Names from the past

How about this guy

Bill Stack, quit pool about 25 or 30 years ago to work at Harrah's Casino. When he was still playing his concentration was so intense it seemed he would melt the ball he was shooting at. Great player, he just retired from casino, wish he would make another try at playing late in life.
 
RossThompsonJr said:
My dad keith squirrel thompson was a good one...Ronnie Allen and Cole Dickson were good ones too in the days of johnson city at Janscos
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I saw your Dad play Jersey Red at the Cotton Bowling Palace in late '63 or early 64. He did not win that one but he was a great player.
 
GreenFeltguy said:
Bill Stack, quit pool about 25 or 30 years ago to work at Harrah's Casino. When he was still playing his concentration was so intense it seemed he would melt the ball he was shooting at. Great player, he just retired from casino, wish he would make another try at playing late in life.
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Tom golley...another very good player who went the casino route.

And how about Giles darr? From the hills, west of D.C.? I wonder if he and bushwhacker ever tangled.
 
Paul Baker still hanging around in DesMoines.Scott Kitto golfing and hitting balls in Texas. Does anyone know if Little Dave LaBlanc from San Diego ( in the 60,s) is still alive.
 
Black-Balled said:
Tom golley...another very good player who went the casino route.

And how about Giles darr? From the hills, west of D.C.? I wonder if he and bushwhacker ever tangled.
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Don't know about , if the bushwacker got action, but there was along time after the match started, that Allen Hopkins didn't like it against Giles. Hopkins ended up taking it off, but he really had to go to work to make it happen. This was back in the late 70's,,years later Charlie Brinson, didn't get there when he matched up with Darr.
 
Who remembers Gabby, the black player out of Texas? He busted a lot of very good players. One other way under rated player was George Brunt from Milwaukee, a stone killer for the cash! They weren't unknown but rarely mentioned in conversations about top players. A little earlier there was Don Watson who was pretty smooth. He had absolutely the softest touch of any pool player I ever saw. He always knew the shortest way to get position, and the easiest! He had a light touch in the day of the power strokers. It took a player the speed of Ed Kelly or Buddy Hall to beat him, so none of the top players wanted any part of him. He was very low key though (sat in a corner of the poolroom reading the racing form and was quiet as a mouse), and once in a while a road man would come in that didn't know Don and it was Doom! :rolleyes:
 
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jay helfert said:
Who remembers Gabby, the black player out of Texas? He busted a lot of very good players. One other way under rated player was George Brunt from Milwaukee, a stone killer for the cash! They weren't unknown but rarely mentioned in conversations about top players. A little earlier there was Don Watson who was pretty smooth. He had absolutely the softest touch of any pool player I ever saw. He always knew the shortest way to get position, and the easiest! He had a light touch in the day of the power strokers. It took a player the speed of Ed Kelly or Buddy Hall to beat him, so none of the top players wanted any part of him. He was very low key though (sat in a corner of the poolroom reading the racing form and was quiet as a mouse), and once in a while a road man would come in that didn't know Don and it was Doom! :rolleyes:
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I watched Gabby play in Bartlesville,Ok. back in late '80's early '90's. He smoked Dick Lane for the dough. Very smooth operator. Played a lot like Buddy. He went to prison for some home invasion charges and got killed in the joint. Sad ending for a great talent. George Brunt looked like a school teacher but wow, what a player. Really tough when the bet got up there.
 
http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=60200


Silky smooth stroke. Very pure hit.

jay helfert said:
Who remembers Gabby, the black player out of Texas? He busted a lot of very good players. One other way under rated player was George Brunt from Milwaukee, a stone killer for the cash! They weren't unknown but rarely mentioned in conversations about top players. A little earlier there was Don Watson who was pretty smooth. He had absolutely the softest touch of any pool player I ever saw. He always knew the shortest way to get position, and the easiest! He had a light touch in the day of the power strokers. It took a player the speed of Ed Kelly or Buddy Hall to beat him, so none of the top players wanted any part of him. He was very low key though (sat in a corner of the poolroom reading the racing form and was quiet as a mouse), and once in a while a road man would come in that didn't know Don and it was Doom! :rolleyes:
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Rico said:
Paul Baker still hanging around in DesMoines.Scott Kitto golfing and hitting balls in Texas. Does anyone know if Little Dave LaBlanc from San Diego ( in the 60,s) is still alive.
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I saw Don McCaughey (McCoy) last month and he was carrying a cue case over his shoulder.

I heard from someone who knows that he was practicing again after quite a few years off.

I hope so.


Jeff Livingston
 
Buster Merchant

No one had more natural talent. he could make any shot on the table and really didn't have to play good position he would just keep cutting balls backwards but always making the shots. He still shows up on occasion close to Greenville, Miss, and even though he hardly plays anymore, still a dominant player.
 
GreenFeltguy said:
No one had more natural talent. he could make any shot on the table and really didn't have to play good position he would just keep cutting balls backwards but always making the shots. He still shows up on occasion close to Greenville, Miss, and even though he hardly plays anymore, still a dominant player.
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Sounds like Louie Roberts. If he could see it he could make it!
 
GreenFeltguy said:
No one had more natural talent. he could make any shot on the table and really didn't have to play good position he would just keep cutting balls backwards but always making the shots. He still shows up on occasion close to Greenville, Miss, and even though he hardly plays anymore, still a dominant player.
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I remember seeing buster in Starkville in a ring game...he did not get out of the gate, thought I could tell he was very respected.
 
jay helfert said:
Who remembers Gabby, the black player out of Texas? He busted a lot of very good players. One other way under rated player was George Brunt from Milwaukee, a stone killer for the cash! They weren't unknown but rarely mentioned in conversations about top players. A little earlier there was Don Watson who was pretty smooth. He had absolutely the softest touch of any pool player I ever saw. He always knew the shortest way to get position, and the easiest! He had a light touch in the day of the power strokers. It took a player the speed of Ed Kelly or Buddy Hall to beat him, so none of the top players wanted any part of him. He was very low key though (sat in a corner of the poolroom reading the racing form and was quiet as a mouse), and once in a while a road man would come in that didn't know Don and it was Doom! :rolleyes:
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I remember him. He played some tournaments at our pool hall in Alvin, Texas.He was very talented but went to prison for following women to their home, beating them up, and taking their jewelry and money. Brutal pics and coverage by Houston TV stations before and after his apprehension.

Craziest thing is he was very polite and quiet at the pool hall(Big Daddy's).
 
In Texas you had Bill Stroud, Squirrel,UJ, James Davis, Sr., Gilbert Martinez, jr., David Henson, Javier Franko, Flyboy, and a host of others that currently are missing from my memory.

Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio were great cities to find action from the 70's through the 90's.
 
jay helfert said:
I think I know the Junior you're talking about. A rough old redneck like Cornbread but a lot bigger as I recall. I never saw him play, just talk. :smile:
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Junior Goff was from Dothan Ala and ran around some with Red from what I heard. Probably a different Junior, though.
 
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