Old Hustle From Back In The Day

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
This is a hustle that a one arm friend and myself pulled for a few years in bars all over Long Island and the surrounding area. Billy lost his arm above the elbow while we were hydroplane racing in front of Oceanside Beach in the late 50’s. He flipped his hydro and the boat behind him took his arm off with its prop. He had been a better than average pool player with two arms, but with one he was about a “C” player…maybe.

What we would do is go to bars we were not known. We would go in separate and meet at the bar. While sitting next to each other I would talk him into playing some pool for money. I acted like a jerk and he came off as the good guy. Then we would go to a table and start playing 8 ball for $10 a game…him one handed, me two hands. After every game I beat him I’d act like I was trying to up the bet hustling him. It didn’t take too many games before we heard those magic words from one or more that were watching from the bar. “Why don’t you play someone with two arms?” Then I would spend the next few hours hustling these guys that felt so sorry for Billy and hated me so bad they wanted to beat me so bad on the table they couldn’t wait to put their money up. Most of the time Billy and I would split a few hundred or more (nice little score in the 1950’s to early 1960’s) when we met up again later. Johnnyt
 
I've often wondered why pool has such a bad reputation.

Johnnyt said:
This is a hustle that a one arm friend and myself pulled for a few years in bars all over Long Island and the surrounding area. Billy lost his arm above the elbow while we were hydroplane racing in front of Oceanside Beach in the late 50’s. He flipped his hydro and the boat behind him took his arm off with its prop. He had been a better than average pool player with two arms, but with one he was about a “C” player…maybe.

What we would do is go to bars we were not known. We would go in separate and meet at the bar. While sitting next to each other I would talk him into playing some pool for money. I acted like a jerk and he came off as the good guy. Then we would go to a table and start playing 8 ball for $10 a game…him one handed, me two hands. After every game I beat him I’d act like I was trying to up the bet hustling him. It didn’t take too many games before we heard those magic words from one or more that were watching from the bar. “Why don’t you play someone with two arms?” Then I would spend the next few hours hustling these guys that felt so sorry for Billy and hated me so bad they wanted to beat me so bad on the table they couldn’t wait to put their money up. Most of the time Billy and I would split a few hundred or more (nice little score in the 1950’s to early 1960’s) when we met up again later. Johnnyt
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Johnnyt said:
This is a hustle that a one arm friend and myself pulled for a few years in bars all over Long Island and the surrounding area. Billy lost his arm above the elbow while we were hydroplane racing in front of Oceanside Beach in the late 50’s. He flipped his hydro and the boat behind him took his arm off with its prop. He had been a better than average pool player with two arms, but with one he was about a “C” player…maybe.

What we would do is go to bars we were not known. We would go in separate and meet at the bar. While sitting next to each other I would talk him into playing some pool for money. I acted like a jerk and he came off as the good guy. Then we would go to a table and start playing 8 ball for $10 a game…him one handed, me two hands. After every game I beat him I’d act like I was trying to up the bet hustling him. It didn’t take too many games before we heard those magic words from one or more that were watching from the bar. “Why don’t you play someone with two arms?” Then I would spend the next few hours hustling these guys that felt so sorry for Billy and hated me so bad they wanted to beat me so bad on the table they couldn’t wait to put their money up. Most of the time Billy and I would split a few hundred or more (nice little score in the 1950’s to early 1960’s) when we met up again later. Johnnyt
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There is a guy I know that lost the use of one of his arm as a small boy although they didn't amputate it. He has been in a sling all this time. He can still use it as a makeshift bridge by grabbing it with his other hand and laying it on the table and assume a normal type stroke.
Anyways, we used to mess with folks a few years ago. He would walk up to a game I had and if I was beating the guy he would start making comments about how bad the other guy was playing. Eventually he would say something like, "Hell man, I bet I could beat you and I only got one arm"!
The truth was, even with only one arm he was still a strong player, and most people don't like being punked out by a one armed guy so they bought into his trap and usually got took for the cash.

It was great to watch him work his magic on the table. Sometimes he would get a guy talked into a game and make him agree that they both had to play one handed to make it fair for him! It was usually easy money for him. I always got a kick out of it. He found a way to take a disadvantage and turn into into a advantage for himself.

Now, is hustling wrong? Sure it is, but we were all doing it when we were younger and we never went after someone who wasn't really doing it themselves. Those days are over for me, but it still brings a smile to my face to think of that guy beating people with one arm in a sling! :smile:
 
nginear said:
Nice story. Any times that plan backfired on you guys?
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Yes, one time a guy walked into a bar we were going to pull the hustle in pretty far from home base. He had been in a bar on the Island when we pulled it before. Thank God we hadn't started the hustle yet so we just kept telling the guy he was crazy, it wasn't us. I'm glad no one bothered to go outside and see my bike and his car both had NY plates. We were in NJ. Johnnyt
 
My buddy with one arm will give you the 7ball playing with two hands.
 
Great story.

As for the "pool in a negative light".......there's a reason that people don't want to watch players in tuxedos anymore. Zero attention span and zero conflict.

Show them the dark side of pool and people will flock to it. It's all about conflict.
 
fathomblue said:
Great story.

As for the "pool in a negative light".......there's a reason that people don't want to watch players in tuxedos anymore. Zero attention span and zero conflict.

Show them the dark side of pool and people will flock to it. It's all about conflict.
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I do believe you are right...and J. Lee thinks so too. I heard her say it in an interview. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
This is a hustle that a one arm friend and myself pulled for a few years in bars all over Long Island and the surrounding area. Billy lost his arm above the elbow while we were hydroplane racing in front of Oceanside Beach in the late 50’s. He flipped his hydro and the boat behind him took his arm off with its prop. He had been a better than average pool player with two arms, but with one he was about a “C” player…maybe.

What we would do is go to bars we were not known. We would go in separate and meet at the bar. While sitting next to each other I would talk him into playing some pool for money. I acted like a jerk and he came off as the good guy. Then we would go to a table and start playing 8 ball for $10 a game…him one handed, me two hands. After every game I beat him I’d act like I was trying to up the bet hustling him. It didn’t take too many games before we heard those magic words from one or more that were watching from the bar. “Why don’t you play someone with two arms?” Then I would spend the next few hours hustling these guys that felt so sorry for Billy and hated me so bad they wanted to beat me so bad on the table they couldn’t wait to put their money up. Most of the time Billy and I would split a few hundred or more (nice little score in the 1950’s to early 1960’s) when we met up again later. Johnnyt
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I enjoyed your story but have never had the guts to make people hate me. Either that or maybe I'm just vain. Hell, I have been to spots where winning looked so dangerous I'd allow my opponent to get even just so I could quit and get out alive. I never had the balls to be a hustler. I didn't grow up needing to hustle, at least not in the traditional way. I suppose everyone is a hustler in some way if they're still alive beyond age 30, or even 20, or maybe even kindergarten. Anyway, I have seen some good hustling stories unfold, not only in poolrooms but also in the short (but not short enough) 6 months I worked the carnival games, but I just never had the moxie for it. It aint me, bro - it aint me.

TJ
 
Johnnyt said:
This is a hustle that a one arm friend and myself pulled for a few years in bars all over Long Island and the surrounding area. Billy lost his arm above the elbow while we were hydroplane racing in front of Oceanside Beach in the late 50’s. He flipped his hydro and the boat behind him took his arm off with its prop. He had been a better than average pool player with two arms, but with one he was about a “C” player…maybe.

What we would do is go to bars we were not known. We would go in separate and meet at the bar. While sitting next to each other I would talk him into playing some pool for money. I acted like a jerk and he came off as the good guy. Then we would go to a table and start playing 8 ball for $10 a game…him one handed, me two hands. After every game I beat him I’d act like I was trying to up the bet hustling him. It didn’t take too many games before we heard those magic words from one or more that were watching from the bar. “Why don’t you play someone with two arms?” Then I would spend the next few hours hustling these guys that felt so sorry for Billy and hated me so bad they wanted to beat me so bad on the table they couldn’t wait to put their money up. Most of the time Billy and I would split a few hundred or more (nice little score in the 1950’s to early 1960’s) when we met up again later. Johnnyt
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We used to do something very similar. I was hanging with a cute girl that could play. We would play at a bar. The guys would inevitably start trying to 'teach her' how to play. I would act the jealous boyfriend type and tell them "what are you teaching her to play for, she can beat you! In fact I can beat you!" Never failed to get someone to play for $100 or more. They'd be so hot to prove to her that they were better than me...

Those were the days...
 
Tommy Joe said:
I enjoyed your story but have never had the guts to make people hate me. Either that or maybe I'm just vain. Hell, I have been to spots where winning looked so dangerous I'd allow my opponent to get even just so I could quit and get out alive. I never had the balls to be a hustler. I didn't grow up needing to hustle, at least not in the traditional way. I suppose everyone is a hustler in some way if they're still alive beyond age 30, or even 20, or maybe even kindergarten. Anyway, I have seen some good hustling stories unfold, not only in poolrooms but also in the short (but not short enough) 6 months I worked the carnival games, but I just never had the moxie for it. It aint me, bro - it aint me.

TJ
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Sorry, forgot to add, I once had a backer with whom I did better than with any backer I ever had. He would let me play good players now and then, take a shot here and there, but mainly he managed me very well. I could not manage myself. I hate matching up, absolutely hate it. And I hate beating someone and then having to go through the "give me a spot" bullshit. I just never liked it. But with this one guy I didn't have to deal with any of it. He took the onus off me. He made people hate HIM, not me. I was just the player, he was the devil. I can't believe no one ever attacked him, although there were a few occasions where it looked close. He really did it all - got the game, managed it, took all the heat. My winning percentage with him was very good, or at least a whole lot better than it was otherwise, which I would say was below 50% in the long haul, or around 50%. I guess in the end life is all about breaking even. Anyway, just thought I'd add this about my backer. He was really good with it, the whole package - and I didn't come out looking like the bad guy.

TJ
 
Cdryden said:
Now, is hustling wrong? Sure it is, but we were all doing it when we were younger and we never went after someone who wasn't really doing it themselves. Those days are over for me, but it still brings a smile to my face to think of that guy beating people with one arm in a sling! :smile:
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There was a one armed guy I used to play in Hollywood by the name of One Armed Joe. He wasn't much of a player. He wouldn't take a game without being allowed to use the table brush as a bridge. He'd walk from one shot to the next with the same pattern - ball goes in, he picks up the brush, walks to the next shot and puts the brush down, then lays his stick through it and aims it up. He missed a lot, and not on purpose either - he just wasn't that good. I played him many times and felt obliged to let him get away with lots of stuff, which was fine as long as I was winning. Small time stuff, maybe win 10 bucks, good enough for me at the time - not trying to get rich - just make enough to not have to get a job. But eventually I had to get a job when not working became a full time chore. Anyway, I know there are good one armed players, but One Armed Joe was not one of them. The table brush held him back. Hah. The table brush was his friend. It could help him win money on occasion, then in his later years he can look back and blame his lack of one-armed notoriety on the brush. "It held me back man, kept me from being better. Damn, I shouldn't have used the brush."

TJ
 
Johnny T
Did you ever go to the old Golden Cue on Queens blvd ? Not where it was when it closed, when it was a mile or so up the road ? Near the train tracks i think it was, damm its so long ago im having trouble with it myself.

My pop took me there when i was like 13 in 1973 and it was the first pool room i ever went to. Also used to go to King and Queens in Flushing and J.C.s billiard academy.
 
Toncam said:
Johnny T
Did you ever go to the old Golden Cue on Queens blvd ? Not where it was when it closed, when it was a mile or so up the road ? Near the train tracks i think it was, damm its so long ago im having trouble with it myself.

My pop took me there when i was like 13 in 1973 and it was the first pool room i ever went to. Also used to go to King and Queens in Flushing and J.C.s billiard academy.
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Yes I played in there dozens of times. Lot of real good players played in there. Johnnyt
 
Tommy Joe said:
There was a one armed guy I used to play in Hollywood by the name of One Armed Joe. He wasn't much of a player. He wouldn't take a game without being allowed to use the table brush as a bridge. He'd walk from one shot to the next with the same pattern - ball goes in, he picks up the brush, walks to the next shot and puts the brush down, then lays his stick through it and aims it up. He missed a lot, and not on purpose either - he just wasn't that good. I played him many times and felt obliged to let him get away with lots of stuff, which was fine as long as I was winning. Small time stuff, maybe win 10 bucks, good enough for me at the time - not trying to get rich - just make enough to not have to get a job. But eventually I had to get a job when not working became a full time chore. Anyway, I know there are good one armed players, but One Armed Joe was not one of them. The table brush held him back. Hah. The table brush was his friend. It could help him win money on occasion, then in his later years he can look back and blame his lack of one-armed notoriety on the brush. "It held me back man, kept me from being better. Damn, I shouldn't have used the brush."

TJ
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How come people missing a limb or otherwise handicapped are never nicknamed Tiny, or Bubba or Crabshack Jack, why does it always have to be about their body part? I can't stand being called Dickless John.
 
Johnnyt said:
Yes I played in there dozens of times. Lot of real good players played in there. Johnnyt
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LOL, why am i not surprised in the least ?
My pop grew up literally right next door to a pool room in Corona, it was called Damianos. He told me quite a few stories about that place. Hes about 15 years older than you i think.
 
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