Houston legends
- Thread starter Cue Stick
- Start date
Ther were two Whities in Houston at the time. The guy you described and a young blond kid who was a good player at cue and Cushion. Remember Rodney?
Yeah Rodney the old school bookie. The young Whitey is Whitey Walker from Missouri I believe. He used to travel with Strong Arm John. Whitey played kind of side armed. Deadly aim. He was buddies with Little Eddie. I bought all of WW’s cues went he left town one time. An old Schon loaded with ivory and an early Black Hoppe.
My dad was from South Park in Houston. Grew up in the Palms Cue Club, went by Justice. He’d tell me all kinds of tales. Cannonball rolling in with his backers and bodyguards, the art of one pocket he picked up from Marco Diberdino and Old Man Mead. Watched Jersey Red take to the table for hours. And Ronnie Allen? He’d sink shots no one should make, then head out to the parking lot, throw back gulps of Jack Daniels between sets. Minnesota Fats came through too, and my dad swore that man had the filthiest mouth he ever heard.
He shot pool with Big Train Stevens too. Said guys would circle Big Train like vultures, waiting for him to crash off those white crosses he’d pop, spending all his winnings as the high wore off. He spoke of Handsome Danny Jones and how they’d play Gin Rummy and Backgammon for hundreds in the 60’s!
He was there at Red’s in ‘85 when Efren came in under Cesar Morales and took the tournament. But he stayed after hours too, saw Buddy beat Efren in a gambling match that night. He’d tell about TJ Parker’s place, where he watched TJ snap a man’s collarbone with one hand for stepping out of line. My dad once put a 9-pack on a guy there, only for the guy—Jack Terry, I think—to come back and run 17 racks right back at him.
He kept those times close, played them over in his head, the friends he lost to heroin or gangster life. He’d talk about the rich-kid criminals like Hassler and Crane, the early days of the Bandidos, even meeting Donald Chambers. It was like The Outsiders, he said, but with pool, drugs, and guns. He passed in 2022. And now, damn, I wish I could call him, just to fill this thread with what he knew.
Little Eddie? Blond/Red headed skinny kid? Schlaker? Is he still around?
(I say kid. He probably 48-50 now )
That's probably right. Haven't seen him since the Galveston event in 2006 I believe. Last I heard he was a carpenter.
Maybe. I bought a bunch of Southwests from him 98-2000 era. He always had multiples...
Little Whitey won the fundraiser for Jersey Red at Legands. He’s gone to work with his dad in the roofing business.
I don't remember Duke, but I don't think I ever played at Cue and Cushion. Mostly LeCue and Goofy's Game Room, a few Slick Willie's. Don't know Chinese Billy, but he sounds like he was cut from the same cloth as Scottie Townsend. The more Scotty drank, the better he played. I watched Scottie beat a guy so badly in a tournament match I was embarrassed for the guy. I said "Scottie, you've got a mean streak." He's said "No, I've got a mean stroke!" Scottie was always fun. I don't remember Isa either. But you're right. LeCue was downtown on the corner of Fannin and Rusk. You climbed a narrow stairway to a landing on the second floor. Needless to say it wasn't the safest place to play pool. I dozed off leaning against a table and one of the regulars gave me an elbow in the ribs and warned me in a pretty stern tone not to fall asleep in there. The last time I visited there some guy had fallen asleep in a chair and one of the working girls had cut his pockets with a razor blade and taken his money. He was stomping around talking about what he would have done if he had caught her. The guys were laughing at him, telling him he would have got his throat cut if he woke up, and accusing him of playing 'possum! Did I say that was the last time I visited there?
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It's been a long time, but I think he was tall and slender. I don't remember his playing barefoot, but he had really pale skin and white hair like an old man, although he was young.
I remember seeing Jeremy Jones at tournaments. I think he was a big-time one pocket player.
I'm pretty sure we're talking about a different Little Whitey. Whitey Walker is from Iowa and today he's an Arborist. He only traveled into Houston and got steered around by Jeremy and Little Eddie to bust people. Traveled with Strong Arm John. Here's a CJ Wiley Adventures on the Road YouTube about him.
Hustling Pool and Adventures with Whitey Walker and Rick Thompson winning a Cue Collection
I was too young to ever go to Le Cue but I remember stories about cutting pockets when guys fall asleep. There was a Hustler they called the Mad Hatter. Always wore really nice hats and had that bat shit crazy look in his eyes. They said he would cut your pocket in a heart beat. What I can't believe is no one would stop them from cutting your pocket. There are some ruthless people in Houston.
That's him. Definitely played bare footed. Actually a really nice guy but never came to the pool room to hang out. If he was there he was in action.
Yes, tutelaged under Jersey Red. Eddie had a real tough 10 foot Centennial set up at his house where JJ would play Red $10 One Pkt and lost a bunch of money over a few years. Eventually he started breaking even. I watched a lot of those sessions and learned a lot through osmosis.
Thanks. I never heard Cannonball's real name. He was before my time, but Phillip was my buddy. I wish he was still around. I always thought his last name was Hyatt, but I don't know where I got that from. I took a guy named Richard Parish from Starkville, MS down to the Big Apple in Groves one time and they called Phillip in to play him. Phillip was pretty impressed with his game. He said they had been playing for a half hour and Richard hadn't made a mistake yet. Another time we were there and Phillip played Hitchcock Red, but he gave up a little too much weight that time. We were in Goofy's Game Room one night and Phillip came in, grabbed a stick off the wall, and held the challenge table all night (one of the nine foot tables that sat off to the side). As for Gabby, I had heard of him, but I had never seen him. They said he had moved to California because he couldn't get any action in Houston. So the first time I ever saw him was when he strolled into our pool room in Lake Charles and suckered me into playing a cheap game of six ball. I guess he was going to bump the bet after a little while, but he never got the chance. The first time he stepped up to the table his stroke was so smooth that I knew he couldn't miss a ball unless he wanted to. But I figured he had to give me some shots to keep me in the game, and he did. So I stuck around for a little while but got out just loosing a few bucks. After he left somebody told me who he was. Later I saw him and Jerry Brock play at Red's in Houston. It was nine ball, six ahead for about $6000 if I remember right. Some of the best playing I ever saw. They had a serious argument and I thought it would throw their games off, but they settled down and went right back to playing like nothing had happened. That was during a period when Gabby was on top of his game and Jerry Brock was world small table champion. As for the Spur, I never went there, but I heard of it. Seems like it was known for some high-stakes pool and other nefarious activities. I've seen Tommy play a lot of times, but I never saw him and Phillip play each other. I learned a lot watching Tommy show off his trick and stroke shots, and practicing them made my game a lot stronger. Last I heard, he was staying in Lake Charles. I never played in New Orleans, but some of the guys used to come down for the tournaments Gary would put on. I remember Jerome, Jessie, Mike Cummings, and Nubby. The Nub was my buddy. Any time he came to town he would have the house man call me and I would meet him for a cheap one pocket lesson. Joe Mac was another buddy of mine, from Buna, Texas. You wouldn't think he could beat anybody with a stroke like that, but when he showed up for our tournaments he would usually win. We had a guy come in one night and beat everybody in the house, so they called Joe Mac. He drove from Buna, and if I remember right he took the guy off. I stayed up until 6:00 AM watching them play, then I had to go home, take a shower, and go to work. Last time I saw Joe Mac he was in Austin. I heard he was house pro at a pool hall (it might have been More Yours), and since I was there I looked him up. When I walked in he was practicing 3-cushion billiards on a nine- or ten-foot table. He was busy most of the night but we did get a chance to visit before I left. What is Joe Mac doing these days?
That's strong because Efren was at the top of his game. I always thought they had to off the bet because they were both playing in the tournament the next day. Funny story...Red heard they were going to play after the tournament shut down for the day, so he decided to charge $5 a head for everybody who stayed to watch. Mike Sigel was sitting on a stool close to the table they were going to play on, so Red walked up to him and stuck out his hand! Sigel looked at Red like he was crazy for expecting the No. 1 player on the tour to have to pay up, but Red was serious and he got his $5 before he left. I was so tired I had to leave before they got started good, but it was worth my $5 just to see that.
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Wish I could have been a fly on the wall!
Red had a strong bullshit game. Guy told some funny stories and had tons of sayings and clichés. He could explain why he shot, what he shot, when he shot it and how he shot it. Was a good teacher and very funny.
Yes, Joe Mac knew the game coming and going. I was in Austin one time, and I heard he was house pro at one of the pool halls there so I looked him up. When I walked in he was practicing 3-cushion billiards on a nine- or ten-foot table. While he was busy practicing and working, his girl friend kept me company. She was a very nice person, and I wonder if she is the same one you knew as his wife. I told Joe Mac she was a keeper
I've seen UJ Puckett around the tournaments and got his autograph in Austin. I know the name Willie Elder, but I don't think I ever met him.Visited two or three Slick Willies, but I don't remember where they were.