Sharking

[gregcantrall]

Of course there were always threats on your life if you win.

When I drove Cole from the Kelso Longview tournament back to Seattle. One and a half to 2 hour trip, I got stories. One of which was in the Deep South when he was ahead around a grand playing the owner. A pick up truck with gun rack and 3 redneck occupants parked in front of the big front window. When their purpose became obvious, Cole proposed to the owner, "how about I just give you your money back and leave?"" Pause, "how about I give you all your money and mine too and leave?" Met with, "Okay."

 

[jay helfert]

I love those environments. It doesn't bother me because I was once part of it.

I never shied away from rough spots. I was intrigued by them and wanted to see what they were like. My M.O. in tough spots was to find a way to befriend someone who looked like one of the toughest guys in the joint. I'd usually strike up a casual conversation with him and show as much interest as I could in whatever he wanted to talk about. Believe me, everybody likes to talk about themselves and their own personal interests.

One bad ass I met in a bar in El Paso took me to his home (after I played some Eight Ball on the bar table for $$) and showed me his reptile collection. He actually had a Black Mamba snake in a glass cage! That was scary for me. Another very brawny guy I met early on in Bakersfield had a coveted flower garden in his back yard. It was beautiful!

I did carry a small piece at all times, thinking that would bail me out if necessary. Pretty stupid on my part in hindsight, but it gave me some level of confidence back then. The only time I ever considered taking it out was when Gary Serville and I beat Charley the Ape out of a few thousand plus the title to his car. He flipped out and picked up a bar table with one hand to the height of his shoulder. I came to my senses and realized that little gun would only make him madder. We had to outsmart him to get away with the money, and we did (full story in Pool Wars). Got out with the money but no car.

 

[jay helfert]

It's funny how certain areas had too many blades and others guns.
We all know the old adage,
'Don't bring a knife to a gunfight,' but most of those knife wielders were under 21.
Except for a well known DC player who had that Ivory Razor on standby at all times. Usually tucked in one of those funky hats. To his credit, he got me out of a place that I wouldn't have made it out of bcuz I'd won considerable coin that night and you could see the little conversations going on about who gets to roll this fool. No attempt to disguise their actions.
He walked me out to the car and I hauled ass all the way Virginney.

In the old days, promoters often stiffed pool players on the prize money. There was a big One Pocket tourney in Birmingham (if my memory serves me right) where the notorious Preacher Red finished second. He and the winner did not get paid, the promoter pleading he had no money left. Red went to his office, walked in on him and pulled out his .44 Mag (he showed me that same gun when I visited his motor home) and pointed it in the guy's face. He got paid!

 

[gregcantrall]

My M.O. in tough spots was to

In a new spot that looked tough was to come on strong. I never wanted to appear to be hustling or hiding my speed.
My opener could be, "Anybody in here play worth a Fu**? Either asking the bartender or the entire room.
Any tough place that I found action in, had stories of Cole's visit.

 

[Mensabum]

The sharking that steams me more than anything is when it's my opponent's turn at the table and they just keep on talking to their friends or staring at their bleeping phone. Most of the time it's not even intentional, but it's still annoying as hell.

When it's your shot, get up and shoot. You can always talk or surf your phone later.
[/QU0te

I never shied away from rough spots. I was intrigued by them and wanted to see what they were like. My M.O. in tough spots was to find a way to befriend someone who looked like one of the toughest guys in the joint. I'd usually strike up a casual conversation with him and show as much interest as I could in whatever he wanted to talk about. Believe me, everybody likes to talk about themselves and their own personal interests.

One bad ass I met in a bar in El Paso took me to his home (after I played some Eight Ball on the bar table for $$) and showed me his reptile collection. He actually had a Black Mamba snake in a glass cage! That was scary for me. Another very brawny guy I met early on in Bakersfield had a coveted flower garden in his back yard. It was beautiful!

I did carry a small piece at all times, thinking that would bail me out if necessary. Pretty stupid on my part in hindsight, but it gave me some level of confidence back then. The only time I ever considered taking it out was when Gary Serville and I beat Charley the Ape out of a few thousand plus the title to his car. He flipped out and picked up a bar table with one hand to the height of his shoulder. I came to my senses and realized that little gun would only make him madder. We had to outsmart him to get away with the money, and we did (full story in Pool Wars). Got out with the money but no car.

Jay, what do you think was Gary's real speed??

 

[book collector]

When I was young , I was a bit of a wild man. But I never carried a gun or knife because I was pretty sure I would use them if it became necessary.
One night, I was in a dark, smoky, smelly, pool room in a basement of a block building. It had one steel door and no windows.
Rule number 1. Never go into a basement! It's 10 times harder to get out, if something goes sideways.
I start playing pool with a guy that has a scar that goes from almost his shoulder to the middle of his forehead , right across the left eye, which had a dirty patch over it.
We start playing cheap and I keep winning , the stakes get raised several times and I am up a lot of money . At first it was just me scar face and his buddy, a little weasel of a guy, that I was sure, had a couple of knives on him.
You know the type, much too confident for their size, so you know they have an equalizer.
Pretty soon there are 5 guys and me in the basement, and I am sure they are all together.
Scarface tells me he isn't paying me and I need to get out in the alley before something bad happens to me.
Always the quick one with a reply, before I even thought about it, I said "We can do that, too. But, you have proven yourself not to be trustworthy, so this time we need to post !
Scarface agreed, they matched all the money that I had won playing pool and I put up all my winnings to that point , against it. All told it was 98 dollars .
As you can imagine with people of low morals, they did not wait until we got outside, in fact I was pretty much a bloody mess 30 seconds after I said "bet."
They finally got tired and one guy said , "I ain't cleaning up all this blood and shit ,lets get him out of here , so they ejected me into the alley and I kind of crawled, slid down the lowest part of it to the main street. A lady screamed and the cops came and arrested me for vagrancy .
It was then that I knew the life of a pool player, was all I ever wanted.

 

[gregcantrall]

I never carried a gun or knife because

I drove cab in Reno in '78, it was forbidden to carry but some did. I didn't want a gun fight in the front of a cab. A gun fight in my cab would have been for the gun they brought. My exit plan involved slowing to a walk and just open my door and step out. Pressing the gas as I leave. glad I never needed.

 

[jay helfert]

In a new spot that looked tough was to come on strong. I never wanted to appear to be hustling or hiding my speed.
My opener could be, "Anybody in here play worth a Fu**? Either asking the bartender or the entire room.
Any tough place that I found action in, had stories of Cole's visit.

I learned early on to play my best from beginning to end for two reasons. One, no one could say I hustled them and two, slow playing will get you out of stroke and you will start playing bad.

There was another funny phenomena in pool that old scufflers like me will recognize. When a guy was dumping he had no pressure on him and often started playing good almost by accident. The guy he was dumping too had all the heat on him and had trouble winning. Saw that happen several times.

 

[Mensabum]

I learned early on to play my best from beginning to end for two reasons. One, no one could say I hustled them and two, slow playing will get you out of stroke and you will start playing bad.

There was another funny phenomena in pool that old scufflers like me will recognize. When a guy was dumping he had no pressure on him and often started playing good almost by accident. The guy he was dumping too had all the heat on him and had trouble winning. Saw that happen several times.

That's true. No matter how well you try to hide your speed, if you lose your focus, balls fall. It takes constant monitoring of your game to do that and it's not easy and tiring. It can b hard to tighten up when necessary if you've been hiding speed for a month or two.

 

[gregcantrall]

A tip I got from Racetrack Rick was; Don't miss on purpose just hook youself . Of course that improve kicking skill as well.
When I rolled into Chico and found the Team Players down under pool room that the owner inhabited. I had the 411 and knew he had deep pockets. I was playing him a casual introduction of $5 nine ball. Knocking 'em around and when we got to where he thought he liked the game. I told him, "Okay I am going to turn it on now." And Did. Zero to 40 got his surrender. I think it's always good to be friends with the owner.

 

[Mensabum]

A tip I got from Racetrack Rick was; Don't miss on purpose just hook youself . Of course that improve kicking skill as well.
When I rolled into Chico and found the Team Players down under pool room that the owner inhabited. I had the 411 and knew he had deep pockets. I was playing him a casual introduction of $5 nine ball. Knocking 'em around and when we got to where he thought he liked the game. I told him, "Okay I am going to turn it on now." And Did. Zero to 40 got his surrender. I think it's always good to be friends with the owner.

Hooking yourself, leaving the CB on the rail, leaving yourself long, all part of the equation. If you're on bar boxes, that stuff isn't a big deal, it grows in proportion w table size of course. All tricks of the trade. Avoid matchups that require full speed ahead if you get my drift. All that does is give everyone there an idea of how good you play and lord knows how players like to talk.

 

[gregcantrall]

Avoid matchups that require full speed ahead

I avoid Ed the high performance shots against a weaker player. The times I did bust one out in the $2 game. I would pronounce, "That's a $20 shot!". Keep the customer smile ing.

 

[David in FL]

That's true. No matter how well you try to hide your speed, if you lose your focus, balls fall. It takes constant monitoring of your game to do that and it's not easy and tiring. It can b hard to tighten up when necessary if you've been hiding speed for a month or two.

An old adage is that you don't slow play by missing shots. You do it by missing shape...

 

[DynoDan]

An old adage is that you don't slow play by missing shots. You do it by missing shape...

I’ve never in my life laid down/hid my speed, and I’m surprised anyone would admit to it. I may be gullible, but I believe Willie’s similar claim. Some consider ‘greed’ the best action draw. I have always chosen ‘aspiration’ instead. Everyone wants to say they beat the best. That’s the challenge (and the hook). I’ve never been so good that viable competition was scared away, or reason to feel guilty about beating lesser opponents. Unfortunately, I have often been on the other end of that hook (and busted). It was’t greed that tempted me though. Never good enough to challenge a true pro, but always a sucker for any shortstop in my speed range.

 

[jay helfert]

I avoid Ed the high performance shots against a weaker player. The times I did bust one out in the $2 game. I would pronounce, "That's a $20 shot!". Keep the customer smile ing.

I was quick to compliment my opponent if they made a good shot and laughed along with them if they got a lucky roll. I learned early on if they liked playing with you they will come back again and again. I even let some guys cheat me out of a game on the wire once in a while, like if we were playing Five Ahead. They felt like they got away with something and I knew it only prolonged the inevitable.

 

[maha]

anyone could hang me for the last game. and i never really would ask for it next time. they couldn't win anyway so whats the difference. i always have played on the stall as otherwise you couldnt get the same game next time and would lose all your action in the room if you planned on being there for more than a day.

an old trick i used a few times was when i knew i might not get out of a bar with the money was to go to the pay phone. (you young guys might not know what that contraption was),

and call the police and say there was a fight at the bar. when they walked in i walked out.

 

[straightline]

I heard kids from Hardtimes #1 ( I've said this was in Newport - not. Town was Costa Mesa at the end of the Newport freeway or thereabouts) use the word steal for winning. It was a shock at the time but there really is no other way to look at the gambling profession.

 

[gregcantrall]

anyone could hang me for the last game

I once busted an opponent at 120 playing 20 a game. He said he had it but needed it for groceries. I shook his hand, told him to keep it and bought him a drink. He played strong and I was content to have him quit. Over the beer he told me of several multiple hundred dollar wins he had.
Birdman called it a walking bean and always returned the last barrel to a busted opponent.

 

[maha]

everyone gambles. if you buy insurance for anything. you are betting something happens to it and the insurance company(casino) is betting it doesn't. and they have way the best of the bet.

same as entering a pool tournament you are betting the entry fee against all others entry fees that you will come out ahead.

 

[ShootingArts]

I once busted an opponent at 120 playing 20 a game. He said he had it but needed it for groceries. I shook his hand, told him to keep it and bought him a drink. He played strong and I was content to have him quit. Over the beer he told me of several multiple hundred dollar wins he had.
Birdman called it a walking bean and always returned the last barrel to a busted opponent.

I rolled the dice for over a hundred thousand and years of my life when I started more than one small business. It did put money on a pool table in perspective. Looking for a road player I knew I was going to have to go outside my usual range but I wasn't worried, I was eager. Wasn't often I could find somebody to play for five hundred or a thousand a game. I preferred to play for five hundred but that was just a matter of cash on hand. I had seven barrels at $500, only three at a thousand.

I usually gave a walking stick. The generosity of the walking stick depended on how much I enjoyed playing the other player. True asses I sometimes didn't offer one, made them come ask if they got a little and it was only going to be ten or twenty. Other people I might give half back and if I really enjoyed playing a bunch I might offer it all back if my day gigs were going good.

everyone gambles. if you buy insurance for anything. you are betting something happens to it and the insurance company(casino) is betting it doesn't. and they have way the best of the bet.

same as entering a pool tournament you are betting the entry fee against all others entry fees that you will come out ahead.

There is a casino bus coming my way. With the price of the trip and the free chips they give the trip is free. I didn't pay much mind, I haven't bet a cent in a casino other than on a poker table. Poker, like pool, can be more wagering than gambling.

I went in countless tough places. Like Jay, my first move was to make friends with the bouncer or if there was no bouncer the biggest toughest looking man in the place. Bouncers I told if there was trouble it would be over fast and asked please don't get between me and the door because I will be leaving in a hurry!

One thing, when busting somebody it was almost expected the last bet would be an air barrel. If they had paid off three or four bets of similar size already or enough smaller bets to well more than cover the air barrel I let it slide when we played again. However, I was always wary of people wanting to make a big jump in the bet size after losing awhile. More often than not it is an air barrel, tell them to show cash if they can't post for some reason like local law.

Hu