Our Childhood Poolhalls

Medalist

Medalist

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tell us about your childhood pool hall. What kind of tables they had, what year, the size of the pockets etc. The interesting people there, how old you were at the time, mainly facts about the room. I will chime in about mine also. This can progress into wild stories that happened there later in the thread if it takes off.
 
I do not have a childhood pool hall as there were no pool tables where I grew up in deep East Tx. The first pool hall I ever went into was in KC, MO
It was Raytown Recreation in the early 1970's. It was owned by a champion billiard player named Don Brinks. It was a great place. They had 3 billiard table and 1, 5x10 pool table, 2 snooker tables and then I think about 7 or 8, 9 ft tables or maybe some 8 ft tables I don't remember that. The atmosphere was all play, no joking around no loud music just guys that played serious and bet it up. I played a lot on the 5X10 table, there were a lot of long shots but it seemed that the balls were always open.
I was in the Air Force and Don would help me as I was learning how to play.
I would drive about 60 miles to play there 3-4 times a week.
Watched some good games in billiards and pool and then the old timers played a lot of golf which I was good at getting trapped in. It was fun and the room was all pool. Those were the days, no loud music and no screaming and making just noise.
Thanks for the thread and I hope to read a lot about old rooms.
Percy
 
My childhood pool room, was at the politically incorrect Boys Club of America, BFG (before Gwirls were allowed) outside of Coral Gables (Miami Florida).

The Two Table were sub bar box, size, the legs folded under, there was no slate, bed were plywood, the cloth was elcrapo, the stick were well functional, when you sunk a ball it went KER THUNK!, and the balls I recall never got polished.

but we had fun, and it hooked me on pool for life, and now 50+ years later I am still trying to learn the game.
 
My parents were Gypsies who travelled the country, so I didn't see alot of poolhalls as a child. We would go from county fair to county fair where Mom would tell fortunes out of the back of our converted bread truck (we called it a Breadabago) and Dad would roam the midway picking the pockets of unsuspecting goomers.
The first time I was ever in a poolroom was when I was sixteen years old, and it wasn't a good experience. Right off I tried to pick the room owner's pocket, but he was wise to people like me and knocked me right on my ass in front of God and everybody. He must have felt sorry for me though because he later gave me a job sweeping out the place and brushing down the tables.
I had taken a liking to One Pocket and it wasn't long before I was playing well enough to take my game on the road.
Mom, Dad, and myself would go from town to town where they would do their thing at the fairs and I would go into town and gamble with the locals. We all made a lot of money back then and over the years invested wisely in a number of income producing companies. Among them were IBM, Wal-Mart, and Steamer Cue Sports Ltd.
My real name was Edwardo Caroachio, but after the folks died I took the name Tramp Steamer. Tramp after the name my Dad used to lovingly call my Mom, and Steamer after what my Uncle Salvatore used to say a dog did on a cold morning in the front yard.
Well, that's about it I guess. I've got to go now. I'm next in line for my three o'clock thalium shot. :)
 
I lived in a tiny Pa town but was lucky to have a pool hall. Our pool hall was in the back of a closed down hotel from the railroading days. There were 2 anniversery tables ( I was told they were early 40's) but they were nine foot. Just plain old flouresent lights above them. A jukebox and soda machine completed the room. The thing I remember most is the owner, who went by "Chippie", had a little window in the wall with a small ledge that you laid your money on after you played. All you could see was his hand opening the window and snatching the money....it was funny to see him snatch the money. It was 25 cents a game.

I have fond memories of that room. I was about 16 when I started shooting there and about 20 when I left. The room is all closed up now but I will never forget that this was the place that I fell in love with the game. The dark room, smokey atmosphere, and good friends....ahh the memories.:o
 
My first that I could call my homeroom was my Dad's poolroom on Long Island. It had 8 9' tables and 1 Billiard table. It was shaped like a railroad box car, about 30' x 80'. A counter, with a few chairs, a coed bathroom, and spitoons along the wall. All old Brunswicks. Johnnyt
 
The first pool hall I every went to was The Q Spot at 31st and Sheridan in Tulsa, OK. It would have been around 1973 or 1974. The pool hall is still there. Its non-smoking now with about 6 or 7 GC and a few bar boxes. I was in Tulsa last week and stopped by on Monday to hit a few balls into rails.

When most people talk about Tulsa Pool Halls they think of Magoos and Billiard Palace (no longer open). But, if anyone is traveling through Tulsa I recommend also stopping in at The Q Spot its only 2 miles north and a mile west of Magoos.

Steven
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top