Legendary Muscle
- Thread starter midnightpulp
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Johnnyt said:
Well I'll be! Good for you Johnny! Thanks for the reply also.
Here's one from one of us young guys:
A local player that gambles alot (not usually pool) was getting some good weight from one of the players here. We are in the local poolroom owned by the player's brother. The two are playing pretty cheap ($20 a game??). The gambler, a pretty stocky guy but only about 5'6", is playing way above his head. The player, a tall guy but with too many other problems to be much of a fighter, is trying to do adjust the game or the bet to get even.
It becomes pretty obvious that he doesn't have the money. So the gambler tells him to pay up now and then maybe adjust. Of course, the player doesn't have the money and just keeps on trying to adjust. The short guy grabbed the player up one-armed and was choking the player while holding him in the air. It was such a display, nobody even tried to break it up. The guy looked like he might as well have been holding a broomstick.
The owner, the player's brother, had to come over and pay off the bet. I am sure my retelling loses alot. It was really incredible to see how little effort it was taking the player. I don't think you could see a much greater feat of strength in a tough man competition.
A local player that gambles alot (not usually pool) was getting some good weight from one of the players here. We are in the local poolroom owned by the player's brother. The two are playing pretty cheap ($20 a game??). The gambler, a pretty stocky guy but only about 5'6", is playing way above his head. The player, a tall guy but with too many other problems to be much of a fighter, is trying to do adjust the game or the bet to get even.
It becomes pretty obvious that he doesn't have the money. So the gambler tells him to pay up now and then maybe adjust. Of course, the player doesn't have the money and just keeps on trying to adjust. The short guy grabbed the player up one-armed and was choking the player while holding him in the air. It was such a display, nobody even tried to break it up. The guy looked like he might as well have been holding a broomstick.
The owner, the player's brother, had to come over and pay off the bet. I am sure my retelling loses alot. It was really incredible to see how little effort it was taking the player. I don't think you could see a much greater feat of strength in a tough man competition.
When I was playing all of the time I had two gentlemen running with me. My job was to provide beer and food; theirs was to cover my back and collect from those that didn't want to pay up. One guy we called "Tiny" and his buddies name was Teddy. Tiny was so big people would stop and watch him walk by. He was about 6'10" and weighed about 350. Teddy was about 5'9" and weighed about 185. These two would get so wasted and bored that they would end up fighting each other. The problem was that Teddy would just kick Tiny's ass all over the bar. Everyone would see this little guy whipping the big guy and think "if he can kick this guy's ass I am not going to mess with him". So no one would ever breakup the fight. While this was going on I would just try to ignore it and keep playing.
Ok, Johnny just for you
I posted this a few years back in response to a Grady thread. It bears repeating:
I went to Oklahoma City in the early 70's and hung around Truelove's pool room. Anyway, One-Eyed Tony Howard from Hazard KY, was still alive at the time, and he was playing there too. I was on the road with the famous tush-hog Sugar Shack Johnny Novak, but OK city at that time was still the scariest place I was ever in. There was a "range" war between the North side and South side stickup gangs and Sugar and I were in the middle of it. Everybody had a gun but us. A bad gunman named Boatware had stolen my Ginacue and Sugar Shack was terrorizing all the bars in town trying to find him and get the cue back. I knew how dangerous Boatware was and my nerves were in a constant state of shock. For some reason it didn't affect my pool game, as a matter of fact I never played better in my life! It's probably something a psychiatrist should study and look into. Finally, Boatware shows up at Trueloves and his has nine more brutes from the gang with him. They all had cue butts and black jacks and Boatware had a .38 cal. long. I figured this was it, maybe I could escape with a few broken bones. To speed this up, Boatware called to Johnny, "You looking for me?" Johnny's reply, "Yes, I certainly am. I want that cue stick back!" Boatware opened his shirt and flashed the .38 in his pants. Boatware, "You ready to die for it?" Sugar Shack, "Show me a bullet!" Crazy as Boatware was, he realized Sugar was even nuttier, so he took another path. Among the nine brutes was a famous tush-hog from Arkansas named Dennis Parker. He was about 6'4" and weighed about 240 lbs. Boatware, "You want the cue stick? He got it." pointing to Dennis Parker. Goofy as Sugar Shack was, fighting some gorilla was a better option than trying to outrun a .38 slug. Sugar Shack, "You mean all I got to do to get the cue stick is whip him? Ok, I'll meet him anywhere he wants, just him and me, and we will fight to the death for that cue stick!" Now big Dennis was no coward, but sanity was now starting to infect these lunatics. Fighting "to the death" for a piece of wood just didn't seem like a good idea. Boatware now sensing that move wasn't going to work either, next told Sugar to meet him out on some point on the highway about 9 PM and he would give him the cue stick. I begged Johnny not to go, I said it has to be a trap. He went anyway, met Boatware, Boatware gave him the cue stick that he had stolen from me, said to meet him at this bar and he would dump his backer to us. We went and he did (about $600), and we all would up getting drunk together. To close, now that all the horror was over, and the town was tame again, Sugar Shack wanted to leave, so we went back to Florida.
About the part that all that fear made me play my best: Grady, you know how good One-Eyed Tony and Hitch played, I was giving Tony Howard his scratches dont count and he was playing me 8 to 6. I was playing Hitch One pocket on that real tough pocket table 10 to 8-- me spotting him -- for thousand dollar sets. Now Tony is long dead, but Hitch is still alive to confirm my story (Hitch has since passed). They were both in Truelove's when Boatware came in with his boys. Boatware was later arrested in a shoot out with police at a motel and given a long prison term.
the Beard
Check out my blog for pics of the DCC Hall of Fame Dinner
Johnnyt said:
I posted this a few years back in response to a Grady thread. It bears repeating:
I went to Oklahoma City in the early 70's and hung around Truelove's pool room. Anyway, One-Eyed Tony Howard from Hazard KY, was still alive at the time, and he was playing there too. I was on the road with the famous tush-hog Sugar Shack Johnny Novak, but OK city at that time was still the scariest place I was ever in. There was a "range" war between the North side and South side stickup gangs and Sugar and I were in the middle of it. Everybody had a gun but us. A bad gunman named Boatware had stolen my Ginacue and Sugar Shack was terrorizing all the bars in town trying to find him and get the cue back. I knew how dangerous Boatware was and my nerves were in a constant state of shock. For some reason it didn't affect my pool game, as a matter of fact I never played better in my life! It's probably something a psychiatrist should study and look into. Finally, Boatware shows up at Trueloves and his has nine more brutes from the gang with him. They all had cue butts and black jacks and Boatware had a .38 cal. long. I figured this was it, maybe I could escape with a few broken bones. To speed this up, Boatware called to Johnny, "You looking for me?" Johnny's reply, "Yes, I certainly am. I want that cue stick back!" Boatware opened his shirt and flashed the .38 in his pants. Boatware, "You ready to die for it?" Sugar Shack, "Show me a bullet!" Crazy as Boatware was, he realized Sugar was even nuttier, so he took another path. Among the nine brutes was a famous tush-hog from Arkansas named Dennis Parker. He was about 6'4" and weighed about 240 lbs. Boatware, "You want the cue stick? He got it." pointing to Dennis Parker. Goofy as Sugar Shack was, fighting some gorilla was a better option than trying to outrun a .38 slug. Sugar Shack, "You mean all I got to do to get the cue stick is whip him? Ok, I'll meet him anywhere he wants, just him and me, and we will fight to the death for that cue stick!" Now big Dennis was no coward, but sanity was now starting to infect these lunatics. Fighting "to the death" for a piece of wood just didn't seem like a good idea. Boatware now sensing that move wasn't going to work either, next told Sugar to meet him out on some point on the highway about 9 PM and he would give him the cue stick. I begged Johnny not to go, I said it has to be a trap. He went anyway, met Boatware, Boatware gave him the cue stick that he had stolen from me, said to meet him at this bar and he would dump his backer to us. We went and he did (about $600), and we all would up getting drunk together. To close, now that all the horror was over, and the town was tame again, Sugar Shack wanted to leave, so we went back to Florida.
About the part that all that fear made me play my best: Grady, you know how good One-Eyed Tony and Hitch played, I was giving Tony Howard his scratches dont count and he was playing me 8 to 6. I was playing Hitch One pocket on that real tough pocket table 10 to 8-- me spotting him -- for thousand dollar sets. Now Tony is long dead, but Hitch is still alive to confirm my story (Hitch has since passed). They were both in Truelove's when Boatware came in with his boys. Boatware was later arrested in a shoot out with police at a motel and given a long prison term.
the Beard
Check out my blog for pics of the DCC Hall of Fame Dinner
Thanks Freddy, great story. Now those were the days.
There are many more on here like Billy I. and $Bill, and other road players that come on here that have to have some great stories of the road. For those that don't like to hear about these kind of pool stories because it's bad for pool I say It's pool history, It's the way it was. Johnnyt
There are many more on here like Billy I. and $Bill, and other road players that come on here that have to have some great stories of the road. For those that don't like to hear about these kind of pool stories because it's bad for pool I say It's pool history, It's the way it was. Johnnyt
buzzsaw said:
Like something out of a Coen Brother's film. LOL.
Johnnyt said:
It is a great story. I dig the names: Sugar Shack, Boatware.
Got any more stories, Johnny?
wow o wowJohnnyt said:
My road partner, Bob, had only one physical altercation the entire time we were out on the road.
A guy Bob was playing, got pissed after losing one game to him for $10 and tried to crack a beer bottle over his head. Bob blocked the guy's arm and punched him one time.
After the "fight" was over and we were exiting the premises, the conversation went like this:
Me: "I've never seen a guy fly that far in the air from a punch. You really launched him. But you did something weird when you hit him...........OMG, you hit him with your left hand."
Bob: "If I'd hit him with my right, I'd a killed him."
Conversation over. He wouldn't talk about it anymore after that.
To this day, he is pound for pound, the strongest human being I have ever seen.
Stones
A guy Bob was playing, got pissed after losing one game to him for $10 and tried to crack a beer bottle over his head. Bob blocked the guy's arm and punched him one time.
After the "fight" was over and we were exiting the premises, the conversation went like this:
Me: "I've never seen a guy fly that far in the air from a punch. You really launched him. But you did something weird when you hit him...........OMG, you hit him with your left hand."
Bob: "If I'd hit him with my right, I'd a killed him."
Conversation over. He wouldn't talk about it anymore after that.
To this day, he is pound for pound, the strongest human being I have ever seen.
Stones
An oldy but goody...
While I don't remember any fairy tales or story book stories from when I was a kid, I do have a memory full of great stories and tales from yesteryear in pooldom. Here is an old Billy "Cornbread Red" Burge (Dec 17, 1931- Feb 13, 2004) story that has been told thousands of times but I still think its funny.
Seems as if Red was looking for some action in a poolroom one night and happened to have been drinking heavily. He was asking people for a game and was also asking people "What's yo' best game?" He came upon this one fellow and asked him "What's yo' best game?" When the guy didn't answer, Red poked at him with his finger and asked him again "What's yo' best game!?" This time, the guy turns and sucker punched Red in the chops hard enough to knock him down. The guy looked down at him and said "Boxing!"
Legend has it that Red popped back up and said "All righter mother-$%#@&$, what's yo' NEXT best game?"
While I don't remember any fairy tales or story book stories from when I was a kid, I do have a memory full of great stories and tales from yesteryear in pooldom. Here is an old Billy "Cornbread Red" Burge (Dec 17, 1931- Feb 13, 2004) story that has been told thousands of times but I still think its funny.
Seems as if Red was looking for some action in a poolroom one night and happened to have been drinking heavily. He was asking people for a game and was also asking people "What's yo' best game?" He came upon this one fellow and asked him "What's yo' best game?" When the guy didn't answer, Red poked at him with his finger and asked him again "What's yo' best game!?" This time, the guy turns and sucker punched Red in the chops hard enough to knock him down. The guy looked down at him and said "Boxing!"
Legend has it that Red popped back up and said "All righter mother-$%#@&$, what's yo' NEXT best game?"
speaking of flying
AJ wasn't really muscle being only about 5'2" or so. Thing was he seemed almost that wide through the shoulders too. One night AJ is at the local pool hall/bar where the tables were too close together and as usual folks bumped each other trying to play pool.
AJ and an out of town player at the next table bumped each other several times, usually the other player's fault since he wasn't used to the close quarters. Words were exchanged and both went back to playing pool. A few minutes later AJ is bent over shooting when a stick is broken across his back. He turned and hit the clown from Baton Rouge and the guy flew like he had sprouted wings. When he hit the bar he landed in a ball and didn't even twitch. Everyone went back to shooting pool or whatever. About fifteen-twenty minutes later the stranger wakes up and manages to stand. His mouth is bloody and he isn't talking too plain but he managed to ask the barmaid for a napkin, "Let me have a napkin, I busted my lip."
"You don't have a busted lip, your teeth are gone!" They were, everything in the front, top and bottom, from one good pop. Fortunately it was AJ that hit him, he wasn't nearly as big or strong as his brother and neither tolerated much foolishness.
Hu
AJ wasn't really muscle being only about 5'2" or so. Thing was he seemed almost that wide through the shoulders too. One night AJ is at the local pool hall/bar where the tables were too close together and as usual folks bumped each other trying to play pool.
AJ and an out of town player at the next table bumped each other several times, usually the other player's fault since he wasn't used to the close quarters. Words were exchanged and both went back to playing pool. A few minutes later AJ is bent over shooting when a stick is broken across his back. He turned and hit the clown from Baton Rouge and the guy flew like he had sprouted wings. When he hit the bar he landed in a ball and didn't even twitch. Everyone went back to shooting pool or whatever. About fifteen-twenty minutes later the stranger wakes up and manages to stand. His mouth is bloody and he isn't talking too plain but he managed to ask the barmaid for a napkin, "Let me have a napkin, I busted my lip."
"You don't have a busted lip, your teeth are gone!" They were, everything in the front, top and bottom, from one good pop. Fortunately it was AJ that hit him, he wasn't nearly as big or strong as his brother and neither tolerated much foolishness.
Hu
Stones said:
One time we outsmarted a tush hog. Gary Serville (he now lives in Kansas City) was in the Navy, stationed in San Diego. This was in the late 60's. He was only 19 at the time, but already earned the nickname "Navy Gary". He was young and fearless, and didn't miss a ball back then.
I met him in some bar in L.A and told him about Daisy Mae's where all the action was. Gary said "Let's go". So we did, two kids with little dough but lots of heart. Gary beat a couple of guys and they sic'ed Charlie The Ape on him. Now Charlie really looked like an ape, about 5'8" and over 200 pounds, with bulging muscles everywhere.
He was a big time drug dealer and a mean guy to boot. But he had pockets full of cash and loved to play pool on a bar table. And he could play too, better than me for sure. Gary hooked up with him and started to beat on him playing $20 9-Ball. We were about $200 winners when Charley said give me the 8 and we can play for $50. I was hesitant, but Gary wasn't the least bit concerned. He pounded Charlie for a few hundred more and now the bet was a $100 a game. This was serious. And Charlie was stuck and steaming.
Finally Charlie went broke and we were about $1,600 winners, a monster score back then. Charlie was fighting mad and ranting and raving like a lunatic. I had a small .25 in my back pocket, but it didn't feel like quite enough gun. I needed a .357 to feel comfortable in this spot. At one point Charlie actually reached down and picked up the end of the Valley bar table with one hand and lifted it chest high.
We had the money. I wanted to make a run for the door. Gary seemed amused by all this and told me not to worry. Sure enough Charlie said he wanted to play one more set, a Race To Five for the title to his car. It was a Chevy Nova and he wanted us to put up $400 against it. I didn't want to do it, but Gary said sure. And Charlie put the pink slip up with the bartender. Gary won this one too. Now Charlie was enraged. He had murder in his eyes. Gary told me to slip out and start the car while he was talking to Charlie. Okay.
Now Gary starts telling Charlie it was a fair game and he won it fair and square, but he would give him one more chance because he liked playing with him. He would play him one more time for the car, and if he beat him this time, he had to pay. Charlie looked confused, as I slipped outside.
I started the car and headed toward the street. All of sudden here comes Gary in a dead sprint. He jumps in and says "Let's go" (his favorite words). I zoomed my Vette out of there and we were gone! We had the money, just not the title to Charlie's car. I asked Gary what he did. He said he told Charlie he was going to take a leak and to keep an eye on his cue (it was a house cue). Gary walked toward the restroom with Charlie eyeing him. When he got near the front door, he made a dash for freedom, and my Vette.
I didn't see Charlie for a couple of years after that. When I did he asked me if that kid ever came around anymore. I told him he got shipped out to Okinawa. That was the first name that came to my mind. Charlie just shook his head and said okay. End of story.
If you're ever in Kansas City, ask Gary about his famous game with Charlie the Ape. They call him "The Munch" back there. He's the guy who's playing Louie Roberts in that underground video that you see around from time to time
I met him in some bar in L.A and told him about Daisy Mae's where all the action was. Gary said "Let's go". So we did, two kids with little dough but lots of heart. Gary beat a couple of guys and they sic'ed Charlie The Ape on him. Now Charlie really looked like an ape, about 5'8" and over 200 pounds, with bulging muscles everywhere.
He was a big time drug dealer and a mean guy to boot. But he had pockets full of cash and loved to play pool on a bar table. And he could play too, better than me for sure. Gary hooked up with him and started to beat on him playing $20 9-Ball. We were about $200 winners when Charley said give me the 8 and we can play for $50. I was hesitant, but Gary wasn't the least bit concerned. He pounded Charlie for a few hundred more and now the bet was a $100 a game. This was serious. And Charlie was stuck and steaming.
Finally Charlie went broke and we were about $1,600 winners, a monster score back then. Charlie was fighting mad and ranting and raving like a lunatic. I had a small .25 in my back pocket, but it didn't feel like quite enough gun. I needed a .357 to feel comfortable in this spot. At one point Charlie actually reached down and picked up the end of the Valley bar table with one hand and lifted it chest high.
We had the money. I wanted to make a run for the door. Gary seemed amused by all this and told me not to worry. Sure enough Charlie said he wanted to play one more set, a Race To Five for the title to his car. It was a Chevy Nova and he wanted us to put up $400 against it. I didn't want to do it, but Gary said sure. And Charlie put the pink slip up with the bartender. Gary won this one too. Now Charlie was enraged. He had murder in his eyes. Gary told me to slip out and start the car while he was talking to Charlie. Okay.
Now Gary starts telling Charlie it was a fair game and he won it fair and square, but he would give him one more chance because he liked playing with him. He would play him one more time for the car, and if he beat him this time, he had to pay. Charlie looked confused, as I slipped outside.
I started the car and headed toward the street. All of sudden here comes Gary in a dead sprint. He jumps in and says "Let's go" (his favorite words). I zoomed my Vette out of there and we were gone! We had the money, just not the title to Charlie's car. I asked Gary what he did. He said he told Charlie he was going to take a leak and to keep an eye on his cue (it was a house cue). Gary walked toward the restroom with Charlie eyeing him. When he got near the front door, he made a dash for freedom, and my Vette.
I didn't see Charlie for a couple of years after that. When I did he asked me if that kid ever came around anymore. I told him he got shipped out to Okinawa. That was the first name that came to my mind. Charlie just shook his head and said okay. End of story.
If you're ever in Kansas City, ask Gary about his famous game with Charlie the Ape. They call him "The Munch" back there. He's the guy who's playing Louie Roberts in that underground video that you see around from time to time
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Please Don't Make Me Hit Myself......It HURTS
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jay helfert said:
I had a few encounters with Charlie over the years and finally just decided to leave him alone because if you were on the winning end, there was always some grief. Before Charlie got down to Orange County and started making big $$, he was a card & pool scuff hanging around Bahama Lanes in Pasadena. I was playing him some cheap 9 ball with money on the 5 & the 9. I had him stuck about $120 when he dogged a 5 ball almost straight in the side and just went nuts. He stuck the house cue he was using in his mouth, bit down hard and broke the cue about 8 or 10 inches from the tip. Then he put the bite on me for $20, which I gladly gave him to get the hell out of there. He tushed me another time when I was playing somebody he was staking and I finally quit getting in any kind of action where he was involved. He was a big score if you could beat him but there was usually a problem if he lost. John Henderson