R.I.P. "Go Away" Jessie

G

GeneSF

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Meg Clark of the San Francisco Tavern Pool Association informed me on Tuesday morning that Jessie Jameson had died. He was one of the most well-known San Francisco Bay Area players, and among the most legendary. I didn?t know him well, and I don?t know if he knew my name, but he recognized me as that guy who ran the tournaments at Palace Billiards. The first time Jessie spoke to me was in 1987. ?Five bucks.? I was sitting near a table at Palace, and he was offering me a choice of several sweaters he was peddling. There was one memorable time in that Market Street pool hall, when the legendary Ronnie Allen came through town in 1988 looking for a one-pocket match and the call went out for ?Go Away.? It was a brief, but entertaining, encounter. After Palace closed, Jessie did most of his playing in San Francisco taverns, and was a regular player in the San Francisco Tavern Pool Association?s eight ball leagues. Playing for Nob Hill tavern this season, he finished with sixteen wins against only two losses, compiling the highest winning percentage (.889) in the 542-player, 60-team league.
 
I played "Go Away" in 1968 at The Palace. We played Banks and One Pocket. He made me go away. :)
He must have been in his 60's at least.
 
I played him in a couple of beer dives in Oakland, across the bay from The City. We played in the late 60's. We became pretty good friends. I have good memories of him. Didn't see him since the late 70's. Also called The Go away Kid.
 
damn

every time a legend passes i feel as though a part of me goes with them. however, it is a great day when one realizes how much he gave to the game. let us not mourn this event, but celebrate the life of a great man who gave us more of a lesson than we realized.
 
GeneSF said:
Meg Clark of the San Francisco Tavern Pool Association informed me on Tuesday morning that Jessie Jameson had died. He was one of the most well-known San Francisco Bay Area players, and among the most legendary. I didn?t know him well, and I don?t know if he knew my name, but he recognized me as that guy who ran the tournaments at Palace Billiards. The first time Jessie spoke to me was in 1987. ?Five bucks.? I was sitting near a table at Palace, and he was offering me a choice of several sweaters he was peddling. There was one memorable time in that Market Street pool hall, when the legendary Ronnie Allen came through town in 1988 looking for a one-pocket match and the call went out for ?Go Away.? It was a brief, but entertaining, encounter. After Palace closed, Jessie did most of his playing in San Francisco taverns, and was a regular player in the San Francisco Tavern Pool Association?s eight ball leagues. Playing for Nob Hill tavern this season, he finished with sixteen wins against only two losses, compiling the highest winning percentage (.889) in the 542-player, 60-team league.
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He was capable of making some spectacular outs in one pocket. I recall a tournament at California Billiards in San Jose where I had won the hot seat and Jesse won the losers side. He went 8 and out from nowhere to win the first set, making the last few balls off a jump shot. I slowed him down and ground out a win but he was dangerous from everywhere. I also tried to give him a ball at the Palace once and had to pull up. R.I.P. Jesee. John Henderson
 
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