Johnston City, Stardust Days

K

Keith thompson

Well-known member
Danny Diliberto won the 14-1 and All around in 1972 at Johnston City. It was the last tournament held. I saw him at Johnston City or Vegas in 70, 71 or 72 but never spoke with him or see him play but no doubt he was one of the Giants back in the day.

My condolences to his family! The old legends are almost gone now! I believe there’s only three winners left from Johnston City days. Incardona is still with us today and was a legendary nine ball player back in the day, he won the 9 ball championship in 72 at Johnston City!

Jim Rempe is also still with us today! He was a Giant back in the day and terrific all around player! He won the one pocket championship in 71 at Johnston City.

And I was the Baby of the family back in the day. Won the nine ball championship and All around title in 1970 Johnston City at 18 yrs old. So there’s only three of us left nowadays. Rempe, Incardona and myself I believe so if any of you have any questions you better contact one us soon we’re not getting any younger.

Incardona post occasionally on Onepocket.org. Personally I’ve wanted to sit down and have a long chat with both Incardona and Rempe, I knew them both but not well and they knew me. Rempe was at Johnston City in 1970 when I won the All around. I should have caught Incardona at the seniors tournament in Houston 5-6 years ago. I actually did one year and we exchanged hellos and how you doing but we didn’t have a B.S. session. Sure would like to see both those guys before we’re all gone. I miss those times back in the Day! Good memories!
 
when you quit and took the working stiffs life, everyone almost dropped dead and couldnt believe it. worked out for you though.
you will be last as everyone else left from those days is older than you. glad you still post once in awhile.

saw you at the stardust 1972 when you came in behind beenie in the one pocket.
 
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it would be interesting to us all if you would give us an update on yourself what happened at the john city and after

billy lives near me now and i could give you his number if you call
dean 214 477 7323
 
maha said:
when you quit and took the working stiffs life, everyone almost dropped dead and couldnt believe it. worked out for you though.
you will be last as everyone else left from those days is older than you. glad you still post once in awhile.

saw you at the stardust 1972 when you came in behind beenie in the one pocket.
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I quit playing in October of 71 while Johnston City tourney was going on but decided to go to the Stardust in first of April in 72 to try to pick up some fast cash. Practiced two days before I flu there and came in third in the one hole division and went cold turkey just before my 20th birthday in May!

Got my GED when I got back to Pasadena Texas and hired on at Champion Papermill just after my 20th birthday and never looked back!
 
deanoc said:
it would be interesting to us all if you would give us an update on yourself what happened at the john city and after

billy lives near me now and i could give you his number if you call
dean 214 477 7323
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My life long friend Bobby Taylor and myself left Houston area two weeks before Johnston City in September of 71. We hustled small town poolrooms for almost two weeks and made about 800$ before arriving in Johnston city two days before the one pocket division started. I posed for a few pictures for Paula Jansco the next day then played Freddy the Beard even one hole for 30 a game and beat him for 240. Wasn’t close.

Soon as we finished playing I played Tall Jeff even one hole kicking it off at 40$ a game and beat him for 800$ playing the last few games at 70$ a game. The next evening I played my first tourney match against a good player near my speed when Eddie Burton approached me during my match and told me my buddy Bobby was playing Amarillo Slim Gin Rummy next door and was 800$ plus loser so I lost my match lol.

By the time I made it to Bobby he was 1600 plus loser and he lost another 2500 to Slim as fast as he could lose it! I was broke again and said the hell with this and pulled out of the tourney and flu back to Houston.

Don’t have any hard feelings whatsoever against my friend that was the life of gamblers. He showed me the futility of being a gambler so I thank him for it and made a better life because of it. I had practiced for 5 weeks before Johnston City and was playing better than I had ever played and was one of the extreme elite world class players but that’s life in the big city! If I had been successful that year at Johnston City I’d probably be dead or living under a bridge some where so Bobby did me a favor and I’m better off because of it. Bobby has always been my friend! Talk with him pretty regularly! I already knew there wasn’t a future being a pool hustler but man did I live an exciting and treacherous life for 5 years!
 
Keith thompson said:
Danny Diliberto won the 14-1 and All around in 1972 at Johnston City. It was the last tournament held. I saw him at Johnston City or Vegas in 70, 71 or 72 but never spoke with him or see him play but no doubt he was one of the Giants back in the day.

My condolences to his family! The old legends are almost gone now! I believe there’s only three winners left from Johnston City days. Incardona is still with us today and was a legendary nine ball player back in the day, he won the 9 ball championship in 72 at Johnston City!

Jim Rempe is also still with us today! He was a Giant back in the day and terrific all around player! He won the one pocket championship in 71 at Johnston City.

And I was the Baby of the family back in the day. Won the nine ball championship and All around title in 1970 Johnston City at 18 yrs old. So there’s only three of us left nowadays. Rempe, Incardona and myself I believe so if any of you have any questions you better contact one us soon we’re not getting any younger.

Incardona post occasionally on Onepocket.org. Personally I’ve wanted to sit down and have a long chat with both Incardona and Rempe, I knew them both but not well and they knew me. Rempe was at Johnston City in 1970 when I won the All around. I should have caught Incardona at the seniors tournament in Houston 5-6 years ago. I actually did one year and we exchanged hellos and how you doing but we didn’t have a B.S. session. Sure would like to see both those guys before we’re all gone. I miss those times back in the Day! Good memories!
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Did Ray Martin not ever play in Johnston City, 14.1 or 1-pocket? He was certainly a top pro player even 60 years ago, as he’s close to 90 now. I heard he’s recently moved from Raleigh, NC back up north, where he originally comes from.
 
i dont remember ray going out west. he had a pool room during some of that time in new jersey so that had to keep him home.
plus he wasnt much of a gambler.
 
I spoke to Billy a week ago, he’s in a bit of pain with his back. He’s strong and will be fine.

Great thread. Im not old enough to have been around for that era of pool 58, luckily I met and got to know many of the guys from those days. What a time in pool!

Best
Fatboy<——-not feeling so old today😃
 
ChrisinNC said:
Did Ray Martin not ever play in Johnston City, 14.1 or 1-pocket? He was certainly a top pro player even 60 years ago, as he’s close to 90 now. I heard he’s recently moved from Raleigh, NC back up north, where he originally comes from.
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He is 90, plays pool almost everyday and is doing very good. I found this out at derby a couple weeks ago. 💪💪
 
AtLarge said:
According to Wiki and the BCA Hall of Fame, Martin was born in 1936. That makes him either 88 or 89 now, depending on his birth month.
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I’ll call him tmr, I’ve only spoke with him a couple times. I need a letter for a cue he owned years ago. I’ve been meaning to call him the past week.

Could be 89, Vinny who owns the pool room and plays him all the time said 90. But could be rounding up. The best thing is he’s playing great and full of energy.

Best
Fatboy 😃
 
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