Troy Richards was a long time hustler that spent many of his years playing in St Louis, originally from Florida I believe. Troy was, at one time a great bar table player & one pocket player. I never got to see him play in his heyday, but when I started to hang out in the pool room, Troy was there most days. He wasn't a huge gambler at this point in his life. $50 or $100 sets, $10 or $20 a game. He had an old time stance, standing almost straight up over the cue ball, looking at the object ball the entire time he shot.
Troy was once audited by the IRS because he hadn't filed taxes in years. When they asked him what he did for a living, he told them he owned an air barrel factory. He seriously said it took him 45 minutes for him to explain to them what an air barrel was and how it was used. He said that he had fired so many air barrels in his life that he now had to own an entire factory to produce them to keep up. They must've thought he was crazy. They never called him back in again to ask how he made his living or survived to pay his bills.
Troy would go to Steak N Shake every night before he came to the pool room. Each visit, he would steal a spoon or a fork. He must have had literally tons of the silverware at his apartment. Sometimes he would be bold and take a coffee cup. Why, I have no idea. To give more background of Troy, he had a speech impediment that his vocals came thru his nose. Some words were hard to understand.
Here are my three favorite Troy stories:
Troy was in the pool room when this road player came in and asked "Who wanted to play some cheap 9 ball for $5.00". Troy stands up and says he would play. So they play back and forth for about an hour and Troy is now 12 games loser. Troy looks at the road player and says, "Well that is enough for me. I am done, I can't beat you." He pulls out 5 one dollar bills from his pocket, counts them out and says "Here you go" as he hands the road player the money. The road player says, "Hey I said $5.00 9 ball, you owe me $60.00." Troy corrects him and says, "No you asked who wanted to play some cheap 9 ball for $5.00, I lost so here is your $5.00." The road player had no answer or argument and Troy went home.
Another day, another road player came into the pool room but this guy was stalling and playing cheap for $10.00 a game. Troy was smart and read the situation. The road player let Troy get 7 or 8 games winner. Without missing a beat, Troy says this time, "Well that is enough for me" and starts to unscrew his stick. The road player can't believe it. He didn't have a chance to turn up his speed or raise the bet. Troy's quitting beat him to it. Just another day at the office for Troy.
Finally, last story of another road player coming thru. Troy actually thought he was stealing this time playing one pocket. Troy finds himself two games down and realizes that he can't win. He tells his buddy, possum Bill to go outside and call him - meaning to go outside to the payphone and call the pool room. Possum Bill goes outside and starts shouting, Troy Troy Troy. Troy can't stand it and says "What is this m-f-er doing?" He gets possum Bill to come back inside and explains to him to use the payphone to call him. So the pool room phone rings and the counter man says it is for Troy. Troy gets on the phone and says, "Oh my god, what hospital, I'll be right there." He turns to the road player and says "I have got to run, my son was just in a terrible accident, we can finish our game later." Two days went by, no Troy in the pool room and the road player headed out of town.
Troy passed away a few years ago. I heard they found him in his apartment, dead of an apparent heart attack. I miss the days of the pool room when Troy was around.
Troy was once audited by the IRS because he hadn't filed taxes in years. When they asked him what he did for a living, he told them he owned an air barrel factory. He seriously said it took him 45 minutes for him to explain to them what an air barrel was and how it was used. He said that he had fired so many air barrels in his life that he now had to own an entire factory to produce them to keep up. They must've thought he was crazy. They never called him back in again to ask how he made his living or survived to pay his bills.
Troy would go to Steak N Shake every night before he came to the pool room. Each visit, he would steal a spoon or a fork. He must have had literally tons of the silverware at his apartment. Sometimes he would be bold and take a coffee cup. Why, I have no idea. To give more background of Troy, he had a speech impediment that his vocals came thru his nose. Some words were hard to understand.
Here are my three favorite Troy stories:
Troy was in the pool room when this road player came in and asked "Who wanted to play some cheap 9 ball for $5.00". Troy stands up and says he would play. So they play back and forth for about an hour and Troy is now 12 games loser. Troy looks at the road player and says, "Well that is enough for me. I am done, I can't beat you." He pulls out 5 one dollar bills from his pocket, counts them out and says "Here you go" as he hands the road player the money. The road player says, "Hey I said $5.00 9 ball, you owe me $60.00." Troy corrects him and says, "No you asked who wanted to play some cheap 9 ball for $5.00, I lost so here is your $5.00." The road player had no answer or argument and Troy went home.
Another day, another road player came into the pool room but this guy was stalling and playing cheap for $10.00 a game. Troy was smart and read the situation. The road player let Troy get 7 or 8 games winner. Without missing a beat, Troy says this time, "Well that is enough for me" and starts to unscrew his stick. The road player can't believe it. He didn't have a chance to turn up his speed or raise the bet. Troy's quitting beat him to it. Just another day at the office for Troy.
Finally, last story of another road player coming thru. Troy actually thought he was stealing this time playing one pocket. Troy finds himself two games down and realizes that he can't win. He tells his buddy, possum Bill to go outside and call him - meaning to go outside to the payphone and call the pool room. Possum Bill goes outside and starts shouting, Troy Troy Troy. Troy can't stand it and says "What is this m-f-er doing?" He gets possum Bill to come back inside and explains to him to use the payphone to call him. So the pool room phone rings and the counter man says it is for Troy. Troy gets on the phone and says, "Oh my god, what hospital, I'll be right there." He turns to the road player and says "I have got to run, my son was just in a terrible accident, we can finish our game later." Two days went by, no Troy in the pool room and the road player headed out of town.
Troy passed away a few years ago. I heard they found him in his apartment, dead of an apparent heart attack. I miss the days of the pool room when Troy was around.
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