Pretty Good Pool Story (i think)

eddiethelock

Locksmith
Silver Member
Thought this was worth writing and worth reading as a pretty good pool story.

In 1972 during the Vietnam era, I was in the US Navy, guarding the shores of Athens, Greece. No vietcong got by me on my watch. Found a poolroom downtown Athens and when I walked in there was only one pocket table. Everyone was playing straight rail billiards. I started hitting them around and could see other players watching me. No one would play and I didn't have a clue about billiards. I was a C, maybe a C+ player. They thought I was Mizerak.One guy came over and we played a few games and I won. He said he was the best player in the country in billiards and that I was the best player on the pocket table, but told me that soon he would be the best player at that too. I walked out feeling pretty good. I played every chance I could at the USO and when the fleet came in you had to play hard cause one loss put you in the chair for over an hour on a waiting list. One day this guy comes in and we started hitting em but watching his control I knew he was over me. So now I wasn't the best in the country.but I never admitted that to him. We ended up playing quite a bit over the next year and then I got discharged. Always remembered that guys name and knew with the way he got around the table that he would be hooked for life like we all are cause once it gets ahold of you, you're done for. Found myself practicing a lot over the years, in tournaments every week that I really looked forward to. Played in WestEnd billiards in Elizabeth, NJ for $25. there were always 3,4,5 world champions in it every week, best tournament I ever seen. Won it twice over the years and that was a big accomplishment. Quit, for about 20 years!! WTF!!!!. Forget why, probably one of the ex-wives nagging crap. Like you were out all night and when you walk in at 4-5 am you get the "where the hell were you" question. Your clothes stink like an ashtray and they had to ask anyway. So you hit them with the line "you wanna go next time?" and they take you up on it. Then they sit there for 8,9, 10 hours bored and one foot out the door. Rarely did they go again.
Twenty years later, 2009, I am sitting in my friends basement and he had a 8' table, always ignored it and one day I picked up a cue and 4 hours later I was still hitting them. Even had an audience thinkin I was the world champion. Pat Fleming and I go back about 35 years and he had a Goldcrown 2 for sale so I bought it.
It was around middle of December/Christmas time and I was having trouble finding a mechanic to cover and assemble the table. I went online and found a guy in Baltimore who said he would come up to jersey and do it. I asked him for references and he said he would email them to me. I said to him "incidentally, you ever hear of a pool player down that way named Mike Lambros?" He said "the cuemaker?" I said I don't know,is there a cuemaker with that name? He said hell yeah and a good one. Being out of the game for so long I only knew the guys that are now the old timers. So I googled and found a number. When he picked up the phone I said "is this mike lambros?" about how old are you? ever in the navy? 1972 athens greece? He says yes who is this? We hooked up at Valley Forge 3 years ago after not seeing each other in 38 years. I got one helluva cue now. Seen that Pat Fleming was going to Derby City and I got in the car and made the trip last minute thing with no business getting in but wtf. Entered the 9 ball tourney and drew Rodney Morris and took my beating 7-3 was worth the trip. A few month's later, the World's 14.1 Tournament is happening about 10 miles from me and I get the call from Pat Fleming. "you wanna get in this?" HELL YEAH. Round robin bracket I'm in consists of Mike Sigel, Mika Immonen, Zion Zvi, Jonathan Smith and Jim Gouttier. HOLY CRAP! Played em all, had a blast. Now play about 50 hours a week and lost 30 lbs doin it. Many thanks to Pat and Jim at Accustats and Mike Lambros for the support.
 
Last edited:

Roadie

Banned
Thought this was worth writing and worth reading as a pretty good pool story.

In 1972 during the Vietnam era, I was in the US Navy, guarding the shores of Athens, Greece. No vietcong got be me on my watch. Found a poolroom downtown Athens and when I walked in there was only one pocket table. Everyone was playing straight rail billiards. I started hitting them around and could see other players watching me. No one would play and I didn't have a clue about billiards. I was a C, maybe a C+ player. They thought I was Mizerak.One guy came over and we played a few games and I won. He said he was the best player in the country in billiards and that I was the best player on the pocket table, but told me that soon he would be the best player at that too. I walked out feeling pretty good. I played every chance I could at the USO and when the fleet came in you had to play hard cause one loss put you in the chair for over an hour on a waiting list. One day this guy comes in and we started hitting em but watching his control I knew he was over me. So now I wasn't the best in the country.but I never admitted that to him. We ended up playing quite a bit over the next year and then I got discharged. Always remembered that guys name and knew with the way he got around the table that he would be hooked for life like we all are cause once it gets ahold of you, you're done for. Found myself practicing a lot over the years, in tournaments every week that I really looked forward to. Played in WestEnd billiards in Elizabeth, NJ for $25. there were always 3,4,5 world champions in it every week, best tournament I ever seen. Won it twice over the years and that was a big accomplishment. Quit, for about 20 years!! WTF!!!!. Forget why, probably one of the ex-wives nagging crap. Like you were out all night and when you walk in at 4-5 am you get the "where the hell were you" question. Your clothes stink like an ashtray and they had to ask anyway. So you hit them with the line "you wanna go next time?" and they take you up on it. Then they sit there for 8,9, 10 hours bored and one foot out the door. Rarely did they go again.
Twenty years later, 2009, I am sitting in my friends basement and he had a 8' table, always ignored it and one day I picked up a cue and 4 hours later I was still hitting them. Even had an audience thinkin I was the world champion. Pat Fleming and I go back about 35 years and he had a Goldcrown 2 for sale so I bought it.
It was around middle of December/Christmas time and I was having trouble finding a mechanic to cover and assemble the table. I went online and found a guy in Baltimore who said he would come up to jersey and do it. I asked him for references and he said he would email them to me. I said to him "incidentally, you ever hear of a pool player down that way named Mike Lambros?" He said "the cuemaker?" I said I don't know,is there a cuemaker with that name? He said hell yeah and a good one. Being out of the game for so long I only knew the guys that are now the old timers. So I googled and found a number. When he picked up the phone I said "is this mike lambros?" about how old are you? ever in the navy? 1972 athens greece? He says yes who is this? We hooked up at Valley Forge 3 years ago after not seeing each other in 38 years. I got one helluva cue now. Seen that Pat Fleming was going to Derby City and I got in the car and made the trip last minute thing with no business getting in but wtf. Entered the 9 ball tourney and drew Rodney Morris and took my beating 7-3 was worth the trip. A few month's later, the World's 14.1 Tournament is happening about 10 miles from me and I get the call from Pat Fleming. "you wanna get in this?" HELL YEAH. Round robin bracket I'm in consists of Mike Sigel, Mika Immonen, Zion Zvi, Jonathan Smith and Jim Gouttier. HOLY CRAP! Played em all, had a blast. Now play about 50 hours a week and lost 30 lbs doin it. Many thanks to Pat and Jim at Accustats and Mike Lambros for the support.

THIS is the kind of story that makes the internet worth it!

Congratulations on getting back in and reuniting with your friends. That Mike Lambros builds a HELL of a cue and it's nice to know he can play some to.
 

measureman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thought this was worth writing and worth reading as a pretty good pool story.

In 1972 during the Vietnam era, I was in the US Navy, guarding the shores of Athens, Greece. No vietcong got be me on my watch. Found a poolroom downtown Athens and when I walked in there was only one pocket table. Everyone was playing straight rail billiards. I started hitting them around and could see other players watching me. No one would play and I didn't have a clue about billiards. I was a C, maybe a C+ player. They thought I was Mizerak.One guy came over and we played a few games and I won. He said he was the best player in the country in billiards and that I was the best player on the pocket table, but told me that soon he would be the best player at that too. I walked out feeling pretty good. I played every chance I could at the USO and when the fleet came in you had to play hard cause one loss put you in the chair for over an hour on a waiting list. One day this guy comes in and we started hitting em but watching his control I knew he was over me. So now I wasn't the best in the country.but I never admitted that to him. We ended up playing quite a bit over the next year and then I got discharged. Always remembered that guys name and knew with the way he got around the table that he would be hooked for life like we all are cause once it gets ahold of you, you're done for. Found myself practicing a lot over the years, in tournaments every week that I really looked forward to. Played in WestEnd billiards in Elizabeth, NJ for $25. there were always 3,4,5 world champions in it every week, best tournament I ever seen. Won it twice over the years and that was a big accomplishment. Quit, for about 20 years!! WTF!!!!. Forget why, probably one of the ex-wives nagging crap. Like you were out all night and when you walk in at 4-5 am you get the "where the hell were you" question. Your clothes stink like an ashtray and they had to ask anyway. So you hit them with the line "you wanna go next time?" and they take you up on it. Then they sit there for 8,9, 10 hours bored and one foot out the door. Rarely did they go again.
Twenty years later, 2009, I am sitting in my friends basement and he had a 8' table, always ignored it and one day I picked up a cue and 4 hours later I was still hitting them. Even had an audience thinkin I was the world champion. Pat Fleming and I go back about 35 years and he had a Goldcrown 2 for sale so I bought it.
It was around middle of December/Christmas time and I was having trouble finding a mechanic to cover and assemble the table. I went online and found a guy in Baltimore who said he would come up to jersey and do it. I asked him for references and he said he would email them to me. I said to him "incidentally, you ever hear of a pool player down that way named Mike Lambros?" He said "the cuemaker?" I said I don't know,is there a cuemaker with that name? He said hell yeah and a good one. Being out of the game for so long I only knew the guys that are now the old timers. So I googled and found a number. When he picked up the phone I said "is this mike lambros?" about how old are you? ever in the navy? 1972 athens greece? He says yes who is this? We hooked up at Valley Forge 3 years ago after not seeing each other in 38 years. I got one helluva cue now. Seen that Pat Fleming was going to Derby City and I got in the car and made the trip last minute thing with no business getting in but wtf. Entered the 9 ball tourney and drew Rodney Morris and took my beating 7-3 was worth the trip. A few month's later, the World's 14.1 Tournament is happening about 10 miles from me and I get the call from Pat Fleming. "you wanna get in this?" HELL YEAH. Round robin bracket I'm in consists of Mike Sigel, Mika Immonen, Zion Zvi, Jonathan Smith and Jim Gouttier. HOLY CRAP! Played em all, had a blast. Now play about 50 hours a week and lost 30 lbs doin it. Many thanks to Pat and Jim at Accustats and Mike Lambros for the support.

I went to West End once in the mid '80s and was going to play in that tournament but when I got upstairs to the tournament room I saw Jimmy Fusco-Pete Fusco-Tom Storm-Neptune Joe Frady-Jean Balukus and decided that watching would be better then playing. For a weekly tournament it was always full of top players.
 

deadnutz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great story, I really appreciate it being a huge Lambros fan! You never know where life might take you.
 

Dan White

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nice story, but let's get to the real meat. What's up with that weight ring you use for rail shots? :smile:
 

eddiethelock

Locksmith
Silver Member
Nice story, but let's get to the real meat. What's up with that weight ring you use for rail shots? :smile:

ahhh the famous weight. a couple of tournament directors banned me on that one so pat fleming gonna try and find the advertising on it from about 25 yrs ago. told the guy who happened to be the ref at the world's that i used it 4 times in the tournament and he said he warned me about it. but he only warned me in the tristates on it. kinda funny. likeable guy and all just real funny stuff goin on with it since noone has seen it. may market it with pat if all goes well.
 

JAM

I am the storm
Silver Member
Thank you for sharing a wonderful life's experience with us. It's so nice to read something uplifting in the pool world! :smile:
 

rugerfan

Got a Snakewood fetish...
Silver Member
Mike and I play together once a week and I was at his shop last week. He is a great guy and helping me refine my game. I will be adding another of his cues to my stable here shortly. Mike's cues are in a class by themselves. You owe it to yourself (and your game) to give Mike a call and learn more about his cues.

http://www.lambroscues.com/home.htm
 

DRW

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks, Eddie for posting that story. Always like to hear old war stories about pool and the Military.:smile:
 

drpjr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Great read, Thanks Eddie. Next time you call I wont tell him who is on the phone!!HaHa:thumbup:
donny
 

eddiethelock

Locksmith
Silver Member
Mike and I play together once a week and I was at his shop last week. He is a great guy and helping me refine my game. I will be adding another of his cues to my stable here shortly. Mike's cues are in a class by themselves. You owe it to yourself (and your game) to give Mike a call and learn more about his cues.

http://www.lambroscues.com/home.htm

whattaya mean once a week, he's always tellin me he got no time. now i find out he's a closet practicer!!! advise mikey he gets the breaks from here on out. i'll be down that way soon, i still owe him dinner
 

jrackman

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just wanna know if you got the table done? ...J/k....great read, thanks for sharing it.
 
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