James Walden?

[Papa Red]

Funny Story

My son and I went to the Shooter's tournament in Olathea, KS. about 2000. My son had just put David Matlock in the loser's bracket and was playing James to go to the hot seat match. The score was 4-2 my son when the police came in and arrested James for a parking from the past year. Evelyn and Danny tried to get them to wait till after the tournament, but you know they would not have that. They took James off and my son agreed to wait till someone went and paid the fines. Two or three hours later he returned. I told my son that he was making a mistake agreeing to wait, but he justed wanted to play. Well 4-2 my son when he left and he came in pissed and the final was 9-6 James. James went on to win the tournament with nobody winning more than 2 games against him.

 

[JasonCrugar]

My son and I went to the Shooter's tournament in Olathea, KS. about 2000. My son had just put David Matlock in the loser's bracket and was playing James to go to the hot seat match. The score was 4-2 my son when the police came in and arrested James for a parking from the past year. Evelyn and Danny tried to get them to wait till after the tournament, but you know they would not have that. They took James off and my son agreed to wait till someone went and paid the fines. Two or three hours later he returned. I told my son that he was making a mistake agreeing to wait, but he justed wanted to play. Well 4-2 my son when he left and he came in pissed and the final was 9-6 James. James went on to win the tournament with nobody winning more than 2 games against him.

how strong is that. get arrested, come back and shoot the house's nutz in.

 

[Tommy-D]

> James was in Memphis one year and was looking for action,as usual. Word floated around that he was going to give Bobby Pickle the 7-8 WILD playing 9-ball,but he had to bet at least 10k. The match never happened,but I asked James about the probability of getting away with a spot like that,when everyone knows Bobby is capable of beating anyone. He said that with everything else being typical,that depending on the size of the bet,in this case if they had bet 20k or more,that he felt like he had maybe 70-30 the best of it. My head hurt after hearing that.

I witnessed another game James tried to make,with Efren of all people. James talked to one of Efren's many partners,rather than directly to Efren,but he was standing right there. He said he'd play Efren for 5-10k EVEN,in Tulsa or right then,his choice,100k and up with the 8,OR for,as James put it,"2 commas" with the 7,all playing 9-ball at the original Q-Masters.

Efren DID NOT PLAY. I'm NOT saying Efren ran scared,but more like knew that was a war he'd be wise not to start. Tommy D.

 

[Thecoats]

The only match I am aware of between James and David Matlock was around 1998. David and Bill Duggan came to The Pool Room (50th & May) and David gave James 10-8 race to five for 1000 and James won 5-2. As I recall both games David won he ran 10 and out from no where. James kept him fairly locked down for most of the match.

 

[Thecoats]

My favorite James Walden story happened at one of the Camel Pro Tour events that Jim McDermott hosted at Magoo's in the late 1990's. They had a snooker table that all the top pros were playing 6-ball pay ball for 50 and 100 a game on during the event. They were using regular pool balls. James managed to dominate the game for about 20 hours that weekend and won between 5,000 and 10,000 just murdering guys like, Johnny Archer, Tony Ellin, Rodney Morris, Earl Strickland and several, several others during the weekend.

We had lunch with Johnny and James was still playing on the payball table and Johnny said that James was the straightest shooter he had ever seen.

-don

 

[ftgokie]

My favorite James Walden story was when I gave him the wild 8 and the break and I took him for 5k



Then I woke up

 

[Thecoats]

One of the best matches I ever witnessed was when James played Jimmy Wetch a 15 ahead for 10k set on a shimmed up gold crown that took about three days for Jimmy to win. They both came back from the hill a few times over the three days they played, the played something like 16 hours the first two days and Jimmy snapped it off in about 10 days the third day.

The best part of the story was after the 9-ball match Jimmy tried to give James stake horse David Genteel a big one pocket spot with David playing one handed for 3k a game. David won three games in about two hours and won almost all of the 10 back, Jimmy just laughed and said "how smart am I, blowing 90% of the money it took three days to win in two hours"

-don

 

[jay helfert]

to hear about when Walden beat Donny Mills (seeing how all you guys want to bet on Donny against the Rocket).

Too bad that's not the way it came out.

 

[Thecoats]

Another good one was when a local pharmacuetical salesman who liked to play 10 and 20 dollar 9-ball for hours and hours just to play was literally stuck something like 600 games to James over a three day period. Whey they finally quit the salesman made a phone call and two of his employees came over to the pool room with a Army issue duffle bag full of money to pay off for the match.

 

[Thecoats]

Too bad that's not the way it came out.

I am with you Jay, I thought Donny beat James rather handily at Q-Masters in 2007.

-don

 

[the420trooper]

The only match I am aware of between James and David Matlock was around 1998. David and Bill Duggan came to The Pool Room (50th & May) and David gave James 10-8 race to five for 1000 and James won 5-2. As I recall both games David won he ran 10 and out from no where. James kept him fairly locked down for most of the match.

I think you mean 44th and May....Truelove's. (Now known as Lucky's, but everyone still calls it Truelove's)

 

[Thecoats]

I think you mean 44th and May....Truelove's. (Now known as Lucky's, but everyone still calls it Truelove's)

I think I meant NW50th and May, called the Pool Room for many years owned by Rod. Purchased in 1999 by Chester Truelove and Mike Gill and renamed Chester's. SW44th and May is the original Truelove's and you are right it is called Lucky's, I had it confused with Mikey's. There were also four other pool rooms/bars with Trueloves in the name in the 80's and 90's. One on SW36th and Robinson called Trueloves Bar and Grill owned by Mike Gill, another Called 10th street on NW10th and Tulsa ave called Truelove's Place, another on Airline Drive called Trueloves something else that Chester's brother Otis Truelove owned and the final one in Midwest City on 29th street by the Dodge dealership named Trueloves Midwest City or something like that.

We affectionately called the pool rooms by these names in the 1980/1990s.

10th street
44th street
29th street
50th & May
Trueloves on Airline
and finally 36th street

Mikey's did not open until around 1998 there was another pool room there in the same shopping center in the 1980/90's called Art's because the guy that owned the place was named Art.

There is the pool room history not including Starbucks, Jamacia Joe's and Gators plus a few others that came and left over the years. Trust me on all this, I knew the pool landscape in OKC from 1985 until I moved to KC in May of 2000.

-don

 

[donny mills]

to hear about when Walden beat Donny Mills (seeing how all you guys want to bet on Donny against the Rocket).

Actually walden and I played in 2007 and I did not lose.

However, back in 2001 guys at the poolroom called me up and said "donny come down here were gonna back you against some road player" I said okay. I get there and nobody knows that it is james walden that they are gonna back me against (I didn't know either) They back me and a few people on the rail bet on me, and I some how won. lol!

Next day they backed me again and I lost. My backers quit after that, but they were up because the day before was for more. I didn't lose a dime... I won a little. lol.

 

[the420trooper]

I think I meant NW50th and May, called the Pool Room for many years owned by Rod. Purchased in 1999 by Chester Truelove and Mike Gill and renamed Chester's. SW44th and May is the original Truelove's and you are right it is called Lucky's, I had it confused with Mikey's. There were also four other pool rooms/bars with Trueloves in the name in the 80's and 90's. One on SW36th and Robinson called Trueloves Bar and Grill owned by Mike Gill, another Called 10th street on NW10th and Tulsa ave called Truelove's Place, another on Airline Drive called Trueloves something else that Chester's brother Otis Truelove owned and the final one in Midwest City on 29th street by the Dodge dealership named Trueloves Midwest City or something like that.

We affectionately called the pool rooms by these names in the 1980/1990s.

10th street
44th street
29th street
50th & May
Trueloves on Airline
and finally 36th street

Mikey's did not open until around 1998 there was another pool room there in the same shopping center in the 1980/90's called Art's because the guy that owned the place was named Art.

There is the pool room history not including Starbucks, Jamacia Joe's and Gators plus a few others that came and left over the years. Trust me on all this, I knew the pool landscape in OKC from 1985 until I moved to KC in May of 2000.

-don

I think you're right...apparently you know more about the OK pool scene than I do...:embarrassed2:

I've played at Chester's a hundred times, but it has been in the last couple years. You forgot to add the NW or SW, and that confused me...

BTW, the Okies call the place in Midwest city TP's. (Truelove's place?)

Michael

 

[5ballcharlie]

> James was in Memphis one year and was looking for action,as usual. Word floated around that he was going to give Bobby Pickle the 7-8 WILD playing 9-ball,but he had to bet at least 10k. The match never happened,but I asked James about the probability of getting away with a spot like that,when everyone knows Bobby is capable of beating anyone. He said that with everything else being typical,that depending on the size of the bet,in this case if they had bet 20k or more,that he felt like he had maybe 70-30 the best of it. My head hurt after hearing that.

Yep thats pretty strong

 

[jay helfert]

I think you're right...apparently you know more about the OK pool scene than I do...:embarrassed2:

I've played at Chester's a hundred times, but it has been in the last couple years. You forgot to add the NW or SW, and that confused me...

BTW, the Okies call the place in Midwest city TP's. (Truelove's place?)

Michael

Michael, I wonder if anyone in OKC remembers The Central Club that was downtown. It closed in the late 70's or early 80's. The Central Club was an institution in OKC, having been around over 75 years (maybe over 100). I played in there many times in the early to mid 60's. Yes, I'm that old.

All the great players from Oklahoma played in that room; Hitchkock, Eufala, Little Hand, Little Bear, Herman The German (still alive too), and of course Ronnie Allen. Some guy named Hubert used to beat Ronnie (and everyone else) playing Golf on the 6x12 in there. I watched him do it.

 

[clint3612]

I remember he and Danny Harriman fighting it out several times for the cash. One of the cooler stories is when he gave Michael Coltrain the 8 for 20,000 and beat him pretty easy. I remember Tony Watson wanting the same game but it never happened. I've never heard of he and David M. playing for big big cash. In their respective primes, I would have to bet the house on David. Just a overall classier player. Better stroke, talent, and understanding of the game. However, I would say James has one of the biggest hearts in pool and he was the quntensitial modern road player if ever was one.

 

[the420trooper]

Michael, I wonder if anyone in OKC remembers The Central Club that was downtown. It closed in the late 70's or early 80's. The Central Club was an institution in OKC, having been around over 75 years (maybe over 100). I played in there many times in the early to mid 60's. Yes, I'm that old.

All the great players from Oklahoma played in that room; Hitchkock, Eufala, Little Hand, Little Bear, Herman The German (still alive too), and of course Ronnie Allen. Some guy named Hubert used to beat Ronnie (and everyone else) playing Golf on the 6x12 in there. I watched him do it.

Just so you know, Jay, my parents were born in the early 60's. (60 and 64, dad and mom, respectively.) Anything that happened in the early 80's, I was still fouling my diapers... (Damn, you ARE old)

That said, I spoke with Norman Hitchcock a few days before he died, (and many times before), he was a great man, and a hell of a one pocket player...

I still know Herman the German....he hangs out at Jamaica Joe's, and sweats the action happening there...He has an amazing amount of knowledge, and still beats up on the occasional young gun...(me, among many others)

 

[jay helfert]

Just so you know, Jay, my parents were born in the early 60's. (60 and 64, dad and mom, respectively.) Anything that happened in the early 80's, I was still fouling my diapers... (Damn, you ARE old)

That said, I spoke with Norman Hitchcock a few days before he died, (and many times before), he was a great man, and a hell of a one pocket player...

I still know Herman the German....he hangs out at Jamaica Joe's, and sweats the action happening there...He has an amazing amount of knowledge, and still beats up on the occasional young gun...(me, among many others)

Ask him about The Central Club. It was a throwback to another era, when the poolroom was where all the men congregated to hang out and socialize....and gamble! In his day, Hitchkock was one of the very best 9-Ball players alive. In the top five for sure.

 

[JAM]

Wow, some great pool tales. I love it!

Dee Adkins, Dave Matlock, James Walden are three players who came out of the woodwork and excelled in -- Dare I say it? -- the IPT.

Now that the IPT has gone, they, like many others, may have thrown in the towel on American pool for the most part, at least competing on a professional level. What a shame that is when these three players in particular are strong enough to compete today in high-profile events. Dee Adkins is one of Ohio's best-kept secrets!

I got a taste of James Walden a couple years ago in Louisville. It was late at night and the TV table was empty in the tournament room at the Executive West Hotel. Keith and Harry Platis, a lawyer from Seattle who enjoys games of high stakes, were chumming around, having not seen each other in quite some time.

Keith and Harry both had the flu real bad this week, thanks to me, but didn't want it to ruin their Derby City Classic experience. :sorry:

James had a friend with him, who was rumored to be his stakehorse, but he also "played a little bit" they said. After a mini barkfest, the four of them went into a partners match of one-pocket.

The TV table was wired into all the hotel rooms for the guests, and soon the bleacher seats began to fill with insomniacs who were seeing this match unfold on their room TVs. They all came downstairs, wanting to catch a little late night action. :grin-square:

I was sitting on the rail sweating it as usual, and up walks Jose Parica. He sits down next to me, very quietly, and says, "Jennie, I hate to tell you this, but you better tell Keith that he can't win at this game. Him and Harry got no shot against those two guys." :shocked2:

I'm thinking, gee, ain't this nice! :help:

As the games transpired, several more of Keith's friends quietly approached me, whispering in my ear, "Keith better pull up." :speechless:

After a couple sets, it was all over, with Walden, et al. stuffing their pockets. Harry Platis actually impressed me that match, though, with his banking capabilities. He was executing some great long-rail banks.

Both of them had the flu, but Harry played great and was actually keeping his team alive on many shots. I never did find out who the other fellow was, looked very much like James, except blond hair and a beard.

Funny thing about pool. One day, two players will be battling it out on a field of green like arch enemies, and the next day, they're the best of friends. Keith and James are very good friends today!