Rod Curry "Surfer Rod" Has Passed Away

For those of you that do not know of Surfer Rod, please take some time to peruse this site devoted to this exceptional sportsman:

http://konnections.net/rodcurry/index.htm

I'd never heard of the man until a couple weeks ago.
Glad he left this site full of awesome photos and stories.

We are richer for his contribution.

Lesh
 
I just heard of Rods passing. We spoke a few months ago and he said nothing about serious health issues so I was deeply saddened to hear this.
My name is John Shuput and The Surfer and I spent a lot of time on the road together. He was my best friend, road partner and mentor. Surfer was a legend in the pool world. He was not the most talented pool player but he over care the nuts a ton. It was 90% heart.
He was built like a middle linebacker. When I was with him we jogged a lot but every once and awhile he would pound out 20 or 30 hand stand pushups like it was nothing!
Craig Stevens gave him the nick name Surfer. Craig was looking for Rod but he was surfing. So he called him the Surfer and it stuck. The first time I saw Rod was in about 1970. He came through Omaha and played a local good pool table golf player golf on a bar box. Surfer took it off. He was driving a new purple Riviera and was towing a 30 some foot Gulfstream. I was impressed.
Rod quit pool for a while and got a degree in Mathematics but went back to playing pool because he said it cost him too much money not to gamble.
A few years later he came through Omaha again and we went on the road together. I played 9 ball and he played everything else. 8 ball, 1 pocket, billiards, lag coins, Chinese pool, and any pool proposition bet and he was very good with a mop handle. Most of the time we traveled around in his Mercedes.
Surfer was not some trust baby, actually he grew up poor from what he said, he made it all playing pool. He would generate more action than anyone I have ever seen and he had more heart than any human. He always bet his own $ and would bet it all. Almost to a fault. Omaha Fats told him he needed to "go to the rack once and a while." Rod would laugh and said he can't quit, and he didn’t. If he went off he would reload faster than you could believe. It was strong to see him maneuver in those bars and get action that most anyone else would not identify.
Rod retired from pool in about 1985 and went to work for the IRS as a Computer Scientist.
Surfer helped me with my game and many other aspects of life. He was a great person. I will miss him.
John Shuput
 
I just heard of Rods passing. We spoke a few months ago and he said nothing about serious health issues so I was deeply saddened to hear this.
My name is John Shuput and The Surfer and I spent a lot of time on the road together. He was my best friend, road partner and mentor. Surfer was a legend in the pool world. He was not the most talented pool player but he over care the nuts a ton. It was 90% heart.
He was built like a middle linebacker. When I was with him we jogged a lot but every once and awhile he would pound out 20 or 30 hand stand pushups like it was nothing!
Craig Stevens gave him the nick name Surfer. Craig was looking for Rod but he was surfing. So he called him the Surfer and it stuck. The first time I saw Rod was in about 1970. He came through Omaha and played a local good pool table golf player golf on a bar box. Surfer took it off. He was driving a new purple Riviera and was towing a 30 some foot Gulfstream. I was impressed.
Rod quit pool for a while and got a degree in Mathematics but went back to playing pool because he said it cost him too much money not to gamble.
A few years later he came through town again and we went on the road together. I played 9 ball and he played everything else. 8 ball, 1 pocket, billiards, lag coins, Chinese pool, and any pool proposition bet and he was very good with a mop handle. Most of the time we traveled around in his Mercedes.
Surfer was not some trust baby, actually he grew up poor from what he said, he made it all playing pool. He would generate more action than anyone I have ever seen and he had more heart than any human. He always bet his own $ and would bet it all. Almost to a fault. Omaha Fats told him he needed to "go to the rack once and a while." Rod would laugh and said he can't quit, and he didn’t. If he went off he would reload faster than you could believe. It was strong to see him maneuver in those bars and get action that most anyone else would not identify.
Rod retired from pool in about 1985 and went to work for the IRS as a Computer Scientist.
Surfer helped me with my game and many other aspects of life. He was a great person. I will miss him.
 
Remembering Surfer Rod ...

John Shuput said:
I just heard of Rods passing. We spoke a few months ago and he said nothing about serious health issues so I was deeply saddened to hear this.
My name is John Shuput and The Surfer and I spent a lot of time on the road together. He was my best friend, road partner and mentor. Surfer was a legend in the pool world. He was not the most talented pool player but he over care the nuts a ton. It was 90% heart.
He was built like a middle linebacker. When I was with him we jogged a lot but every once and awhile he would pound out 20 or 30 hand stand pushups like it was nothing!
Craig Stevens gave him the nick name Surfer. Craig was looking for Rod but he was surfing. So he called him the Surfer and it stuck. The first time I saw Rod was in about 1970. He came through Omaha and played a local good pool table golf player golf on a bar box. Surfer took it off. He was driving a new purple Riviera and was towing a 30 some foot Gulfstream. I was impressed.
Rod quit pool for a while and got a degree in Mathematics but went back to playing pool because he said it cost him too much money not to gamble.
A few years later he came through town again and we went on the road together. I played 9 ball and he played everything else. 8 ball, 1 pocket, billiards, lag coins, Chinese pool, and any pool proposition bet and he was very good with a mop handle. Most of the time we traveled around in his Mercedes.
Surfer was not some trust baby, actually he grew up poor from what he said, he made it all playing pool. He would generate more action than anyone I have ever seen and he had more heart than any human. He always bet his own $ and would bet it all. Almost to a fault. Omaha Fats told him he needed to "go to the rack once and a while." Rod would laugh and said he can't quit, and he didn’t. If he went off he would reload faster than you could believe. It was strong to see him maneuver in those bars and get action that most anyone else would not identify.
Rod retired from pool in about 1985 and went to work for the IRS as a Computer Scientist.
Surfer helped me with my game and many other aspects of life. He was a great person. I will miss him.
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Great post, John. Welcome to the forum.
 
Keith McCready said:
I remember them playing a couple times. King Kong was a good 8-ball player as well. I believe that King Kong beat him once, and Rodney beat him once. I think Rodney lost more than King Kong did. But back then, I would have to say that that was actually a pretty close game. Even in 9-Ball they were pretty close.

Rodney was sort of like me. His break always held him back, and he would try to capitalize with his shooting and knowledge. We sort of come from the same mold, me and Rodney. Overall, I would say they were an even game.

Earthquake out.
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2013 was a tough year and just puts me closer to the same.
Rod was just one hellof guy. He had some businessintrests in Denver so I had a chance to meet and get to know him. He was laways in action and very entertaining.
ANyway, we were in Vegas for the Miller Lite thing and I caught a rool playuing 32 and cashe out for $22,000 and still wird I went to the room to shower and change when the phone rang. It was Rod and he had lstpocket game for $1000 a gme att the Serene Room. I asked,"Okay who with"?
Rod says,:Whats that matter"??
"It matters, I have watched you play and go ff" I said.
"Okay Allen Hopkins" He says.
"Are yoyu HIgh" I ask?
"He can't play on the bar table" He says.
"Name someone who has beaten him" I said.
""Are you in or not" He askes?
"NO thanks, but I am on my way" I say.
We got there and the place was packed and they began.
It was sthe best I ever saw Rod play but only to lose$24,000 and Allen played near perfectly running out from every imaginable place.
I had locked up the cash in the cage and when Rod realized thatm he was livied and had some owrds for me, but we got over that.
As Island Drive and Kieth said, when he locked up he was there for the long haul and would take a peek at it
He and Omaha John were tight and I know he is broken hearted.
NO doubt Rod is up there and shaking things up. God bless him, grat guy.
 
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