pretty even, although I thought to myself I could outplay him....I just couldn't last through the "other" issues that came from playing Shorty. Last time I played him at the new Lamberts - back when all of the action was surrounding Flyboy - and I was injured so I had to have Strong Arm Johns wife, Kathy, break for me......I think we wound up even, but I was pretty pregnant at the time and was playing with a bad right wrist. Having to listen to him the entire time was too much. We had a pool history before that and he was never a nice guy around me... nuff said. Now, his brother I would play often and would usually win and before the end was giving him weight. If I'm not mistaken, Pete (I think) was killed in the car accident that killed another GW native (stakehorse) Vernon Oliver. Vernon Oliver can be seen sitting on a stool in the video....I think its at about 3:55. He took me under his wing in the later years and took me to places in New Orleans, Houma and around southern Louisiana where we took off some real nice scores without ever tipping the hat. One place, I snapped off a 3K score without ever doing more than stopping my ball. Was real sweet - and the guy could play too! Vernon just set it up real good. Another place he took me - he told me just to play as hard as I could - make every ball I shot at and not give the guy any air....I gave the guy the break and the 2 ball and beat him out of $2K before the guy looked at Vernon, threw the last pay on the table, flipped him the bird and walked out. Vernon just smiled and said the guy had that one coming for a long time.....

Then there was Chinky, Lamberts son, who played pretty well, but I don't remember ever gambling with him. Chinky was a nice kid who I think turned out really well, although I haven't heard anything about him for quite some time.

And.....Jamie Farrell... Jamies Dad played in GW every day. They owned a transmission shop in town and Harry would come in and play snooker during the day (or golf?)......was a pretty good player. Jamie started playing pool around town during the tournaments at night - he wasn't old enough to get in the bars, but most would let him come in and play the tournaments. He could play from the get go.....J D Anders was a pretty good player during that time frame and I'll never forget him saying - back when I first saw Jamie play - that the kid was going to be the best player to ever come from this area...said he "had what it takes" - a brain. :grin:
He was right.....

another player in that video that deserves mentioning is Old Man Earl. Old Man Earl was a GW fixture - I didn't know him in his early days but he was always there... I would try to do an impression of him, but you would just have to see it - I couldn't describe it. Those who were around GW during that time know what I mean. Earl and his wife, Doris can be seen in the video somewhere around 1:18.

Speaking of Jesse Padilla.....later on - in the mid 90's when I moved back to Baton Rouge with my new husband, Troy and my soon to be baby, Allison, we spent a lot of time with Jesse. Jesse taught Troy and I a lot of different systems and a lot of cool one-pocket moves. I just can't tell you enough about how smart this guy is....you never heard a lot about him outside of that area but he was one of the true students of the game. He didn't "guess" at anything.....he knew. I miss Jesse - and Troy does too - what we wouldn't give to live near him where we could ENJOY pool everyday and continue learning things every time we play. I think that is what pool is missing now.....people like Jesse who will not only share their knowlege but help people learn to ENJOY playing...... Jesse YOU ARE THE BEST!

My fingers hurt, but just thinking about the old times has me conjuring up memories of all kinds of things..... those really were "the days"....

Those were wonderful days for sure. You mention JD Anders. He and Red at the tournament next door. Got to be RA walking toward them....

 

[androd]

Speaking of Jesse Padilla.....later on - in the mid 90's when I moved back to Baton Rouge with my new husband, Troy and my soon to be baby, Allison, we spent a lot of time with Jesse. Jesse taught Troy and I a lot of different systems and a lot of cool one-pocket moves. I just can't tell you enough about how smart this guy is....you never heard a lot about him outside of that area but he was one of the true students of the game. He didn't "guess" at anything.....he knew. I miss Jesse - and Troy does too - what we wouldn't give to live near him where we could ENJOY pool everyday and continue learning things every time we play. I think that is what pool is missing now.....people like Jesse who will not only share their knowlege but help people learn to ENJOY playing...... Jesse YOU ARE THE BEST!

My fingers hurt, but just thinking about the old times has me conjuring up memories of all kinds of things..... those really were "the days"....

8BC Well said, Jesse was a prince of a gentleman, a very knowledgable
and under rated pool player. He's now retired and living in Mexico.
Rod.

 

[Ball Banger]

Tammy

Thanks for the Memoirs. I am sure everyone enjoyed reading your post as much as I did. I must admit I was more of a camp follower than a camper and now wished I had spend more time at GW.


Question for you?? Earlier in this thread there was a discussion about when the Video was made. I am saying it was closer to the 1973 date given and stated my reasons. You would know. SO what is your best opinion as to when the Video was made???????????????



BTW from the Mid 60's to the Mid 80's Oil and Chem plant Money flowed heavy in Louisiana to people who had not known big money before. Big stakes Gambling could be found all over the place. Dog fighting wasn't ban until the mid 80's and Chicken fighting is still legal. Outlaw Flat Track horse racing was popular also.

 

[8ballchump]

Tammy

Thanks for the Memoirs. I am sure everyone enjoyed reading your post as much as I did. I must admit I was more of a camp follower than a camper and now wished I had spend more time at GW.


Question for you?? Earlier in this thread there was a discussion about when the Video was made. I am saying it was closer to the 1973 date given and stated my reasons. You would know. SO what is your best opinion as to when the Video was made???????????????



BTW from the Mid 60's to the Mid 80's Oil and Chem plant Money flowed heavy in Louisiana to people who had not known big money before. Big stakes Gambling could be found all over the place. Dog fighting wasn't ban until the mid 80's and Chicken fighting is still legal. Outlaw Flat Track horse racing was popular also.

You are right about the money flowing.....between the plant "turn-arounds" at the chem and oil plants and the off-shore rig workers to the just downright great money that was being made in many different fields in La. there was money everywhere....not to bring politics into it, but Louisiana was a "democrat thinking" state - even though there was a great percent of republicans registered there....they supported Edwin Edwards through 4 terms of office - KNOWING that he was corrupt.....and so went the rest of the state. Gambling flowed pretty freely - pool, poker, horses, dog-fighting, cock fights, etc..... there was action everywhere and only intermittant trivial attempts to curtail it from the law. Heck we used to meet every Sunday evening just outside of Lafayette and run horses.....that's where I got hurt real bad early in my jockey career that put a stop to my running horse days. On some days we would have horses there from Texas, OK, Ark, MS and New Mexico....and there would be well over 100K bet. This was done in a pasture. Didn't matter. We just ran.

At that time, it was illegal in Texas to even hold a pool tournament and give away cash for prizes. They would have tournaments and have to give away a pool cue! Many players came from Texas across the line to Lake Charles, Lafayette and even BR to play pool, horses, etc.... we benefited a lot from Texas law.

As far as the timeline of that video go, I do know that it was just before my time in GW. I turned 18 in 1977 and played pool for the first time on that day. It was within a year or so that I discovered GW and became a regular, eagerly learning to play. The first year or so that I was there they had a big tournament, The Southern Open....and this is NOT the same tournament. I wish the video was a bit clearer because I really believe that I could identify a lot more people, but alas....my eyes just aren't as good as they used to be.

From what I remember hearing about the tournaments that used the building next to GW, I believe it was just within two or three years of me coming to GW because they still talked about them alot. Based on what I remember and who I see in the video I believe it is probably between 1974 and 1976. It is possible that it could be as far back as 73 but I've never thought so.... I remember that everyone used to talk about GW's tournaments becoming the new Johnson City and that JC was no more.....now, knowing that JC's last tournament was (I think) in 1972.....I think it was at least a couple of years after that. If I had to pin point a year for the particular tournament in the video I would say 1975. Don't know if I'm wrong or right but think I'll contact Dot to see if she can remember. I'm wondering about going back to the building when I visit BR later this year and seeing if I can get in and go through all the "junk" to see if I can find an old tournament board. At one time, I do remember there being 3 or 4 old tournament boards laying up against a wall in the back. Hmmmm...may be a good project.

 

[8ballchump]

Those were wonderful days for sure. You mention JD Anders. He and Red at the tournament next door. Got to be RA walking toward them....

Great pic of JD! Brings back memories. Many people didn't realize how good a player he was, but he was a nice guy to us as well. JD managed and owned a Rack or two through the years and that is where I started playing tournaments. My Dad and the same group of guys that worked together at Exxon played every afternoon after work at the Rack on Florida Blvd for THIRTY YEARS! JD even had a sign up over their table reserving it for them. He was a great guy and took me (and Jamie too) under his wing and would give us tips and help when he would see we needed it. Last time I saw him was about 10 years ago and he was working in and owned a donut shop over off of ONeal Lane & Harrels Ferry Rd. Still looked good.

Good pic of Red too! That brings back more memories.....first and foremost, being asleep in the van - parked just outside the front door of Red's when "the raid" was going on.......

 

[ShootingArts]

Probably a pretty good guess

You are right about the money flowing.....between the plant "turn-arounds" at the chem and oil plants and the off-shore rig workers to the just downright great money that was being made in many different fields in La. there was money everywhere....not to bring politics into it, but Louisiana was a "democrat thinking" state - even though there was a great percent of republicans registered there....they supported Edwin Edwards through 4 terms of office - KNOWING that he was corrupt.....and so went the rest of the state. Gambling flowed pretty freely - pool, poker, horses, dog-fighting, cock fights, etc..... there was action everywhere and only intermittant trivial attempts to curtail it from the law. Heck we used to meet every Sunday evening just outside of Lafayette and run horses.....that's where I got hurt real bad early in my jockey career that put a stop to my running horse days. On some days we would have horses there from Texas, OK, Ark, MS and New Mexico....and there would be well over 100K bet. This was done in a pasture. Didn't matter. We just ran.

At that time, it was illegal in Texas to even hold a pool tournament and give away cash for prizes. They would have tournaments and have to give away a pool cue! Many players came from Texas across the line to Lake Charles, Lafayette and even BR to play pool, horses, etc.... we benefited a lot from Texas law.

As far as the timeline of that video go, I do know that it was just before my time in GW. I turned 18 in 1977 and played pool for the first time on that day. It was within a year or so that I discovered GW and became a regular, eagerly learning to play. The first year or so that I was there they had a big tournament, The Southern Open....and this is NOT the same tournament. I wish the video was a bit clearer because I really believe that I could identify a lot more people, but alas....my eyes just aren't as good as they used to be.

From what I remember hearing about the tournaments that used the building next to GW, I believe it was just within two or three years of me coming to GW because they still talked about them alot. Based on what I remember and who I see in the video I believe it is probably between 1974 and 1976. It is possible that it could be as far back as 73 but I've never thought so.... I remember that everyone used to talk about GW's tournaments becoming the new Johnson City and that JC was no more.....now, knowing that JC's last tournament was (I think) in 1972.....I think it was at least a couple of years after that. If I had to pin point a year for the particular tournament in the video I would say 1975. Don't know if I'm wrong or right but think I'll contact Dot to see if she can remember. I'm wondering about going back to the building when I visit BR later this year and seeing if I can get in and go through all the "junk" to see if I can find an old tournament board. At one time, I do remember there being 3 or 4 old tournament boards laying up against a wall in the back. Hmmmm...may be a good project.

Mid-seventies or later is probably a good guess. I recognized a few faces in the video but the hair was different. A lot of guys were behind the times in Louisiana and our hair got a little longer in the late seventies and eighties. My avatar image is from '88, off of my Louisiana horse owner's license for the para-mutual tracks as it happens.

Things were crazy at Carencro and Acadiana Downs. I sold alfalfa both places and saw some fun things and some funny things! Pony horse races, chicken races, lunch bucket races, pretty much anything they could dream up to bet on. I ran my little red stud at the black track at Cheneyville and won every outing. Started him short and had to keep stretching the distance to get races. My jockey lost the reins and I won the last race there where I was supposed to be the underdog by seven lengths or so. Ooops! If you remember Louis Drake I still see him now and then. Machelle Benoit, Nancy's daughter too. Everybody else I can think of is dead or I've lost track of them.

I miss the horses and almost bought a foal awhile back. Came to my senses just in time, I'm done with horses.

Hu

 

[Ball Banger]

You are right about the money flowing.....between the plant "turn-arounds" at the chem and oil plants and the off-shore rig workers to the just downright great money that was being made in many different fields in La. there was money everywhere....not to bring politics into it, but Louisiana was a "democrat thinking" state - even though there was a great percent of republicans registered there....they supported Edwin Edwards through 4 terms of office - KNOWING that he was corrupt.....and so went the rest of the state. Gambling flowed pretty freely - pool, poker, horses, dog-fighting, cock fights, etc..... there was action everywhere and only intermittant trivial attempts to curtail it from the law. Heck we used to meet every Sunday evening just outside of Lafayette and run horses.....that's where I got hurt real bad early in my jockey career that put a stop to my running horse days. On some days we would have horses there from Texas, OK, Ark, MS and New Mexico....and there would be well over 100K bet. This was done in a pasture. Didn't matter. We just ran.

At that time, it was illegal in Texas to even hold a pool tournament and give away cash for prizes. They would have tournaments and have to give away a pool cue! Many players came from Texas across the line to Lake Charles, Lafayette and even BR to play pool, horses, etc.... we benefited a lot from Texas law.

As far as the timeline of that video go, I do know that it was just before my time in GW. I turned 18 in 1977 and played pool for the first time on that day. It was within a year or so that I discovered GW and became a regular, eagerly learning to play. The first year or so that I was there they had a big tournament, The Southern Open....and this is NOT the same tournament. I wish the video was a bit clearer because I really believe that I could identify a lot more people, but alas....my eyes just aren't as good as they used to be.

From what I remember hearing about the tournaments that used the building next to GW, I believe it was just within two or three years of me coming to GW because they still talked about them alot. Based on what I remember and who I see in the video I believe it is probably between 1974 and 1976. It is possible that it could be as far back as 73 but I've never thought so.... I remember that everyone used to talk about GW's tournaments becoming the new Johnson City and that JC was no more.....now, knowing that JC's last tournament was (I think) in 1972.....I think it was at least a couple of years after that. If I had to pin point a year for the particular tournament in the video I would say 1975. Don't know if I'm wrong or right but think I'll contact Dot to see if she can remember. I'm wondering about going back to the building when I visit BR later this year and seeing if I can get in and go through all the "junk" to see if I can find an old tournament board. At one time, I do remember there being 3 or 4 old tournament boards laying up against a wall in the back. Hmmmm...may be a good project.

Tammy

In the 70's and early 80's Traveling back and forth to the Philippines I carried Fertilized Chicken eggs to the Philippines each trip. I guess you could say I was in the Import and Underground Export Business. A $ 10.00 bill got me through customs lickiely split in those days. I won't say on the Net where I got them from, but they were raised or laid behind a Popular Seafood restaurant not to far from GW. That owner has since passed and his sons were not into Cock fighting and still have that Restaurant. I bought that same Restaurant owners house and acreage in 1981, out Greenwell Springs Road near the State Hospital of the same name and raised Chickens myself. I won't talk about dog fights but the Flat track in Lafayette had more money riding than the Downs in N.O. which was a legal track. $ 20.00 9 ball games were 24/7 at GW and that was just the locals having fun. My point being everyone was into Gambling.

Louisiana was a wide open state in those days. Maybe it still is. Edwin Edwards (""The Silver Fly"", Because his zipper was so quick) was loved by most because he was an honest crook. If asked if he took the State airplane to Vegas, Edward would reply "Hell yes and I had a dam good time, but while I was there I talked with the Mayor of Podunk Iowa at the crap table and Therefore it was a political trip." This was at a time when Nixon lied about Watergate. I might be repeating myself telling the story about two different La. Sheriffs who were arrested and convicted of accepting Bribes. Both served time in there own jail while remaining Sheriff. One was re-elect after his jail term and the other was RE-ELECTED WHILE STILL SERVING HIS TERM IN HIS OWN JAIL.

But that was the over all atmosphere of Louisiana in those days. Some time in the early 80's the country hit a recession and Baton Rouge was the last to feel it hard. But when it got to BR about 84-85 people started leaving town and the Gaming money dried up. I think that is part of the demise of GW as well as many other things that may never be again. I remember about that time Dot would cook Spaghetti and give away free lunch-dinner to anyone who would come into GW just to promote business.

I am so Glad I had a chance to live in Louisiana during those times. I only wished I had Moved there full time sooner.

PS I hope I am adding to this thread because I sure am enjoying it. Tammy Your input along with some others is Fantastic. Thanks

 

[Tbeaux]

Here is the full video as posted earlier by Hemicudas....

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1490653580068911972&hl=en#


Best i can make out the section with the tournament (0-7min.) is from 78-80, the second section with the first trick shot (starting at 7 min.) is from 1981, the last section is July 2008.

 

[JoeyA]

Wow.....this thread is bringing back memories...

I think I'm the "Earl's girlfriend" you guys are referring to! Earl passed away many years ago....he was not only a great one-pocket player but I really believe he "understood" more about the game than most. He studied the interaction of balls and made charts and graphs about how the different cloths, balls, rails, etc... affected the outcome of shots, etc.......he was a great artist and made a lot of sketchs to demonstrate the things he learned when he would experiment. Before he passed, he did put a lot of those thoughts into a series of books that really never got published. He really enjoyed the action around those tournaments at Greenway.

Tammie Wesley-Jones

Tammie,
Are you referring to Earl Rapier? sp? Also in another thread, you described Jesse Padilla perfectly. Earl wrote at least one pool book, I belive on one pocket. He was very well liked and respected by everyone around the New Orleans area. I knew him only for a short period of time but he made a very positive impression on me.

A friend of mine still has one of his books and is going to lend it to me tomorrow. I was too young to remember much of Greenway Billiards. J/k, I was living in Jackson, MS for most of that era. Glad to see you posting. Hope to see you at the table some time in the near future.

JoeyA