Hayden Lingo

steveinflorida

steveinflorida

senior member
Silver Member
Anyone have any photos of very possibly the inventor, or one of the inventors of One Pocket, Mr.Hayden Lingo.

Would also love to hear any stories about him .
I know his life ended here in the Clearwater area and sadly, he was penniless.

Thanks in advance, Steve Price
 
steveinflorida said:
Anyone have any photos of very possibly the inventor, or one of the inventors of One Pocket, Mr.Hayden Lingo.

Would also love to hear any stories about him .
I know his life ended here in the Clearwater area and sadly, he was penniless.

Thanks in advance, Steve Price
Click to expand...

Supposedly, second from left on second row,highlighted.


Lingo-detail-web_000.jpg


A short from the Knoxville Bear:

Another early player was Hayden Lingo. He came to Knoxville and played John R. Cook and John R. gave Lingo the 1-2-3-4-5 playing Rotation and broke Lingo because Lingo was kind of stalling, and you know any good player could run out from the 5-Ball no problem. He came back a little bit later and beat John R. of course, playing even. That was my first inkling of Hayden Lingo. I never did play Lingo for money, but he was one of the top early One Pocket players. I learned one thing from him; I learned that you don't want to get a lot of balls bunched up along the rail above your pocket because you'll block your long banks. You want to keep those balls out of your way so you can make the long banks. I had heard so many great things about him, and when I practiced with him I could see why.
 
Last edited:
The Holy Grail of one pocket is supposed to be a bunch of charts and notes Hayden made during his life.

Freddie the Beard has a cool story of actually going to Haydens family and asking if he could buy or at least just look at the charts. They declined and the charts/notes (whatever they were) were lost forever. I hope I didn't butcher the story too bad.
 
i dont know how he played but thats gotta be one of the coolest pool player/or gunfighter names ever lol
 
Blackie LeSeur

hangemhigh said:
Supposedly, second from left on second row,highlighted.


Lingo-detail-web_000.jpg


A short from the Knoxville Bear:

Another early player was Hayden Lingo. He came to Knoxville and played John R. Cook and John R. gave Lingo the 1-2-3-4-5 playing Rotation and broke Lingo because Lingo was kind of stalling, and you know any good player could run out from the 5-Ball no problem. He came back a little bit later and beat John R. of course, playing even. That was my first inkling of Hayden Lingo. I never did play Lingo for money, but he was one of the top early One Pocket players. I learned one thing from him; I learned that you don't want to get a lot of balls bunched up along the rail above your pocket because you'll block your long banks. You want to keep those balls out of your way so you can make the long banks. I had heard so many great things about him, and when I practiced with him I could see why.
Click to expand...

I have the same pic in my book The GosPool on p.67. I'm reasonably sure that the player in that pic is St Louis Blackie, Ardel LeSeur. That pic was not taken in 1961 but a few years later. Its very possible that Lingo was already dead when that pic was taken.

the Beard

I have several videos of Fats at his HOF dinner and later an interview with Mort Luby Jr on my blog, http://vintagehalloffamevideos.blogspot.com/
 
For some reason, I always thought Hayden Lingo was African American. I am not sure why. Was anyone else laboring under this misassumption?

Russ
 
Thanks to all that replied. I think Mr. Lingo lived into the 1970's or even the early 80's. I have heard stories about how he ended up racking balls in a couple of pool rooms in the Tampa/St.Pete/Clearwater area. Had a problem with the drink etc. Very sad.
I was at Johnston City from '67 thru 71 and do not recall
him at all.
I am sure Ronnie Allen could shed some light on this.
Probably a few others too.Anyways, thanks for the replies. S.P.
 
Lingo

I met Lingo in the 60's at Chester Trulove's place in OK City. He was a surly old white guy who played great One Pocket. He looked barely alive then. I didn't get to spend much time around him, I'm sorry to say.
This would have been the early 60's, about 63' or 64'.
I might have a picture of him somewhere. If I can find it I'll post it so perhaps some AZers can identify it for sure.
 
Haden Lingo

I know that the Tuscallusa Squirell, Marshall Carpenter played Haden Lingo several times at Haden home town years ago, Marshall said he thought Haden was the best one pocket player he ever played. So if anybody can contact Squirell you may get more on him.
 
Grady said:
I met Lingo in the 60's at Chester Trulove's place in OK City. He was a surly old white guy who played great One Pocket. He looked barely alive then. I didn't get to spend much time around him, I'm sorry to say.
This would have been the early 60's, about 63' or 64'.
I might have a picture of him somewhere. If I can find it I'll post it so perhaps some AZers can identify it for sure.
Click to expand...


I believe my buddy Junior Goff is in this picture. I think he told me he only went in 61-63 but I am not sure.

I have seen another very good picture in the same manner as this one where Junior was back row right side. I would love to get a copy of pictures like this.
I wish pool rooms and photographers would get guys together at events now and take pictures like these. Hard to have a future in the sport without its past.
 
Thanks Grady and others. I talked to an 'ol boy at Eric Baker's 'Family Billiards' here in Clearwater just a few hours ago who remembers Lingo being around but never saw him play.
He believes Lingo passed away in the late 60's or possibly the early 70's.
 
freddy the beard said:
I have the same pic in my book The GosPool on p.67. I'm reasonably sure that the player in that pic is St Louis Blackie, Ardel LeSeur. That pic was not taken in 1961 but a few years later. Its very possible that Lingo was already dead when that pic was taken.

the Beard

I have several videos of Fats at his HOF dinner and later an interview with Mort Luby Jr on my blog, http://vintagehalloffamevideos.blogspot.com/
Click to expand...

Beard,
Hayden Lingo was born on March 28, 1907 and died in January 1973 in Oklahoma City.
 
frankncali said:
I believe my buddy Junior Goff is in this picture. I think he told me he only went in 61-63 but I am not sure.

I have seen another very good picture in the same manner as this one where Junior was back row right side. I would love to get a copy of pictures like this.
I wish pool rooms and photographers would get guys together at events now and take pictures like these. Hard to have a future in the sport without its past.
Click to expand...
frankncali,
Yes sir your old friend Junior Goff is in the top row just right of Cicero Murphy. He is framed by Eddie Taylor and Tugboat Whaley who are the next row down from him. Jr. was a nice guy and a gentlemen gambler.
Dick
 
scenario said:
I know that the Tuscallusa Squirell, Marshall Carpenter played Haden Lingo several times at Haden home town years ago, Marshall said he thought Haden was the best one pocket player he ever played. So if anybody can contact Squirell you may get more on him.
Click to expand...
Marshall tells a story about seeking out Lingo to play him some one-pocket. He wasn't planning on asking for any weight, but Hayden offered to play him 9 to 7 and proceeded to beat Squirrel pretty soundly matched up this way. Squirrel said he knew all he had to do was wait for Lingo to hit the bottle and that when they played again, with Lingo haven taken a nip or two, Squirrel came out ahead playing even.
 
frankncali said:
I believe my buddy Junior Goff is in this picture. I think he told me he only went in 61-63 but I am not sure.

I have seen another very good picture in the same manner as this one where Junior was back row right side. I would love to get a copy of pictures like this.
I wish pool rooms and photographers would get guys together at events now and take pictures like these. Hard to have a future in the sport without its past.
Click to expand...

Junior is in this photo. He is the second from the left in the back row, next to Cisero Murphy. He is a little guy, about 5'3". One of the greatest undercover hustlers ever!
 
Here's the best I can do on this photo. Help me out if I'm wrong somewhere.

Front Row (L-R) Jimmy Moore, Danny Gartner, Al Coslosky, Paulie Jansco, George Jansco, Babyface (Alton Whitlow), Detroit Whitey (Eddie Beauchene), Danny Diliberto, Norman Howard (The Jockey).

Middle Row (L-R) Weenie Beenie (Bill Staton), Hayden Lingo, Sonny Springer or Junior Norris(?), Eddie Taylor, Tugboat Whaley, Don Watson, Wimpy (Luther Lassiter), Joey Spaeth.

Back Row (L-R) Bunny Rogoff (Pots and Pans), Junior Goff, Cisero Murphy, Earl Shriver, Jersey Red (Jack Breit), Ardell (Blackie) Lesieur (?).
 
Close, but no cigar

jay helfert said:
Here's the best I can do on this photo. Help me out if I'm wrong somewhere.

Front Row (L-R) Jimmy Moore, Danny Gartner, Al Coslosky, Paulie Jansco, George Jansco, Babyface (Alton Whitlow), Detroit Whitey (Eddie Beauchene), Danny Diliberto, Norman Howard (The Jockey).

Middle Row (L-R) Weenie Beenie (Bill Staton), Hayden Lingo, Sonny Springer or Junior Norris(?), Eddie Taylor, Tugboat Whaley, Don Watson, Wimpy (Luther Lassiter), Joey Spaeth.

Back Row (L-R) Bunny Rogoff (Pots and Pans), Junior Goff, Cisero Murphy, Earl Shriver, Jersey Red (Jack Breit), Ardell (Blackie) Lesieur (?).
Click to expand...


Middle row, I still think the player that looks like Lingo is actually Blackie LeSeur. The guy you think is Sonny Springer or Junior Norris, is absolutely for sure, Corn Bread Red, and the last guy next to Jersey Red is Tom Cosmo, not Blackie LeSeur.

Compliments of the crystal clear memory of,
the Beard
 
lingo

he lived in the south texas valley for years. he was undefeated playing one pocket. everyone called him Cotton lingo then. had heard of him for years, met him in houston in the early 70's .still played well, but past his prime, knew more about the game than anyone there at the time . said Bob
Houston was best he had played, i'd never heard of him.
 
not sonny springer i'd remember the ears. junior norris was much older when i saw him i'm not sure. you did a GREAT JOB identifing the others.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top