"Jones" the big backer from Detroit

freddy the beard

freddy the beard

Freddy Bentivegna
Silver Member
I thought some might be interested to hear that Black Jones, the legendary backer from the Rack called me the other day. I havent seen him in 30 yrs. He went to jail for a long time, but he has been out for about 7yrs. I thought he was dead. He is 78 yrs old. He heard I was writing about Romberg playing Weenie Beenie, when "Boogie," (Romberg, nee Kenny Remus) beat Beeenie out of 200k. Beenie told the story to a magazine in 1998 and Jones said it was all wrong. He said he wrote a letter to the mag from jail with the real story, but they never printed it.

He is sending me the letter, asking me to make it public. It will certainly be interesting.

Beard

Turns out his name wasn't any part of "Jones."
 

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Look forward to hearing this story. You know all the players and moneymen. Thanks for all you do Beard.
 
I had the pleasure to play with "jonsey" more than a few times. Glad to hear he is doing well. I had the pleasure to play with quite a few of the old guys everbody on here talks about.Cornbred, Miami, Ricky Gracyk( not an old guy, but good as well), and many more. I pretty much grew up around all the guys. I misspent my youth at Bogarts Billiard's Cafe in Livonia where all these guys played at. I heard recently that Larry Wathen Had passed, what a shame he was always good to me. I wonder if anyone knows what happened to Rachel, I haven't seen her since I did some electrical work at the Pool Hall they were opening in Redford(off Telegraph).
 
The old stories are great.
I know you have run into the same problem though, people don't believe the truth even when it is told by someone who was there.
They hear the story tenth generation and to them that's gospel.
I'm shocked to hear Beenie lost anywhere near that amount, did he have any partners?
 
I can't wait to read it. Looking forward to learning more about Jones. :)
 
This guy looks like "Country" a new yorker? Country backed Cisero Murphy for years! I will have pops read the thread cause he is better at these things.

KD
 
With all the nits running around nowadays trying to steal from people, its neat to read about when players gambled for real.
 
I wish Jones a "Happy New Year" and look forward to reading his story

JAM said:
I can't wait to read it. Looking forward to learning more about Jones. :)
Click to expand...

Jones was one of the "icon figures" of the RACK in Detroit. That was one pool room that a player/better could get rich and Jones did. The story is that Jones was almost broke, sleeping in the pool room and got involved when they were playing Rosy and won several million dollars. Sammy Jones, James Christopher and many others were hanging around.

I talked to him a few times at The RACK and he definitely has some awesome stories......I remember he could sleep sitting straight up in his chair - now that's an accomplished "sweater". I wish Jones a "Happy New Year" and look forward to reading his story sometime soon.
 
Kid Dynomite said:
This guy looks like "Country" a new yorker? Country backed Cisero Murphy for years! I will have pops read the thread cause he is better at these things.

KD
Click to expand...

Country was one of the best hustlers ever-He sat in Chicago Billiards for a month (mid/late 90's) I heard before playing and taking 30K home.

Anyway Country left us about 3-4 years ago-He had a good run. Not the same guy
 
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i can already almost see the story in my head, if i only close my eyes : blah blah blah blah...so one day I was at the pool hall. i was broke. then one day I got into some betting and then bam! i was no longer broke ...blah blah blah blah...i went to jail... blah blah... im out now tho and blah blah."

there. now you all dont have to wait for the letter. pffff
 
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