Name a pool hall you wish was still open today

[pt109]

Surprised that with all the NYC pools halls, no one has mentioned Guys and Dolls...
...7th ave near 50th street.
It had 36 new Gold Crowns...in the middle 1960s.
As the 7-11 went to seed, the action moved here....Brunswick was trying to give the game
a better image (even though The Hustler movie had created the boom)

I remember it had 36 tables, ‘cause a ‘pool room detective’ told me my first time there...
..”Watch out for table 36, it’s got trap pockets.”

Jerry Orbach played there....and backed players.

Somebody wrote on AZ a few years ago.....a street bum opened :sorry:the door one day and yelled..
...”It was twenty years ago today!”....a man practising by himself looked up and yelled...
...”Sargeant Pepper taught his band to play!”....the bum went back out the door....
...the player went back to shooting.....I love New York...

The warning I got went unheeded, BTW....I had busted ‘bout 30 players at the 7-11...
....lost it all on table 36.....

 

[jbullerjr]

CJ Wileys place in Dallas

 

[o.g. (old guy)]

Kushion Korners in Redding, Ca. In the mid 60's. Not exactly a hot bed of billiards but my dad ran it, had a lot of great childhood memories there.

 

[Sealegs50]

Yale Billiards, Pool Table Magic, World Championship Billiards, A1 Billiards (Jayson Shaw plays there, his wife's family runs it) those are just the ones I visited. I think there are 2-3 others worth going to in CT.

Also, Shooters Billiards in Southington, Branford Cue and Brew, and Gold Crown Billiards in New London. I believe that A1 you mentioned is called US 1 Billiards, which is in West Haven.

 

[Seth C.]

Towne Billiards in Morristown NJ. Great upstairs room with terrific owner Henry Harnish. Jimmy was his main Room Man. Lots of strong players, most of whom would give you a friendly game. Monthly A and B straight pool tournaments. Lots of Bobs. Jersey Bob, Hippie Bob, Friendly Bob. Great young talent named Randy Bennett. Wonder what happened to him.

 

[kkdanamatt]

Towne Billiards in Morristown NJ. Great upstairs room with terrific owner Henry Harnish. Jimmy was his main Room Man. Lots of strong players, most of whom would give you a friendly game. Monthly A and B straight pool tournaments. Lots of Bobs. Jersey Bob, Hippie Bob, Friendly Bob. Great young talent named Randy Bennett. Wonder what happened to him.

When Randy was still in his early 20's he spanked Jack Colavita several times.
Randy, unfortunately got hooked on drugs.
I heard that Randy recently showed up somewhere in Jersey and was playing occasionally, but not near his former speed.
Somebody posted here on AZ that he hardly recognized Randy.
What a waste of talent!

 

[DJSTEVEZ]

Let's see...

Chelsea Billiards in NYC...best room ever (IMHO). Gotta love a room with a separate hand-washing station for the players
West End Billiards, Elizabeth, NJ...more pros per square foot than a tournament.
The Golden Q in Queens, NYC...great action + had a pro shop very well stocked with Schon cues & shafts

The Hollywood Athletic Club in LA, CA. ...never a prettier cathedral built for the game we love.
Hollywood Billiards (downstairs on Hollywood Blvd) LA, CA. down & dirty.

Lad & Lady Billiards, Yonkers, NY. Old Skool room. Westchester's best action room.
Family Billiards, Yonkers, NY Average nouveau room, but very spacious.

 

[Don Owen]

Central Club and Empire Room, downtown OKC.

 

[meridianblades]

Gentleman Jim's.... Minneapolis. Lake Street.

 

[pt109]

Cap’s Cue Club...Syracuse
Gold Crowns...from the 60s......great snack bar....great bunch of guys.

Dickie introduced me to The Babe there...he was in his 80s...glad to have shaken his hand.

 

[Reggie1971]

Pockets (formerly Guys & Dolls) in Shreveport, La.

I went often in 1991. Players like Danny Jones, Eddie Taylor, and Buddy Hall were regulars there.

 

[Seth C.]

When Randy was still in his early 20's he spanked Jack Colavita several times.
Randy, unfortunately got hooked on drugs.
I heard that Randy recently showed up somewhere in Jersey and was playing occasionally, but not near his former speed.
Somebody posted here on AZ that he hardly recognized Randy.
What a waste of talent!

Yes, a true waste. Randy had a power draw like I've never seen from anyone else. He was really creative. Made the balls dance and the table sing.

Thinking back (it was 1980-81 when I played there), Randy was hanging out with a good, young woman player named Sue Bishop. There came a point in time, many nights, when they would leave the room for a while and return in not quite the same condition, shall we say. I have a distinct memory of her because during a tournament match one day, where she and I were opponents, she called a foul on me, saying that my shirt sleeve had touched a ball. I hadn't felt anything, but she was jumping all over it, so I just said "whatever" and took a seat. Rubbed me the wrong way, though, and caused me to be one of those guys who just lets fouls go.

 

[JustPlay]

Starchers in Akron Ohio...had action all the time at any level and was open 24/7-365..a real poolroom

Yes. I concur!

 

[strmanglr scott]

Didn't think I would post because so long ago and so few a crowd, but...

In MI capital city, Hall of Fame and Pockets.

Pockets closing was in the last ten, Hall of Fame was a good twenty roughly.

 

[Jimmorrison]

Gentleman Jim's.... Minneapolis. Lake Street.

Hell Yeah, old school, all the way.

 

[Jimmorrison]

I moved out of town in 86, was around a few years later and Bryant Lake Bowl was this big swanky joint, Jim's was gone. When did it shut down?

 

[windKnott]

Baker’s Billiard Academy in Tampa,FL Established In 1942 it had a rich history of exceptional players & an amazing cue maker Wayne Gunn. Always action to be had any time of day or night.

Masters Billiards in Brooksville, FL

 

[pt109]

Club Billiards, Montreal
It was informally know as Chenier’s at one time...George was one of the founding partners.
....there was a 6x12 near the front with permanent seating ...lotta greats played there.

Windsor Bowling and Billiards
The home room of Leo Levitt...ran a 147 there in 1948

 

[Derek]

Shakespeare's in Denver. None of the current places comes close.

 

[Cuebuddy]

Shakespeare's in Denver. None of the current places comes close.

I remember Shakespeare's interesting room layout. Played in a few tourneys there, cool place.