John Daugherty

Rpm

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
On my trip south i had the pleasure of playing JD some cheap one pocket at Dr Cues on Lakecity way in Seattle, he tortured me of course that didn't surprise me but what a class act JD is did. He accepted a cheap game ($25 a rack) against a punk kid he didn't know, a lot of great players won't play that cheap, he was more than happy to share some strategy and help me understand the game of one pocket a little better. I urge anyone in the Seattle area to seek him out and get a cheap lesson from him.
I got to sweat some very entertaining full rack banks action between Harry Platis and Dan Louie - very exciting stuff.
 
I have played JD 8 ball a few times over the years and I must say that he is truly a class act and deserves all the praise he receives. If more players were like him, pool would be a lot better off.
 
JD is a class act. I have a close friend that has taken a number of lessons from him over the past year or so... and his game has improved dramatically. JD knows the game... and he's a no bullshit kinda guy.
 
I'll make sure JD gets a look-see at your kind words. His last name is Doherty.
 
Thanx for your help linda, where do u and mike play most of the time?
 
Rpm said:
Thanx for your help linda, where do u and mike play most of the time?

Well, we used to play a lot of weekly tournaments, but since the IPT, we have mostly just been playing a Friday and sometimes their Saturday night bar box (8 footers) at Mike's Place Tavern in Renton. We're regulars, we like the company and they have a nice big fireplace that everyone sits around.

We used to be regulars at the Tuesday night Dr. Cues tourney, but it is a fair drive from us, so Mike just mainly plays at City Lights or Harvey's. Tonight, we are venturing out to a new tavern that adds 200%. I'll let you know how that place is, if you want.

Last week, we went to Goodtime Ernie's for the tournament there. We also used to go to City Lights every Wed. in Tacoma on the 9 footers. In fact Mike holds the record for most consecutive wins - I think 18 or something. :eek:

We have our own 9' Diamond Pro with IPT cloth, but since my son moved out, his stuff has been sitting on the table, ready for him to pick up. So we will need to move it and start practicing again. :o

I will be seeing JD if not this weekend, then the next for sure at a big $1100 added Scotch Doubles tournament. My partner is Glenn Atwell. :cool: :D
 
Any info you can give me on the Seattle pool scene would be appreciated the family and i r probably going to be moving to the seattle area this summer. thank u for your help
 
Damn, Linda I'd say you snagged a pretty good partner. If you look in ON THE BREAK you see Glenn's picture every couple pages or so

Jake
 
Yeah JD seemed pretty nice when I played him. He did seem to be out of it, though. I suspected he was laying down a little bit, because he beat me like 7-5 or 7-4 and I was playing like shit.

Hah, Glen thinks I am out to get him.:D :D :D

It is truly hilarious. I could be in the next room, and he would come in asking me why I sharked him. The Earl of the Northwest.

On a side note, he is very good. I dogged shape on the eight ball last week hill-hill against him. I had just finished running two racks in a row and dogged shape 1/4" behind his ball!!!!!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Still haven't beatin him yet dammit!
 
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Seattle Pool Scene

Rpm said:
Any info you can give me on the Seattle pool scene would be appreciated the family and i r probably going to be moving to the seattle area this summer. thank u for your help

Seattle Area Pool Scene

Check out www.onthebreaknews.com tournament section. Also, On the Wire does not keep up their website, however, their paper is more west coast and they have competing tournaments, so it's best to compare both before making travel arrangements. They will both tell you about the weekly bar tournaments too, where you can win $60-$100/night.

North Seattle:

Shotze's - in Everett. This place has great $1000 added tournaments with a mix of 8 and 9 footers. We are about the only place in the country where bar box means 8 footers. There are only a couple places with 7 footers - City Lights being the most notable. Ford and Rose run a tight ship during tournaments. It can become a meat market after 9 when minors leave and on the weekends. Good food, with tournament specials and friendly waitstaff, especially Dave!

"Dynamite 9-ball tourney on Monday nights (limited to 40 and often filled a week in advance). Full bar and good food. One of the best places around."

Shotze's Rack & Roll
9602 Evergreen Way
(425) 355-5766

Great American Casino - Everett - They have 4 tables and used to be called Big Al's. They also used to hold some good tournaments.

12715 4th Avenue W
Everett, WA 98204
Phone: (425) 347-1669
http://www.greatamericancasino.com/Everett/ev_amenities.htm

Uncle Jack's Lounge and Billiards - Lynnwood - very nicely remodeled and new owner. Their house pro is Randy Camantigue who let's say, has variable mood swings, but will gamble with you. 9 ball and one-pocket. They have a monthly 2 in 1 tournament: 8 ball on the 8 footers and 9 ball on the 9 footers. My husband won both of them so he had to sit out this month's.

Harry Platis plays here. I think he just played Corey Deuel there.

5800 198th St SW
Lynnwood, WA 98036
(425) 640-5474

Here is a review of their food: http://www.northwestcyclenews.com/2006/06/

Dr. Cues - Lake City Way. Owners Matt and Jeff take care of their customers. Good pro shop, web camera, limited food selections. This is the place to go if you want to gamble with the locals in the north end. Their Tuesday night tournament fills with some of the best players around - JD and Todd Marsh for sure. Sometimes Dan Louie.

15 Brunswick 9-footers. http://www.drcuebilliards.com/

Dr. Cue Billiards
14713 Bothell Way NE
(206) 365-1187

Central Seattle

Jillian's - Lake Union - 21 Gold Crowns and a snooker table. It's got the bangers there, but the new house pro (I was the first female house pro there), Tiffany, has worked hard to get some bigger tournaments there and they have a good Wed. night tournament.

"This 24,000-square-foot, two floor complex houses a wide variety of entertainment possibilities, including pool, video games, darts, karaoke, dancing, and ping pong. Sports fans especially relish the 27 TVs (nine of them are 60-inchers), which make Jillian's a fun spot to catch the game with friends. In addition, two restaurants and a fifty-foot bar ensure that you're bound to find something to suit your appetite, even if it's just a burger and a beer."

Jillian's Billiard Club
731 Westlake Ave N.
(206) 223-0300
http://www.jilliansbilliards.com/club_detail_E.asp?club_id=7

Belltown Restaurant & Billiards - Belltown - Another packed yuppie meat market with SRO. You will be rubbing bellies with everyone on their tiny dance floor, just trying to make it to the back or the front door. About 10 GC's.

"Belltown Billiards is located in the heart of Seattle's historic Belltown district. Upscale, yet affordable they offer a unique combination of professional quality billiards accompanied by an excellent menu, and one of the largest bars in town. Enjoy their 100" hi-def projection television, and 7 days a week our dance floor is the "place to be" in Belltown! They now have a live DJ and dancing every night of the week!"

Belltown Restaurant & Billiards
90 Blanchard St.
(206) 448-6779
http://www.belltownbilliards.net/belltownbilliards.html

Temple Billiards - Pioneer Square. Smaller and no tournaments, but they have one of the best websites around. 7 tables.

"Serious billiards bar that doesn't forget the extras: generous happy hours, live DJs and free Wi-Fi."

126 S. Jackson St. (Cross Street: Occidental Avenue S)
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 682-3242
http://www.templebilliards.com/temple.html
You can look at an art print for sale here.

The Garage - Broadway - Pool room and bowling alley - upscale grunge.

"This isn't old-school--table rental is expensive, the restaurant serves what it calls "international-homestyle" cuisine and pool sharks don't exactly haunt the place. Add to that the cachet of celebrity partners (Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready) and patrons (local sports figures and musicians), plus a friendly ambience, and you've got a scene-oriented pool hall and bowling alley. Cocktails and shooting stick are the main attractions, but don't bypass the food, especially the thin-crust pizzas. "

1130 Broadway Ave
Seattle, WA 98122
206-322-2296
http://www.garagebilliards.com/home.htm

Westside

Corner Pocket - West Seattle - 4 tables. Dan Louie's restaurant used to be right near there, so I would find him, Joe Chun, and Roger Pettit there. Nice people work there too.

"The best way I could describe this place is a dive bar, only with cool people. It's got the casual atmosphere, dim lighting, and abundance of pool tables and dart boards that's so appealing about a dive bar-- but everyone there was youngish, fun and laid back. I've never seen a single dirty old man or scary wannabe-milf there."

"Located underneath Easy Street Records in West Seattle's Alaska Junction, this basement-level billiard parlor has everything you'd expect of a subterranean pool hall. To wit: four well-maintained tables available for $8 an hour, a selection of tap beers that includes local favorites (Fat Tire, Mac & Jack) and national institutions (Pabst Blue Ribbon), a menu of pub grub that we've yet to sample (we can't eat and shoot pool at the same time) and a smoky vibe that'll make any hustler feel right at home.

That being said, Corner Pocket isn't a tank for pool sharks, but one of the friendliest pool halls you’re likely to find in this town. It's usually frequented by low-key West Seattle locals, not the boisterous college-age brats who make shooting a game of pool in the U-District or Pioneer Square an exercise in patience and Zen-like focus. Here, there's no chaos to tune out. All that exists is your drink, your friends and the space between the cue ball and the 8-ball."

4302 SW Alaska St (Lower floor)
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 933-0320

Classic Billiards - Bremerton - Tables played tough as I remember, because of the way the pockets are cut. The service guys play here a lot.

"17 tables (Palidin & Montana), with smoking and non smoking sections. Beer, wine, and small food menu."

2817 Wheaton Way #106
(360) 377-8507
Classic Billiards

Eastside

The Parlor - Bellevue - 42 tables, $4.5 Million dollars, martini bar with chill strips, light switches to summon a server, need I say more?

"This place just opened up on 15 Dec 05, so it begs a regrade once it's been battered around long enough. There's a great selection of tables and cues, and the staff has done a good job of keeping the place pretty and clean. This is also not hard to do when you primarily serve the 30 to 45 demographic and not the drunk college kids who populate the Jillians franchises I've visited in Seattle, SF and Boston.

There is food in the house if you absolutely must eat. Our group shared a shrimp pizza, bbq chicken quesadilla, and some buffalo wings. All were spectacularly adequate.

Also, if you believe our waitress, and the oodles of security guards roaming the hall, the Prince of Saudi Arabia (cf Fahrenheit 9/11) was in the house. And apparently he doesn't mind scantily-clad women here as much as he probably would in his own country. Because there sure were a lot of them filing in and out of that private room.

Come to think of it, I don't mind scantily-clad women, either. I guess there are certain things that unite us all, the world over. I feel a song coming on..."

THIRD FLOOR OF LINCOLN SQUARE
700 Bellevue Way NE. Suite 300,
Bellevue WA 98004
PH: 425.289.7000
http://www.parlorbilliards.com/

Southend

Harvey's - Renton - This is Mike's and my home room, if we have one. The owner, Bert is a good friend of ours. 9 GC's kept in great condition and one with 4" pockets to gamble on. Limited food.

Harvey’s Billiards
4100 Valley Highway
425-251-9851

Cue Lounge - Renton - Mostly a teen hangout. Has 12 nice Diamond tables in it, but nice cheap prices.

19611 84th Ave S
Kent, WA 98032
(253) 872-3477
http://www.onthebreaknews.com/CueLounge.htm

Java Billiards - Auburn - I went there once, but don't remember very much. The owners were Christian and very nice.

"Caters to all ages. Non-smoking and no alcohol... but the best coffee in Auburn. Has 4 9-foot pool tables, air hockey, darts, pinball, Miss Pacman, foosball and cool music. Friday and Saturday night the place is packed but the rest of the time it's fairly open with a friendly staff and shooters."

Java Shoppe
2808 Auburn Way N # B
(253) 939-6690
http://www.onthebreaknews.com/JavaBilliards.htm

PJ Pockets - Federal Way - This is actually a casino. Tables are tight for maneuvering, but they are reasonable and run a lot of leagues through there. Occasionally, they have sprung for bigger tournaments in the past.

7 big tables and good food.

1320 S 324th St
(206) 839-9922
http://www.pjpockets.com/

Vintage Billiards - Federal Way - The owner Terry, is very nice and keeps everything immaculate. Limited food.

"Clean room, good tables and polished balls."

34507 Pacific Hwy S #1
(253) 835-1468

City Lights Billiards - Tacoma - This is the gambler's room in the southend. Lots of good players go to the Wed. night tournament, but I believe Dr. Cues' is better now. They serve alcohol here. No kids allowed.

"Nice room with 10 Gold Crown II's (760 Simonis), 1 twelve-foot Snooker table, and 7 7-foot Valley bar boxes (760 Championship Mercury). If you want to watch some of the best players in the Northwest, be here on Wednesday's at 7 o'clock. They have the best weekly 9-ball tournament in the state."

City Lights Billiards & Cafe
445 Tacoma Ave S
Tacoma , WA 98402
Phone: (253) 383-3301

Full Splice Billiards - Lakewood - The owner, Craig is a great guy and posts as Manwon on AZ Billiards. There is a very detailed article and review on his room included below.

Full Splice Billiards
9324 S Tacoma Way
Lakewood, WA 98499
(253) 512-6898
http://www.onthebreaknews.com/FullSplice.htm
 
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In addition, there are pubs and taverns with quite a few tables or that support pool, like Goodtime Ernie's in Burien (9 tables), Latitude 84 in Tacoma, Dante's in the U-District, The Grove in Everett, Mike's Place in Renton, McCorry's in Woodinville, Eastlake Zoo Tavern (has a snooker table), Legends Sports Bar in W. Seattle, Mustard Seeds I and II in Bellevue, and Frankie's in Olympia.

There are also some teen hangouts like Game Breakerz in Kent, and a ton of asian poolrooms, but I think you might want to be Vietnamese or Filipino to go in, lol. There are also quite a few casinos with 9 foot Diamonds or bar boxes in the area.

If you go farther south, there are 2 noteworthy places, McMeniman's -cool place with a theatre in Centralia.

"Registered historic site... the ambiance is wonderful, like stepping back in time. Has 7 regular tables and 1 snooker table, most of the tables are over 100 years old. The huge building is heated by a large wood stove with very old authentic Indian rugs on the warped wooden floors. They serve decent food, too. Definitely a must-see/must-do type of place."

McMenamin's Olympic Club
112 N Tower Ave
(360) 736-5164
http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=58&id=92

and Cadillac Island Casino in Longview which holds $1000 added tournaments every month on bar boxes.

Cadillac Island Casino
1125 Commerce Ave
Longview, WA 98632
For Pool Information:
Mike Jensen:
(360) 957-0065
or Jeff Jackson:
(360) 957-4173
http://www.islandcasinos.net/POOL.htm

There is another location in Kennewick and they also hold $1000 added tournaments there.

In Spokane, there is McQ's Billiards & Sports Bar

"Without a shadow of a doubt the best pool hall in Spokane. 16 pool tables and 1 snooker table. All the best players play there."

9614 E Sprague Ave
(509) 891-8357

And there you have it! :p
 
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I agree, I have made it up north a couple of times, and from what I can see, JD is very respectable on and off the table.
 
Black-Balled said:
Dammit, Linda! Please do a write-up on the DC area!:rolleyes:

LOL. I have been in the pool scene 35 years here and have the advantage of traveling all over for tournaments. For instance, Dante's in Seattle has a trophy that is almost as tall as I am gracing their room, which I and my team won for them back in the 80's.

I used to play the leagues at McCorry's until I held the top spot for several years and moved on.

I played at the Grove when I first moved to WA, and a couple years ago, made the drive every week to win the weekly women's tourney 8 weeks in a row plus the season championship.

I was also involved with King Cobra running tournaments in the casinos in WA, where he would install 9 foot Diamond tables.

When I was heavy into leagues, my buddy Marney and I would drive to Olympia one night and Everett the next. Also played a bit on the eastside when I lived on the west side.

And Mike and I travel as a couple to all the regional tournaments, so I can do first-hand reporting.

If I knew other places as well, I could sell a book of where to go around the nation, lol.
 
Wow nice write up Linda.

I've also played JD when it used to be big Al's. Tough nut to crack!

I need to start playing more...don't we all?
 
I re-did my listings in another thread and there have been many edits since then, so please go to the thread "The Definitive Seattle Area Guide of Places to Play" to get the full, comprehensive guide to Seattle's pool scene.

Back to JD, Mike remembers when he had to earn his stripes to be one of 'The Boys'. Now he's beating them, lol.

When I first met JD at the 211, he hit on me. I told him I was old enough to be his mother, lol. He is actually older than he looks though. I played him several times for money - he had to play one handed. I got to the point where I could beat him, but then we changed it to where he could make me shoot 1 shot in each game 1-handed...usually jacked up over a ball or on the 9. :p

I made a flyer for him to give lessons. I hear he gives great lessons and has given me a few pointers too along the way.

Here's a picture of his son, Johnnie Jr. Looks just like him, doesn't it? He also has grown daughters from his first marriage.
 

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