This is the coolest thread. Thanks CJ for sharing these stories. The effort you have put into telling them is greatly appreciated!
Request for CJ Wiley
- Thread starter Gilbertfan81
- Start date
oooops, OVER spun one.
I have a lot of stories from touring around Florida in an "Airbrush Magic" truck acting like we were airbrushing T Shirts. I was with Chuck from Indiana and we left nothing but pool gambling "tombstones" every town we went through.
We had beaten a lot of the shortstops around the Orlando area and decided to go to Richie Ambrose's pool room and play him some 9 Ball. His nick name was "Mr. 9 Ball," so I knew it would be challenge to beat him on his "home court". We went in and matched up an "8 Ahead" set for a few thousand and the game was on.
Richie played a style where he spun every ball with outside english and went all over the table for position. It looked wild, however, he was extremely talented and got away with that style better than anyone I'd ever seen.
The one thing I knew was in Florida there's certain times of the day that gets very humid and the tables get "wet" and the spin shots get harder and harder to control and calculate. He got me on 7 going to 8 Ahead and it looked like it was over for me, although we were going to play another set, the best I would do is "break even". Richie ran down to the 9 Ball and ....oooops, OVER spun one. :thumbup:
I made the shot to win and went over to Chuck and whispered "they call him Mr. 9 Ball, but it looks like he Misses 9 Balls too"
Chuck made me take a 10 minute break and go to the bathroom. He went out to the "Airbrush Magic" truck and got my toothbrush and toothpaste and brought them to me. This is an old trick to refresh yourself playing long session, you simply brush your teeth and it tricks your body (unconscious) into thinking you're starting the day fresh. There's another "Trick," however, I believe it's better to keep this one to myself (I may need it one of these days, can't give away "all" my competitive secrets).
I went back to the table, and completely turned the match around and beat Richie the 8 Ahead set in the next 90 minutes. He was a "bit" perturbed and later we heard screeching and he was out front doing doughnuts in the parking lot in his truck.
I think we all know the feeling, sometimes it's better to "let it all out," so you don't keep the negative feelings bottled up inside. Besides, doing doughnuts is fun, almost as fun as "Spinning the cue ball". :wink: 'The Game is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
I have a lot of stories from touring around Florida in an "Airbrush Magic" truck acting like we were airbrushing T Shirts. I was with Chuck from Indiana and we left nothing but pool gambling "tombstones" every town we went through.
We had beaten a lot of the shortstops around the Orlando area and decided to go to Richie Ambrose's pool room and play him some 9 Ball. His nick name was "Mr. 9 Ball," so I knew it would be challenge to beat him on his "home court". We went in and matched up an "8 Ahead" set for a few thousand and the game was on.
Richie played a style where he spun every ball with outside english and went all over the table for position. It looked wild, however, he was extremely talented and got away with that style better than anyone I'd ever seen.
The one thing I knew was in Florida there's certain times of the day that gets very humid and the tables get "wet" and the spin shots get harder and harder to control and calculate. He got me on 7 going to 8 Ahead and it looked like it was over for me, although we were going to play another set, the best I would do is "break even". Richie ran down to the 9 Ball and ....oooops, OVER spun one. :thumbup:
I made the shot to win and went over to Chuck and whispered "they call him Mr. 9 Ball, but it looks like he Misses 9 Balls too"
Chuck made me take a 10 minute break and go to the bathroom. He went out to the "Airbrush Magic" truck and got my toothbrush and toothpaste and brought them to me. This is an old trick to refresh yourself playing long session, you simply brush your teeth and it tricks your body (unconscious) into thinking you're starting the day fresh. There's another "Trick," however, I believe it's better to keep this one to myself (I may need it one of these days, can't give away "all" my competitive secrets).
I went back to the table, and completely turned the match around and beat Richie the 8 Ahead set in the next 90 minutes. He was a "bit" perturbed and later we heard screeching and he was out front doing doughnuts in the parking lot in his truck.
I think we all know the feeling, sometimes it's better to "let it all out," so you don't keep the negative feelings bottled up inside. Besides, doing doughnuts is fun, almost as fun as "Spinning the cue ball". :wink: 'The Game is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
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we make them more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs"
Shannon and I go WAY back to Summerset Ky. He's one of my favorite pool characters and personalities so I'll have to think of a special story - there's SO many things we've been through and mutual people we know that were also incredible characters. I'll write one very soon when I have the right amount of time.
"Those guys won't gamble, we make them more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs" - Shannon Dalton in Baton Rouge La. '95'
Shannon and I go WAY back to Summerset Ky. He's one of my favorite pool characters and personalities so I'll have to think of a special story - there's SO many things we've been through and mutual people we know that were also incredible characters. I'll write one very soon when I have the right amount of time.
"Those guys won't gamble, we make them more nervous than a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs" - Shannon Dalton in Baton Rouge La. '95'
I was watching a Shannon match recently and he was on a bad table.
After he barely got out and was racking the balls he said.... " I've played on pin ball machines that roll better than this"
He is a character. I feel fortunate to get to hang out with Shannon pretty often, there's never a dull moment
all of a sudden I won a game and BILLY BROKE>BAMMMM!!!
The Stage Was Set - The tournament was in Anniston, Alabama. and it was a huge bar table tournament. All the greatest players were there, and I was with Weldon Rogers, "Billy Johnson", Berle, and a group from Kentucky. Reid Pierce and I had recently played in Atlanta and I ended up giving him the 8 on a bar table and managed to win - it took like 3 straight days.
Weldon told me he wanted me to play David Matlock (the world's greatest bar table player) and have Billy Johnson break for me, so we matched up a 10 ahead for $10,000. "Billy" (Wade Crane) had only been playing on big tables the last few months and couldn't get the break working. I played flawlessly and got 8 ahead, then Matlock put an "8 Pack" together and we were even, then 1 down.....down 2....and counting.
I was sitting next to "Billy," he leaned in close to my ear and whispered "I just figured the break out....we're going to beat him 30 ahead if he doesn't quit!" I looked up at him and could instantly see, he was calm, yet his eyes were blazing - he was DEADLY SERIOUS! I suddenly knew what was coming, I'd seen that look in Billy's eyes before. :thumbup:
Sure enough, all of a sudden I won a game and BILLY BROKE>BAMMMM!!! The cue ball hit the one and went straight up in the air while 4 balls fought to get in the pockets - the cue ball came down {still bouncing} PARKED at the center of the table. Billy said in that "low tone" as he walked back to the chair "I over amped on that one," glanced at me with a smirk on his face, and winked. I knew what was fixin to happen.
We put on a devastating "One/Two Punch Clinic" from there on out and won the 10 ahead in the next hour. He was right, we would have put "30 Ahead" on anyone from that point on. Weldon got up and offered anyone at the tournament the "Last 2" if they wanted to play us, everyone politely declined.
'The Game is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
The Stage Was Set - The tournament was in Anniston, Alabama. and it was a huge bar table tournament. All the greatest players were there, and I was with Weldon Rogers, "Billy Johnson", Berle, and a group from Kentucky. Reid Pierce and I had recently played in Atlanta and I ended up giving him the 8 on a bar table and managed to win - it took like 3 straight days.
Weldon told me he wanted me to play David Matlock (the world's greatest bar table player) and have Billy Johnson break for me, so we matched up a 10 ahead for $10,000. "Billy" (Wade Crane) had only been playing on big tables the last few months and couldn't get the break working. I played flawlessly and got 8 ahead, then Matlock put an "8 Pack" together and we were even, then 1 down.....down 2....and counting.
I was sitting next to "Billy," he leaned in close to my ear and whispered "I just figured the break out....we're going to beat him 30 ahead if he doesn't quit!" I looked up at him and could instantly see, he was calm, yet his eyes were blazing - he was DEADLY SERIOUS! I suddenly knew what was coming, I'd seen that look in Billy's eyes before. :thumbup:
Sure enough, all of a sudden I won a game and BILLY BROKE>BAMMMM!!! The cue ball hit the one and went straight up in the air while 4 balls fought to get in the pockets - the cue ball came down {still bouncing} PARKED at the center of the table. Billy said in that "low tone" as he walked back to the chair "I over amped on that one," glanced at me with a smirk on his face, and winked. I knew what was fixin to happen.
We put on a devastating "One/Two Punch Clinic" from there on out and won the 10 ahead in the next hour. He was right, we would have put "30 Ahead" on anyone from that point on. Weldon got up and offered anyone at the tournament the "Last 2" if they wanted to play us, everyone politely declined.
'The Game is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
I have one word for that......priceless
Shannon could have had a stand up act. He pointed at a player one time and said "Look, he's struttin around like a turkey stranded on a buzzard rock".
I have one word for that......priceless :thumbup:
Shannon could have had a stand up act. He pointed at a player one time and said "Look, he's struttin around like a turkey stranded on a buzzard rock".
I have one word for that......priceless :thumbup:
How bout the upper Midwest?!
Great stories CJ!
I was wondering if you ever gambled in Milwaukee, Racine, or Kenosha, WI?
Romines in Milwaukee was probably the place but there were also a lot of halls and bars in the outlying areas, have you ever played Willie Munson or George Puwalski?
Great stories CJ!
I was wondering if you ever gambled in Milwaukee, Racine, or Kenosha, WI?
Romines in Milwaukee was probably the place but there were also a lot of halls and bars in the outlying areas, have you ever played Willie Munson or George Puwalski?
I havent seen Richie in a while, but let me assure you, hes a character all right, lol.
you had to be brave to get the money and tough to get out with it.
Yes, I played Terry Romine on that super fast table #5 at Romines Billiards. That table had Three Cushion Billiard Cloth on it and played like a hockey rink.
I beat him on that table and he had a pretty good record from what I can recall, with wins against some of the best players around.
We played Kevin Stanell in Milwaukee 8 Ball on the bar table. I didn't play him, it was my partner Doug, and we were with S.A. John. Willie Munson knew who I was and wouldn't gamble, but we did play a couple of times in tournaments (he was past his prime).
I also played in Waukegan and was there 27 years ago when they raided the place. There's a heck of a story attached to that and I'll tell it one of these days. "Boston Joey" was hanging around that bar and we were there to trap him, but things didn't go as "planned". There was some big action around that area - you had to be brave to get the money and tough to get out with it.
Yes, I played Terry Romine on that super fast table #5 at Romines Billiards. That table had Three Cushion Billiard Cloth on it and played like a hockey rink.
I beat him on that table and he had a pretty good record from what I can recall, with wins against some of the best players around.
We played Kevin Stanell in Milwaukee 8 Ball on the bar table. I didn't play him, it was my partner Doug, and we were with S.A. John. Willie Munson knew who I was and wouldn't gamble, but we did play a couple of times in tournaments (he was past his prime).
I also played in Waukegan and was there 27 years ago when they raided the place. There's a heck of a story attached to that and I'll tell it one of these days. "Boston Joey" was hanging around that bar and we were there to trap him, but things didn't go as "planned".
There was some big action around that area - you had to be brave to get the money and tough to get out with it.
the sound your cue made and it stood out like a church bell on Sunday morning.
I was at a local pool room the other night hitting some balls and I kept hearing the sound of the guy on the next table hitting his shots. This seemed kind of odd, I'm usually not aware of the sound of someone hitting the cue ball, this seemed strangely different.
After watching him hit a couple of shots he seemed to be playing very similar to how I do as far as the contact of the cue ball and the sound that it made. I approached him between games and said "you're not from around here are you?" he replied "no, I'm from Mississippi...you don't remember be do you?"
I looked at him for something to "jog" my memory (something was familiar) and answered "I know we've talked before, and I like the way you hit the ball." He gestured at his cue and said "I bet you remember that cue!" Glancing quickly where he was pointing, wonder what he meant, I saw one of my original "signature line cues" I endorsed with McDermott many years ago.
"Wow, that's one of my originals." He smiled, with a twinkle in his eye and exclaimed "that IS your original, I bought it off you after watching you play with it back in '94'...you had retired it to the display case at 'CJ's' and I convinced you to sell it to me, I've had it ever since."
This sent a shiver down my spine as I picked it up looking at the yin and yang sign I had used on the butt, and the special wood used for the original design. "That's why I kept noticing the sound it made, it was modeled identically after the Bludworth Cue I'm playing with now."
What a surreal moment as my mind raced to understand how I could have identified the sound made by my cue's long, lost brother. "That's amazing, we were basically using the same cue playing side by side and I unconsciously was signaled by the sound your cue made and it stood out like a church bell on Sunday morning.
We both had a laugh, talked about the "good ole days at CJ's," and chalked this up as one of those special times in life that makes me wonder how it's all enter woven so beautifully together. A part of me wants to understand and the other part is glad I don't. 'The Cue is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
I was at a local pool room the other night hitting some balls and I kept hearing the sound of the guy on the next table hitting his shots. This seemed kind of odd, I'm usually not aware of the sound of someone hitting the cue ball, this seemed strangely different.
After watching him hit a couple of shots he seemed to be playing very similar to how I do as far as the contact of the cue ball and the sound that it made. I approached him between games and said "you're not from around here are you?" he replied "no, I'm from Mississippi...you don't remember be do you?"
I looked at him for something to "jog" my memory (something was familiar) and answered "I know we've talked before, and I like the way you hit the ball." He gestured at his cue and said "I bet you remember that cue!" Glancing quickly where he was pointing, wonder what he meant, I saw one of my original "signature line cues" I endorsed with McDermott many years ago.
"Wow, that's one of my originals." He smiled, with a twinkle in his eye and exclaimed "that IS your original, I bought it off you after watching you play with it back in '94'...you had retired it to the display case at 'CJ's' and I convinced you to sell it to me, I've had it ever since."
This sent a shiver down my spine as I picked it up looking at the yin and yang sign I had used on the butt, and the special wood used for the original design. "That's why I kept noticing the sound it made, it was modeled identically after the Bludworth Cue I'm playing with now."
What a surreal moment as my mind raced to understand how I could have identified the sound made by my cue's long, lost brother. "That's amazing, we were basically using the same cue playing side by side and I unconsciously was signaled by the sound your cue made and it stood out like a church bell on Sunday morning.
We both had a laugh, talked about the "good ole days at CJ's," and chalked this up as one of those special times in life that makes me wonder how it's all enter woven so beautifully together. A part of me wants to understand and the other part is glad I don't. 'The Cue is the Teacher' www.cjwiley.com
Chippa, thought you might like it. "Only in Texas"
I usually don't read the local newspaper, however, this article caught my eye this morning Chippa, thought you might like it. "Only in Texas"
The Diamond D brothel began construction on an expansion of their building to increase their ever-growing business. In response, the local Texas Church started a campaign to block the business from expanding -- with morning, afternoon, and evening prayer sessions at their church. Work on Diamond D's progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the brothel and burned it to the ground!
After the brothel fire, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about "the power of prayer." But late last week, Jill Diamond, the owner/madam, sued the church, the preacher, and the entire congregation on the grounds that the church "was ultimately responsible for the demise of her building and her business -- either through direct or indirect divine actions or means."
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently and voraciously denied any and all responsibility or any connection to the building's destruction.
The crusty old judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, and at the opening hearing he commented, "I don't know how the hell I'm going to decide this damn case, but it appears from the paperwork that we now have a whorehouse owner who staunchly believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that thinks it's all bullsh-t!"
I usually don't read the local newspaper, however, this article caught my eye this morning Chippa, thought you might like it. "Only in Texas"
The Diamond D brothel began construction on an expansion of their building to increase their ever-growing business. In response, the local Texas Church started a campaign to block the business from expanding -- with morning, afternoon, and evening prayer sessions at their church. Work on Diamond D's progressed right up until the week before the grand reopening when lightning struck the brothel and burned it to the ground!
After the brothel fire, the church folks were rather smug in their outlook, bragging about "the power of prayer." But late last week, Jill Diamond, the owner/madam, sued the church, the preacher, and the entire congregation on the grounds that the church "was ultimately responsible for the demise of her building and her business -- either through direct or indirect divine actions or means."
In its reply to the court, the church vehemently and voraciously denied any and all responsibility or any connection to the building's destruction.
The crusty old judge read through the plaintiff's complaint and the defendant's reply, and at the opening hearing he commented, "I don't know how the hell I'm going to decide this damn case, but it appears from the paperwork that we now have a whorehouse owner who staunchly believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that thinks it's all bullsh-t!"
"The Stick" - Life and Times on the Road in Detroit Michigan
I walked into the dimly lit bar, taking in the smell of cigarettes, and stale beer as I quickly cased the joint. The bar was on the left side, just past the one bar table, the bar was small with four men sitting around it drinking their favorite "poison". I was dressed to fit in with a camouflage vest, Wolverine boots, a Skoal can visible in my back pocket and a hat that had two pigs "gettin it on" labelled "Makin Bacon".
I went up to that bar and ordered a Bud and made some small talk with one of the regulars. He was dressed much like I was, and after they heard me talk they relaxed knowing I was nothin but a country bumkin kid.
Looking at the pool table I said "I'm a really good pool shot," partly to myself, but loud enough that the four barflies could hear me.
"How good do you shoot, boy, good enough to shoot for a beer?"
I responded "a beer....sh*t I play a whole lot better than that, there's nobody around here that can beat me". This got there attention and they all looked at me closer, a little bit more intently, trying to figure me out.
"The owner'll play ya if ya use "The Stick", ain't nobody ever beat him with 'The Stick".......the other four men laughed an eerie laugh at the same time...."yeah, get the Stick, get the Stick" they all chimed in together.
The Bartender reached up above the bar and pulled down a one piece house cue, only this cue didn't have a tip OR a ferrule, just jagged wood where the tip would normally be. The bartender handed it to me and I pretended to study it intently.
Just then the owner walked in the bar and walked toward us. "this boy wants to play ya with "The Stick"....he thinks he's a pool shooter."
"Wait a minute, I didn't say anything about using this thing, it doesn't even have a tip, how can I even hit the dang cue ball right, hell there's no way to play pool with this piece of crap?"
The owner looked at me, sized me up from head to tow, pausing to chuckle to himself at my two pigs "makin love" on my hat, then said, "I'll spot ya the 6 ball if you use that thing and play ya for $50. a game if you wanna gamble."
I said slowly and thoughtfully "you mean if I make the 6 or the 9 I win and you only win if you make the 9 ball....but I gotta use this crazy stick?"
Yep.....and we can play all night long. I nodded my head "you gotta game, I gotta try just to see what happens."
We started playing and each time I broke the balls pieces of "The Stick" flew on the table and sometimes across the room. I knew I could win at this game, but it suddenly dawned on my I might "run out of stick" before I could "bust" the guy. I must have taken 3 inches off the stick in the next 4 hours, but I played really good with that primitive "stick" and beat the owner 20 games ahead, by grinding the "stick" on the floor between shots and chalking it like a regular cue, before long it was fairly smooth and besides whittling it down it actually played ok......considering.
The owner paid me off with 20 brand new fifty dollar bills and I was on my way, now I had $1500. and I was heading to THE RACK....the big action pool room in Detroit. There a guy could get rich playing pool, there were guys winning and losing millions. I was ready to fire my "match" at their wood pile. I had already overcome "The Stick," what could they have in store for me at THE RACK? Surely nothing a country boy with a "Makin Bacon" hat couldn't deal with. www.cjwiley.com
I walked into the dimly lit bar, taking in the smell of cigarettes, and stale beer as I quickly cased the joint. The bar was on the left side, just past the one bar table, the bar was small with four men sitting around it drinking their favorite "poison". I was dressed to fit in with a camouflage vest, Wolverine boots, a Skoal can visible in my back pocket and a hat that had two pigs "gettin it on" labelled "Makin Bacon".
I went up to that bar and ordered a Bud and made some small talk with one of the regulars. He was dressed much like I was, and after they heard me talk they relaxed knowing I was nothin but a country bumkin kid.
Looking at the pool table I said "I'm a really good pool shot," partly to myself, but loud enough that the four barflies could hear me.
"How good do you shoot, boy, good enough to shoot for a beer?"
I responded "a beer....sh*t I play a whole lot better than that, there's nobody around here that can beat me". This got there attention and they all looked at me closer, a little bit more intently, trying to figure me out.
"The owner'll play ya if ya use "The Stick", ain't nobody ever beat him with 'The Stick".......the other four men laughed an eerie laugh at the same time...."yeah, get the Stick, get the Stick" they all chimed in together.
The Bartender reached up above the bar and pulled down a one piece house cue, only this cue didn't have a tip OR a ferrule, just jagged wood where the tip would normally be. The bartender handed it to me and I pretended to study it intently.
Just then the owner walked in the bar and walked toward us. "this boy wants to play ya with "The Stick"....he thinks he's a pool shooter."
"Wait a minute, I didn't say anything about using this thing, it doesn't even have a tip, how can I even hit the dang cue ball right, hell there's no way to play pool with this piece of crap?"
The owner looked at me, sized me up from head to tow, pausing to chuckle to himself at my two pigs "makin love" on my hat, then said, "I'll spot ya the 6 ball if you use that thing and play ya for $50. a game if you wanna gamble."
I said slowly and thoughtfully "you mean if I make the 6 or the 9 I win and you only win if you make the 9 ball....but I gotta use this crazy stick?"
Yep.....and we can play all night long. I nodded my head "you gotta game, I gotta try just to see what happens."
We started playing and each time I broke the balls pieces of "The Stick" flew on the table and sometimes across the room. I knew I could win at this game, but it suddenly dawned on my I might "run out of stick" before I could "bust" the guy. I must have taken 3 inches off the stick in the next 4 hours, but I played really good with that primitive "stick" and beat the owner 20 games ahead, by grinding the "stick" on the floor between shots and chalking it like a regular cue, before long it was fairly smooth and besides whittling it down it actually played ok......considering.
The owner paid me off with 20 brand new fifty dollar bills and I was on my way, now I had $1500. and I was heading to THE RACK....the big action pool room in Detroit. There a guy could get rich playing pool, there were guys winning and losing millions. I was ready to fire my "match" at their wood pile. I had already overcome "The Stick," what could they have in store for me at THE RACK? Surely nothing a country boy with a "Makin Bacon" hat couldn't deal with. www.cjwiley.com
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. What goes around comes around ....
Wisdom From the Legendary Player/Hustler Dalton Leong
When I was 18 I had the privilege of traveling with the Dalton Leong (he went by many names) Dalton studied zen, martial arts, holistic medicine, and a wide range of philosophies...he introduced me to things that made a lasting impression ...we were in Minneapolis having lunch, talking about the stock market and how it seemed like just another version of Las Vegas, where sooner or later the house always wins...which didn't seem to appealing to me......
"Dalton, we've won a lot lately, what do you think I should do with my money, invest in stocks, bonds, futures, or would you suggest something else?
He paused, gathering his thoughts carefully and said "We all live in two worlds, one is our inner world and the other is our outer world ... people typically use money to invest in their outer world where they have no control and are at the mercy of other people ... I believe the best investment you can make is in your inner world where you will actually feel the profit, not just see it.....I suggest you always spend what you can on mental, physical, spiritual and financial knowledge... this is an internal asset that not only increases in value through increasing your ability to make better decisions, and it can never be taken away! Invest in yourself and and always seek to help others."
When I was 18 I had the privilege of traveling with the Dalton Leong (he went by many names) Dalton studied zen, martial arts, holistic medicine, and a wide range of philosophies...he introduced me to things that made a lasting impression ...we were in Minneapolis having lunch, talking about the stock market and how it seemed like just another version of Las Vegas, where sooner or later the house always wins...which didn't seem to appealing to me......
"Dalton, we've won a lot lately, what do you think I should do with my money, invest in stocks, bonds, futures, or would you suggest something else?
He paused, gathering his thoughts carefully and said "We all live in two worlds, one is our inner world and the other is our outer world ... people typically use money to invest in their outer world where they have no control and are at the mercy of other people ... I believe the best investment you can make is in your inner world where you will actually feel the profit, not just see it.....I suggest you always spend what you can on mental, physical, spiritual and financial knowledge... this is an internal asset that not only increases in value through increasing your ability to make better decisions, and it can never be taken away! Invest in yourself and and always seek to help others."
Not only excellent advice but it appears like you took it CJ. Thanks for sharing. :thumbup:
.sometimes the "hustler becomes the hustlee"
Steve Hines was a great player, I tried to play him a time or two, but he wasn't "receptive".....sometimes the "hustler becomes the hustlee".
I have been hustled by a hustler before, but even then there's a code of ethics and this particular guy beat me out of my money, but refused to take my jewelry and my cue (he had me way off base...if I had all the money I had "forgiven" and got stiffed for I could buy a new Lamborghini.....and it's all chump change compared to what they do on Wall Street to people ;-).. if you're conning someone in an unfair game....or you don't know them very well it's always best to put up the dough.....find someone to hold the money, then find someone to hold them .
Sometimes when one hustler beats another there's what's called an "out of court settlement" where the guy agrees to settling for half or some reduced amount if the debt is settled immediately....you see there's no "small claims court" in gambling and the laws are VERY stern about trying to collect by force....the upside is you can win a LOT more off someone if they don't put the money by letting them "double up to catch up", however, you risk not collecting the total amount due (so you're in effect gambling twice....and if you win too much they may not pay you at all.
I know a guy that won 187k off someone and didn't get a cracker.....I would have went to the guy and settled for 10-15% right away, but you have to have instincts for that type of situation....10% of 187k is better than 100% of nothing ;-)
Steve Hines was a great player, I tried to play him a time or two, but he wasn't "receptive".....sometimes the "hustler becomes the hustlee".
I have been hustled by a hustler before, but even then there's a code of ethics and this particular guy beat me out of my money, but refused to take my jewelry and my cue (he had me way off base...if I had all the money I had "forgiven" and got stiffed for I could buy a new Lamborghini.....and it's all chump change compared to what they do on Wall Street to people ;-).. if you're conning someone in an unfair game....or you don't know them very well it's always best to put up the dough.....find someone to hold the money, then find someone to hold them .
Sometimes when one hustler beats another there's what's called an "out of court settlement" where the guy agrees to settling for half or some reduced amount if the debt is settled immediately....you see there's no "small claims court" in gambling and the laws are VERY stern about trying to collect by force....the upside is you can win a LOT more off someone if they don't put the money by letting them "double up to catch up", however, you risk not collecting the total amount due (so you're in effect gambling twice....and if you win too much they may not pay you at all.
I know a guy that won 187k off someone and didn't get a cracker.....I would have went to the guy and settled for 10-15% right away, but you have to have instincts for that type of situation....10% of 187k is better than 100% of nothing ;-)
His eyes by now felt like they were probing my very soul and I shifted,
I was hanging out at my pool room "CJ's" behind the bar of all places....I really didn't spend a lot of time back there, but this day was the exception. An older man came in, sat down and ordered a soda...I knew how to "mix" that one so I got it for him and set it down.
He said "you are the professional pool player CJ aren't you?"....I replied "yes, that's me, unless I owe you money LoL"....he laughed, took a drink and said, "no, you don't owe me money, but I would like to ask you a question"......I suddenly felt his tone turn serous and wondered what this older man was up to "sure, you can ask me whatever you want" I said, leaning against the cooler.
The man pointed at the pool table and ask "what are you trying to achieve playing that Game?"....I hesitated, thought and replied "I'm trying to be the best player I can be, maybe even the best in the world, at least once".
The man place his napkin between us, looked into my eyes and said firmly "you know this Game you play is already perfect in geometric design....it's up to you to uncover it" and immediately turned over the napkin and looked under it....."Do You Understand" he said firmly again "The Game is already perfectly designed, it's just up to you to uncover the Perfection", again he lifted up the napkin, looked under it and then quickly back into my now de-focused stare.
His eyes by now felt like they were probing my "inner world," and I shifted, suddenly feeling disoriented, and answered "I think I understand.....it's not me that has to be perfect, it's the game, so I don't need to try to be perfect, I just need to Uncover the Perfection that's already been placed there...in the Game.....by...uhhhh".....he smiled at my hesitation and finished "by the Breath of the Universe or The Breath of a Higher Power, right now that's not as important as you believing the Game has perfect qualities!
He then told me to hold on for a minute and went to his car and brought back a book which I read and still have to this day. This was one of those occasions that influenced my future and looking back I find myself wondering if this old man was really an old man.....or...maybe a "cosmic messenger"...no, that would be silly now wouldn't it?.....hmmm, I still can't help but wonder :groucho: 'The Game is the Teacher'
I was hanging out at my pool room "CJ's" behind the bar of all places....I really didn't spend a lot of time back there, but this day was the exception. An older man came in, sat down and ordered a soda...I knew how to "mix" that one so I got it for him and set it down.
He said "you are the professional pool player CJ aren't you?"....I replied "yes, that's me, unless I owe you money LoL"....he laughed, took a drink and said, "no, you don't owe me money, but I would like to ask you a question"......I suddenly felt his tone turn serous and wondered what this older man was up to "sure, you can ask me whatever you want" I said, leaning against the cooler.
The man pointed at the pool table and ask "what are you trying to achieve playing that Game?"....I hesitated, thought and replied "I'm trying to be the best player I can be, maybe even the best in the world, at least once".
The man place his napkin between us, looked into my eyes and said firmly "you know this Game you play is already perfect in geometric design....it's up to you to uncover it" and immediately turned over the napkin and looked under it....."Do You Understand" he said firmly again "The Game is already perfectly designed, it's just up to you to uncover the Perfection", again he lifted up the napkin, looked under it and then quickly back into my now de-focused stare.
His eyes by now felt like they were probing my "inner world," and I shifted, suddenly feeling disoriented, and answered "I think I understand.....it's not me that has to be perfect, it's the game, so I don't need to try to be perfect, I just need to Uncover the Perfection that's already been placed there...in the Game.....by...uhhhh".....he smiled at my hesitation and finished "by the Breath of the Universe or The Breath of a Higher Power, right now that's not as important as you believing the Game has perfect qualities!
He then told me to hold on for a minute and went to his car and brought back a book which I read and still have to this day. This was one of those occasions that influenced my future and looking back I find myself wondering if this old man was really an old man.....or...maybe a "cosmic messenger"...no, that would be silly now wouldn't it?..
...hmmm, I still can't help but wonder :groucho: 'The Game is the Teacher'
I was hanging out at my pool room "CJ's" behind the bar of all places....I really didn't spend a lot of time back there, but this day was the exception. An older man came in, sat down and ordered a soda...I knew how to "mix" that one so I got it for him and set it down.
He said "you are the professional pool player CJ aren't you?"....I replied "yes, that's me, unless I owe you money LoL"....he laughed, took a drink and said, "no, you don't owe me money, but I would like to ask you a question"......I suddenly felt his tone turn serous and wondered what this older man was up to "sure, you can ask me whatever you want" I said, leaning against the cooler.
The man pointed at the pool table and ask "what are you trying to achieve playing that Game?"....I hesitated, thought and replied "I'm trying to be the best player I can be, maybe even the best in the world, at least once".
The man place his napkin between us, looked into my eyes and said firmly "you know this Game you play is already perfect in geometric design....it's up to you to uncover it" and immediately turned over the napkin and looked under it....."Do You Understand" he said firmly again "The Game is already perfectly designed, it's just up to you to uncover the Perfection", again he lifted up the napkin, looked under it and then quickly back into my now de-focused stare.
His eyes by now felt like they were probing my "inner world," and I shifted, suddenly feeling disoriented, and answered "I think I understand.....it's not me that has to be perfect, it's the game, so I don't need to try to be perfect, I just need to Uncover the Perfection that's already been placed there...in the Game.....by...uhhhh".....he smiled at my hesitation and finished "by the Breath of the Universe or The Breath of a Higher Power, right now that's not as important as you believing the Game has perfect qualities!
He then told me to hold on for a minute and went to his car and brought back a book which I read and still have to this day. This was one of those occasions that influenced my future and looking back I find myself wondering if this old man was really an old man.....or...maybe a "cosmic messenger"...no, that would be silly now wouldn't it?..
Great story and perfect!
--Jeff
If it's the guy I'm thinking of and I'm pretty sure it is, he ended up in OKC. I haven't seen him in many years, I hope he's doing well.