Miz gambling for $500 a game !

O

onlypool

Member
ok. It was about 1970-72 in a far northeast phila poolroom called the Moulin Rouge. It was a very new and nice room with about 15 tables and every good pool player from the country went thru there. One average day Miz showed up there with Doc Frye (a local HOF cue maker who actually taught Gus Szamboti how to make cues - there's another story or two!) and the next thing i know Steve was ready to play "somebody??" some 14.1 for $500 - race to 100 points. I'm guessing Miz was early/mid 20's at the time and 200 lbs. He looked perfect ! I had met Steve a few times prior so I was chosen to be the rack boy and only 16 yrs old. Quite a thrill for me and everyone else since he already had a reputation. Here is basically how that game went down. The game started with a typical beginning break shot and the rack of balls were still bunched up pretty tight. Within minutes Miz was at minus 2 and it was his shot. He had one ball sitting beside the rack like a real nice break ball would sit and another ball about 2 feet away toward the side pocket (in a somewhat straight line as the ball by the rack. The cue ball was about 2 ft past the side pocket toward the back rail, more or less in a straight line with the other two balls. He really had no clear path to make any ball directly into a pocket. I happened to be standing behind Steve at the foot end of the table so i saw what he saw. Next thing i hear is him playing the ridiculous combo and using the first struck combo ball to open up the rack after the second combo ball flew into the corner pocket. He hit it with power! I can't tell you how explosive that crowd erupted. Anyway, Steve ran an easy 102 and out in about 30-40 minutes.
When i get some time i'll tell a few more stories about that pool room, Boulevard Billiards and every local and road gunslinger like the Fuscos, Peter Rabbit, Hopkins, mooney, Joel Marks, John Oakey, etc, etc.
 
onlypool said:
ok. It was about 1970-72 in a far northeast phila poolroom called the Moulin Rouge. It was a very new and nice room with about 15 tables and every good pool player from the country went thru there. One average day Miz showed up there with Doc Frye (a local HOF cue maker who actually taught Gus Szamboti how to make cues - there's another story or two!) and the next thing i know Steve was ready to play "somebody??" some 14.1 for $500 - race to 100 points. I'm guessing Miz was early/mid 20's at the time and 200 lbs. He looked perfect ! I had met Steve a few times prior so I was chosen to be the rack boy and only 16 yrs old. Quite a thrill for me and everyone else since he already had a reputation. Here is basically how that game went down. The game started with a typical beginning break shot and the rack of balls were still bunched up pretty tight. Within minutes Miz was at minus 2 and it was his shot. He had one ball sitting beside the rack like a real nice break ball would sit and another ball about 2 feet away toward the side pocket (in a somewhat straight line as the ball by the rack. The cue ball was about 2 ft past the side pocket toward the back rail, more or less in a straight line with the other two balls. He really had no clear path to make any ball directly into a pocket. I happened to be standing behind Steve at the foot end of the table so i saw what he saw. Next thing i hear is him playing the ridiculous combo and using the first struck combo ball to open up the rack after the second combo ball flew into the corner pocket. He hit it with power! I can't tell you how explosive that crowd erupted. Anyway, Steve ran an easy 102 and out in about 30-40 minutes.
When i get some time i'll tell a few more stories about that pool room, Boulevard Billiards and every local and road gunslinger like the Fuscos, Peter Rabbit, Hopkins, mooney, Joel Marks, John Oakey, etc, etc.
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I remember the Moulin Rouge poolroom.
Lower level in a strip center at Welsh and the Boulevard.
Later changed it's name to Country Club Billiards.
I was a member of Boulevard Billiards (Boulevard Billiards Social Club) too at Cottman and the Boulevard above the Penn Fruit supermarket if I remember correctly.
I remember walking out of there as the sun was coming up many a time.
I remember brutal one pocket matches there between Peter Rabbit and Joe Veasey.
If you remember those poolrooms you probably remember Burlholme Billiards too.
Doc Frye stopped in all of the local poolrooms.
I never did see the Miz play locally though.
 
philly said:
I remember the Moulin Rouge poolroom.
Lower level in a strip center at Welsh and the Boulevard.
Later changed it's name to Country Club Billiards.
I was a member of Boulevard Billiards (Boulevard Billiards Social Club) too at Cottman and the Boulevard above the Penn Fruit supermarket if I remember correctly.
I remember walking out of there as the sun was coming up many a time.
I remember brutal one pocket matches there between Peter Rabbit and Joe Veasey.
If you remember those poolrooms you probably remember Burlholme Billiards too.
Doc Frye stopped in all of the local poolrooms.
I never did see the Miz play locally though.
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I saw him at West End (NJ) in 92/93 or so. He had to give Frankie the 6 in the tournament and lost. Perhaps on purpose cuz after the tourny they gambled with the same game and Steve beat him handily. I don't remember the amount but it wasn't 20 a set!
 
philly said:
I remember the Moulin Rouge poolroom.
Lower level in a strip center at Welsh and the Boulevard.
Later changed it's name to Country Club Billiards.
I was a member of Boulevard Billiards (Boulevard Billiards Social Club) too at Cottman and the Boulevard above the Penn Fruit supermarket if I remember correctly.
I remember walking out of there as the sun was coming up many a time.
I remember brutal one pocket matches there between Peter Rabbit and Joe Veasey.
If you remember those poolrooms you probably remember Burlholme Billiards too.
Doc Frye stopped in all of the local poolrooms.
I never did see the Miz play locally though.
Click to expand...
I think the Moulin Rouge was operating thru at least 1976 since i went back and forth from college. I lived only 1/4 mile away from there but then moved straight to Ocean City NJ from my dorm. I never remember the name changing to Country Club Billiards but it rings a bell. Boulevard Billiards (Boulevard Billiards Social Club) was NOT at Cottman and the Boulevard. It was at Bustleton and the Boulevard and for some period Gus Szamboti worked there. I think Mike Fusco owned the room at that time. I do think it was a Penn Fruit supermarket and then followed by a dry cleaner. Peter Rabbit and Joe Veasey and many others battled long into the mornings. I'm fairly certain it was a 24hr room for many years. I did hustle some pool in many of the rooms within 30-40 miles of Cottman ave. Tons of action everywhere. Yeah, Doc Frye made all the rounds selling his great cues. He was like a grand father to me. Doc made a customized cue for me 1969-70? and i still have it. It's still almost perfect since i stopped using 2 pc cues around 75-76. I visited that area about 5-10 yrs ago and everyone and everything was gone regarding pool. It was weird that i didn't find any pool rooms close to that vicinity. I'll try to contact you directly if there is way to do that. May we know each other.
 
onlypool said:
I think the Moulin Rouge was operating thru at least 1976 since i went back and forth from college. I lived only 1/4 mile away from there but then moved straight to Ocean City NJ from my dorm. I never remember the name changing to Country Club Billiards but it rings a bell. Boulevard Billiards (Boulevard Billiards Social Club) was NOT at Cottman and the Boulevard. It was at Bustleton and the Boulevard and for some period Gus Szamboti worked there. I think Mike Fusco owned the room at that time. I do think it was a Penn Fruit supermarket and then followed by a dry cleaner. Peter Rabbit and Joe Veasey and many others battled long into the mornings. I'm fairly certain it was a 24hr room for many years. I did hustle some pool in many of the rooms within 30-40 miles of Cottman ave. Tons of action everywhere. Yeah, Doc Frye made all the rounds selling his great cues. He was like a grand father to me. Doc made a customized cue for me 1969-70? and i still have it. It's still almost perfect since i stopped using 2 pc cues around 75-76. I visited that area about 5-10 yrs ago and everyone and everything was gone regarding pool. It was weird that i didn't find any pool rooms close to that vicinity. I'll try to contact you directly if there is way to do that. May we know each other.
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Quit playing pool seriously around 1971 when I went off to college.
Didn't really get back into the game seriously until about 10 years ago.
Raising family, work, yada yada yada.
Was working in that strip center at the Today's Man clothing store where Moulin Rouge was located.
That was around 1983 I would say.
Would go there after work and hit some and noticed the name was changed to Country Club Billiards.
You say you had Doc make you cue.
Did it have two shafts and if so did one shaft have what Doc called a bell tip?
I believe he charged about $120 for a stick with two shafts.
Is my recollection correct?

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We both headed to college about the same time which probably means you had a draft deferment. They were strange times regarding the Vietnam war. Yes, at that time, Doc Made me(and Steve Mizerak) customized cues for free. Kinda like a sponsor does today. Doc Frye made really nice, solid cues and he is in a Hall of Fame for cue makers with Balabushka, Szamboti and a few others from that time period. I still have mine and it is still a 9+ as a playing cue but the Irish linen wrap is dingy. I remember him teaching/explaining things to Gus Szamboti several times about various techniques and shop talk. That also interested me because i had many machine shop classes in school so i definitely had an idea what they were saying. I think Gus Szamboti took making cues to another level in every respect. I only received one shaft with my cue and i don't have any recollection what the pricing was for his cues. I had seen Doc lay out 6 to 10 cues on a table on occasion when someone wanted to see them. That was an impressive sight. And yes, i have seen the bell ferrel tips a few times. I have no idea where that came from but i do know customers will request very strange things at times. I am thinking of selling my Doc Frye cue because it really belongs in the hands of a serious collector.
 
onlypool said:
We both headed to college about the same time which probably means you had a draft deferment. They were strange times regarding the Vietnam war. Yes, at that time, Doc Made me(and Steve Mizerak) customized cues for free. Kinda like a sponsor does today. Doc Frye made really nice, solid cues and he is in a Hall of Fame for cue makers with Balabushka, Szamboti and a few others from that time period. I still have mine and it is still a 9+ as a playing cue but the Irish linen wrap is dingy. I remember him teaching/explaining things to Gus Szamboti several times about various techniques and shop talk. That also interested me because i had many machine shop classes in school so i definitely had an idea what they were saying. I think Gus Szamboti took making cues to another level in every respect. I only received one shaft with my cue and i don't have any recollection what the pricing was for his cues. I had seen Doc lay out 6 to 10 cues on a table on occasion when someone wanted to see them. That was an impressive sight. And yes, i have seen the bell ferrel tips a few times. I have no idea where that came from but i do know customers will request very strange things at times. I am thinking of selling my Doc Frye cue because it really belongs in the hands of a serious collector.
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Interesting.
Went to the University of Pittsburgh.
I have spoken to some knowledgeable people and have mentioned the bell tips and they thought I was a little crazy.
Thanks for your reply.

My main poolroom was the Cue and Cushion at 19th and Cheltenham Avenue.
I remember Doc coming in there from time to time to say hello and take an order here and there.
Two or three of the regulars had cues made by Doc and one of them had that bell tip with the upward fluted ferrel.
His cues were too expensive for me.
I was playing with a 21 oz. Willie Hoppe.
Kept it in a Brunswick leather flip top hustler case.
Bought it for $50, case and stick, and sold them when I went to college for $50.
Wish I still had that case.
 
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Scott the shot Smith said:
Aah! The Miz! I remember Miz gambling with Efren Reyes in Charlotte, N.C. ar a spot called "Rob's Roost". Well Miz ended up walking out of the "pit" shaking his head and he said that Reyes didn't know a thing about playing One-Pocketbut how do you beat a guy that never misses a ball?
Scott "the shot"
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Wow Scott! Had no idea we were graced with your presence here on AZB. Hope you participate more.
 
philly said:
Interesting.
Went to the University of Pittsburgh.
I have spoken to some knowledgeable people and have mentioned the bell tips and they thought I was a little crazy.
Thanks for your reply.

My main poolroom was the Cue and Cushion at 19th and Cheltenham Avenue.
I remember Doc coming in there from time to time to say hello and take an order here and there.
Two or three of the regulars had cues made by Doc and one of them had that bell tip with the upward fluted ferrel.
His cues were too expensive for me.
I was playing with a 21 oz. Willie Hoppe.
Kept it in a Brunswick leather flip top hustler case.
Bought it for $50, case and stick, and sold them when I went to college for $50.
Wish I still had that case.
Click to expand...
Good old Willie Hoppe cues. They were legendary in those days and not many other cues in 1970 had a leather wrap that i saw around. Don't i remember Willy Mosconi showing up at 19th and Cheltenham Avenue from time to time ? Did you know Harry Hallman ?
 
onlypool said:
Good old Willie Hoppe cues. They were legendary in those days and not many other cues in 1970 had a leather wrap that i saw around. Don't i remember Willy Mosconi showing up at 19th and Cheltenham Avenue from time to time ? Did you know Harry Hallman ?
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I do not remember Willie ever being there and I do not recollect a Harry Hallman.
I would say I began hanging at 19th & Cheltenham around 1965.
 
ok. I guess i have the wrong poolroom regarding Mosconi. Wasn't There a room he either owned or visited often? Do i remember a room on Giraud (Guirrad Ave ??). Harry Hallman(about 60yrs old in 1970) was some kind of PA state champion(probably 14.1). Great guy. Was some kind of a sheetmetal worker.
 
onlypool said:
ok. I guess i have the wrong poolroom regarding Mosconi. Wasn't There a room he either owned or visited often? Do i remember a room on Giraud (Guirrad Ave ??). Harry Hallman(about 60yrs old in 1970) was some kind of PA state champion(probably 14.1). Great guy. Was some kind of a sheetmetal worker.
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I'm sure Willie made the rounds in his home town.
I do not remember ever seeing him.
I never knew a Harry Hallman either.
He probably played in your poolroom.
Where did you play?
Any poolroom on Girard Avenue was probably in North Philadelphia.
Probably not far off of Broad Street.
 
i guess you could say i (played/stopped in for some action) in most of them but mostly NE Phila, west phila, center city(Allengers), west chester, morrisville?, a few in jersey and others. I was young so i stayed away from the toilets and bars. I also hit other states but not more than 10.
 
onlypool said:
i guess you could say i (played/stopped in for some action) in most of them but mostly NE Phila,
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NE Phila...Blvd Pool Room above H&H on US1?.

The Bell tip.... 13mm ='s 14mm
There is a nice thread about Doc...
 
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Yes. The intersection was Rt 1 - Roosevelt Boulevard (a 12 lane road - NOT a typo !! ) - I DON'T think it (Boulevard Billiards + then ? Boulevard Social Club?) was ABOVE H&H. I think H&H was on the corner. I ate there 50 times (and lived 14yrs) plus more. Ya never know. The Doc Frye experimental bell tip might make a come back along with bellbottom pants. ha ha ....How's that for a segway?
 
onlypool said:
Yes. The intersection was Rt 1 - Roosevelt Boulevard (a 12 lane road - NOT a typo !! ) - I DON'T think it (Boulevard Billiards + then ? Boulevard Social Club?) was ABOVE H&H. I think H&H was on the corner. I ate there 50 times (and lived 14yrs) plus more. Ya never know. The Doc Frye experimental bell tip might make a come back along with bellbottom pants. ha ha ....How's that for a segway?
Click to expand...
This is a segway
1674496816959.png
 
onlypool said:
Yes. The intersection was Rt 1 - Roosevelt Boulevard (a 12 lane road - NOT a typo !! ) - I DON'T think it (Boulevard Billiards + then ? Boulevard Social Club?) was ABOVE H&H. I think H&H was on the corner. I ate there 50 times (and lived 14yrs) plus more. Ya never know. The Doc Frye experimental bell tip might make a come back along with bellbottom pants. ha ha ....How's that for a segway?
Click to expand...
 

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onlypool said:
. I still have mine and it is still a 9+ as a playing cue but the Irish . I am thinking of selling my Doc Frye cue because it really belongs in the hands of a serious collector.
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Please post a picture … would enjoy seeing it. I’m on my 2nd Doc. Sold the first to buy the one shown in the avatar
 
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