"Papa Pete" Glenn Has Passed Away...

Hunter

Hunter

The King of Memes
Silver Member
I just wanted to let the folks here at AZB know that Pete Glenn passed away Saturday night. His health had been deteriorating for some time. He passed peacefully at home on the evening of the running of the Kentucky Derby, which I think he would have liked since he was quite the gambler and from what his son, Del, said he really loved the Derby.

I played at the pool room that the Glenns owned when I was a teenager in the early seventies. Pete was always a real nice guy and he could play some one pocket.

For those that didn't know the Glenns, they are the family with all the beautiful Balabushka and Gus Szamboti pictures in the Billiard Encyclopedia.

Pete was a road player and a "wheeler dealer" that was buying cues from George when they were $105 and actually had the forethought to keep some in a collection in pristine condition. One of his sons, Denny, has taken over the collection and added to it for years now. Their collection has cues from virtually everybody who has ever played pool at a high level, from tournament players and road players alike, as well as tons of memorabilia. Another son, Stevie, is a well known one pocket player who has contributed to popular reference manuals about one pocket, and Pete's son Del is a heavy hitter on the tables in Phoenix. Pete's wife used to work in their pool room at the grill. This is a family that has been deeply involved in our sport.

There are probably many of you that can contribute a story or two about Pete and I hope you chime in here.

My heartfelt condolences to the family...

We'll miss you, Pete!

Steve Feld
 
Papa Pete" Glenn Has Passed Away...

This is real bad news.

Denny and Steve came by the Efren vs SVB match at Tar last weekend. They stated that Pete was having some health issues but I did not ralize it was this serious.

I am not sure but am thinking Pete was possibly almost 90.

My condolences - this family is really based in pool.

Mark Griffin
 
Saddened by this news, Papa Pete was an American Original. Steve, please give Denny and family my condolences.
 
Sad news. Pete had stopped by Fort Collins while in Denver maybe 8-10 years ago (of course on his way to WY to look at a Szam) and played an all night session with one of the regulars. I loved talking with him and getting to know him in passing. He will be missed.

Thanks for the post.

Dave
 
I will say that I truly love Pete Glenn. I lived in Pheonix and knew him there, Pete was a gentleman and always was kind to this nonplayer.
 
Pete Glenn

Truely one of the first big collectors in pool cues.Wow what a sad day. Denny, My heart goes out to you and your entire family. Rich Ford,aka the skunk. Your father and me exchanged alot of stories and cues in the 70's. What a man,keep the collection in the USA.
 
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know it all said:
Truely one of the first big collectors in pool cues.Wow what a sad day. Denny, My heart goes out to you and your entire family. Rich Ford,aka the skunk. Your father and me echanged alot of stories and cues in the 70's. What a man,keep the collection in the USA.
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Sorry to hear the bad news
He spent some time in Columbus Ohio
A good 12 years ago I got to know him
He was a great guy
 
Truly Sad to hear

This news truly saddens me. Pete was a great guy with a true passion for
pool. It been years since I have seen Pete. But he will be missed. My thoughts go out to his family. Particularly his boys who have treated me well over the years, and i consider friends. R.I.P Papa Glenn

Michael
 
Steve, Del, Denny, and the entire family...Heartfelt condolences...I know he was an icon, and an idol, as well as a great father to you all.

Dick
 
I am very deeply saddened to hear of Papa Pete's passing. He was one of pool's true icons, and he and his family have contributed immensely to our wonderful sport.

I recently spoke with Pete at the DCC, either this past January or the one before...saw him with son Denny. He had come through Kansas City area 12-15 years ago, always ready for a good game of one pocket no matter where he was. A true gentleman who will remain in our collective memory forever.

Many a person has a story about someone who had come through their town ( and poolroom) who bought the big George Balabushka or Gus Szamboti that was no longer in the poolroom. Yep, it was probably Papa Pete who bought it on his way through town! And I am not kidding!

To the Glenn family, Rhoda and I will have you in our thoughts and prayers.

RIP Pete,

Will Prout
 
Damn.... One of my top 5 favorite people in pool..... Absolutely one of the coolest people I've ever been around. True, dyed in the wool, stone cold hustler..... He used to make regular trips thru the poolroom every 6-12 months. Damn....

One of the best Pete quotes ever-----> "ain't nothing worse than a bookie that won't pay debts!!!".

Godspeed friend......
 
ibuycues said:
Many a person has a story about someone who had come through their town ( and poolroom) who bought the big George Balabushka or Gus Szamboti that was no longer in the poolroom. Yep, it was probably Papa Pete who bought it on his way through town! And I am not kidding!
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First time I met Pete, he had Denny with him, out buying cues.... They casually had the counter man put a large case behind the counter. A little while later Denny asks if we want to see some cues, he asks for the case behind the counter. Chock full of Szambotis and Bushkas! He starts throwing out values and it turns out there was over $100,000 worth of cues in the case!!!
 
I am very sad to hear this, and my condolences go out to the family.

I was down in Phoenix just a few weeks ago listening to Pete stories from Del. What a crazy life he led! His life could have easily been a book, just amazing stuff.

Pete was always a gentleman, and he had personality in spades. When he walked in a pool room he galvanized the place. Just one of those people. RIP Pete.


One of my favorite Pete stories is this one:

I was talking to a friend of mine the other night and he told me a classic.

My friend's dad was a road player and later owned a major action pool hall in Phoenix, the Golden 8 ball. His name was Pete Glenn and he was as old-school as they come.

So anyways my buddy's older brother starts spending time in dad's pool room. Papa Pete has been schooling him for years on how the worst thing someone can be is a "knocker" , someone who knocks other people's action. When coming into the hall with dad, his dad would point out certain people and say "see that guy Denny? He's a knocker. Stay away from him. That other guy? Him too." etc.

So after years of this, one day the old man (who, remember, played pretty damn sporty!) gets in a match giving weight to a stranger who bulldozes him. After the loss he goes up to his son and says "wow, who the hell WAS that guy? He's a killer!" His son replies "dad, he's been in the last few days beating all these great players....". Dad of course replies with "why the heck didn't you tell me?!"

"well gee dad, I didn't want to be a knocker."
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:D
 
Sad to hear. Saw Pete around the country thru the years, a very good one pocket player, as are Steve and Del. Denny likes bank pool and is a fine guy, and a good friend to all pool players.
So sorry for the boys loss.
R.I.P.
Rodney Stephens
 
so Sorry !

Pete was an old friend to the New Orleans pool community for many years and I'm saddened to hear of his death. Condolances to his entire family.
 
My brother, Mark, heard about Pete's passing and wanted me to relate one of his stories.

When my brother was 17, Pete came to the pool room that he was playing in to talk to the owner of the hall. The owner wasn't there, so while Pete waited for him to return, Mark asked him if he wanted to play a couple of cheap sets. He soon found himself in cash troubles. He told me on the last game he had basically fired an air barrel for $10 and now it was down to the last ball. Pete was a lot bigger then my brother and Mark said he thought about excusing himself and crawling out the bathroom window.

The shot was easy and Pete was at the table. Mark said it was almost like Pete suspected that he was out of money. He smiled and then dogged the shot. Mark said there was no doubt in his mind whether Pete had missed on purpose, he had for sure. Mark said that Pete gave him a friendly tip about knowing who he was playing in the future on his way out the door.

Mark learned a valuable lesson and has never played on money he didn't have ever since...
 
Rest in Peace, Mr. Glenn

I remember when I met Del Glenn up at the pool hall in Phoenix, I saw him with his BIG and Fancy 8 point Szamboti cue, and I walked up and asked if I could look at it...at the time, I wasn't sure what kind of cue it was, and he jokingly said it was an old schon, I said, it sure doesn't look like any schon that I've ever seen...we laughed...

We went on to talk for a while, and I told him that I thought it was a Szam or a Bushka, and he finally cracked and said yes...it was a Szamboti, I was astounded...he then went to the back room, and said that I was welcome to hit the balls with it...so, an hour later he comes back, and WOW, THAT CUE WAS AMAZING!

Anyhow, we continued to talk...and he then took me to the back room and he pulled out a stack of photos and autographs, that his father Pete had been collecting for probably the past 40 to 50 years, if not more...

I sat there in amazement, as I flipped each picture, Del would elaborate a bit of the story behind each and every autograph and how phenomenal these players, were...again, I was in AWWWE about seeing original pictures and autographs, all of the greatest pool shooters in the history of the US, that were being shown to me...It must have taken us 3 hours to go through all the photos...and it was nothing less than amazing!!!!!!!

WOW, it made my trip to Phoenix, the Greatest trip that I had ever been on...and to DEL, Thank You, Very Much for sharing your time with me and the wonderful discussions that we had that day.

I am truly sorry for your loss, and my prayers will be with you and your family for many many days, as I will always remember, and appreciate the time that we shared together.

You are a very kind person, and I know that the fruit doesn't fall far from the tree, so I know that your father was a Great person too...

Take Care, My Friend!
 
I'm sorry to hear of Mr. Glenn's passing.

It was at least 10 years ago or more when Mr. Glenn passed through Metairie, LA, I guess headed back home to Texas. He stopped in at Pickle's Sports Bar and Billiards where I was a regular.

He asked the bartender if there was anyone around to play one pocket with for 30 or 40 a game and I sized him up pretty good and felt that he was "too old" to beat me and since he wasn't a familiar face, I thought I had a good chance to beat him. He beat me 4 games in a row and while I didn't play my best, he just played better and I quit.

I learned more and got better and waited for him to pass back by Pickle's one day so I could take another shot at him but it wasn't to be.

Mr. Glenn never came back to Pickle's and I never saw him again.

JoeyA
 
Pete Glenn

My deepest heart felt condolences to the Glenn's. I had the honor and privilege along with the loss of $$$ to play Pete many times in Tucson. He was quite the gentleman and yes, a true hustler with a heart.

Yes, there are some stories for sure as he once had me spotting him 10-6 and keeping the game even (he had to try real hard) so that he could play anothewr player for a much bigger amount. I was even up $90 for a bit only to have him leave the building with about $3,000 (not mine).

He will be missed!
George Teyechea
 
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