My uncles used to look out the winder when they weren't outside on the firescape. Had to take speech classes to not foller them.
Ronnie Rosas, Mexican Ronnie
- Thread starter TATE
- Start date
My uncles used to look out the winder when they weren't outside on the firescape. Had to take speech classes to not foller them.
Old people got arthuritis when I was a kid.
Thank you for this, Chris.
I remember my first encounter with Ronnie. I drew him in a tournament in San Diego (the old Billiard Tavern). He clobbered me, 7-0. He shot real clean, didn't get on the wrong side of the ball and kept a smooth pace throughout the match. He ended up winning the event - beating Swanee, I think.
Then I remember he disappeared. Rumor was, he passed away. Then out of the blue, he showed up at the Jay Swanson Memorial in Hollywood. Many of us thought we were seeing a ghost.
Glad to hear he's doing well.
neolux
Registered
Ron is alive and doing well. Yes! He still gives lessons and could be found at Million Dollar Billiards before COVID-19. Ron lives in the Pacoima, Cailf. area and also gave lessons out of a small "Mexican/Latino" Pool hall called: Playa Azul before COVID-19 hit. He and I went to Hardtimes Bellflower in May of 2019. Sometimes I would drive him up to Butera's in Simi Valley or Stiix in Ventura before COVID. There are a few "rudimentary" YouTube videos of Ron giving examples of shotmaking and safety play shot within the last two years. I think that Hard Times Bellflower is permanently closed or "closed to the public" according to "Catfish" a few weeks back!
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Pilot, tell me I said Hi when yah see em!
My buddy was just out there. They open around noon but you have to use a different door and use the 'secret' knock.
Just kiddin' on the knock but there are using a different door.
I went to Million Dollar twice last January and never ran into Ron. I took a little trip to Ventura and played Jerry. I’ll be back to Burbank in September, I’ll try harder to contact him and play some.
There was a time when Ronnie was probably one of the two best (Keith) in the L.A. area. In the 1980's, Morro Paez, Francisco Galindo and Ernesto took over, along with Sal Butera and a young gun named Tang Hoa. Ronnie was definitely on the decline by then. Surprise, surprise, he got sobered up and someone took him to the Sands in Reno in 1987, and Ronnie played some lights out pool once again. He went all the way to the final three players before losing a great match to Allen Hopkins, who was a fair country player himself.
That was the year where I decided to tape the final three matches and hired a local TV crew (they usually made commercials and stuff like that) to do it, with Pat Fleming and I providing commentary. I spent one day training the TV crew on how best to shoot a game of pool and they did a good job for us. You can find the DVD (converted from the original VHS) of Ronnie's match with Hopkins on my website, and that will give you a good idea of how he played. He makes one shot during that match that was unbelievable. Even Allen was shaking his head afterwards.
I wish I could give a happy ending to this story, but once again Ronnie dropped off the pool map shortly after this tourney was over. He fell back into whatever demons were possessing him, not to emerge for another couple of decades. Yes, there were rumors of his passing away because no one heard from him for so long. Then about ten or fifteen years ago I was in a small poolroom in Eagle Rock and there was Ronnie giving a lesson on a back table. He looked healthy and well. We talked briefly about his life and struggles and he was very open and honest. I could tell that even this (giving a pool lesson) was not easy for him to accomplish. He was still battling those demons. He will never be the Ronnie we all remember, a pool table maestro, but just to see him walking and talking and sharing his knowledge with others is more than enough.
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As sad as it is that a man's potential was diminished by drug use or other issues, it is nice to hear that he has straightened his life out and is finding ways to make contributions to society. It often doesn't work out that way unfortunately.
I got news a few days ago that one of the best players in the league I've played in for over a decade took his own life. Out of respect for him and his family, I won't name him, but he was a top notch bar table player. If Fargo Rate had been around at the time he would likely have been near 700 at the top of his game. There was one year in which he realized he was only a few games behind the top shooter in the league with 4 or 5 weeks to go- he said he wouldn't lose another game the rest of the season and he didn't (he won at least 16 games in a row). He was the reason our team took first place in the league that season- the only time we were able to win it all (me and my other teammates are decent league players, but nothing close to his ability level). That was one of the only times he completed an entire season. Usually he would have one bad week and get so upset with himself that he would quit for the rest of the season. He broke several cues in anger and had numerous drug problems (coke, meth, etc).
He was just a very erratic person- but unbelievably talented- in addition to pool he was a great cook, trim trimmer, and handyman. Very funny guy too.
Usually people mellow with age, but he never did for whatever reason. He burned almost every bridge he had. He never could find peace in his life. It is very hard to help somebody who is that unstable. Very sad week. RIP.
I got news a few days ago that one of the best players in the league I've played in for over a decade took his own life. Out of respect for him and his family, I won't name him, but he was a top notch bar table player. If Fargo Rate had been around at the time he would likely have been near 700 at the top of his game. There was one year in which he realized he was only a few games behind the top shooter in the league with 4 or 5 weeks to go- he said he wouldn't lose another game the rest of the season and he didn't (he won at least 16 games in a row). He was the reason our team took first place in the league that season- the only time we were able to win it all (me and my other teammates are decent league players, but nothing close to his ability level). That was one of the only times he completed an entire season. Usually he would have one bad week and get so upset with himself that he would quit for the rest of the season. He broke several cues in anger and had numerous drug problems (coke, meth, etc).
He was just a very erratic person- but unbelievably talented- in addition to pool he was a great cook, trim trimmer, and handyman. Very funny guy too.
Usually people mellow with age, but he never did for whatever reason. He burned almost every bridge he had. He never could find peace in his life. It is very hard to help somebody who is that unstable. Very sad week. RIP.
Just FYI the reason I wrote this thread a year ago was because Ronnie started posting here and there were folks here making light of his postings and his situation. They had no idea just how good he was and what a champion he might have been. As he was getting back on his feet, I even went to his house and met his mom, a very sweet woman who cared for him deeply. I was just happy to see Ronnie had survived.
I saw Ronnie play several times at Hard Times. Maybe a year after it opened. A friend that played on a bar league team I was on introduced me to HT. Bar leagues were really popular back in the 80's. I think that he league was the Southern Calif Cocktail Lounge League. A cocktail lounge I stopped in on my way to pick up my wife had a team in the league and a couple of guys asked me if I wanted to play on the team. I thought "Why not? It's a chance to get out and have a few drinks during the week and a few laughs. Little did I know how serious it was. I would put up a quarter when I got tired of bending my elbow my eyes were good but I had no knowledge of the game at all. What an eye opener. HT was like a Wild West show. A culture I never knew existed. I was hooked. Fortunately I was in my 50's & my business was established. Many a time I have given thanks for not discovering the game when I was young. He was so smooth and seemed to get action without a lot of barking. Before he seemed to silently disappear into, as Tate so aptly put it, the "Life" he was playing with one of the prettiest Schons I have ever seen.
I moved out the area and only got to HT about once a month but kept up with quite a few friends who stilled played there regularly. I have often wondered what happened to Catfish, Calvin and many of the other regulars who were there every day for what seemed like forever. For may years it has been a shadow of its former self but in its heyday it was a magical place with Ron and all of the players Jay mentioned. Road players came in constantly always knowing they could get a good $ game especially when Mark and a few others were there to back the action. So happy I was able to experience at least a part of those times.
I moved out the area and only got to HT about once a month but kept up with quite a few friends who stilled played there regularly. I have often wondered what happened to Catfish, Calvin and many of the other regulars who were there every day for what seemed like forever. For may years it has been a shadow of its former self but in its heyday it was a magical place with Ron and all of the players Jay mentioned. Road players came in constantly always knowing they could get a good $ game especially when Mark and a few others were there to back the action. So happy I was able to experience at least a part of those times.
Good thread!!
I think it is cool that you stepped up to defend your long time friend. I hope he is still doing well. Men like Ronnie would never accept charity but it would be cool if some of the locals here showed him some love and took a lesson or two.
The early years at Hard Times (1988-1994) were the best years. We were putting on a couple of big tournaments every year and all the top players (except Sigel) would come. The place was absolutely packed and you could barely get in the door. Finding somewhere to watch the matches was another chore. We had seating for maybe 250-300 at the most, and people were standing everywhere on the sides of the bleachers. Just as many people hung around outside the tournament arena to watch the gambling action going on out there. Hard Times was a three ring circus of pool in those days. Even outside there would be a large crowd smoking and talking pool. Lucky me, I was in the middle of everything, the TD.
Was there a specific reason why Sigel wouldn't play?The early years at Hard Times (1988-1994) were the best years. We were putting on a couple of big tournaments every year and all the top players (except Sigel) would come. The place was absolutely packed and you could barely get in the door. Finding somewhere to watch the matches was another chore. We had seating for maybe 250-300 at the most, and people were standing everywhere on the sides of the bleachers. Just as many people hung around outside the tournament arena to watch the gambling action going on out there. Hard Times was a three ring circus of pool in those days. Even outside there would be a large crowd smoking and talking pool. Lucky me, I was in the middle of everything, the TD.
Great post, Chris. I owned a copy of Jay Helfert's DVD years ago which featured Ronnie playing Allen, and he was definitely an awesome talent.
He didn't like the atmosphere there for some reason. I guess it wasn't "upscale" enough for him. I never asked him about it and really didn't care if he came or not. We had just about everybody else there!
I only started going there in '95.
Boy, when Efren was in town, that place was rocking .
Hollywood Billiards was rocking too when they had tournaments .
Saw Efren play 3-cushion with a Meucci in the second floor there .
I sure miss the 90's.
neolux
Registered
Hi Jay. I have seen the match that you taped from the Sands Regent of Ronnie Rosas (I bought it off of your website). Ron was telling me that he should of played better against Allen Hopkins, but somehow could not get into stroke that day (Ron thinks that he may have won the tournament if he got past Allen Hopkins). In reflection, Ron stated to me that he should have been more focused on his pool game, career and played on the Pro Billiards tour. But as we know, he had many demons to fight at that time. Ron has taught me a lot about pool over the years; I am very grateful for that. I saw Ron the other day, and he said that he would like to go back out and start playing some "senior" tournaments, soon. G. RoccoThere was a time when Ronnie was probably one of the two best (Keith) in the L.A. area. In the 1980's, Morro Paez, Francisco Galindo and Ernesto took over, along with Sal Butera and a young gun named Tang Hoa. Ronnie was definitely on the decline by then. Surprise, surprise, he got sobered up and someone took him to the Sands in Reno in 1987, and Ronnie played some lights out pool once again. He went all the way to the final three players before losing a great match to Allen Hopkins, who was a fair country player himself.
That was the year where I decided to tape the final three matches and hired a local TV crew (they usually made commercials and stuff like that) to do it, with Pat Fleming and I providing commentary. I spent one day training the TV crew on how best to shoot a game of pool and they did a good job for us. You can find the DVD (converted from the original VHS) of Ronnie's match with Hopkins on my website, and that will give you a good idea of how he played. He makes one shot during that match that was unbelievable. Even Allen was shaking his head afterwards.
I wish I could give a happy ending to this story, but once again Ronnie dropped off the pool map shortly after this tourney was over. He fell back into whatever demons were possessing him, not to emerge for another couple of decades. Yes, there were rumors of his passing away because no one heard from him for so long. Then about ten or fifteen years ago I was in a small poolroom in Eagle Rock and there was Ronnie giving a lesson on a back table. He looked healthy and well. We talked briefly about his life and struggles and he was very open and honest. I could tell that even this (giving a pool lesson) was not easy for him to accomplish. He was still battling those demons. He will never be the Ronnie we all remember, a pool table maestro, but just to see him walking and talking and sharing his knowledge with others is more than enough.
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