Another great installment, Brian. Thanks. The tables in Terry Kearns' room in Windham were Jafco tables, and they were, as Bobby mentioned, very fast.
Interview With Road Agent, Bobby Hunt - Part 3 Added
- Thread starter Kickin' Chicken
- Start date
About dropped out of my chair while watching the first installment. At the end of that one when he stated describing Eddie O'Connell.
He hit out of the park describing Eddie, and the way he went about action. I ran with Eddie about a year and every road trip we took, he had it locked up before we even left to get in the car to head out. He had owned a nice room in Greensboro that had great action going on daily, but one night there was a fight in the parking lot and someone pulled a gun and left one of the participants dead. City shut the place down and Eddie had to sell. It reopened under different ownership, but never the same. I was running in and out of Greensboro and Eddie was moving me around taking people off and just having fun and making the nut to survive. He called me at Collisiem Billiards for me to come over and pick him up one early Saturday morning and we head out. First thing I ask him where are we going and who are we taking off. We are headed to Charlotte to watch action today. Another one of our friends had called Eddie and told him that he (Tim Daniels ) and Billy (Wade Crane) were headed to play Denny Cercy. One hell of a match , Billy was getting the better of that match for the first few hours, then a fight broke out towards the front of the room and both guys pulled guns on each other. Everybody ducked for cover . The owner of the room got between them and pulled his own gun and the heat sorta just went out of the air. For some reason Billy didn't play as well after that happened. They both stopped the play and made it happen at a latter date. Eddie asked me about what I saw when all that was taking place. I looked over at him and asked, if that was all staged just to jar Billy, because he was playing so well. Eddie winked and said I was catching on quickly. Thanks for posting all of this brought back some memories I hadn't thought of in quite awhile.
He hit out of the park describing Eddie, and the way he went about action. I ran with Eddie about a year and every road trip we took, he had it locked up before we even left to get in the car to head out. He had owned a nice room in Greensboro that had great action going on daily, but one night there was a fight in the parking lot and someone pulled a gun and left one of the participants dead. City shut the place down and Eddie had to sell. It reopened under different ownership, but never the same. I was running in and out of Greensboro and Eddie was moving me around taking people off and just having fun and making the nut to survive. He called me at Collisiem Billiards for me to come over and pick him up one early Saturday morning and we head out. First thing I ask him where are we going and who are we taking off. We are headed to Charlotte to watch action today. Another one of our friends had called Eddie and told him that he (Tim Daniels ) and Billy (Wade Crane) were headed to play Denny Cercy. One hell of a match , Billy was getting the better of that match for the first few hours, then a fight broke out towards the front of the room and both guys pulled guns on each other. Everybody ducked for cover . The owner of the room got between them and pulled his own gun and the heat sorta just went out of the air. For some reason Billy didn't play as well after that happened. They both stopped the play and made it happen at a latter date. Eddie asked me about what I saw when all that was taking place. I looked over at him and asked, if that was all staged just to jar Billy, because he was playing so well. Eddie winked and said I was catching on quickly. Thanks for posting all of this brought back some memories I hadn't thought of in quite awhile.
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1994 received a copy of the Winning One Pocket from Eddie in the mail. He and his wife Rosanne had signed it. We stayed in touch for a long time, but now , it must be 10 years since I have heard from him,,don't even know if he still living. Hope that he is and hope he's well, he taught me a lot even if I didn't continue playing on the road.
Volume 3 he mentioned Steve the Whale.
Post # 43
Post # 43
1996 Seniors tour
Steve Miserak vs, Toby Sweet. First time I'd seen video of Sweet. Billy & Grady commentating...love their "feuds: Anyway..hell of a match. Triamgle rack, maple shafts, no fighting about the rack. Loved it! Just great old time pool. Anybody...
forums.azbilliards.com
"Steve The Whale was apiece of garbage."
Truer words were never spoken.
Early morning, after a night of heavy action at the Golden Cue in Queens, a bunch of players gather at a 24-hour diner across Queens Blvd for breakfast. After the meal, each player lays down a few dollars as a tip for the waitress, and they all get up to leave.
Steve walks out, then quickly spins around, goes back to the table and pockets all the tips.
Steve often stole cues from players while they were taking a time-out in the bathroom.
No shame.
Truer words were never spoken.
Early morning, after a night of heavy action at the Golden Cue in Queens, a bunch of players gather at a 24-hour diner across Queens Blvd for breakfast. After the meal, each player lays down a few dollars as a tip for the waitress, and they all get up to leave.
Steve walks out, then quickly spins around, goes back to the table and pockets all the tips.
Steve often stole cues from players while they were taking a time-out in the bathroom.
No shame.
Hi Chip
Sadly Rosanne died more than a decade ago and Eddie remarried but he started to decline likely from alzheimers and he too passed a few years ago.
Thanks Kickin'. I knew of Rosanne's passing, yes it was years ago , she died way to soon . She was a nurse as her profession and they were both doing well in Greensboro until the above took place. Sorry to hear of Eddie's passing and thanks again for another great post.
Excellent Interviews. I saw Bobby play 40+times in the 90's early 2000's. Surprised at some of the more 'colorful stories'. You wouldn't know he was in the room when he gambled. But as i tell people when they say i have a lot of stories-I dont have a lot of stories, I've just been around so long one or two half crazy stories from each year winds up sounding like a lot.
Jimmy Sureshot JR came into "my homeroom" quite a few times in the 90's. The old timers figured out who he was real quick as he was using his father's cue. He played shortstop speed and had the wire on everyone so he did ok but we had no high rollers.
I saw Liscotti beat Zuglan after midnight in a tourny on a day he started with the Budweisers at 11AM or so. He would have blown at least .30 in the intoximeter
Gerry Watson came thru Ct a few times and im sure Bobby had a few Grey Ghost stories- Next time please and you might get something funny out of asking about Johnny B and MT Vernon Tommy.
Jimmy Sureshot JR came into "my homeroom" quite a few times in the 90's. The old timers figured out who he was real quick as he was using his father's cue. He played shortstop speed and had the wire on everyone so he did ok but we had no high rollers.
I saw Liscotti beat Zuglan after midnight in a tourny on a day he started with the Budweisers at 11AM or so. He would have blown at least .30 in the intoximeter
Gerry Watson came thru Ct a few times and im sure Bobby had a few Grey Ghost stories- Next time please and you might get something funny out of asking about Johnny B and MT Vernon Tommy.
Another great interview. Obviously you were well prepared to get the most out of the time you had with Bobby. Thanks again.
I saw Jimmy Sureshot Jr just a few nights ago at Yale. He was waiting for an opponent to show up for a scheduled small $$ 1p match. We sat and had a few laughs together and I had him take out his dad's TS cue like l always do which, of course, is his playing cue now. I've had a standing generous offer with him on that cue for over a decade and I know I'll never get it.
As for your comment that you wouldn't even know Bobby was in the room gambling, if you'll recall him saying the one player who he wanted to be like was Toby Sweet because Toby played monster pool and kept quiet while doing so. Plus not calling attention to himself was def a huge part of his strategy, obv.
I will mention Grey Ghost, Johnny B and Mt Vernon Tommy to him. Could be included in a poss 4th installment.
great interviews brian
and thanks to bobby for taking the time
would like to know if bobby or you have any stories about bob busa
he comes to florida in the winter time and still plays pretty sporty
i love how when i ask him to play one pocket he will say
sure i will play some "POCKETS" with you. (must be a new england thing 
)
he is from you part of the country and i think was inducted into the new england pool and billiards hall of fame
brian if there is a link to the inductees please post or pm me it thanks
and thanks to bobby for taking the time
would like to know if bobby or you have any stories about bob busa
he comes to florida in the winter time and still plays pretty sporty
i love how when i ask him to play one pocket he will say
sure i will play some "POCKETS" with you.
(must be a new england thing )he is from you part of the country and i think was inducted into the new england pool and billiards hall of fame
brian if there is a link to the inductees please post or pm me it thanks
There was a romantic and a sleazy side to road players in the early days. His narrative covers a lot of both. I’d love to know the net worth of all the guys he ran with. He never mentioned Jersey Red. Did their paths ever cross?
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Hi Bill;
Spoke with Bobby and he said it may have been that they were 20-40 years apart (Red was older) that they never ran into each other.
As for net worths, lol, pool players trying not to work, right? Interesting though was that the man Bobby considered his mentor and primary road partner, Eddie O'Connell, he ended up a wealthy man.
best,
brian kc
Working and net worth are not always related.
I’m proof of that.
Best
Fatboy
Great stories. The parts I was around for are very accurate and spot on. No fluff or fillers, great preservation of pool history of a bygone era. The “road” is over-sadly.
Best
Fatboy
I last saw Eddie in Best Billiards in Vegas about 10 years ago. Never saw him again.
There were two places in Houston in the 60’s that i assumed he never walked into. Parker’s on Washington Avenue and LeCue on Lamar (above Lamar Drug). I never heard him mention either one. He did mention Earl being in Houston but they missed each other. I really enjoyed Bobby’s interview. I think you got a lot out of him. I would like to see more interviews if possible. It’s a subculture like no other. The only thing that even comes close are the golf hustlers like Tommy Bolt when there was more to be made on public courses than as a professional. Great job..
One of the best things I learned or was warned of by Eddie, probably saved my Life. Back when Eddie looked over at me while traveling and told me, You are beating everyone you play , except Billy. You play him all day long and there might be as few as 10 games diff between you. Your stringing racks and doing the right stuff. Now you follow this, don't let your ego take over, don't become a pool bum. Look around ,you've been out here couple of years and seen great players all over the country, 90 % of them are living out of a suitcase and will do so most of their lives , don't end up like that. He and Roseanne pulled out of Greensboro 4 or 5 months after that and back to Conn,. a few months later , so did I. Went back to school for 2 years , finished with a Biz degree when added to the 2 years I already had under my belt and went to work, married and raised a family. I took Eddies advise. I spoke with Eddie many times later, but never got to see him again. His biz of restoring old tables made him a good living and he sold only too well to do clients with the money for classic tables ,from what I heard, he did well in life, and he did.
Being a pool bum is a easy trap to fall into. Any form of a bum. Especially when you are lazy. Which is me. I’m a lazy person naturally. I have to have the discipline to get my ass to do something or else.
I’ve had periods of being a bum in my life for 2-3 years here and there. Not suitcase broke because I won’t let that happen, but a few times I’ve accomplished zero for a couple years or a year. Never longer.
He was absolutely right it’s important to get something going and keep it going. It’s not just about $-it’s also about making something happen and not just doing nothing.
Best
Fatboy