Questions for J.R. Hendy

[titanic]

Denny played on that 6 X 12 at Cochran's like it was a pool table. There were a lot of players there and those payball games would go on forever it seemed like.

John, did you ever play at the Rathole in Oakland? Filipino Rudy, Jap Joe, Chico and Sam The Greek played there.

Tracy Joe and i used to make our treks to get a little seasoning there back in the day.

Did you ever go to the bar on University Avenue in Berkely that had a 4.5 X 9
Snooker table? That was good action.

You should write a book before it's too late!!!

 

[jrhendy]

Denny played on that 6 X 12 at Cochran's like it was a pool table. There were a lot of players there and those payball games would go on forever it seemed like.

John, did you ever play at the Rathole in Oakland? Filipino Rudy, Jap Joe, Chico and Sam The Greek played there.

Tracy Joe and i used to make our treks to get a little seasoning there back in the day.

Did you ever go to the bar on University Avenue in Berkely that had a 4.5 X 9
Snooker table? That was good action.

You should write a book before it's too late!!!

I made a couple of treks up here to Cochrans from LA in the mid to late 60's, but I was in Southern California until the early 80's when I came up here and stayed a while. I went back and forth in the 80's and back up here for good in 91. I got to know Tracy Joe pretty well at the original Hard Times in Costa Mesa in the late 70's early 80's. He was the Daddy on the bar tables down there until he ran into Keith McCready. I didn't fool with him much and got beat when I did. I was up here after the Rathole. I did play some in Chino's in Oakland on the 6 x 12 they had there. Searcy spent a little time in Bellflower & he, Kim Davenport (he was a kid then) and I played a lot on the 6 x 12 at Verne Peterson's in Bellflower. Denny was the best player on the 6 x 12 I ever saw, and over the years I have seen and played with quite a few. They played a lot of payball in Bellflower in the 60's/70's but it was on the 5 x 10 and the game was always full of champions. Lots of those guys in the late 50's & 60's would go from LA to San Francisco and back again. I am talking about Ronnie Allen, Sleepy Bob, Crying Sam, Jack Perkins and others. They talked about this longshoreman named Rusty who would play any living human $50 a game one pocket at Cochrans. I got to know Rusty pretty well in the 90's at the Palace and he was truly one of great characters of pool.

Sounds like you were on the scene up here long before me. I was doing my thing around Los Angeles. John

 

[titanic]

Rusty Jones ?

If you are talking about Rusty Jones I always thought he was a cab driver. The guy played in that One Pocket tournament Ronnie Allen won. I do not remember where he finished but he played one pocket great.

It was interesting to see the comparison between SLOW Portland Don Watson and FAST Rusty Jones.

Harry The Russian, Legs, Okie Sam, Hank The Sailor, One Eyed Hank, Joe Smiley, Tugboat and Ears were always there at Cochrans. What a time it was.

Best story from that era was when a road player came into town and matched up with One Eyed Hank playing a proposition game where they had to cover up one eye. They sent some kid downstairs to pick up some gauze and tape. After a few games the road player got hot and ripped his off and said he wasn't going to play anymore that way and said he would play some without the patch.

The joint roared when the guy figured out he had been had.

Welker Cochran Jr. played a little 3 cushion but mostly was out on the golf course.

Last time I saw Rusty was at the book signing for Off The Rail and he signed my copy.

 

[cornfed]

You never said anything about the time when Bucktooth brought Richard Florence to Cochran Richie beat everybody in the pay ball game until they quit. Then Bucktooth Busted one eyed Hank they left Richie went to the Motel the next day Bucktooth went to get him and he was in jail. Those were the good old days of Hustleing...They were playing $3 & $6 pay ball. Years latter They were PLAYING at Bucktooth place in Castro Valley at the Carousel for $300 & $600 A BALL AND DOUBLE ON A RUN OUT IF YOU RAN 6 balls you got $4200 AND THEY WERE PLAYING 8 & 10 handed all the time this was 30 years ago BUCKTOOTH CREATED BIG ACTION....