It was the best of times,the worst of times.Pool was

D

deanoc

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
elevated to international competition,pool rooms were closing
across the nation.Filipinos found action 24 hours a day and played in what we would call a pit for cockfighting,Americans gathered in affluent academies and practiced
with drills and personal instructors, oversea 1000s of people crowded the only table they could find and reacted to every bit of action by placing bets on their favorite to win,but back in the USA players found leagues with familiar places and displayed
taste and refinement

The Filipinos played each other in such constant action they knew who to send to the International tournament ,while the Amerasian left the choice to committee and every pundit on every forum spoke their mind freely enjoying their first amendment rights


The Filipinos let their bets speak their mind,speech was not exactly free it could cost and as a result there was less talking and more action.,while leagues developed over here so everyone could play his fellow American without actually losing his money


Filipinos big question of the day was who wants to play and how much,while greater issues were dealt with over here such as the balance point of the cue stick,the exact composition of the chalk, and wondering about players at the top of our pool food chain
and discussion about discussions

Sometimes we discussed how to motivate precious players and feed their egos,who could coach the guys,and bring victory to the home team,while the Filipinos
just wanted to play for more money

Those guys need to learn how to get in touch with their inner self
 
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deanoc said:
elevated to international competition,pool rooms were closing
across the nation.Filipinos found action 24 hours a day and played in what we would call a pit for cockfighting,Americans gathered in affluent academies and practiced
with drills and personal instructors, oversea 1000s of people crowded the only table they could find and reacted to every bit of action by placing bets on their favorite to win,but back in the usa players found leagues with familiar places and displayed
taste and refinement

The Filipinos played each other in such constant action they knew who to send to the International tournament ,while the amerans left the choice to committee and every pundit on every forum spoke their mind freely enjoying their first amendment rights


The Filipinos let their bets speak their mind,speech was exactly free it could cost and as a result there was less talking and more action.,while leagues developed over here so everyone could play his fellow American without actually losing his money


Filipinos big question of the day was who wants to play and how much,while greater issues were dealt with over here such as the balance point of the cue stick,the exact composition of the chalk, and wondering about players at the top of our pool food chain
and discussion about discussions

Sometimes we discussed how to motivate precious players and feed their egos,who could coach the guys,and bring victory to the home team,while the Filipinos
just wanted to play for more money

Those guys need to learn how to get in touch with their inner self
Click to expand...

I swear if you continue to post these outstanding comments, I will put you on my ignore list. Think I have one anyway.

You just continue to get directly to the heart of the matter. Absolutely outstanding post! Thanks for the insight.

Lyn
 
You are correct my friend

Small entry fee tournaments sprang up everywhere, so many of the
players who used to gamble could now play all night for $10. At first
good players ducked these, but later with this and the leagues it was
the only thing left. All of the big action guys that didn't play but were
stake horse's or rail action quit coming around. All the good intentions
to get rid of the bad reputation and make this a wholesome family
game is what led to it's demise, not the other way around. Just look
at the times of pools big booms. Does anyone think if Paul Newman
in the Hustler was playing league, wearing a bowling shirt, and
high-fiving his teammates, that people would have filled up every
pool room in town. New ones started opening everywhere to accommodate
all the players. The gambling, action, and the characters is what this
game is (or was). Change it's image, clean it up, make it respectful.
One thing, if you can find a open pool room you don't have to wait
on a table anymore.
jack
 
How true how true this is.Just in the past 10 years the main action near me has gone from having all kinds of action,from $100 sets to $2 ring games.Now it's hard to find games anymore,as it seems even the better player is begging for a spot.
 
simco said:
How true how true this is.Just in the past 10 years the main action near me has gone from having all kinds of action,from $100 sets to $2 ring games.Now it's hard to find games anymore,as it seems even the better player is begging for a spot.
Click to expand...

Been a long time since I have seen a dollar bet on a pool game in my area.
 
casinos every where helped the start of the fall of gambling at pool.
credit cards and the carrying of no money is the nail in the coffin.
 
What are you trying to say?
Looking for the "point you are trying to make"!
 
deanoc said:
elevated to international competition,pool rooms were closing
across the nation.Filipinos found action 24 hours a day and played in what we would call a pit for cockfighting,Americans gathered in affluent academies and practiced
with drills and personal instructors, oversea 1000s of people crowded the only table they could find and reacted to every bit of action by placing bets on their favorite to win,but back in the USA players found leagues with familiar places and displayed
taste and refinement

The Filipinos played each other in such constant action they knew who to send to the International tournament ,while the Amerasian left the choice to committee and every pundit on every forum spoke their mind freely enjoying their first amendment rights


The Filipinos let their bets speak their mind,speech was not exactly free it could cost and as a result there was less talking and more action.,while leagues developed over here so everyone could play his fellow American without actually losing his money


Filipinos big question of the day was who wants to play and how much,while greater issues were dealt with over here such as the balance point of the cue stick,the exact composition of the chalk, and wondering about players at the top of our pool food chain
and discussion about discussions

Sometimes we discussed how to motivate precious players and feed their egos,who could coach the guys,and bring victory to the home team,while the Filipinos
just wanted to play for more money

Those guys need to learn how to get in touch with their inner self
Click to expand...

You left out the part where once a Filipino player became a strong player, he became owned by a syndicate. His life was no longer his own.

Freedom sounds much better to me.
 
i am very doubtful that this syndicate comment is
correct

sounds like baloney to me

what gives guys like this the desire to post
such stuff
 
FranCrimi said:
You left out the part where once a Filipino player became a strong player, he became owned by a syndicate. His life was no longer his own.
Click to expand...

Also left out the part about all the gambling addicts who've lost all their money, friends and family, regardless of how good, or otherwise, they were at Pool.
 
AuntyDan said:
Also left out the part about all the gambling addicts who've lost all their money, friends and family, regardless of how good, or otherwise, they were at Pool.
Click to expand...

keep in mind that when pool was booming the $$$, by in large, stayed in the pool community, now the casinos and poker suck it up and it's no longer churning

Gambling addicts are going to gamble and go off, it may as well be pool
 
Filipino players have freedom of choice as to whether they want backing or not. Most prefer it if they can get it. The backers/syndicates want only the best players who can make money for them. Many filipino players gamble with their own money day after day. The guys who have backers (you can call them whatever name you like) make an arrangement where the backers pay all expenses and the money won is chopped up in agreed upon percentages. The better players get a higher percentage of the winnings (sometimes as much as 70%!). Efren and Bustie have been with the same backer/syndicate for decades and done quite well for themselves.

In the Philippines, a syndicate is a group of guys who are backing them, as opposed to a single person. No one cares or asks where the money is coming from. It's all green! There are wealthy filipino businessmen who love to back pool players and see it as an investment that is also fun for them. And there are people who own gambling dens and casinos over there who also serve in the same role for much the same reasons. Manny Paquiao backed several pool players over the years, among others. There is less differentiation over there as to what is clean money and what is not. Gambling is totally accepted as part of their lifestyle (Filipinos gamble at everything!) and the big money games are wide open, with even cops getting involved in the action from time to time. A good pool gambler is well respected for his acumen and skill.

I've gambled in the Philippines with poolroom owners and outlaws, and had a good time doing it! I like it over there because it reminds me of another time in the USA when you could walk into any poolroom and get a game and no one said boo about who was putting up the money. One caveat for would be pool players who want to travel to the Philippines. There ain't no air barrels over there. If you lose you will pay, one way of the other. Don't even think about stiffing anyone! :)
 
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i have never known anyone who became a gambling addict except at the casinos and horse races

we did have some guys who would lose all they had,run out and rob convenience stores and come back for a second set back at the cotton bowling palace

i wouldn't call that an addiction,but then again i don't know what to call it

we had some pimps at rustys with easy money,but i never felt bad about taking their money

seems like once at rustys in arlington i was playing one some one pocket,when i saw some road agents come in.one was keith mc cready so i sidled up and ask if i could have a piece of the action ( Rookies and detectives tend to whisper to the patrons,in effect knocking the action,but" where is the profit in that?"

they had a young smooth faced skinny kid barely 17 with them,i asked him if he could play bank pool.
he said "not so good", keith winked so another fella and myself staked him to play for $600 a game
with the black pimp,turned out the kid was johnny archer

we split a sack full,my sack was not as large as it might have been with fewer partners,but then again i was on the right side so in the words of the song in Evita

"when the money starts rolling in,you don't ask how, you don't ask why"

These are the kind of pool rooms that I used to enjoy

I have not done so well playing with funsey players taking a plunge

not that they win,theydon't,they whine

i remember one who lost everything he had on him,then he cashed check after check until he was out of checks

then he wanted to play one more for $20,my pal Louie Harper asked the obvious question

"How are you gonna pay,if you lose"

The mark relied"Well iI will just fight you for $20 and headed to the door"

Tony Abbott,a friend of ours was pulling his ring off he finger and preparing to oblige
the mad man,when Louie stopped the fun by once more asking the obvious question

"how are you gonna pay when you lose?""

Oh,such was the voice of reason that he began to smile and said"you got a point"

We bought another round of drinks and he began to explain the local pool scene and steered us to an even bigger pay day

But we were kids,Jackpot was in Jr high about this time or at least looked like he was

But I digress,with boring stories,was there a point to my initial harangue?
 
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