JAM's View
- Thread starter JAM
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Put That 150 w.p.m. To Use 
JAM,
I located your post from just over two years ago and you even posted a very nice picture of the tournament winners from all 3 years '75-'77.
I wonder if you'd take the time to list some/all of the player's names from those A Division tournaments if shown in the article. Not the 'lobsters', but just the players that we might have heard of. Check post #5
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=16215&highlight=Gene+Catron
thanks,
Doug
( wow, 4,000 entrants ? )
JAM,
I located your post from just over two years ago and you even posted a very nice picture of the tournament winners from all 3 years '75-'77.
I wonder if you'd take the time to list some/all of the player's names from those A Division tournaments if shown in the article. Not the 'lobsters', but just the players that we might have heard of. Check post #5
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=16215&highlight=Gene+Catron
thanks,
Doug
( wow, 4,000 entrants ? )
Smorgass Bored said:
Man, how on earth did you find that post?
It was from the February 1978 edition of The National Billiard News in an article entitled "Al Bonife Third Champ In as Many Years in New Orleans Coin-Operated Shoot-Out."The caption of the picture of the pool tables: The elegant Mardi Gras Ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott Hotel was the scene of an eight-hour shootout as 96 finalists in the Greater New Orleans Coin-Operated 8-Ball Tournament competed in the championships. The finals of the third annual event were played before several hundred spectators who watched the players perform their cue artistry on 12 tables.
On the bottom of the page, there is another picture captioned: Two physically handicapped players added emotion to the Greater New Orleans tournament.
Continuing in the article: Using the hotel's elegant Mardi Gras Ballroom as an Okay Corral, the classic eight-hour shootout involved 96 finalists whose prowess with the cue stick outdid pistol packin' antics of the legendary "Doc" Halliday and Wyatt Earp. The finalists, 32 in each Class Divisions, A, B, and C, did battle on 12 pool tables to claim a share of the $2,400 cash pot and to win trophies for the business establishments where they qualified to enter the finals.
Hosted by Bob Nims, tournament director and president of AMA Distributors, Inc., New Orleans, under whose auspices the popular event is held yearly, the playoffs were held on Sunday, November 27.
Grover Hinson, who lost one hand in a dynamite accident, finished in 5th place in Class C Division. He qualified at Buffalo Lounge in New Orleans. Dalton Bourg, paralyzed from the waist down and confined permanently to a wheel chair, played out of the Whistlestop I Lounge in Gretna, Louisiana. He was eliminated early in the matches.
In the final championship matches, which required winning three of five games each, Al Bonife set down Bill Trentecosta in four games to win the Class A Division. Bonife received a check for $500, and the location where he qualified, Southside Disco, Metairie, Lousiana, was awarded the classic winner's trophy. Trentecosta collected $250 for his first runner-up efforts, and Final Edition, New Orleans, got the second-place trophy.
Class B top honor went to Charles Blanchard who claimed the $300 first prize in this division...Blanchard's win came after he defeated in four games Frank White of Danny's Lounge. White picked up $150 for himself and a trophy for his qualifying location.
John Washington, playing out of Charlie's Corner, New Orleans, won the Class C top spot by defeating in four games Douglas [last name temporarily redacted] of Sonra Lounge, Kenner, Louisiana. Washington picked up a $200 check and a trophy for his location, while [last name temporarily redacted] went away with $100 and second-place trophy for the location where he qualified.
Over 4,000 men and women pool players competed in the qualifying rounds. The overall tourney awarded 382 cash, merchandise, and trophy prizes with a total value of over $10,000.
Douglas of Sonra Lounge, is that you, Smorgie?
I redacted the last name in the article! JAM
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Meanwhile, as I'm putting the post together, Keith happens to catch a glimpse of a picture of Cliff Thorburn, Snooker Champion. He said Cliff came to California and played in a ring game on a 5X10 snooker table at Billiards Palace in Bellflower.
Keith and Cliff matched up playing pay ball even after the ring game, and Cliff Thorburn left town with empty pockets. At that time, Cliff Thorburn was the best snooker player in the world, but Cliff just couldn't catch a gear playing the American pay ball game on a snooker table.
JAM
Keith and Cliff matched up playing pay ball even after the ring game, and Cliff Thorburn left town with empty pockets. At that time, Cliff Thorburn was the best snooker player in the world, but Cliff just couldn't catch a gear playing the American pay ball game on a snooker table.
JAM
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The caption on this picture says: "Smile. Class A Division winner for the 1977 New Orleans 8-Ball Tournament, Al Bonife (center), the third champion of that division in as many years, poses with two previous years' winners, Eugene Catron (left), the 1976 champion, and Wardell Raymond (right), 1975's top winner."
JAM
JAM
Attachments
![Cartron%2C%20Al%20Bonife%2C%20and%20Wardell%20Raymond[1].JPG](/data/attachments/33/33454-5ed8688865aa2c495be64b86baef17e7.jpg?hash=XthoiGWqLE)
Thanks JAM
LOL, yeah, dat me. I won my way into the A Division the previous year and was clearly outclassed there. The next year, I won my way into the A Division again, but chose to switch places with the C Division winner. On the day of the tournament, I climbed out of my sick bed with 104 fever and showed up to play. I came in 2nd in the C Division and won $100. It doesn't sound like much, but it paid more than half of my monthly rent of $190 on my upscale apartment (that $190 rent INCLUDED utilities and two covered parking spaces) LOL. I lived there for 10 years until I moved to Florida (one move in the past 31 years... not bad for an unemployed poolplayer/gambler)and only ONE phone number change in the same length of time. Not many scufflers can claim a record like that... imo
You can see that 1st Place in the A Division only paid $500 and that was considered 'a score' at the time, so I was pretty happy with my $100.
Doug
( thanks for looking up the article )
Btw, when I moved to Florida, I threw away all my pool trophies, but I kept THAT one and it's in our second bedroom, next to my sports card collection.
.
JAM said:Man, how on earth did you find that post?
The caption of the picture of the pool tables: The elegant Mardi Gras Ballroom of the New Orleans Marriott Hotel was the scene of an eight-hour shootout as 96 finalists in the Greater New Orleans Coin-Operated 8-Ball Tournament competed in the championships. The finals of the third annual event were played before several hundred spectators who watched the players perform their cue artistry on 12 tables.
On the bottom of the page, there is another picture captioned: Two physically handicapped players added emotion to the Greater New Orleans tournament.
Continuing in the article: Using the hotel's elegant Mardi Gras Ballroom as an Okay Corral, the classic eight-hour shootout involved 96 finalists whose prowess with the cue stick outdid pistol packin' antics of the legendary "Doc" Halliday and Wyatt Earp. The finalists, 32 in each Class Divisions, A, B, and C, did battle on 12 pool tables to claim a share of the $2,400 cash pot and to win trophies for the business establishments where they qualified to enter the finals.
Hosted by Bob Nims, tournament director and president of AMA Distributors, Inc., New Orleans, under whose auspices the popular event is held yearly, the playoffs were held on Sunday, November 27.
Grover Hinson, who lost one hand in a dynamite accident, finished in 5th place in Class C Division. He qualified at Buffalo Lounge in New Orleans. Dalton Bourg, paralyzed from the waist down and confined permanently to a wheel chair, played out of the Whistlestop I Lounge in Gretna, Louisiana. He was eliminated early in the matches.
In the final championship matches, which required winning three of five games each, Al Bonife set down Bill Trentecosta in four games to win the Class A Division. Bonife received a check for $500, and the location where he qualified, Southside Disco, Metairie, Lousiana, was awarded the classic winner's trophy. Trentecosta collected $250 for his first runner-up efforts, and Final Edition, New Orleans, got the second-place trophy.
Class B top honor went to Charles Blanchard who claimed the $300 first prize in this division...Blanchard's win came after he defeated in four games Frank White of Danny's Lounge. White picked up $150 for himself and a trophy for his qualifying location.
John Washington, playing out of Charlie's Corner, New Orleans, won the Class C top spot by defeating in four games Douglas [last name temporarily redacted] of Sonra Lounge, Kenner, Louisiana. Washington picked up a $200 check and a trophy for his location, while [last name temporarily redacted] went away with $100 and second-place trophy for the location where he qualified.
Over 4,000 men and women pool players competed in the qualifying rounds. The overall tourney awarded 382 cash, merchandise, and trophy prizes with a total value of over $10,000.
Douglas of Sonra Lounge, is that you, Smorgie?
JAM
LOL, yeah, dat me. I won my way into the A Division the previous year and was clearly outclassed there. The next year, I won my way into the A Division again, but chose to switch places with the C Division winner. On the day of the tournament, I climbed out of my sick bed with 104 fever and showed up to play. I came in 2nd in the C Division and won $100. It doesn't sound like much, but it paid more than half of my monthly rent of $190 on my upscale apartment (that $190 rent INCLUDED utilities and two covered parking spaces) LOL. I lived there for 10 years until I moved to Florida (one move in the past 31 years... not bad for an unemployed poolplayer/gambler)and only ONE phone number change in the same length of time. Not many scufflers can claim a record like that... imo
You can see that 1st Place in the A Division only paid $500 and that was considered 'a score' at the time, so I was pretty happy with my $100.
Doug
( thanks for looking up the article )
Btw, when I moved to Florida, I threw away all my pool trophies, but I kept THAT one and it's in our second bedroom, next to my sports card collection.
.
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Smorgass Bored said:LOL, yeah, dat me. I won my way into the A Division the previous year and was clearly outclassed there. The next year, I won my way into the A Division again, but chose to switch places with the C Division winner. On the day of the tournament, I climbed out of my sick bed with 104 fever and showed up to play. I came in 2nd in the C Division and won $100. It doesn't sound like much, but it paid more than half of my monthly rent of $190 on my upscale apartment (that $190 rent INCLUDED utilities and two covered parking spaces) LOL. I lived there for 10 years until I moved to Florida (one move in the past 31 years... not bad for an unemployed poolplayer/gambler)and only ONE phone number change in the same length of time. Not many scufflers can claim a record like that... imo
You can see that 1st Place in the A Division only paid $500 and that was considered 'a score' at the time, so I was pretty happy with my $100.
Doug
( thanks for looking up the article )
Btw, when I moved to Florida, I threw away all my pool trophies, but I kept THAT one and it's in our second bedroom, next to my sports card collection.
That is very, very cool, Smorgie. I enjoyed that little pool story.
Notice my court reporting background, always protecting the personal identifier information, I redacted the last name! When I saw "Doug" from New Orleans, I had a sneaky suspicion that it was you.
If I can figure out how to photocopy these large newspapers, I will send you a copy of this article, so you can set it next to all your pool trophies. I have about four National Billiard News on my To Do List to send out to a few AzBilliards friends, and I need to find a big photocopy machine.
JAM
JAM said:WOW, that's neat. Were you able to ascertain what kind of cue stick it was?
In my neighborhood in the hills of Chevy Chase, there are quite a few stately and historical mansions. From spring to autumn, there are signs everywhere in my area which advertise estate sales. Sometimes I go to them in hopes of finding some pool paraphernalia, but to date, I haven't discovered any cool finds. I keep hoping to come upon a Balabushka that may have been collecting dust in somebody's attic!
JAM
Its a collectible
But for her the value seemed to be the personal attachment - memories.
found the search feature after all this time?
Hi JAM! You're right on with the general info on the tournament but whoever wrote the article on Wade Crane's .1000 either didn't know what he was looking at or realize the magnitude of what happened. I remember it like it was yesterday...
The tournament was the biggest one of the year - the 1985 Last Call For 9 Ball. It was held at Resorts International in Atlantic City & promoted by Jack Johnston (a pretty good one pocket player who also happened to be a VP at Resorts) & Bill Staton, also known as "Weenie Beenie."
It was a single elimination tournament - race to 7, 2 out of 3 sets. All the best players of the time were there & many of the matches went down to the case game, 3rd set. As you have said, the finals came down to Buddy & Wade/Billy. Buddy won the lag by a hair, put 3 racks on Billy & then failed to make a ball on the break in game 4. Billy stood up, powdered his hands, wiped down his cue & calmly walked to the table & ran out the set - 7 & out. They lag for the break - Billy wins & continues running rack after rack. Billy breaks & for the first time in 12 racks, doesn't have a shot so he plays a great safe - 5-0. Buddy studies the shot, plays a kick-safe but the ball leaks out & Wade finishes the final two games of the set for a perfect score of .1000. Everyone in the stands was spellbound watching Billy's brand of power 9 ball. Anyone who has ever watched Billy play knows what I mean - the thunderous break followed by rifling the balls in the holes. Needless to say, when the final 9 went in the hole, the crowd went crazy!
Those were the days! Wouldn't it be great if we could do it all over again? Hugs to you & Keith!
P.S. LOVE "Jam's View!!!"
The tournament was the biggest one of the year - the 1985 Last Call For 9 Ball. It was held at Resorts International in Atlantic City & promoted by Jack Johnston (a pretty good one pocket player who also happened to be a VP at Resorts) & Bill Staton, also known as "Weenie Beenie."
It was a single elimination tournament - race to 7, 2 out of 3 sets. All the best players of the time were there & many of the matches went down to the case game, 3rd set. As you have said, the finals came down to Buddy & Wade/Billy. Buddy won the lag by a hair, put 3 racks on Billy & then failed to make a ball on the break in game 4. Billy stood up, powdered his hands, wiped down his cue & calmly walked to the table & ran out the set - 7 & out. They lag for the break - Billy wins & continues running rack after rack. Billy breaks & for the first time in 12 racks, doesn't have a shot so he plays a great safe - 5-0. Buddy studies the shot, plays a kick-safe but the ball leaks out & Wade finishes the final two games of the set for a perfect score of .1000. Everyone in the stands was spellbound watching Billy's brand of power 9 ball. Anyone who has ever watched Billy play knows what I mean - the thunderous break followed by rifling the balls in the holes. Needless to say, when the final 9 went in the hole, the crowd went crazy!
Those were the days! Wouldn't it be great if we could do it all over again? Hugs to you & Keith!
P.S. LOVE "Jam's View!!!"
I was the TD along with Pat Fleming. Billy (Wade) did play a perfect first set, won 7-0 and shot a perfect 1.000. He did not play a perfect second set, although he won easily, something like 7-2 or 7-3. Sorry to burst your bubble.
On this I agree with you. This is the type of stuff that the moderation at AZB's forums could care less about. We have lost so many good writers who either don't post anymore or post very very infrequently.
Hugs back atcha!
This is an old thread, but it sure was nice to read Smorgie again. I do miss him.
About Wade Crane, you know who probably has a lot of good data is Pat Fleming. Do you remember those Accu-Stats newsletters? I have a few that somebody gave me. They're really full of neat information and pool stats of various tournaments.
Hope life is treating you well. We're looking forward to Thanksgiving. My brother is flying in from California. I love this time of year with the leaves changing colors.
You know, you should write a book about the pool tournaments you were involved in. I mean it. The road stories are cool, but the tournament tales would be a great pool chronicles and create an archival record. There are so many things that happen behind the scenes that nobody ever knows about during these tournaments.
I am reminded of the time that Keith said he was watching Swanee on the TV table. Swanee was told by the TD that he had to wear dress pants, and he didn't have any on hand that fit him, so he had to quickly borrow a pair from somebody. There was no time to go out and buy any that fit him. The poor fellow borrowed pants that were too tight, and the first shot he had reach for at the TV table, the pants ripped right up the rear end area.
It affected his play. When a reach shot came up, he was afraid to go for it, fearing his underpants would show when he reached across the table. Keith said Swanee was sweating bullets, and his face was beet-red the entire match. :grin-square:
The pool players who knew Swanee were giggling in the audience every time one of those shots came up for him. They knew he would go out of his way not to have to bend. Those in the audience who did not know Swanee's pants were ripped were scratching their heads, wondering why he was picking wrong shots and not going for the obvious. It was all good, and Swanee always enjoyed sharing that story thereafter. He would laugh about it after the fact, but I'm sure when he was at the TV table, he wasn't liking it too much.
Picture of Swanee in the middle with King James Rempe on the right. Photo courtesy of Nightmare's Facebook Page.
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You know, you should write a book about the pool tournaments you were involved in. I mean it. The road stories are cool, but the tournament tales would be a great pool chronicles and create an archival record. There are so many things that happen behind the scenes that nobody ever knows about during these tournaments.
I am reminded of the time that Keith said he was watching Swanee on the TV table. Swanee was told by the TD that he had to wear dress pants, and he didn't have any on hand that fit him, so he had to quickly borrow a pair from somebody. There was no time to go out and buy any that fit him. The poor fellow borrowed pants that were too tight, and the first shot he had reach for at the TV table, the pants ripped right up the rear end area.
It affected his play. When a reach shot came up, he was afraid to go for it, fearing his underpants would show when he reached across the table. Keith said Swanee was sweating bullets, and his face was beet-red the entire match. :grin-square:
The pool players who knew Swanee were giggling in the audience every time one of those shots came up for him. They knew he would go out of his way not to have to bend. Those in the audience who did not know Swanee's pants were ripped were scratching their heads, wondering why he was picking wrong shots and not going for the obvious. It was all good, and Swanee always enjoyed sharing that story thereafter. He would laugh about it after the fact, but I'm sure when he was at the TV table, he wasn't liking it too much.
Picture of Swanee in the middle with King James Rempe on the right. Photo courtesy of Nightmare's Facebook Page.
This photo is from the Sands in Reno. Back then Keith and Swanee ruled Southern California and Kim ruled the North. These were three guys the hustlers did their best to avoid. We have no one who plays their speed today! Jim Rempe was a visitor in our world then. :wink:
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I think it's amazing that you can take one look at a photograph, such as that one, and ascertain what tournament it was, as well as when and where it was held. I don't see any clues in the background of that photo to tip you off! :grin-square:
The Danny D article mentioned in the first post is online:
Easy Times The Hard Way
It was posted as part of this thread:
Pool is bad for your health.
Easy Times The Hard Way
It was posted as part of this thread:
Pool is bad for your health.
Here's an interesting urban legend. I wonder if it is really true: A "fly ball" may be a routine play in baseball, but it could be fatal to a billiard player. Confused? Consider the case of Louis Fox.
He met John Deery in Washington Hall, Rochester, New York, the evening of September 7, 1865, to decide the world championship.
Fox outplayed Deery in the early stages of the game and continued to increase his lead until it seemed his victory was assured. A few more points, and it was his.
As he stepped to the table to make the few final shots, a common house fly landed, of all places, on the cue ball. Fox flicked his fingers at the creature, and it flew off. Back he went into his shooting position, but once more, the fly came to rest on the cue ball. He again waved his hand at the fly, but the beast returned.
This time, Fox lost control. He got rid of the fly, and in anticipation that it would come back again, he miscued and left Deery a "set-up." Deery soon had narrowed Fox's lead, and while Fox stood by, Deery won the match and the championship.
Fox ran to a nearby river and, without hesitation, plunged in and drowned himself.
The fly story is reported in this Sports Illustrated article from 1955:
Vest-pocket Master Of Six-pocket Billiards