Nick "The Indian" Vlahos

I met Nicky in 1964 in Langley Park, Maryland at Roman billiards. I think he was around 13 yrs old. He was a natural talent. Roman had a number of good players and they all taught him what they knew.
About 2 miles away was another pool room where Geese (Mike Gerace) hung out. He was about the same age. His teacher was Charlie Jenkins (a very good player) who moved to Flordia later. Geese and Nicky played 9 ball about every month. Each room betting on their horse. There was a lot of $$$ bet.

The matches were close, with Geese having a slight edge. I can still see Nicky on the back table at Roman with all the players around him showing him how to play. He learned very quickly!
Roman's closed, Nicky moved away, and Mike went on to become " Geese from the east ".
He went to 1 pocket and Nicky went to 14.1. Both were excellent at their craft.
I never got to play Nicky as he moved away in his teens.
I played Geese often ( banks mostly getting 5-4 ).
I saw vids of Nicky and he really was a great player. Sad we lost them both.
 
Last edited:
Early Memories of Nicky Vlahos 1963-67

NOTE: This post is using my friend's (Fat Albert) credentials with his permission. Albert is responsible for me finding out about Nicky and has introduced me to Johnny Archer and Shawn Putnam who I had the pleasure of having dinner with and hang out with in Greensboro NC a couple of years ago - both are gracious, personable and extending human beings and reflective of my memories of Nicky Vlahos. And now about Nicky...............

I moved to Silver Spring MD as a 10 yr old junior flip from Greensboro, NC in 1963 - a total squirrel. The coolest kid in our 5th grade class (Mrs. Potter) was Nicky Vlahos and BTW Nicky was Greek (not Indian) as I went to his home numerous times on University Blvd in Silver Spring and met his Greek speaking parents. His prowess on the sports field was electric as we played a game called "Greek Dodge" - a modified version of Dodgeball. Nicky was the most talented kid in the class athlethically speaking and was way ahead of all of us in many ways - he introduced me to "making out" with two 5th and 6th grade sisters in the woods after school behind Montgomery Knolls Elem School. The girls loved him ! How he developed his talent in pool so fast was always a mystery to me but fast forward to Flower Ave Pool Hall where he was King of the Hill. Lots of great players but none with the youth, charisma, talent and shot making skill of Nicky. We were fourteen
(14) years old. Silver Spring was a hotbed of good players....or so it seemed as I was outclassed by most of the players even though I'd grown up with a Brunswick regulation slate table. I mention other good friends that "hung" out incessantly at Flower Ave Pool Hall at that time - left handed Billy Corzine, Ronald Schwartz and another close friend Michael Schelpark - who I recently heard got killed on the Beltway changing a flat tire. We wore our Chuck Taylors that we'd bought for $6.95 and would play pool for $1.00 an hour. Good times - especially watching Nicky play ! I moved back to Greensboro in the spring of 1967 as an 8th grader and started hanging out at the Co-Ed Cue Club across from Guilford College. Nicky, Billy and Michael came to Greensboro to "hang out" that first summer and they all stayed with me at me parents house. Over the course of 3 days, Nicky took on all comers in Greensboro. The owner of Co-Ed Cue Club, Bob King, was a reasonably good player and knew all the money players in Greensboro. They heard about this 14 yr old that was taking on anyone/everyone thru Bob. Nicky took on each and every one - he drilled their eyes out in 9 ball and pocketed $400 playing $5 and $10 games which was incomprehensible in 1967 as we are talking about a time when as the jingle said just "47 cents for a 3 course meal at McDonalds." Multiple games with rack runs were standard which we'd never seen before. Nicky was super nice and a friend to an outsider like me from the beginning - I never saw Nicky after the summer of 1967 but the memory has lasted a lifetime as I turn 60 in May. When I did return to MD years later, I heard Nicky had move to MA. In the last couple of years, Fat Albert aka The Fat Man tracked down the final on Nicky and conveyed the information about his untimely death. Albert, a talented player himself, visited some pool hools in the NE where the legend still lives as indicated by all the posts. As a memory to Nicky, as I knew him and Nick in later days, I bought the DVD from AZ Billiards of Nick beating Earl. I always wondered why Nick never was on the national scene more than he was - seems he enjoyed his MA/NE life and was active at a certain level and maybe the regional hustle was more fun that the grind of the professional cirucit - I just don't know. With information from Albert, I called Nicky's home pool hall and spoke to the owner to get one last taste of his greatness. The memory lives on....

Jimmy Ross
 
Thank you ALL..keep it coming..

As the OP of this thread, I just wanted to thank you all for your input and sharing of memories. Please keep them coming,I've learned things I didn't know but I know there all Nicky!
Nobody has talked about slippers or TOOTHBRUSHES!:thumbup:
 
Just wanted to add to my buddy's post
Under Fat Albert by Jim Ross above. I remember
When Nicky came to Greensboro that year
So impressive and even at 14 taking on all comers. They came
To the Co-Ed Cue club at Guilford College and he went to Don's (Don Wrenn's downtown)and Tate St by UNCG It was fun to watch as a 10 th grader. I personally Enjoyed my stop at Snookers in Providence to
See the Hall of Fame room with Nick's photos and display .
Long live the
Memory of Nick !!!!!
 
Three things :
1. Good stories about a legend of a pool
Player who died to young, imagine
The stories to be told had he been
playing these last many years

2. A plug for the Snookers Hall of Fame
Room in Providence R I of which
Nicky is a member. The displays
Pics and stories are especially well
Done and impressive

3. Thanks for taking the time to read
Or post about Nicky
 
A fact about Nicky.

When the All About Pool Tour was going hot and heavy in the New England area. A lot of the rooms that participated, by hosting tournaments, also gave trophies to the top three players.

If Nick got anything besides a first place trophy, he would throw it out the window, of the car, as his buddy Mickey, was driving them home.

__________________________________________________________

At Large mentioned Mike Zuglan and Nicky as such a great match up in the nineties. Mike and Nick also shared the same birthday, March 4th.
 
Some pool players die and resurrect many times in their careers

SUPERSTAR said:
Hhmmmmmmmmmmm.
Might be the guy I am thinking of.
Click to expand...

There was another really talented kid back in the late 80s from Cleveland Ohio the called "The Indian"{and I think "JR" too}. I'm not sure what his real name was, he traveled with "BIG BRAD" in that orange van of his all over the mid west.

Smokey Bartlett was another great playing American Indian. I"m not sure what happened to him either, some say he's in Florida, some say he was stabbed and killed. Some pool players die and resurrect many times in their careers. ;)
 
I have heard he would brush his teeth, would take a break and go in and brush his teeth.

I also have it from a local Boston source who does'nt BS that bad. That Nick had a lawn chair bolted into where the drivers seat of his car would have been.. Truth or fiction who knows but just the thought is pretty damn funny
 
CJ Wiley said:
There was another really talented kid back in the late 80s from Cleveland Ohio the called "The Indian"{and I think "JR" too}. I'm not sure what his real name was, he traveled with "BIG BRAD" in that orange van of his all over the mid west.

Smokey Bartlett was another great playing American Indian. I"m not sure what happened to him either, some say he's in Florida, some say he was stabbed and killed. Some pool players die and resurrect many times in their careers. ;)
Click to expand...

Leil Gay-Nicky was not an Indian-Not sure about Leil.

I saw Leil maybe 6-7 yrs ago in Fla-no mustache -shaved head- i finally recognized him from his walk- He glides around the table-nose always up.
 
Last edited:
True..

The Kiss said:
I have heard he would brush his teeth, would take a break and go in and brush his teeth.

I also have it from a local Boston source who does'nt BS that bad. That Nick had a lawn chair bolted into where the drivers seat of his car would have been.. Truth or fiction who knows but just the thought is pretty damn funny
Click to expand...

I never heard about the lawn chair but it wouldn't surprise me. Brushing his teeth was true, he would bring a toiletries bag with him to a tournament, take a break, take his toothbrush and toothpaste to the bathroom and be gone for 10 minutes. Talk about screwing with your opponents head!! He was a genius at it!
 
Pushout said:
I saw Nick play several times but really didn't know him. Good player and seemed like a stand-up guy.
Click to expand...

Watched a great match at the New York State 9 Ball at Pocket Billiard Lounge between Jim Rempe and Nick. What a match! First time I saw him play. No one here is overestimating his ability. Never got to play him.

Lyn
 
Bumped and Rekindled for those that may have know Nicky and not seen these reply's the first time around some good ones.
 
Hello I'am from Germany and Greek and Nik Vlahos must be also Greek in Greek his name is

Νικόλαος Βλάχος

ps:greeks are great hustlers and they love to gamble it doesn't matter for what and i think for that people who knew him he must also be a helpful person like most of greeks are (in first position for us stands the family)

now i will watch those videos against Reyes and Strickland

Νίκο Αναπαύσου εν ειρήνη
 
Last edited:
I must say im not completely sure we are talking about the same person cause I never heard him referred to as Indian Nicky but after hearing about location and connection with Geese im am 99% sure the same. I did not know him nor ever saw play that I can recall but what I do know is I have heard hundreds of stories from countless people at Jack n Jills about Nicky. He was talked about in Legend form; which considering the place was EXTREMELY impressive. You would always hear about Newdecker, Geese, Nicky - no particular order - them of course Cigar who was always just one little notch above these but for sure all Legends in our part of town. To be truthful even to this day I still hear stories about Nicky to this day from some of the older guard of Jack m Jills. I've actually been expecting quite a few stories about Nicky in my Jack n Jills thread ( the best ever ) and im certain they're coming from all I've heard.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top