APA7 said:Hey Freddy, since everyone knew everybody at Johnson City, did you know a guy who calls himself Fast Larry Grindinger/Guninger? He says he was there, hung around with Omaha Fat and Minnesota Fats. Any truth to this?
Brian
freddy the beard said:...because I remember everybody there that could play.
the Beard
Tom In Cincy said:
APA7 said:Hey Freddy, since everyone knew everybody at Johnson City, did you know a guy who calls himself Fast Larry Grindinger/Guninger? He says he was there, hung around with Omaha Fat and Minnesota Fats. Any truth to this?
Brian
Pizza Bob said:Freddy:
How about Joe Russo? He's from out of Trenton, NJ - believe he won Johnston City in '71 or '72.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
Pizza Bob said:WOW Tom! Thanks - that was great. Seeing those names made shivers run up my spine - Jersey Red, Boston Shorty, Cisero Murphy and Tom Halliday (Doc Halliday) - who although listed as from NYC, spent the latter years of his life in the Central Jersey area - a truly nice guy. Doc used to hang with Joe, who as I said previously won at Johnston City in the early 70's. I think it was just the 14.1 contest, not the overall. Joe is still with us, and many of you have been touched by Joe without knowing it. He was the inventor of the Russo Interlocking Bridge - probably the most commonly used bridge today. That bridge was/is Joe's retirement plan LOL. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
Adios,
Pizza Bob
freddy the beard said:The guy mentioned, Fast Larry, I dont remember him. He couldnt have played too good, because I remember everybody there that could play.
macguy said:Is tommy still alive?
Check out http://www.freepoollessons.com/stories/stories1.shtml and read Jimmy Reid’s short story about Minnesota Fats and The Last Johnston City Tournament. This story is a thing of beauty!freddy the beard said:It's a common mistake, but the place was Johnston City, IL, not Johnson City.the Beard
cigardave said:Yeah, I agree... that was a great read. It brought back some vague memories.
I say vague because I actually went to Johnston City one year... and as it turned out, it was its last year, 1972, according to what I've just read... vague... because I was just a ball banger back then and I didn't appreciate the significance of Johnston City... at all. Wish that I had considering my love for the game now. Back to the story...
My college buddies and I were out cruisin' on our bikes one Friday or Saturday night and had nowhere special in mind to go... and someone suggested we head over to Johston City and watch some of the pool tournament that was going on there.
Hell... it was only 13 miles away!! (We shared a rental house in Crainville.)
You see, I had just got out of the Army months before... and with the GI Bill paying my way, had just started college down at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale... and was totally out of touch with pool in the States. For the past 18 months, I had been banging balls on the base pool table back in Neckarsulm, Germany ... and had no idea or interest in the top players of the game at that time.
What little I remember was how small the place was... and virtually no seating... cuz we didn't stay long... that, I remember. And it was crowded.
Wish that I could remember who the players were... but I'd just be guessin'.
An opportunity lost... that's for sure.