good book. Definitely worth buying. I've read it a few times now.
'Hustler Days' the Book- Any Good?
- Thread starter cuetechasaurus
- Start date
Surprisingly good
I had a hard time believing how accurate this book was. What research this man must have done, and then to come up with the "real" story. Most books that chronicle events that occurred 40 years earlier are laden with bulls**t or inaccuracies. Especially when it comes to pool stories. His dipictions of these players, their personalities, the events that occurred, was on-the-mark scary! Having first-hand knowledge of many of the things he wrote about, the book came across to me as as good as if it was written by one of the participants. I could almost believe that Dyer was around in those days. The only objection I had was his depiction of Jersey Red's wife, Dottie. His portrayal of her was a little over the top. I personally couldnt stand her, and blame her for turning Red into a nit the last years of his life. To me, she put a serious damper on his ego. She turned Red from a gunfighter into a backshooter and crumb-snatcher.
The Beard
PS all those pre-orderd GosPool's are going into the mail today. Merry Xmas.
Cameron Smith said:
I had a hard time believing how accurate this book was. What research this man must have done, and then to come up with the "real" story. Most books that chronicle events that occurred 40 years earlier are laden with bulls**t or inaccuracies. Especially when it comes to pool stories. His dipictions of these players, their personalities, the events that occurred, was on-the-mark scary! Having first-hand knowledge of many of the things he wrote about, the book came across to me as as good as if it was written by one of the participants. I could almost believe that Dyer was around in those days. The only objection I had was his depiction of Jersey Red's wife, Dottie. His portrayal of her was a little over the top. I personally couldnt stand her, and blame her for turning Red into a nit the last years of his life. To me, she put a serious damper on his ego. She turned Red from a gunfighter into a backshooter and crumb-snatcher.
The Beard
PS all those pre-orderd GosPool's are going into the mail today. Merry Xmas.
Good Read
Very good read. Usually read it a couple times a year. The book on Cornbread Red is another good one. Has anyone read the book on Danny D? I believe it's called The Road Player.
Very good read. Usually read it a couple times a year. The book on Cornbread Red is another good one. Has anyone read the book on Danny D? I believe it's called The Road Player.
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The Milk Man said:
It's a good read too. Even tho he makes me look like a sucker. lol
freddy the beard said:
Yeah, I agree. Dyer did a good job. But Red's career came to a halt when he got to Dallas. He never went anywhere for the last 15 years of his life.
Pretty much laid around the poolroom and played cheap games with the locals. I remember going down there in the early 90's and he's playing some guy $20 One Pocket. He was the same Red, laughing and joking and firing balls in. He would whisper in my ear how good a game he had. He's stealing he told me. $20???
I'm thinking, 'what the f-ck is Red doing playing jam up for 20 stinking bucks'. What if a real player walks in and sees this? His action is dead. This is a guy who used to play the best players dead even (or give up weight) for two and three hundred a game. Fred is right. I didn't know it was Dottie tho.
I never really saw the match between those two. He was a big rugged, failry good loking guy. She had to be 10 years older than him and not a looker by any means. And he stayed with her for most of his adult life, until he died. I think she was from Texas originally, so she was happy there. Maybe she had other talents that I'm not aware of. LOL
Fast Lenny said:
I remember the red raider pretty much from only Johnston City the last five years till it got raided (I was there). I remember Reds wife always taking the cue out of his case and giving it a good 'warming up' rub down before he got into action of before a tournament match, I still think I remember her wearing some kind of fur coat but not absouluely positve. I never did hear about who was the best gin player, but there was as much of that action there as pool it seemed to me.
Njhustler1 said:
Both are good books. David McCumber takes a few writer's liberties in Playing Off The Rail, but he such a good writer I didn't mind. Dyer did his homework, because he nailed these three hustlers. Fats was the best hustler of his era. He knew how to get the cash. He ALWAYS matched up right. Unfortunately he was a card sucker.
Lassiter would go anywhere and play anyone for many many years. And his record in 9-Ball may make him the all time best at that game. In 14.1 he was near unbeatable too. Of course, there wasn't a lot of action in Straight Pool. He told me once he went to New York with Earl Shriver and played Al Coslosky 200 points for $300. He beat him pretty good and when word got around, none of the great NYC 14.1 players would play him. One game and he was done in NY.
Red was a lifetime pool player, who ran around the Eastern and Mid U.S. primarily looking for action in any game on a pool table. He was a little more careful than Luther, and would avoid tough action, particularly at 9-Ball. But in One Hole, he was the man back East, along with Ed Kelly and Eddie Taylor. But he could play these guys even too. And they didn't have to like it.