Jersey Red and the gang.

S

Side Pocket Kid

Poolhall Junkie
Silver Member
Jersey Red has to be one of my favorite hustlers, the thing is I cant find any stories or info on him anymore!
Does anyone out there have any sources or stories you would like to share. Anyone can happily post any story of any great hustler. If you have any personal memories with them, that would be amazing if you could share!

I've never got the chance to see any great hustler in action, and im afraid i'll never get to meet one since the billiard boom and depression was quite a while back.
 
Some great short stories...

Side Pocket Kid said:
Does anyone out there have any sources or stories you would like to share.
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If you enjoy stories about some of the greats of the past, then click on Jimmy Reid's http://www.freepoollessons.com/stories/stories.shtml for shorts about Minnesota Fats, Danny Jones, Luther Lassiter, Billy Burge, Ronnie Allen, Peter Rabbit, Willie Mosconi and Jimmy Reid himself.., I've said it before and I'll say it again, Jimmy Reid tells a great story!
 
One of Jersey Red's road partners and closest friends was recently deceased John Ervolino. I have seen Jersey Red play, but never in big action.

On this forum, you'll find a lot of Buddy Hall stories, many of them contributed by Oldhasbeen and Hemicudas, and most of them about the late seventies and early eighties. Particularly amazing among these stories is the session in which Sigel (who travelled the road with outstanding partner Larry Hubbart) played Buddy nine ball on the barbox, didn't miss a ball in a very long saession, yet still lost money!

Irving Crane, for reasons unknown, liked to talk about his fairly well-known nine ball match against Johnny Irish, which surely took place in the 1950's. Race to 6 for 1,000. Irish wins the toss, and breaks and runs six. Irish wins another coin toss, and runs six and out again. Crane, without having played a single shot, unscrewed, paid 2,000, and left, a victim of a 12-pack.

Road legend Keith MacReady has related many of his stories on his ask the pros forum, and in an entertaining way.

One of my favorite stories is of Cisero Murphy, who, after watching a fellow run 89 and out on Dalls West in a straight pool tourney in the late 1960's. aksed the guy to gamble. The fellow said "didn't you see that I just ran 89 and out on West." Cisero's legendary reply was "yeah, but you ran them wrong." Murphy, of course, got the cash on that famous occasion.
 
Hustler Days is about Jersey Red, Minnesota Fats, and Wimpy Lassiter. If you like Jersey Red then it would be a good book to pick up.
 
From my memories of Red............

I wouldn't have called Red - A Hustler. I really liked Red and had many a great time in his company. His lovely wife (Dotty) did most of the matching up for Red when it came to gambling. She was actually better at matching up a close game. Of course these times I mention were after the Johnston City days and Red was pretty famous (and for good reason).
I remember Red telling me a lot of great hustler stories but they were pre- Johnston City days so that was before my time.
While having lunch with Red and Eddie Taylor (in Shreveport) they were both telling great stories of matches that took place in the 40's & 50's.
I LOVED IT!

TY & GL
 
DeadPoked said:
Hustler Days is about Jersey Red, Minnesota Fats, and Wimpy Lassiter. If you like Jersey Red then it would be a good book to pick up.
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I already picked it up :) a little bit ago
 
sjm said:
One of my favorite stories is of Cisero Murphy, who, after watching a fellow run 89 and out on Dalls West in a straight pool tourney in the late 1960's. aksed the guy to gamble. The fellow said "didn't you see that I just ran 89 and out on West." Cisero's legendary reply was "yeah, but you ran them wrong." Murphy, of course, got the cash on that famous occasion.
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Hahaha. I almost had to send the laptop back for service again in as it nearly got a dt. mt. dew shower. Thank you.
 
Jersey Red Story

I moved to Baton Rouge to go to LSU in 1971 and stayed after I graduated until 1987. I discovered Greenway Billiards in about 1973. Greenway was well known at the time for good action and stayed open 24/7/365. Lambert Louviere (sp?) was owner and part owner there for many years and Lambert (being some 20 years older than me) had lots of friends in the pool "life". Lambert was a kind soul and a guy could always count on Lambert for a job at the pool room or a meal/coffee if he got broke. I'm not referring to Red here though, Red was a proud man, honest, fun loving and a fierce competitor...speciality, one pocket. He came to Baton Rouge sometime in the mid to late 70's with his sweet wife Dottie. We called him Jack (cause that's what lambert called him) until we figured out who he was...it was "Red" from then on (when there wasn't a possible score around). Red worked the night shift at the poolhall for several weeks and that's when I got to know him. I knew him to be HONEST by reputation, proud by demeanor, and kind to me, an adoring kid of about 23. He told me stories of better days because he knew I was interested. He got me started on one pocket by beating an unknown hustler unmercifully with such ease and good humor that the guy came back for more the next night (not realizing who he had matched up with). "I love this game cause you can beat a guy and he'll never know how good you play, unless you show him. Get good at it while you're young, the old guys have money to play." was his advice to me.
My favorite story he passed on went like this:
He was playing Boston Shorty (as I recall) pretty high...he leaned over the rack to make a shot and bumped a ball with his finger...Shorty called foul. this pissed Red off and they argued but he finally relented and bided his time. His next shot he reached across the table with both arms and literally pulled the entire rack up tight next to his pocket and told Shorty, "your shot". Red said, "Shorty gave up and we played like gentlemen for the rest of the match, I tortured him".
To Red, this was hilarious...he didn't care about the money, he cared about the game, the honor, the glory of winning. I probably saw him tell this story a dozen times later...he was crusading, with his humor, to play fair and let the chips fall where they may, according to the player's abilities...above all respect yourself and the game, don't be chickenshit or whine.
I hated it when Dottie and Red moved to Houston, but I understood that he needed to be in a bigger place with more potential customers.
The guy who took his place on the night shift was Don Watson.
Hope this is what you were looking for...I got lots more of these...Red was my hero and for the few months he and Dottie were in town, I did my best to learn all I could from this bigger than life, living legend...try a PM.
Andy
 
HittMan said:
He was playing Boston Shorty (as I recall) pretty high...he leaned over the rack to make a shot and bumped a ball with his finger...Shorty called foul. this pissed Red off and they argued but he finally relented and bided his time. His next shot he reached across the table with both arms and literally pulled the entire rack up tight next to his pocket and told Shorty, "your shot". Red said, "Shorty gave up and we played like gentlemen for the rest of the match, I tortured him".
Andy
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That is hilarious. Thanks for sharing..
I've actually did the same thing once but.....
 
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