I have an idea

[RiverCity]

( I was kidding @ Butera ) :grin:

First time I met Lou Butera was in Vegas in the mid 90s. I went to Pool Sharks (where Griffs is now), and was sad that he wasnt there. There was one of his old Schons (It was either a Schon or Huebler, 99% sure Schon) in a case by the counter for sale. I should have bought it on the spot, but didnt. It had tommy guns inlaid into the butt sleeve. :thumbup:

So after I left, I was driving down Decatur, and saw a billiard supply store. Stopped in to check it out, and as I walked in, there he was. I had idolized the guy since I was a kid, but never got to meet him.

I looked at him, and hesitantly asked, "Lou?". He got a little nervous at first, almost like he thought I was looking for him or something. I guess world pool champions from 1973 are not used to being recognized on the street. :rotflmao:

After we laughed about it, we talked about the game for a while, and action in Alaska and Vegas. Turned out he either had a stake in the shop or helped out there or something.

That was the highlight of the vacation for damn sure! :thumbup:

 

[Michael Andros]

First time I met Lou Butera was in Vegas in the mid 90s. I went to Pool Sharks (where Griffs is now), and was sad that he wasnt there. There was one of his old Schons (It was either a Schon or Huebler, 99% sure Schon) in a case by the counter for sale. I should have bought it on the spot, but didnt. It had tommy guns inlaid into the butt sleeve. :thumbup:

So after I left, I was driving down Decatur, and saw a billiard supply store. Stopped in to check it out, and as I walked in, there he was. I had idolized the guy since I was a kid, but never got to meet him.

I looked at him, and hesitantly asked, "Lou?". He got a little nervous at first, almost like he thought I was looking for him or something. I guess world pool champions from 1973 are not used to being recognized on the street. :rotflmao:

After we laughed about it, we talked about the game for a while, and action in Alaska and Vegas. Turned out he either had a stake in the shop or helped out there or something.

That was the highlight of the vacation for damn sure! :thumbup:

Chuck - The one time I saw him, I was just a kid and he was in action almost the entire time so I never got a chance to meet him. But man, I liked watching him play. I've always played very quickly and he was the first person, who could PLAY, I had ever seen play as fast or faster than I did. I was like... now THAT is my kinda player! I had always been told, "You need to slow down, etc, etc..." He was like my Patron Saint of Pool.

:yeah:

 

[RiverCity]

Chuck - The one time I saw him, I was just a kid and he was in action almost the entire time so I never got a chance to meet him. But man, I liked watching him play. I've always played very quickly and he was the first person, who could PLAY, I had ever seen play as fast or faster than I did. I was like... now THAT is my kinda player! I had always been told, "You need to slow down, etc, etc..." He was like my Patron Saint of Pool.

:yeah:

Same here! Ive always admired the gunslingers, firing fast and loose, then watching their opponents crumble under fire.

I remember Mizerak talking about Joe Balsis in one of his books playing that same style of POWER pool that he himself admired as a developing player. Balls slapping the back of the pockets. Guys sinking deeper into the electric chair as they get horsefooked into oblivion!

 

[jay helfert]

Chuck - The one time I saw him, I was just a kid and he was in action almost the entire time so I never got a chance to meet him. But man, I liked watching him play. I've always played very quickly and he was the first person, who could PLAY, I had ever seen play as fast or faster than I did. I was like... now THAT is my kinda player! I had always been told, "You need to slow down, etc, etc..." He was like my Patron Saint of Pool.

:yeah:

"Machine Gun" Lou won a World Championship in Los Angeles in the early 70's, playing in the finals against a young Allen Hopkins. He ran 150 and out in something like 21 minutes! It was such an amazing feat that it was recognized in newspapers (and Sports Illustrated) nationally and on television sports shows.

 

[Island Drive]

"Machine Gun" Lou won a World Championship in Los Angeles in the early 70's, playing in the finals against a young Allen Hopkins. He ran 150 and out in something like 21 minutes! It was such an amazing feat that it was recognized in newspapers (and Sports Illustrated) nationally and on television sports shows.

Jay your up early or going to bed late....:thumbup:

Lou, his cue case was the BEST. Almost looked like he had a Tommy Gun inside.

I remember that table he had at his shop in downtown Los Angeles, the one that had three different Detachable rail sets. Snooker/3C/pocket.

I think back in the 70's Lou was asking 25K. His personality and his play style were a match.

What would be neat, watching Lou B. and Luke Salvas play a match. The production crew would be jumpin'....LOL.

 

[Michael Andros]

Same here! Ive always admired the gunslingers, firing fast and loose, then watching their opponents crumble under fire.

I remember Mizerak talking about Joe Balsis in one of his books playing that same style of POWER pool that he himself admired as a developing player. Balls slapping the back of the pockets. Guys sinking deeper into the electric chair as they get horsefooked into oblivion!

Speaking of Mizerak, and getting hf'd into oblivion, a few weeks ago I was watching the YT vid of Earl absolutely CRUSHING Miz in the finals of the Caesars Tahoe tourney in 83. Talk about fast and loose... Mizerak thought he'd been run over by a Mack truck. He literally never knew what hit 'em. He spent half the match shaking his head with a dazed grin and the rest of the time looking like someone had just stolen his Cadillac.

 

[Michael Andros]

"Machine Gun" Lou won a World Championship in Los Angeles in the early 70's, playing in the finals against a young Allen Hopkins. He ran 150 and out in something like 21 minutes! It was such an amazing feat that it was recognized in newspapers (and Sports Illustrated) nationally and on television sports shows.

Jay - Did you happen to be there for that? Hopkins was realllyyyy young then. Maybe 20 if not 19 and a Force To Be Reckoned With at the time. And Butera just BRUTALIZED him. Man, I wish I had been there for that. So so so many world-class matches from the past that were never recorded and are now lost except in the memories of those who were there. I suppose that simply speaks to the importance of oral histories. That's one of the things I miss most about pool rooms; the old guys sitting around for hours telling stories about things they'd seen and experienced. Now it's all on Youtube. And if it isn't, it seems not to really matter to those kids coming up these days. Not to disparage them, really... they have no point of reference. But there doesn't seem to be much time given to listen to stories of the old days. At least not like it once was.

Or maybe I'm just getting old and being crabby...


Yeah. That's probably it.

 

[Island Drive]

Jay - Did you happen to be there for that? Hopkins was realllyyyy young then. Maybe 20 if not 19 and a Force To Be Reckoned With at the time. And Butera just BRUTALIZED him. Man, I wish I had been there for that. So so so many world-class matches from the past that were never recorded and are now lost except in the memories of those who were there. I suppose that simply speaks to the importance of oral histories. That's one of the things I miss most about pool rooms; the old guys sitting around for hours telling stories about things they'd seen and experienced. Now it's all on Youtube. And if it isn't, it seems not to really matter to those kids coming up these days. Not to disparage them, really... they have no point of reference. But there doesn't seem to be much time given to listen to stories of the old days. At least not like it once was.

Or maybe I'm just getting old and being crabby...


Yeah. That's probably it.

The one pocket .org SSr event is exactly this...........

 

[Michael Andros]

The one pocket .org SSr event is exactly this...........

ID - Yup! And I've read every single one of them ( Ronnie Allen's my favorite ). So so important for those stories to survive. They're irreplaceable. Thanks for tossing that in.