Lenny, thank for being a true friend to Dick the last few years when his life was the toughest. I'm gonna miss my old buddy. Dick was not a pool hustler in the sense that he didn't try to disguise his game or try to hustle anyone. Dick would go looking for the best players and beat them even up playing One Pocket, the ultimate hustler's game.
First time I ever saw Dick was at Ronnie Allen's poolroom in the San Fernando Valley (Big Momma's I think it was called) back in the late 60's. I walk in and Ronnie is playing this clean cut nice looking guy on table 1 and I figure someone is getting robbed here. Foolish me! The clean cut guy keeps winning games and Ronnie keeps going to the cash register to get more money. I think Ronnie was giving him 10-8 and break apiece. I couldn't understand how somebody was beating my hero Ronnie Allen. I wasn't used to seeing that happen, like never.
To this day, the only two guys I ever saw get the best of Ronnie were Little Al and San Jose Dick. I never forgot Dick after that and shortly thereafter he seemed to drop off the face of the Earth. I didn't know that he got married and got a straight job until maybe 25 years later when he showed up for my tournament in L.A. in 1993. He still played good but not like he did that first night I saw him torture the great R.A.
I got to know Dick much better after that and I truly liked him and his straightforward manner. There was no guessing about where Dick stood on anything and he didn't hold back his opinion either. I had a lot of respect for him as a man now and not just as a pool player. He never lamented giving up pool for the straight life and felt that he had made the right choice. He said more than once that these years with his wife were the best of his life. That left a strong impression on me.
God bless you Dick and thanks for being the man you were! :clapping:
First time I ever saw Dick was at Ronnie Allen's poolroom in the San Fernando Valley (Big Momma's I think it was called) back in the late 60's. I walk in and Ronnie is playing this clean cut nice looking guy on table 1 and I figure someone is getting robbed here. Foolish me! The clean cut guy keeps winning games and Ronnie keeps going to the cash register to get more money. I think Ronnie was giving him 10-8 and break apiece. I couldn't understand how somebody was beating my hero Ronnie Allen. I wasn't used to seeing that happen, like never.
To this day, the only two guys I ever saw get the best of Ronnie were Little Al and San Jose Dick. I never forgot Dick after that and shortly thereafter he seemed to drop off the face of the Earth. I didn't know that he got married and got a straight job until maybe 25 years later when he showed up for my tournament in L.A. in 1993. He still played good but not like he did that first night I saw him torture the great R.A.
I got to know Dick much better after that and I truly liked him and his straightforward manner. There was no guessing about where Dick stood on anything and he didn't hold back his opinion either. I had a lot of respect for him as a man now and not just as a pool player. He never lamented giving up pool for the straight life and felt that he had made the right choice. He said more than once that these years with his wife were the best of his life. That left a strong impression on me.
God bless you Dick and thanks for being the man you were! :clapping:
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