I think I found John Grissim!

Russ Chewning

Russ Chewning

Short Bus Russ - C player
Silver Member
The author of Billiards: Hustlers and Heros, and the Search for Higher Truth on the Green Felt..

I think he is still writing, though his topics have changed. Looks like he's written a guide to purchasing mobile homes. So, he is still thinking about pool players!!!!! :D :D :D Haw Haw Haw!

Okay, that wasn't funny, but I have sent him an email.. Maybe we could have him pay a visit to the board, to reminisce about his trip to the Phillipines, and seeing Efren before the world knew him.

How freaking cool would that be? You know.. in fact, I think InsidePool is looking for some writers.. Maybe we can get John back in the pool world.

I've attached his pic... Man o man.. If this is him, he ain't the sharp dressing dude from the book, but I think I can see the resemblance...

Russ

P.S. I'll admit it.. I was just looking for him to check to see if the pic in his book is actually Efren, and whether there is a nice copy of that pic to be had..:o
 

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It was just pure luck when he found Efren. There was a huge rally going on
against the Marcos government back then. Firetrucks was used to drive the
the activists away. It was in Sta. Cruz/Quiapo area were the policemen and
firemen trying to disperse the crowd and John Grissim was forced to seek
refuge in a dilapidated building to avoid the firemens' water hose and the
baton wielding police.

He went upstairs (2nd floor) and went inside a room (lucky 13 Billiard Hall).
He ordered coffee while checking the crowd from the window when he heard
a thundering sound! He saw a frail looking 19 year old playing by himself while
a flock of sweaters gathered around the table watching in awe.

And the rest is history!
 
Russ Chewning said:
... I've attached his pic... Man o man.. If this is him, he ain't the sharp dressing dude from the book, but I think I can see the resemblance...
...
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Yes, that sure looks like John. I think he gave up his interest in pool and got rid of his books and notes about pool maybe 15 years ago -- I ended up with some of them. He arranged an exhibition in Bolinas (CA) about 1983 with Petey Margo and I was enlisted to be the cannon fodder. I tried to contact John about 10 years ago to see if he might republish "Billiards" but couldn't get through.

He has written books about surfing, rural life in Marin County, and searching for sunken treasure ships. Now it's mobile homes: http://www.grissimguides.com

Trivia note: the table on the dust jacket of "Billiards" belonged to the Mitchell Brothers who produced a movie you may have seen -- "Behind the Green Door."
 
Bob Jewett said:
Trivia note: the table on the dust jacket of "Billiards" belonged to the Mitchell Brothers who produced a movie you may have seen -- "Behind the Green Door."
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MY YOUNG EYES! MY YOUNG EYES! Lol!

(Knows right now, there are a bunch of puzzled youngsters that won't "get it".:D :D :D )

Russ
 
Yeah, that's John. I bet he still plays pool occasionally.
I will never forget my conversation with him at Caesars Tahoe in 1982. He said that there are several filipino players who could spot ANY American the eight. I scoofed at this remark as ludicrous. What a fool I was, and how prescient he was.
 
jay helfert said:
Yeah, that's John. I bet he still plays pool occasionally.
I will never forget my conversation with him at Caesars Tahoe in 1982. He said that there are several filipino players who could spot ANY American the eight. I scoofed at this remark as ludicrous. What a fool I was, and how prescient he was.
Click to expand...

He must have been a pretty good player himself, to even be able to see the qualities that would make the Filipinos better than Americans.

Russ
 
I just recieved an email back from John, it is in fact him. I am attempting to have him join us on the forum for some reminiscing (sp?) about his first encounters with the Filipinos. I asked him if the picture we were debating about was in fact Efren, and I told him I would love to get a copy of that pic if possible, for my home room.

Waiting for his response now.

Russ
 
Russ Chewning said:
gopi,

Have you talked to John about that story?

Russ
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It didn't come from the horse's mouth Russ, but I got it from the next best
source, Efren himself and his long time manager Rolly Vicente.
icon_wink.gif
 
I got an email back from John Grissim, he had a few interesting things to say.

First, he lost interest in the game because he came down with a physical condition that would not allow him to keep his head high enough when bent over the table..

He had not considered reprinting Billiards:Hustlers and Heros, and the Search for Higher Truth on the Green Felt, but he has his own publishing business now, so if he decided to, he could do so himself. Perhaps we need to try to hook him up with Eddie Robin and see if we can get some more Winning One Pocket copies printed? :D :D :D

I got the definitive answer.. The two pictures in the Phillipines section of his book ARE Efren.. At about 18 or 19 years old.. He took the pictures.... And still has the negatives.... And is looking to see if he can find a developer that can develop from old 35mm film, so I can get those pics for my billiard room. WHO'S YER DADDY? :D :D :D

He said he was going to take a look at the website/forum here.. He may join us for a thread or two.

I invited him to come to the DCC in January...

Russ
 
Russ Chewning said:
I got an email back from John Grissim, he had a few interesting things to say.

First, he lost interest in the game because he came down with a physical condition that would not allow him to keep his head high enough when bent over the table..

He had not considered reprinting Billiards:Hustlers and Heros, and the Search for Higher Truth on the Green Felt, but he has his own publishing business now, so if he decided to, he could do so himself. Perhaps we need to try to hook him up with Eddie Robin and see if we can get some more Winning One Pocket copies printed? :D :D :D

I got the definitive answer.. The two pictures in the Phillipines section of his book ARE Efren.. At about 18 or 19 years old.. He took the pictures.... And still has the negatives.... And is looking to see if he can find a developer that can develop from old 35mm film, so I can get those pics for my billiard room. WHO'S YER DADDY? :D :D :D

He said he was going to take a look at the website/forum here.. He may join us for a thread or two.

I invited him to come to the DCC in January...

Russ
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I've checked ebay and Amazon Russ, I couldn't find his book. I really want
to get a copy of his book. Efren was 17 or 18 years old then, I'm sure
because Martial Law in the Philippines came to effect on Sept. 21, 1972.
As what I have previously described earlier in this thread, there was a civil
unrest going on that drove John Grissim to find Efren...
 
gopi-1 said:
I've checked ebay and Amazon Russ, I couldn't find his book. ...
Click to expand...
That's not the best place to look for books. Go to http://used.addall.com -- I just did, and there are about 17 different copies offered for sale for prices ranging from $25 to $175. If none of those works, I have several extra copies. I notice that the $25 copy has no dust jacket.

In general, you can get uncommon books for less on eBay than through any of the used book sites if you are willing to wait. I've seen several of Grissim's book with DJ go for $25-$30 on eBay among over 38 copies that have gone by in the past 8 years.
 
Bob Jewett said:
That's not the best place to look for books. Go to http://used.addall.com -- I just did, and there are about 17 different copies offered for sale for prices ranging from $25 to $175. If none of those works, I have several extra copies. I notice that the $25 copy has no dust jacket.

In general, you can get uncommon books for less on eBay than through any of the used book sites if you are willing to wait. I've seen several of Grissim's book with DJ go for $25-$30 on eBay among over 38 copies that have gone by in the past 8 years.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah.. Gotta have the dust jacket.. It's grooooovy!

Bob.. I don't have the book in front of me, but I remember a white haired gentleman on the cover.. Is that Robert Byrne, by any chance? The guy is wearing dark glasses (yes...inside..in a pool halll :D ), and I remember thinking it could be him..

I can't wait to get copies of those photos.. I'm think John will probably have pictures that didn't make it into the book! How pimp would that be, to be the only guy with a certain picture of Efren at that age, hanging up in my pool room.

Russ
 
Bob Jewett said:
That's not the best place to look for books. Go to http://used.addall.com -- I just did, and there are about 17 different copies offered for sale for prices ranging from $25 to $175. If none of those works, I have several extra copies. I notice that the $25 copy has no dust jacket.

In general, you can get uncommon books for less on eBay than through any of the used book sites if you are willing to wait. I've seen several of Grissim's book with DJ go for $25-$30 on eBay among over 38 copies that have gone by in the past 8 years.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info and link Bob!
 
Bob Jewett said:
That's not the best place to look for books. Go to http://used.addall.com -- I just did, and there are about 17 different copies offered for sale for prices ranging from $25 to $175. If none of those works, I have several extra copies. I notice that the $25 copy has no dust jacket.

In general, you can get uncommon books for less on eBay than through any of the used book sites if you are willing to wait. I've seen several of Grissim's book with DJ go for $25-$30 on eBay among over 38 copies that have gone by in the past 8 years.
Click to expand...
My Hustlers & Heroes, Legends & Lies and the Search for Higher Truth on the Green Felt sold for $12.50. Have nice inscription in it from John.
 
Russ Chewning said:
I can't wait to get copies of those photos.. I'm think John will probably have pictures that didn't make it into the book! How pimp would that be, to be the only guy with a certain picture of Efren at that age, hanging up in my pool room.

Russ
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Of course you are going to share with some of us other long time AZ membersthat have home rooms that would like to get some pictures like that........Right????

you could set a restriction like you must have more than 865 posts to qualify:)
 
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BRKNRUN said:
Of course you are going to share with some of us other long time AZ membersthat have home rooms that would like to get some pictures like that........Right????

you could set a restriction like you must have more than 865 posts to qualify:)
Click to expand...

As long as John is cool with it. I don't know how he is doing monetarily.. these pics may cost me a few pennys! :eek: :eek:

Russ

edit: And as long as they've never posted advocating piracy of any sort....:D
 
Russ Chewning said:
As long as John is cool with it. I don't know how he is doing monetarily.. these pics may cost me a few pennys! :eek: :eek:

Russ

edit: And as long as they've never posted advocating piracy of any sort....:D
Click to expand...


Of any sort???? ...... I kind of like Jack Sparrow.... I am going to go see him tonight.....:D
 
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