Have you any good stories about underworld characters you met in Pool Rooms?

Steve Lillis

New member
In the late 60's and early 70's when I was young and foolish I used to play pool with some mafia kids who would stop by my local pool room in New Jersey that I was managing and "drop off" some of their money! One particular son of a Don would routinely come in every week to make a deposit to my account. I was out of town one week when a fellow pool player friend decided to jump on my fish! Unfortunately he got greedy and decided to hustle the Don's son out of a large sum of cash as I always played wide open to earn respect and avoid ill feelings.

Story goes that a short time later a black limo pulled up in front of the pool hall with three well-dressed men wearing sun glasses approached the front counter looking for the "hustler." I was not there at the time, as I heard they pulled away with my hustler friend who did not appear back in our pool room for many months. When my hustler friend reappeared in our pool room many months later, he had a eerie tale to tell. He said that after arriving at the Don's residence under house arrest he was instructed to drive to the house and deliver each week "one" dollar at a time until all the money was paid back. This was basically a life sentence with no way out for good behavior!

After months of being terrorized into making deliveries without default, the Don decided to shift direction! He now instructed my pool hustler friend to forget about the money and come each week to give his son lessons so that he can play pool to win! A few months of good lessons earned a pardon and life went on for my pool hustling friend. Did he learn his lesson? No way, as he continues to this day his dangerous pursuit! For more stories go to Amazon.com and get my book entitled "But You Must" by Steve Lillis.
 
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Buzzard II

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Steve, was this or do you remember the pool hall at Main and Henry, in Passaic, over the Montauk theater? And do you know of another on Paterson Ave? I believe Wallington or maybe just over the border in East Rutherford. Guys & Dolls? Just a block or so east of RT. 507 intersection.
 

CJ Wiley

ESPN WORLD OPEN CHAMPION
Gold Member
Silver Member
CJ uses his real name. I caught a lot of static my first decade on AZB for not using my real name.
Political leaders, Trump included uses social media.

Everyone acts like their social media is going to get them sent to a gulag. Its nice that you think I am worth featuring in a story.

One time I brought a bunch of spies from Wuhan to Amsterdam Billiards. Within the first 30 seconds they had scanned all network traffic and identified everyone though their access to data networks. I never told anyone at the bar. I feel guilty about it.

Fast forward we are all adults now. It really is scary letting children know more about technology than adults.
Yes, although I used to be "Mike from Indiana," "Chris from Missouri," "Butch from Tennessee," and Armondo Farphadidi from Parts Unknown. 😇
 

Johnny Rosato

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is a private collection photo.
Sometimes I wonder what was I thinking hanging around all these people.
Then I wonder in a few years, no one will care.

These underworld characters I have watched growing up.
In this photo if I told you the stories from my pov you wouldn't believe them.



View attachment 574611
Rough looking bunch there.
 
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