punter said:
I don't know Hank, but I did meet Frank, at that time the game he liked for the $ was eight ball. He was very good at keeping a player on the hook. I was thinking of the thread concerning pool subjects that would make a good movie. This would be a good one, Frank's story along with the UJ connection.
Frank "Bird" Thompson was a hell of a lot of fun to be around. Here's a litttle story about the last time I saw my friend, Bird.
In 1978 or 1979 myself and "The player, NOT to be named later", were scuffling around Vicksburg, MS and into the joint walks Bird and his stake horse, a non player. The player and I had gotten all the money there was to get in the bar and we related this to Bird. Bird says, "OK, how can we play". Talking to either the player or me. We knew how Bird played, the 8 under the player and the 8 over me. Of course Bird wanted the 7 and was willing to play me even. Obviously, no bet. Bird was heading east when he left Vicksburg, so he ask us about any spots in Jackson. He said he would toss us a jellyroll on the way back to Dallas.
I had been playing a shortstop in Jackson the week before. Winning once and losing the next 3 times we played. I tried adjusting but the shortstop wouldn't adjust.
So, the player and I decide to put Bird on the shortstop. To get some of our money back. We give Bird the name of the bar in Jackson and the name of the shortstop and tell him that he (Bird) plays the 8 over the shortstop but that the shortstop can put a few racks together. All of which was true. Bird leaves and the player and I hit a few more joints in Vicksburg, to no avail.
The player and I get back to Jackson about 3AM and go to the all night bar that we sent Bird. We walk in and see Bird racking the balls, down with the shortstop we sent him to play.
The player and I watch as Bird loses game after game. We can't tell how much they are playing for but it looks like it's a hundred a game. Each time Bird loses a game he puts the cash on a table where a couple of guys that we know and some time stake us to play are sitting. One of the guys stuffs the cash in his pocket and Bird starts racking again.
A few games later, Bird sits down, telling the shortstop he needs the 8. The shortstop refuses to give up even the last 2 so Bird says he's all done.
Bird has seen the player and me sitting at a table and is giving us the dirtiest looks imaginable. Assuming we have double steered him and are really in with the shortstop.
The player and I get up and go to the bathroom hoping Bird will follow us in, he does. Bird says, "You double steering jerks, this guy is a player". We tell him he's wrong and ask how much he's down. He says $700 and he is playing for $100 now and doesn't have enough to play another game. He is still hot as hell and says it doesn't matter because he can't beat the guy any way.
We didn't want to take our friends money but didn't want Bird to go back to Dallas and tell, UJ, and consequently the pool world, that we had double steered him. So we figured when you get to a fork in the road you have to take the road that will make you money.....
The player and I tell Bird he has the nuts and that if he is through with the guy, to show him we didn't double steer him we would stake him. He says yes, I'm through and that he would play his heart out if we wanted to stake him. The player and I give Bird $1,000 and tell him to raise the bet to $200 and knock the guy on in.
Bird is now convinced that we have not double steered him. So he goes out, falls in dead stroke and proceeds to beat the guy to a pulp.
The shortstop and his stake horses leave so Bird comes over to our table and lays out $3,200. We take our $1,000 out and give him $1,100. Bird is happy as hell and back on the road again.
