Jack Cooney: Any stories?

[Matt_24]

I've always heard all of these stories that Jack Cooney was the best road player ever? That he hustled better than anyone, stayed undercover, and just rolled in the dough.

The only story I ever personally heard about Cooney was when he was playing Strawberry in Baltimore. Apparently some guys came in who didn't know who Strawberry was playing (and Strawberry was the local favorite, and is in the One Pocket hall of fame - but he couldn't beat Jack), but were local hoods/drug dealers. Jack's wife was flashing a purse full of dough at Strawberry's crew trying to jack up the bet. Two guys tried to grab the purse, she wouldnt' give it up, and they ended up shooting her (but I heard it was nothing but a flesh wound) and running. I guess the good thing is they didn't get the cash (and I heard it was just a ridiculous amount of money - perhaps worth getting shot over).

To clarify, Strawberry had nothing to do with these guys. I've heard from people who knew him that he was a stellar person to gamble with and a gentleman. Baltimore is just a place you can't flash cash like that (especially if its thousands upon thousands) unless you have an arsenal with you and are capable and willing to use it. Period.

Anyhow, I've just heard that Cooney was always undercover - and disguised his abilities better than anyone...and just made loads of cash. I have one tape of him playing Cliff Joyner, and you can see how well he knows the game of one pocket - and I'm sure he played all games great. But just HOW GREAT?

Any stories?

Jay Helfert, I know if anyone has a story it is you.
Freddy The Beard? Anything...

As you were,

 

[8ballEinstein]

Jack Cooney was probably the smartest pool player I have ever seen. He is one of the few people who could go on the road for an extended period of time and make BIG money. He had it all - an incredible 1-Pocket game, access to a ton of cash, the ability to stay under the radar and he didn't even look like a pool player. Looking at him you would've thought he was a local business executive.

I saw him in Las Vegas playing a top level 1-Pocket player getting 10-8. How he negotiated that one I'm not sure. Each set was 8-ahead for $25000, freeze up $50000. After 11 days Jack ended up with the money but to my surprise, many of the local onlookers thought Jacks game was overrated!!! How's that for a move - take the cash and have everyone convinced that you can't play!!

 

[Matt_24]

Awesome post! I agree. I've only see him in an Accu-stats video, and he looks like a working professional of some sort, versus slick pool hustler.

 

[8ballEinstein]

I hope Jay and Freddie chime in on this thread. Cooney was the most interesting player you'd ever want to see. Those that thought he couldn't play just don't know Jack!!

 

[uwate]

A local player here in South Florida, Big Randy, was talking about Cooney the other day. He described Cooney as being having supreme confidence and knowledge on the 1p table, while at the same time he said that Cooney was remarkably worse at nineball, often hesitant and unsure of his play.

 

[freddy the beard]

Couldnt play 9 ball a lick

A local player here in South Florida, Big Randy, was talking about Cooney the other day. He described Cooney as being having supreme confidence and knowledge on the 1p table, while at the same time he said that Cooney was remarkably worse at nineball, often hesitant and unsure of his play.

Randy Epperson? Cooney spent a lot of time in South Fla. in his early years. I never seen him bet big money playing 9ball. The only time I seen him play straight in was in the big pay ball game in Dayton Ohio, at Joe Burns Forest Park Billiards. Jack got jellied up (pills) and blew about 17k. (Denny Searcy won about 20k) Barbara couldnt pull him out of the game with a lasso. If you were going to play Jack, you were going to play 1pkt.

the Beard

 

[jay helfert]

Don't have time now for a long discussion, but suffice to say that "Frisco" Jack Cooney was the all time greatest pool hustler of the modern era (and maybe ever). He was making 100K scores when the other champions were trying to beat someone for one or two thousand. Or win a tournament for 5K.

Jack was so far ahead of the curve, that the others were not on the same lap. He was a real dyed-in-the-wool pool hustler. Sneak into town, stay undercover, hang around and make a spread, and take off the mark for a huge number and then disappear like the Lone Ranger.

For years, most pool players did not know what Jack looked like, he was that good. He didn't show his face at a pool tournament for over 20 years. ONE SMART DUDE is all I have to say.

 

[jay helfert]

Randy Epperson? Cooney spent a lot of time in South Fla. in his early years. I never seen him bet big money playing 9ball. The only time I seen him play straight in was in the big pay ball game in Dayton Ohio, at Joe Burns Forest Park Billiards. Jack got jellied up (pills) and blew about 17k. (Denny Searcy won about 20k) Barbara couldnt pull him out of the game with a lasso. If you were going to play Jack, you were going to play 1pkt.

the Beard

He did beat a well known local player (nickname "son of a gun") for 10K playing ten ahead 9-Ball about ten years ago. The local player knew Jack but just figured he could beat him at 9-Ball. I know because I was in for one Gee whiz.

That's how good Jack layed it down. Trust me when I tell you he could play all games, but he preferred One Pocket because he could hide his speed.

 

[Southpaw]

I have always heard how Cooney would go to a town and not hit a ball for a couple of weeks and just sit at the bar and watch everyone. Before long, he knew who the regulars were and their speed of play. Then it was just a matter of time starting with the weakest and working his way up to the house pro....taking them all off. I have also heard he hustled just as well on the golf course too.

Southpaw

 

[Matt_24]

Bump....this is good reading!

 

[huckster]

Whoever thinks that Jack can't play 9ball is a little mistaken also. He tried to trap Jack Hynes into playing onepocket, but Jack Hynes plays onepocket horrible. Jack Cooney negioted the seven ball out of us 8 ahead for 8k. This was right after Jack Hynes gave Charlie Brinson the 7ball. We did not like giving Mr. Cooney the 7ball at all 1 set 8k lighter in 45 min. We wanted no more. Jack Cooney put a five down after Jack scrathed then froze Hynes to a ball and ran three more. Not too shabby. His onepocket game is unreal though

 

[watchez]

Jack spent much time here, in St Louis, in the mid 90's. He was always the perfect gentleman when gambling. A quiet demeanor & respectful of his opponent and game of pool. His wife Barbara always by his side, with that big purse assumed to be filled with cash & protection (in reference to the previous poster relaying that she was once shot.).

Being a railbird, I spent time talking to Jack. He told me he once joined a golf country club because he knew of a big whale that was a member that also liked to gamble at pool. Jack played golf with him regularly for over 4 months, waiting patiently until the fish brought up the idea of gambling at pool. Obviously, he knew nothing of Jack's pool prowess & got tortured. I don't feel comfortable posting dollar amounts, but you can understand it was worth the wait.

Jack is one of the few hustlers that understood the 'investment' of say losing $15k to get a return of 5-10 times that amount. Most pool players don't have the bank roll, patience, smarts, heart, and experience to do so.

Jack told me that in hustling the best way to hustle is not to play like a C player one hour and a pro the next. He told me that playing for a long period of time against an opponent will make the hustle seem more unbelievable to your opponent and make them come back for more. The previous post about him playing for 10 days in Vegas a few years back is a prime example.

Jack was a great one pocket player, IMO. 9 ball I would say he had a high playing caliber, but not one of a true 9 ball player. If memory serves me correct.... I saw him play Whitey Walker 9 ball. They played even. Jack had to make the 9 ball in the lower two pockets on the table. Whitey got the rest of the pockets. The notion was that on a normal 9 ball break, the 9 ball usually winds up somewhere below the spot on the table. This would make it easier for Jack to make the 9 when running out, and harder for Whitey to play shape. Whitey beat him pretty good at this.

Jimmy Wetch was a 'hustling protege' of Jack. Too bad he doesnt post here. I am sure he would have better stories. I know Jack/Barbara were upset when they heard of the incident of Jimmy getting robbed in his hotel. Barbara told me that she always made sure no one knew where they were staying and Jimmy was also taught this. This is a good of a tip as any to all pool players when out on the road.

Last time I saw Jack was two years ago in Vegas during the BCA tournament. He was at the Stardust playing $3-$6 limit hold em. He was simply enjoying himself playing a low limit game. It wasnt that he couldnt afford to play higher, he was just wanting some entertainment. Believe me, JAck is very comfortable. He asked me what was going on in the pool world and action in St Louis, etc. He told me that he didn't even know that there was a pool tournament going on across the street at the Riviera. I don't know if I believed that as you never know when Jack was working an angle.

 

[uwate]

Yes Beard it is Randy Epperson.

I think I need to clarify because Big Randy wasn't saying that Jack couldn't play 9ball great, he was describing how there was a big contrast at how Jack played nineball versus one-pocket. Randy was basically calling Jack a one pocket genius who looked very different at the table playing nineball. There was also a discussion at that time about how Jack had beaten just about everyone getting 10-8 or 9-7. Cliff's name came up in the "got beat by Cooney 10-8" discussion.

 

[Hidy Ho]

Nice thread and timing.

I was talking with Poker Paul (old timer with great stories of the past) and a local shortstop named Ian Castiloo Wednesday night and Mr. Cooney's name came up. They also thought Mr. Cooney was the best huster they've seen and told similar stories about him staying below the radar, patiently waiting for the big score and such.

 

[freddy the beard]

Never a different game

Jack and Barbara lived with me and my wife and kids for about 3 months. We hustled together every day and made plenty cash. He never played any other game the whole time other than 1pkt.

the Beard

 

[Black-Balled]

FTR: The referenced shooting was not in Baltimore, it was in Bladensburg, MD.

 

[BackPocket9Ball]

It may be that no one knows about the greatest scores that Jack Cooney ever made because perhaps he didn't tell anyone about them and the opponent/backers getting beat never found out it was Jack Cooney they were beaten by.

 

[jay helfert]

It may be that no one knows about the greatest scores that Jack Cooney ever made because perhaps he didn't tell anyone about them and the opponent/backers getting beat never found out it was Jack Cooney they were beaten by.

Back in the 70's and 80's about once or twice a year the word would go round about another huge Jack Cooney score. The pool grapevine was pretty strong. All the champion players would be a little sick when they heard how Jack just beat some well known, high rolling bookie out of 80K. The same guy that pulled up on them after losing a thousand or two.

The last big scores I remember Jack making were over Toby in Vegas and James Walden at Derby City. Let's just say the total was in the neighborhood of six figures each time. I see Jack and Barbara once in a while and he claims to be retired. All I know is if he comes out of retirement, I'm betting on him.

 

[charlieb]

Jay. I think that you could add list Clliff Joyner's name to that list. Jack was spending a lot of time at Hard Times just prior to his last road trip. About a year beefore he hit the road for what I understnad was his last trip he played Toby 8 ahead for a rumored 45. The 1st night he is down 6 games and I had to leave. I talked to "little" Al Romero on my way out and Al said that Jack would come back because he was a War Horse! 3 days later Jack had the cash. He hung around a while actually quite a while having problems with his back. Finally he hit the road and the word that came back was that Toby got some of his $ back and the backers of James Walden and Cliff Joyner were so unimpressed that they gave him separate match ups giving Jack 10/8! 1st Jack went to Oklahoma City and took the $ from Walden from there he went to Louisville and got his 10/8 and the $ from Cliff--big score. This last part I'm not 100% sure but I was told that he went back to Vegas and opened Toby's nose again. Last trip and he gets 10/8--what the hell is that all about. How do you sell a story to get that. Back at Hard Times he practices, plays some 9 ball tournaments and when his back is OK goes out to play golf.
Every now and then he would show us bleacherites some ridiculous 1 pkt shots or a betting shot like having 8 ball next to a side pocket and betting that he could not only make the OB in the far corner pocket but that the cue ball would beat the 8 ball to the pocket. Which it did! He and Mark Betore hooked up and we stopped seeing him but I'm sure that some golfers at local Country Clubs can remember him. Man was casual, innocous and everyone who couldn't beat him gave him weight. How cool is that?

 

[stick8]

jack cooney

Hello fellow bangers, and ytou to southpaw!!! Dont know if the story is true or not , but the one i heared is jack bought a house in new oreans to fish out this room that a very wealthey guy played, hung around and worked his way into his pocket for 50,000, sold house and left, as i said dont know. STICK