I knew them when???????

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I did know a legendary N.J. player named Neptune Joe Frady (RIP) when he was 12 years old.
He would hang out in the pool room but never played at that time.
 

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
not sure if this qualifies as i knew them when but here is my story
i went to tulane in new orleans in the early 1970's
i got brought to the sports palace (another story)
where earl heisler and new york blackie "al bonife"
were the house pros the road players came to play
i got to see leanard "bugs" rucker and "saint louie louie" ie louie roberts
play with no idea who they were just their names
bugs played earl $500 a game one pocket!!!!! this was early 1970
well ........fast forward to the 1990's
there were several articles in billiards digest about "legends of the road"
with articles about bugs and louie roberts
it tickled my memory that i saw them and had no clue they were among the best ever to play the game
 

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
Gold Member
Silver Member
Well let's see. Played Johnny Archer before he was known as more than a bar table monster, or known at all in my neck of the woods. Played a girl that went on to be Tammy Wesley Jones, my eventual wife and I both rode horses with her one place or another. Played a little bar table pool with her too. Tried to play a youngster from California, probably as well that I didn't play Keith during probably his first pass by Greenway. Played Scotty Townsend a couple times when we were both young. Fortunately I didn't have much to lose either time. A few more road players that weren't known in my neck of the woods.

I played JoeyA before he was a famous movie star, fortunately not gambling as I don't remember ever coming out ahead. I played a few more famous or near famous people none that mattered too much that I recall. Oh yeah, I can add a young Mike Massey to the list. I spent almost every night on a pool table from 1970 to '84 so no doubt a few more. Somebody was steering road players at me from Greenway and few road players didn't make it to Greenway one time or another, it was a major hub in it's day. Saw Jose Parica in there a handful of times. Never talked to him. He was always in action. I saw Buddy Hall with the local big sticks hanging around like bird dogs hoping to get thrown a hush puppy! Tackling Buddy seemed like a lot of work for low pay and I thought I might have gotten skinned anyway. No internet and very little pool on TV so I didn't know just how wise it was passing on Buddy!

I wish I had paid more attention to Greenway's big tournaments, a thousand added in the early seventies brought some serious players to Greenway with the "practice tables" being where the fun was at. Well known players all over town trying to pump up enough to get back in the nightly frays after getting cleaned out. Slaughtering locals for mostly three to ten a game.

I played and beat Jeanette Lee in KIlgore or Longview Texas. Was making a food and fuel quick stop and there was a Black Widow pinball machine in the Dairy Queen, the first and last one I ever saw. Just a noncashing amusement game but I played it waiting on my food just so I could tell people I beat the Widow before 'fessing up. Never saw her in real life.

This old thread is as interesting as most of the new ones, might as well bring it back to life!

Hu
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Played a 15 year-old kid in Jacksonville FL...I wasn’t a lot older, but normally I wouldn’t gamble with a kid
that young...but it was a backer made the game. We played roll out, so I got the best of it...kid could make
lots of balls. I recall him having a bad temper....he treated his backer with scorn.
....met the same kid 23 years later at a big tournament...I had just started to play tournaments.
He remembered me....reminded me that he had been a nasty kid...told me he took up martial arts to get
rid of his attitude....the bonus was he also acquired a world class break...the “kid” beat Nicky Varner in
the finals. I was delighted for him, even though I always cheer for Nick...knew Nick’s family before I knew him.
.....terrific people.

The ”kid” BTW, was Little David Howard....we smile every time we see each other.
 

1 Pocket Ghost

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
About 25 years ago an unknown 18 yr. old kid was on his first extended road trip, traveling with and being steered by a known pro player. They came to Chicago and spent a weekend at Chris's Billiard's. On Friday night the kid played a $500 set of 9ball with one of Chris's best players.

Well, although he'd never really played the game, this kid was fascinated by One Pocket and wanted to learn the game. So the owner of Chris's told him that if he wanted to learn the game, the best person for him to learn from would be me. So when the kid didn't have/wasn't in action he and I played cheap One Pocket, $10 a game, even. He didn't know the game so I won most of the games, but he was subject to run out if I left him a shot. It was a good time, he took note of everything I was doing/shooting, and he enjoyed his first lessons in the' One Pocket moving game'. Since then he's become a pretty good One Pocket player ;) ...

His Name is Alex Pagulayan.

Postscript: Over the last many years, every time I would run into Alex at the DCC, by one of the tournament rooms or where ever, we both stop in our tracks and Alex gives me a bad-ass stare and says to me: "You want to play some more of that even One Pocket?"...and I always reply: "Sure, flip it - same bet as before though - $10 a game"...then we both laugh and fist bump.

- Ghost
 
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bubolt14

Lovin Pool
I went to high school with Mike Sigel. Watched him play straight pool most Sundays at 16-17 years old for a hundred a game with Charlie Dirizio,[RIP] and boy did Mike improve fast. From there it was on to road playing with Larry Hubbard,RIP. The rest is history for one of the GREATS...As anyone knows Mike was tops at straight pool in those days...
 
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Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
About 25 years ago an unknown 18 yr. old kid was on his first extended road trip, traveling with and being steered by a known pro player. They came to Chicago and spent a weekend at Chris's Billiard's. On Friday night the kid played a $500 set of 9ball with one of Chris's best players.

Well, although he'd never really played the game, this kid was fascinated by One Pocket and wanted to learn the game. So the owner of Chris's told him that if he wanted to learn the game, the best person for him to learn from would be me. So when the kid didn't have/wasn't in action he and I played cheap One Pocket, $10 a game, even. He didn't know the game so I won most of the games, but he was subject to run out if I left him a shot. It was a good time, he took note of everything I was doing/shooting, and he enjoyed his first lessons in the' One Pocket moving game'. Since then he's become a pretty good One Pocket player ;) ...

His Name is Alex Pagulayan.

Postscript: Over the last many years, every time I would run into Alex at the DCC, by one of the tournament rooms or where ever, we both stop in our tracks and Alex gives me a bad-ass stare and says to me: "You want to play some more of that even One Pocket?"...and I always reply: "Sure, flip it - same bet as before though - $10 a game"...then we both laugh and fist bump.

- Ghost
Thanks. I think that as pool fans, we are starved for stories about Alex's (and with Corey) early road days.

I do not want to hear the story about Alex and the big car again (!!!).
 

8cree

Reverse Engineer
Silver Member
Thanks. I think that as pool fans, we are starved for stories about Alex's (and with Corey) early road days.

I do not want to hear the story about Alex and the big car again (!!!).
But I don't know that one yet. Do tell.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
But I don't know that one yet. Do tell.
In a nitshell:

Alex and Corey on the road. Alex never gets to drive and finally convinced Corey to hand over the wheel of the american land yacht.

Alex can't see over the wheel and touch the pedals at the same time.
 

pvc lou

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In a nitshell:

Alex and Corey on the road. Alex never gets to drive and finally convinced Corey to hand over the wheel of the american land yacht.

Alex can't see over the wheel and touch the pedals at the same time.
I heard they had a safe welded to the trunk of that thing for their bankroll.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Guy came into the pool room where I worked and wants to play 9b.

Unless jimmy mac or b. Stephen was around, nobody really played 9b particularly well, but (I like to think) I wasn't too far off, especially on the home table that had a couple gaffy features..so I played him, I think it was $10/game.

I ended up like 35 games ahead. He never asked for a spot or to change the game and paid after each game.

Rockville Danny , a very solid player from the mid atlantic who likely had the highest gear of anyone mentioned in this post thus far.

He told me he hadn't hit a ball in almost 2 yrs and was trying to see where he was after the layoff.
 

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
okay next arm twisting. and after that person posts he gets to arm twist another to post a story. okay

sjm. you are a 50 ball plus runner so you got to have some good ones. get with it.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
I'm reminded of when Irving Crane introduced me to Mike Sigel, who was about 24 at the time, in 1978. Irving called him a player to watch. I think Irving may have been guilty of one of the great understatements in pool history, given that Mike's accomplishments would one day exceed those of of Crane himself.
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Just so you all know, cueball1950's name is Mike Peabody, and he passed away a few years ago. He was a joy to be around and loved, loved, loved pool. He was the ultimate railbird, like me. Mike is depicted on the left with his arm around Keith McCready.
Mike and I were good friends. One time I took up a collection to fly him from Albany to Va Beach for the US Open, because he had incurred some serious medical expenses, and just couldn't afford it. We got him there just so he could play in the CCB annual tournament at Q-Masters. Lotsa guys and girls here remember Mike...really a great guy to be around. RIP

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Island Drive is really your guy for Fats stories. But ...... Here's 2 I've mentioned before here.

1975 was the World 9Ball Championship in Burlington IA. Fats was scheduled to give an exhibition one night. Keep in mind, not only was players like Island Drive entered but Rempe (who won) Miz (2nd) but Lassiter, Balsis, Crane? I believe? Many Many others. Well Meucci gave Fats a cue to use for his show which always included several wing shots. Well Fats is having problems and the hoots, hollers and cat calls came from all around the arena. Fats puts the Muecci on the bridge rack, calls for bets, picks up his Rambow and then the crowd became silent for some reason.

Another time he's in the Student Center @ SIU in Carbondale, IL giving another exhibition. Right in the middle of it and over the PA system, the Counter Man blares out. "Does anyone here own a Cadillac that's parked on the sidewalk? If its not moved immediately Campus Police will have it towed!!" Fats stands straight up from his shot, hits the butt of his cue on the carpet, does his head twitch, looks at the Counter Man, another head twitch, and tells him to "Call the Mayor!!" Twitch. . Twitch "If he doesn't answer the phone, he'll be lucky if he's Dog Catcher by tomorrow morning." Couple more twitches, and a lonnnngg stare. Fats then resumes his routine without further interuption.
Tom...I was there in Burlington too. It was my first pro tournament, and Stroud had just delivered my first custom cue to me there! Everybody was there, old and young, road players, tournament players, and stone cold gamblers. Buddy Hall looked like toothpick...way tall and 150 lbs maybe (this is long before he was The Rifleman)! LOL That was also my first encounter with Keith (spoiler alert...I won!). The cool thing, I was watching guys like Ronnie Allen and Richie Florence playing in $500/man ring games with a half dozen other killers. Florence received a brand new Balabushka at the hotel, got into the ring game...went broke...left and got a loan on his car, came back and busted the game for $30K+! That night somebody stole that cue, and Richie never got it back.

I don't know if Bill was at the Fats exhibition at Gart Bros. in downtown Denver...I'm pretty sure it was either 74 or 75. There were at least 100 people standing around a pool table in the store. Fats stood almost in the same spot for 3 hours...telling lies like only he could. He never shot a single ball...just stood there holdin' his cue! LOL He had us all in stiches for the whole time. Nobody cared that he didn't play any pool! He could have spot the world the 8 in telling the biggest bs stories possible! Truth was he COULD play some, but wasn't top shelf like his old contemporaries (Eddie Taylor, Wimpy, Mosconi, etc).

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
 
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pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Island Drive is really your guy for Fats stories. But ...... Here's 2 I've mentioned before here.

1975 was the World 9Ball Championship in Burlington IA. Fats was scheduled to give an exhibition one night. Keep in mind, not only was players like Island Drive entered but Rempe (who won) Miz (2nd) but Lassiter, Balsis, Crane? I believe? Many Many others. Well Meucci gave Fats a cue to use for his show which always included several wing shots. Well Fats is having problems and the hoots, hollers and cat calls came from all around the arena. Fats puts the Muecci on the bridge rack, calls for bets, picks up his Rambow and then the crowd became silent for some reason.

A good story for “The cue doesn’t matter” crowd.
It‘s the arrow AND the Indian
 
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