Adapted form a previous post of mine:
Larry was also called "Larry legend" sometimes, a clear reference to the NBA hall of fame Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird.
I was there in Asbury Park, New Jersey when Larry won the 1976 PPPA World 14.1 Championship, beating the great Steve Mizerak in the final, and that's how I first became aware of Larry. He had a style all his own.
I once played Lisciotti in a nine ball event in New York City and, for much of the match, he was telling me about an Italian restaurant in New York City that he really liked, telling me what he ordered, how they prepared it, and about the ambiance of the restaurant. Needless to say, I was quite keen on learning the name of this restaurant which was situated in my home town, but when I asked him at the end of our match, he said he couldn't remember it. The guy remembered every single detail of his experience at the place, but couldn't come up with its name or location. Typical Larry.
I also recall a tournament in Connecticut played at the Branford Cue and Brew in January, 1995 in Branford, Connecticut. There's was a lot of snow on the ground, as there had been a major storm a few days earlier, but Larry, in his inimitable style, was wearing sandals and no socks, even when he walked outside. Go figure! At that same event, I recall seeing Larry yukking it up with relative newcomer Danny Basavich, whom I'd guess was about 16 at the time, and whom we now know as seasoned and accomplished pro Kid Delicious.
On another note, Larry once told me that, in the 1980's, he was among the early influences on Robin Bell, whom we all now know as BCA Hall of Famer Robin Dodson. I am not in a position to confirm whether or not this is true, but I can confrim that Larry always seemed to be rooting for Robin when I saw him on the tournament trail back in the days when men and women often shared tournament venues.
In the early part of last decade, I saw Larry at Mohegan Sun each year for the Challenge of Champions event. I recall, in November 2003, looking across the room and seeing Larry, having every intention of saying hi, but I never got around to it. He died just a few months later, and it sensitized me to the need to be conscientious in the matter of greeting old friends whenever I attend tournaments.
Larry was never anything but kind and generous to me, and I must admit I miss him a lot. He was always fun to be around, and being around him meant there were plenty of laughs.
