Old road stories

I found the thread that had links to the Hines-Strickland match for those that are interested. I don't know who originally posted it here on AZ but for those that may have missed it...here's the links:
Earl Strickland vs Jack Hines...Uploaded!!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A number of people asked for the Earl Strickland vs Jack Hines finals in the 1988 Ohio Open...

So, HERE YOU GO!!!! Enjoy

Part 1 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjeO7gm99BE

Part 2 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OpD1x7Bsrik

Part 3 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMlQlQZPVjA

Part 4 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KteYbbLW678

Part 5 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSDoxasVXB0

Part 6 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2ZlwG9bhsg

Part 7 - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PC2rr512sdg

Don't blame me if you lose sleep or your boss catches you!!
 
jack hines

damn right im interested! me and jack hung around togather for 3 monthes in the 90's in huntington,wv i could tell some awesome stories too, but i cant type worth a crap, Jack Hines was phanaminable!!!


Since Freddy the Beard, Grady and San Jose Dick among others have shared many great stories from the past, and these are my favorite posts. I will add a few of my own from the past. My memory has faded some but one that sticks out in my mind was mentioned in McCumber's playing off the rail. The place was Stracher's billiards which was a long low ceilinged building that housed around 24 gold crown 2's. The tables are two wide running from the front to the back of the building. When you walked into Strachers in the 1980's-early 90's you knew that it was there for players. It had an ample parking lot that was sometimes patrolled by a security guard who was just as liable to steal your stereo as some of the local thugs. The room was a 24 hour 365 day a year room and drew people from all walks of life. When you step in the counterman was there to eye up prospective marks. His discerning eye was the basis of your table assignment.
indent The timeframe of this tournament was the big winter tournament around 1994. I was fresh off a huge run at cards and pumped up. Cracker Jack Hynes had been playing what I think was his best pool after re-dedicating himself to hitting about a thousand balls a day for months. Jack liked to stay undercover and was not big on playing tournaments, but we figured we would use the tournament as a way to get some action. I believe there were around a 100-120 players in the field which was large. Parica, Tony Ellin, Double J, Tommy Kennedy, Dave Bollman, Greg Fix, Gary Spaeth, Steve McAnnich, Tony Annigoni, Bobby Legg, Mark Maryo, and a slew of other top notch players were in the field. During the tournament one of the two rows of tables are removed to make room for bleachers. It left about 16 tables for the warriors to do battle. Matches were run from about 10am until night time consisting of races to eleven.
indent Jack wanted to play some big dollar sets of nine rocket with just about anybody. A day before the tourney started Jack got into some action with an older gentleman from Iowa named Don who wanted to play onepocket, but I would never let Jack play 1pocket. It was 9ball or no action. After hemming and hawing for about an hour Don asked Jack if he wanted to play short rack banks for a few hundred a game Jack told me he didn't need to duck anyone at banks, and to get the guy to play for at least 500 a game. Well Jack and I had a rule my money I make the game. I confered with Gary Spaeth and he told me Jack's firepower and knowledge could get him there with almost anyone at banks except guys like Bugs, Rusty, Cornbread, etc. I wanted them to play even for a dime a game but Don was only interested in playing for 300 a game. We finally settled on a race to five for 1500. Jack came storming out of the gate running 3, 4, 5's every game all fired at warp speed and playing shape sometimes multiple rails. Jack was up 4 to zip and leading three balls to two when he rattled a ball and left an easy cross side. What he did next made me think I was in for a Jack Hynes meltdown he racked in the balls huh? Even Don couldn't believe it he just shrugged and the next game Don got to three balls and was down on a long rail straight back and Jack tossed his book of matches on the table conceding that game too. Ok 4 to 2 and it's conferance time with Jack I pulled him aside and asked WTF? He said this guy shoots straight and he woulda been out. I told him Jack just win the damn set. next game Jack gets to the table and banks five and out.
indent After the players meeting rumblings begun to coarse through the poolroom that the guy from Cali (Tony Annigonni) was backed by a rich writer and looking for action, we tried in vain to get into a game with him but had zero luck. We even offered money odds. The only people there who wanted to play Jack 9ball was Parica with no backer (umm no thanks) and I believe the other person was Buddy Hall, but I can't remember. Neither game was a winning proposition although at that time IMO Jack had the offensive gear to win playing races in 9ball against about anyone but Parica. If he wins though under the radar is a thing of the past.
indent Since matching up was not happening Jack decided to focus on the tournament and the 5k first prize. He was mowing through his opponents one after another. Everyone he beat said the same thing "how could I lose to that guy, he never plays safe and turns the cueball loose every shot while shooting 100 miles an hour". Jack was sitting pretty making the money when we finally got an offer to play a strong player from Canada who bets his own and was considered one of the best players from up North. I cannot remember his name but he was bald with black hair and a moustache and played all games well. The game was made for 8 ahead for two dimes after the final tourney matches wound down. I was able to get another 1200 in side action down from about 8 diffrent people who knew the player from up north, but didn't know Jack very well. They flip for break and Jack losses the flip. The first rack the Canadian breaks and makes the nine. Next rack he breaks and runs out. Ditto for the third rack. Fourth rack he makes a 2-9 hanger and just like that we are 4 down in an 8 ahead set. Jack wins the next couple racks I believe, somehow it gets to Jack plus two and the Canadian plays one of the best safes I seen he shots a table length safe and freezes Jack to a ball and has the one, two, and three rail kicking lanes blocked. Jack eyes it up for at least 5 minutes walking all around the table until finally Jack gets up on his tippy toe with his other knee on the table bridges over the ball shoots it back into the rail jumps over the safety ball goes two rails and kicks in the object ball (1 ball) the proceeds to run out. After that rack he runs four and snaps in the set ball to get the cheese................. To be continued if anyone is interested.[/QUOTE]
 
Old Road Stories, Jack Hynes

Hey Huckster, this is definitely an extraordinary story!

It's been nearly 3 months since you posted part 1, you've left us AZer's "hanging" we would like to here more![part 2]

I really do like hearing and reading "old road stories" about whomever, it makes pool so fascinating.



David Harcrow
 
alphadog said:
PLEASE BABY BABY PLEASE! As an aside a friend ,here in Texas,just bought Jack a ticket home! Keep your eyes peeled!
Click to expand...


Even money says he cashed in the ticket and stayed put. ;)
 
Try Jay's or my books

Jay and I both wrote books with pool road stories that sold fairly well and enjoyed by many, give them a try !
 
GreenFeltguy said:
Jay and I both wrote books with pool road stories that sold fairly well and enjoyed by many, give them a try !
Click to expand...

I would highly suggest the green felt jungle haven't read pool wars yet. I can say that when gerald Huber was active in the delta area pool scene ANYONE that came through could match up if he didn't play he would put someone in the box. He was a great action guy along the lines of a Harry Platis, Flyboy, Paul Brusloff, guys that went out of there way to get action going.
 
Name

huckster said:
indentSince Freddy the Beard, Grady and San Jose Dick among others have shared many great stories from the past, and these are my favorite posts. I will add a few of my own from the past. My memory has faded some but one that sticks out in my mind was mentioned in McCumber's playing off the rail. The place was Stracher's billiards which was a long low ceilinged building that housed around 24 gold crown 2's. The tables are two wide running from the front to the back of the building. When you walked into Strachers in the 1980's-early 90's you knew that it was there for players. It had an ample parking lot that was sometimes patrolled by a security guard who was just as liable to steal your stereo as some of the local thugs. The room was a 24 hour 365 day a year room and drew people from all walks of life. When you step in the counterman was there to eye up prospective marks. His discerning eye was the basis of your table assignment.
indent The timeframe of this tournament was the big winter tournament around 1994. I was fresh off a huge run at cards and pumped up. Cracker Jack Hynes had been playing what I think was his best pool after re-dedicating himself to hitting about a thousand balls a day for months. Jack liked to stay undercover and was not big on playing tournaments, but we figured we would use the tournament as a way to get some action. I believe there were around a 100-120 players in the field which was large. Parica, Tony Ellin, Double J, Tommy Kennedy, Dave Bollman, Greg Fix, Gary Spaeth, Steve McAnnich, Tony Annigoni, Bobby Legg, Mark Maryo, and a slew of other top notch players were in the field. During the tournament one of the two rows of tables are removed to make room for bleachers. It left about 16 tables for the warriors to do battle. Matches were run from about 10am until night time consisting of races to eleven.
indent Jack wanted to play some big dollar sets of nine rocket with just about anybody. A day before the tourney started Jack got into some action with an older gentleman from Iowa named Don who wanted to play onepocket, but I would never let Jack play 1pocket. It was 9ball or no action. After hemming and hawing for about an hour Don asked Jack if he wanted to play short rack banks for a few hundred a game Jack told me he didn't need to duck anyone at banks, and to get the guy to play for at least 500 a game. Well Jack and I had a rule my money I make the game. I confered with Gary Spaeth and he told me Jack's firepower and knowledge could get him there with almost anyone at banks except guys like Bugs, Rusty, Cornbread, etc. I wanted them to play even for a dime a game but Don was only interested in playing for 300 a game. We finally settled on a race to five for 1500. Jack came storming out of the gate running 3, 4, 5's every game all fired at warp speed and playing shape sometimes multiple rails. Jack was up 4 to zip and leading three balls to two when he rattled a ball and left an easy cross side. What he did next made me think I was in for a Jack Hynes meltdown he racked in the balls huh? Even Don couldn't believe it he just shrugged and the next game Don got to three balls and was down on a long rail straight back and Jack tossed his book of matches on the table conceding that game too. Ok 4 to 2 and it's conferance time with Jack I pulled him aside and asked WTF? He said this guy shoots straight and he woulda been out. I told him Jack just win the damn set. next game Jack gets to the table and banks five and out.
indent After the players meeting rumblings begun to coarse through the poolroom that the guy from Cali (Tony Annigonni) was backed by a rich writer and looking for action, we tried in vain to get into a game with him but had zero luck. We even offered money odds. The only people there who wanted to play Jack 9ball was Parica with no backer (umm no thanks) and I believe the other person was Buddy Hall, but I can't remember. Neither game was a winning proposition although at that time IMO Jack had the offensive gear to win playing races in 9ball against about anyone but Parica. If he wins though under the radar is a thing of the past.
indent Since matching up was not happening Jack decided to focus on the tournament and the 5k first prize. He was mowing through his opponents one after another. Everyone he beat said the same thing "how could I lose to that guy, he never plays safe and turns the cueball loose every shot while shooting 100 miles an hour". Jack was sitting pretty making the money when we finally got an offer to play a strong player from Canada who bets his own and was considered one of the best players from up North. I cannot remember his name but he was bald with black hair and a moustache and played all games well. The game was made for 8 ahead for two dimes after the final tourney matches wound down. I was able to get another 1200 in side action down from about 8 diffrent people who knew the player from up north, but didn't know Jack very well. They flip for break and Jack losses the flip. The first rack the Canadian breaks and makes the nine. Next rack he breaks and runs out. Ditto for the third rack. Fourth rack he makes a 2-9 hanger and just like that we are 4 down in an 8 ahead set. Jack wins the next couple racks I believe, somehow it gets to Jack plus two and the Canadian plays one of the best safes I seen he shots a table length safe and freezes Jack to a ball and has the one, two, and three rail kicking lanes blocked. Jack eyes it up for at least 5 minutes walking all around the table until finally Jack gets up on his tippy toe with his other knee on the table bridges over the ball shoots it back into the rail jumps over the safety ball goes two rails and kicks in the object ball (1 ball) the proceeds to run out. After that rack he runs four and snaps in the set ball to get the cheese................. To be continued if anyone is interested.
Click to expand...

Hi Huckster,

I was living in Akron in the early 1970's before I moved to Canton where I knew your grandfather, Don Willis well. He would regularly come into the College Bowl and I enjoyed a lot of good times with Don, Fred Martin, Rocco Moecia, Meredith Copedesh and others.

My favorite times with Don Willis were when he would get going with his magic tricks. Genuine sleight of hand, turning $1 into $5, then $5 into $10, then $10 into $20, folding and unfolding one at a time. BTW, if anyone knows this one and how to do it, please send me a PM! :o

I played in many of the tournaments at Starchers in Akron. Your description is excellent. You were there quite a bit later, but nothing had changed (even the buffalo wings)! :wink: . Talk about wings, when we would get Don Willis to get going with wing shots at the College Bowl, no one was ever better. I saw him (this is a fact) do a couple of full racks in a row once without missing!

I remember when Paul Mottey (good player) came over from Pittsburgh to one of the Starcher's tournaments with the first two cues he had made, trying to sell them. Wish I'd bought'em! :rolleyes:

In your post the person you mentioned as just Don from Iowa was Don McCaughey (pronounced McCoy).

Take care,

Will Prout
 
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ibuycues said:
Hi Huckster,

I was living in Akron in the early 1970's before I moved to Canton where I knew your grandfather, Don Willis well. He would regularly come into the College Bowl and I enjoyed a lot of good times with Don, Fred Martin, Rocco Moecia, Meredith Copedesh and others.

My favorite times with Don Willis were when he would get going with his magic tricks. Genuine sleight of hand, turning $1 into $5, then $5 into $10, then $10 into $20, folding and unfolding one at a time. BTW, if anyone knows this one and how to do it, please send me a PM! :o

I played in many of the tournaments at Starchers in Akron. Your description is excellent. You were there quite a bit later, but nothing had changed (even the buffalo wings)! :wink: . Talk about wings, when we would get Don Willis to get going with wing shots at the College Bowl, no one was ever better. I saw him (this is a fact) do a couple of full racks in a row once without missing!

I remember when Paul Mottey (good player) came over from Pittsburgh to one of the Starcher's tournaments with the first two cues he had made, trying to sell them. Wish I'd bought'em! :rolleyes:

In your post the person you mentioned as just Don from Iowa was Don McCaughey (pronounced McCoy).

Take care,

Will Prout
Click to expand...

Good stuff Will. Don would bet he could make 9 out of 10 wing shots, and he couldn't throw them slow either! He even made them between two balls strategically placed down table!

Don Wills was a "Renaissance" hustler, being good at many games. He was a world champion ping pong player, the best ever in racing backwards, and a wizard with a deck of cards in his hands. Kind of like Titanic Thompson but for real. Don didn't have to scam to get the money, he had true skills.

Later in life he made a good living as a sports handicapper. His favorite sport was college basketball. He knew more about the teams then the guys who set the lines. During basketball season he would live in Vegas and bet games every day. At the end of the season he could go back home, all pumped up with his winnings. I rarely saw him without the sports section of the newspaper in his back pocket. It was always on the page with the "line" for the upcoming games.

He was one slick guy and not a braggart either. There was a famous encounter he had with a reporter once who asked him why he wasn't playing in a World Championship. Don avoided tournaments like the plague. The reporter asked Don if he had ever played any of these guys and went down the list. After each name Don replied, "Beat him," "Beat him." :thumbup:
 
Pretty sure this is the same Canadian guy I played in 92, His shaft was so thin I think it was a snooker cue he used, he knocked me into the losers bracket first round of the sunshine 9 Ball invitational, I was so mad I went through the losers bracket like a buzz saw and faced him in the finals, we were 6-6 in a race to 7 exchanging safeties, back then I was playing One hole with Steve Cook every Sunday morning at Bakers and he was teaching me Chicago style, I grew up in Chicago but moved to Florida with my family in the mid 70’s when I was just starting to play, anyway I pull out a cookie monster slice the 8 so paper thin it barely moved, spin the cue 4 rails and freeze him behind the 9 locked it up!, his ears turned red as he watched the cue ball run out of steam at just right time, I looked at him and said welcome to Florida. To this day that is one of my favorite trophies to dust.:grin-square:

Can't wait for more stories.
 

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ibuycues said:
Hi Huckster,

I was living in Akron in the early 1970's before I moved to Canton where I knew your grandfather, Don Willis well. He would regularly come into the College Bowl and I enjoyed a lot of good times with Don, Fred Martin, Rocco Moecia, Meredith Copedesh and others.

My favorite times with Don Willis were when he would get going with his magic tricks. Genuine sleight of hand, turning $1 into $5, then $5 into $10, then $10 into $20, folding and unfolding one at a time. BTW, if anyone knows this one and how to do it, please send me a PM! :o

I played in many of the tournaments at Starchers in Akron. Your description is excellent. You were there quite a bit later, but nothing had changed (even the buffalo wings)! :wink: . Talk about wings, when we would get Don Willis to get going with wing shots at the College Bowl, no one was ever better. I saw him (this is a fact) do a couple of full racks in a row once without missing!

I remember when Paul Mottey (good player) came over from Pittsburgh to one of the Starcher's tournaments with the first two cues he had made, trying to sell them. Wish I'd bought'em! :rolleyes:

In your post the person you mentioned as just Don from Iowa was Don McCaughey (pronounced McCoy).

Take care,

Will Prout
Click to expand...

We all know how Fat's liked to put down all the pool players, calling them bums and making fun of them. It was all done good naturedly but in truth Fats liked getting under their skin. He was not too impressed with any other pool players, other than guys like Greenleaf who everyone respected and Hubert Cokes who they all feared.

But I remember one time when he was carrying on somewhere and someone brought up the name Don Willis. Fats let out a whistle and got a serious look on his face. "That's one guy I don't want to mess with too much. He's almost as smart as me!" Then he laughed and went on talking. But I never forgot that. Fat's actually gave a back handed compliment to another pool player. Willis is the only guy I ever heard Fat's give accolades to.
 
Thanks Huckster

Putting me in the same category as Flyboy and Harry Platis is a good thing, I admire both guys, think we are all the same, love action, love pool players, etc.
 
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