Jimmy "Flyboy" Spears

Cannonball55

Cannonball55

This is cool
Silver Member
Hi,


Forgive me for starting this thread off on the tail end of the afore thread on the great Jack Cooney; seeing that Cooney thread brings to mind flyboy, because it was in his place ( actually the late lambert owned it but fly was his house man ) where i first met Cooney, and to tell you a brief story ( once again, sorry this is not on Jack's thread ) Now, we're talking '97 or '98, I recall he had his own set of pool balls with him. It stuck with me because i was sitting at the bar when he walked in ( without Barb ) and asked for a table, and when the very hot bar girl noticed that box of pool balls by his side, she said flirtatiously "nothing like a man that brings his own balls" i looked at jack and i expected his face to turn red and blush, but instead he looked her straight in her eyes and said with a devilish grin (i'm paraphrasing) "that's right sweetie, i carry my own balls around wherever i go, it's a job because they're rather heavy and require frequent polishing, if you'd care to assist me you are more than welcome" much to her dismay, she turned beet red with blush! I laughed so hard i had to excuse myself .....

But back to the subject of this thread, flyboy. He is another guy that flew under the radar for several years and won a ton of cash along the way. I had the opportunity to know him over the years and he has always impressed me to be a very shrewd gambler and a very colorful personality....

Here's my question for AZ. I've heard conflicting stories on how flyboy played ( in his prime ) what i want to know is if the legend was true and if anyone can share a few stories about fly it would be much appreciated.:p
 
What I remember most about Flyboy in his prime was even if he didn't have the best of it, one thing was guaranteed, it was going to be a marathon.

The Flyboy has a huge heart and he would make you work for it!

Stones
 
I'm not going to get into it now, but suffice to say that Flyboy was a "player" and not a scuffler. At worst he was a high level shortstop. But his ability to play good for the cash made him dangerous to all his opponents.
 
Yo Jimmy, congrat's on your deserving "Action Award"

Flyboy and I tangled a few times. As Jay said, if you wanted to beat Mr. Spears, you'd better bring your lunch. Whatever you want to call his speed, he was a tough man to beat.
Fortunately, (for me) I was in with him way more than I was against him.
He is a stand up guy, and one of the greatest people you will ever meet in this business.
Dick
 
Last edited:
Cannonball55 said:
Hi,


Forgive me for starting this thread off on the tail end of the afore thread on the great Jack Cooney; seeing that Cooney thread brings to mind flyboy, because it was in his place ( actually the late lambert owned it but fly was his house man ) where i first met Cooney, and to tell you a brief story ( once again, sorry this is not on Jack's thread ) Now, we're talking '97 or '98, I recall he had his own set of pool balls with him. It stuck with me because i was sitting at the bar when he walked in ( without Barb ) and asked for a table, and when the very hot bar girl noticed that box of pool balls by his side, she said flirtatiously "nothing like a man that brings his own balls" i looked at jack and i expected his face to turn red and blush, but instead he looked her straight in her eyes and said with a devilish grin (i'm paraphrasing) "that's right sweetie, i carry my own balls around wherever i go, it's a job because they're rather heavy and require frequent polishing, if you'd care to assist me you are more than welcome" much to her dismay, she turned beet red with blush! I laughed so hard i had to excuse myself .....

But back to the subject of this thread, flyboy. He is another guy that flew under the radar for several years and won a ton of cash along the way. I had the opportunity to know him over the years and he has always impressed me to be a very shrewd gambler and a very colorful personality....

Here's my question for AZ. I've heard conflicting stories on how flyboy played ( in his prime ) what i want to know is if the legend was true and if anyone can share a few stories about fly it would be much appreciated.:p
Click to expand...


He played some around here in the mid 70's. i thought that if he got the 8 from the champions (buddy, louie, keith) he'd come up a teench short. He'd like it by a smidge with the 7. (IMO)
 
Here's my story about my game with Flyboy. The game was $100 nine ball on the barbox in an after hour dive called the Loves Nest. He was being staked by a mean hombre called Charlie The Ape. I was up a number of games with Charlie playing on a table next to us. Charlie was just going through the motions in his game that was for $5. He was mostly intent in watching his money play on our table.

The kid that Charlie was playing, after making a shot said "I'm going to bust this guy". Charlie the Ape looked at him and pulled out a wad of 100 dollar bills that bounced about a foot off the table and said to the kid "you're going to bust me at $5 a game? At that point Charlie slapped the kid so hard the kid was knocked against the jukebox. His face was filled with tears when Charlie picked him up with one hand and threw him on the table and said "now shoot, it's your shot". Needless to say the kid never made another ball.

Back to my game with Flyboy. I made a shot that people later billed the Godzilla shot. We were playing with the big ball. After that shot he pulled out. Maybe I had the best of that match that day because I was a bit more familiar with that equipment. This was back in the early 70's.
 
dabarbr said:
Here's my story about my game with Flyboy. The game was $100 nine ball on the barbox in an after hour dive called the Loves Nest. He was being staked by a mean hombre called Charlie The Ape. I was up a number of games with Charlie playing on a table next to us. Charlie was just going through the motions in his game that was for $5. He was mostly intent in watching his money play on our table.

The kid that Charlie was playing, after making a shot said "I'm going to bust this guy". Charlie the Ape looked at him and pulled out a wad of 100 dollar bills that bounced about a foot off the table and said to the kid "you're going to bust me at $5 a game? At that point Charlie slapped the kid so hard the kid was knocked against the jukebox. His face was filled with tears when Charlie picked him up with one hand and threw him on the table and said "now shoot, it's your shot". Needless to say the kid never made another ball.

Back to my game with Flyboy. I made a shot that people later billed the Godzilla shot. We were playing with the big ball. After that shot he pulled out. Maybe I had the best of that match that day because I was a bit more familiar with that equipment. This was back in the early 70's.
Click to expand...

Frank, now that I know who you are, I am sure you had the best of it playing Flyboy.
But with the Ape backing him, just be glad you weren't the one who got bounced off the juke box. :eek:

Dick
 
Flyboy is my idol

:grin-square: I've been a friend an admirer of Jimmy for many years and I can honestly say I've never met a better guy except maybe his late best friend Lambert. Both are standup guys who helped so many pool players there has to be a place in Heaven for them both. When I first met Flyboy he was in fact a great bar table player who eventually played very good one pocket on the big track. The absolute best guy in America to make a game with, but even though he's over 65 and 300 pounds he can still play a good speed for more than 24 hours.
 
I have a few "flyboy" stories as I live in Houston and he was around here quite a bit in last ten or fifteen years. The most recent story involved he and Corey Deuel. CD and I were in the Cue and Cushion and in walks Fly. He woofs at CD a little to play one hole on this triple tight gold crown. CD stalls a little. Fly woofs some more, CD stalls a little more. Finally, they get down. Race to 3 for a dime...with Fly getting 12-5!!!

CD comes over and asks if I want in. I respond quickly, NO WAY! I explain to Corey that I think the table is too tough for that spot and that Fly is no slouch. He looks me off and racks the balls.

In the end, it was a blood bath. It seems Fly was recovering from a foot injury and really couldn't stand up very well. In fact, he hobbled around the table at best. Conversely, CD ran 12 and out three games in a row to win 3-0 in about 15 minutes. It was pretty sick. CD needled me for a week after that for being too nitty to take a piece of his action. I'm still sick!
 
From the news ticker here on AZBilliards:

"The Lifetime Pool in Action honor this year goes to action legend, Jimmy Flyboy Spears. Over his long career as player, Flyboy has been known as a determined competitor with a reputation for skills, stamina and an eagerness to gamble, making him one of the best high stakes players of his era. The annual Pool in Action award, which is not limited to One Pocket and Bank Pool, gives fans an opportunity to reach out to some of the uniquely talented and entertaining characters that have made pocket billiards where the action is over the years. Flyboy embodies that spirit."

Congratulations, 'Flyboy'!

With Flyboy, Jack Cooney (One Pocket) & Tony Fargo (Banks) all being honored at this coming One Pocket Hall of Fame dinner at Derby City, you know it is going to be a hell of a good time. You can make your reservations online here:

 
J. Learned Hand said:
I have a few "flyboy" stories ...most recent story involved he and Corey Deuel. ...CD ran 12 and out three games in a row to win 3-0 in about 15 minutes. It was pretty sick. CD needled me for a week after that for being too nitty to take a piece of his action. I'm still sick!
Click to expand...
People tend to forget how strong bleach is...till it burns 'em!
 
Come to the HOF dinner

I'm obligated to save my best Flyboy stories for his HOF dinner induction. If you want to hear how he won the toughest all-around tourn. ever, in Iowa, come to the dinner. Every human that could draw his ball was in that tourn. including all the East Coast straight-rockers.

the Beard

How much he won for doing it, is also very interesting
 
jay helfert said:
I'm not going to get into it now, but suffice to say that Flyboy was a "player" and not a scuffler. At worst he was a high level shortstop. But his ability to play good for the cash made him dangerous to all his opponents.
Click to expand...
"what is a shortstop"
thanks Jay, I've got it now ! Flybot is a shortstop (high level as opposed to good).Massey is a champion.
thanks Rodney
 
Last edited:
J. Learned Hand said:
I have a few "flyboy" stories as I live in Houston and he was around here quite a bit in last ten or fifteen years. The most recent story involved he and Corey Deuel. CD and I were in the Cue and Cushion and in walks Fly. He woofs at CD a little to play one hole on this triple tight gold crown. CD stalls a little. Fly woofs some more, CD stalls a little more. Finally, they get down. Race to 3 for a dime...with Fly getting 12-5!!!

CD comes over and asks if I want in. I respond quickly, NO WAY! I explain to Corey that I think the table is too tough for that spot and that Fly is no slouch. He looks me off and racks the balls.

In the end, it was a blood bath. It seems Fly was recovering from a foot injury and really couldn't stand up very well. In fact, he hobbled around the table at best. Conversely, CD ran 12 and out three games in a row to win 3-0 in about 15 minutes. It was pretty sick. CD needled me for a week after that for being too nitty to take a piece of his action. I'm still sick!
Click to expand...

What? You?? NITTY??? The hell you say!

I've never had the pleasure of playing Fly any pool, although most people who like to get in other peoples' business are always asking me why I never try to make a game with him.

He always asks me to play some knock gin, though, whenever I see him. Although he might as well take the "knock" out of the name, cause he is always trying to gin, god bless him!
 
Flyboy

Cannonball,
I can't give you a whole lot of information about Jimmy Spears in his prime and while I am not at the top of the food chain, I have played a decent game of one pocket from time to time.

Several years ago, I played Flyboy a set of one pocket for $1500 and won. Flyboy quickly reached in his pocket and pulled out $3500 and we played another set. I felt like I was a cat getting ready to eat the canary. I didn't have any doubts about who I was playing or how he played or anything else. I agreed to raise the bet another $500 and we played another set. This final set went hill-hill and I had the "canary" locked up in a cage with no where to go, leading the ball count substantially. He made a bank on the only ball available to him and banked it 16 feet, getting shape on the a ball close to the remaing balls that were all bundled up and commenced to making that ball and opening those remaining balls and winning the set from there.

CueTable Help



To say that he took my breath away is an understatement. At this time, "Fly" was way past his prime but he was tough to beat for the cash even in the twilight of his career. I sometimes worry that if I see him again, knowing that he hasn't played any pool in recent years that I know of; I will have to ask him for a rematch. My worry comes from the fact that he will probably play. :blush: :yeah:

JoeyA
 
androd said:
"what is a shortstop"
thanks Jay, I've got it now ! Flybot is a shortstop (high level as opposed to good).Massey is a champion.
thanks Rodney
Click to expand...

Mike would be the favorite over Flyboy in a tournament match, but not by much. In gambling, Flyboy might have the best of it, especially if they play One Pocket. Many people don't know but when Mike was a young man, he was strictly a money player. He became a tournament player and exhibition shooter in his mid 30's, and for the last 25 years.

Flyboy was never big on tournaments, except as a place to find a money game. He would pick on whoever had the deepest pockets. How good they played was no problem for him. The Fly could match up a game with anyone. I played him a couple of times in my poolroom in Bakersfield in the 70's. I can still see him standing there, cue in hand, with the broadest smile on his face. At 50 a game One Pocket he was just on cruise control.

We got along good, but he would have been more than happy to raise the bet at any time. 500 a game wouldn't have bothered him a bit, but I would have been shaking. And he knew it. :D
 
freddy the beard said:
I'm obligated to save my best Flyboy stories for his HOF dinner induction. If you want to hear how he won the toughest all-around tourn. ever, in Iowa, come to the dinner. Every human that could draw his ball was in that tourn. including all the East Coast straight-rockers.

the Beard

How much he won for doing it, is also very interesting
Click to expand...


Is that the tourney where the promoter stiffed and skipped on the field?

Didn't he end up getting dead. Hunting accident or somethingorother:shrug:
 
jay helfert said:
Mike would be the favorite over Flyboy in a tournament match, but not by much. In gambling, Flyboy might have the best of it, especially if they play One Pocket. Many people don't know but when Mike was a young man, he was strictly a money player. He became a tournament player and exhibition shooter in his mid 30's, and for the last 25 years.

Flyboy was never big on tournaments, except as a place to find a money game. He would pick on whoever had the deepest pockets. How good they played was no problem for him. The Fly could match up a game with anyone. I played him a couple of times in my poolroom in Bakersfield in the 70's. I can still see him standing there, cue in hand, with the broadest smile on his face. At 50 a game One Pocket he was just on cruise control.

We got along good, but he would have been more than happy to raise the bet at any time. 500 a game wouldn't have bothered him a bit, but I would have been shaking. And he knew it. :D
Click to expand...
Yes I was around them both when they were younger. Mike was almost always staked. Fly always wanted to bet his own, if broke and was staked he would stand good for his end of the losses. If a winner he wanted go for himself again except when on the road. I was in when he played Dick Lane 8 ball on the 9 ft. and spotted Billy Weir the 8 safe on a bar table. He won both matches.
PS; He took a check from Dick, I didn't know Dick at the time and couldn't believe it.
 
J. Learned Hand said:
I have a few "flyboy" stories as I live in Houston and he was around here quite a bit in last ten or fifteen years. The most recent story involved he and Corey Deuel. CD and I were in the Cue and Cushion and in walks Fly. He woofs at CD a little to play one hole on this triple tight gold crown. CD stalls a little. Fly woofs some more, CD stalls a little more. Finally, they get down. Race to 3 for a dime...with Fly getting 12-5!!!

CD comes over and asks if I want in. I respond quickly, NO WAY! I explain to Corey that I think the table is too tough for that spot and that Fly is no slouch. He looks me off and racks the balls.

In the end, it was a blood bath. It seems Fly was recovering from a foot injury and really couldn't stand up very well. In fact, he hobbled around the table at best. Conversely, CD ran 12 and out three games in a row to win 3-0 in about 15 minutes. It was pretty sick. CD needled me for a week after that for being too nitty to take a piece of his action. I'm still sick!
Click to expand...

I viewed this set perched in the lead Rail Bird position as I often did most other sets at this Venue from 1988 to 1995. As an experieiced RB I must say Fly normally offered maximum sweat...but not this time.

Various 48 hour marathons occured during this time including classic battles with Gus Little Hand and Barry Strickland. Once Barry won Fly's Towne Car and Fly shows up a week later with a brand new one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top