I probably should have thrown it in. It is certainly not one of the most frequented rooms anymore.
Stolen Cues & Case Alert! (Phoenix AZ)
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any particular reason(s)? used to be a top action spot at one time.
Change in ownership is probably a factor. Jimmy was pretty big on action but sold the place. Also, with the emergence of Mills (formerly Freezers) and the remodel of Main Street Billiards (my favorite pool room in the country at the moment) there are just better places to play now than Kolby's.
Main St. still have the golf game on the snooker tbl?
Unfortunately, they recently replaced the snooker table with another 9' diamond
This sucks and I've had my stolen (twice). 2 different rigs.
It has made me quit pool because I just don't want to get another setup.
I could have a nice little collection by now but it defeated me.
It has made me quit pool because I just don't want to get another setup.
I could have a nice little collection by now but it defeated me.
Think a poster, with photos in ever Bar with Pool and Pool Room.
Plus offer of REWARD might not hurt.
Plus offer of REWARD might not hurt.
About twenty years ago, I went to check out a condo for sale in a somewhat sketchy neighborhood in Santa Monica. It was mid day and my friend Ming accompanied me. We were going to the poolroom next and she had her Justice case and cues with her. We put them in the back of my Bronco II, parked on the street in front of the building, locked the doors and walked about 100 feet to the unit for sale. Spent about thirty minutes there checking it out and went back to the car. The passenger side window was broken and I could see the radio was gone. When we got in we saw that her cue case (and cues) had been stolen as well.
After doing a cursory examination of the surrounding neighborhood and talking to some people hanging out at the liquor store on the corner maybe a block away, I was informed that this was a "druggie" neighborhood and they were dealing right outside the liquor store. Ming was upset to the point of tears. She was a regular player on the WPBA tour at the time and her cues were the tools of her trade. I made up my mind to try to get them back. Her case was easily identifiable, with the name "Empress Ming" etched on it.
I wrote up a flyer offering a $200 "no questions asked" reward for the return of the case and cues. I made about ten copies and posted them all around the neighborhood where my car had been parked (a couple right outside the liquor store). Ming thought I was crazy and maybe I was. We also made a police report, contacted the local pawn shops and talked to key people inside the main poolroom in the area (House of Billiards). I knew it would be hard for the thief to make any money off these cues without taking a chance on getting caught. And also knew how much 200 is to a hype, a couple of days getting high.
Late that night I got a call (my number was on the flyer) and the guy told me he worked for the sanitation department and had found a cue case in a trash dumpster. I tried to keep him talking but he got scared and told me he would call me back. No more calls that night, but the next morning the same guy called me again. He asked me if the reward was in cash and I said yes. He also requested that if I come to pick it up to please come alone and I agreed. This was after he confirmed that the name Empress Ming was on the case. He now gave me an address and we made a time to meet, about an hour later. Ming did not want me to go, but I put a small piece in my back pocket and told her I was going. I didn't think they wanted to rob me, just get the 200.
The address was a block over from where my car had been parked. As I drove up I noticed two guys standing in the yard across the street. They acted disinterested, but I was pretty certain they were involved, maybe even the thieves. I parked out front and walked to the door. It looked like a Crack house with a heavily gated front door. I rang the bell and waited, keeping an eye on the two guys who were still loitering across the street. After maybe a minute, someone opened the inner door a few inches and asked me if I came for the cues and I said yes. He asked me if I had the money. Yes again and I showed him. I told him I wanted to see the case before giving him any money. He was gone for a minute and came back to the door and showed me the case. I asked him to open it and I could see both cues in there. I said okay and now he opened the gated door a few inches and we exchanged money for the cue case. Just like that it was over.
I walked quickly back to my car, got in and drove away. In my rear view mirror I saw the two guys cross the street toward the house I had just left. No surprise there. I returned home and gave Ming back her cues. The case and cues were clean, doubtful they had ever been in a dumpster. The full story is in my book Pool Wars.
After doing a cursory examination of the surrounding neighborhood and talking to some people hanging out at the liquor store on the corner maybe a block away, I was informed that this was a "druggie" neighborhood and they were dealing right outside the liquor store. Ming was upset to the point of tears. She was a regular player on the WPBA tour at the time and her cues were the tools of her trade. I made up my mind to try to get them back. Her case was easily identifiable, with the name "Empress Ming" etched on it.
I wrote up a flyer offering a $200 "no questions asked" reward for the return of the case and cues. I made about ten copies and posted them all around the neighborhood where my car had been parked (a couple right outside the liquor store). Ming thought I was crazy and maybe I was. We also made a police report, contacted the local pawn shops and talked to key people inside the main poolroom in the area (House of Billiards). I knew it would be hard for the thief to make any money off these cues without taking a chance on getting caught. And also knew how much 200 is to a hype, a couple of days getting high.
Late that night I got a call (my number was on the flyer) and the guy told me he worked for the sanitation department and had found a cue case in a trash dumpster. I tried to keep him talking but he got scared and told me he would call me back. No more calls that night, but the next morning the same guy called me again. He asked me if the reward was in cash and I said yes. He also requested that if I come to pick it up to please come alone and I agreed. This was after he confirmed that the name Empress Ming was on the case. He now gave me an address and we made a time to meet, about an hour later. Ming did not want me to go, but I put a small piece in my back pocket and told her I was going. I didn't think they wanted to rob me, just get the 200.
The address was a block over from where my car had been parked. As I drove up I noticed two guys standing in the yard across the street. They acted disinterested, but I was pretty certain they were involved, maybe even the thieves. I parked out front and walked to the door. It looked like a Crack house with a heavily gated front door. I rang the bell and waited, keeping an eye on the two guys who were still loitering across the street. After maybe a minute, someone opened the inner door a few inches and asked me if I came for the cues and I said yes. He asked me if I had the money. Yes again and I showed him. I told him I wanted to see the case before giving him any money. He was gone for a minute and came back to the door and showed me the case. I asked him to open it and I could see both cues in there. I said okay and now he opened the gated door a few inches and we exchanged money for the cue case. Just like that it was over.
I walked quickly back to my car, got in and drove away. In my rear view mirror I saw the two guys cross the street toward the house I had just left. No surprise there. I returned home and gave Ming back her cues. The case and cues were clean, doubtful they had ever been in a dumpster. The full story is in my book Pool Wars.
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Now THAT is a rare happy ending! Back in the 1980s I had a Joss J17 in a customized case stolen from the trunk of my car. I saved money for almost a year to get that cue...I put the word out and was getting calls for months about a guy in a Yankees ball cap driving a small white pickup truck...he'd walk into a pool room anywhere in western Louisiana and I'd get a call. I'd drive over straight away and just miss him. I finally got transferred out and that was that. He didn't want a quick sale, he wanted the cue, so he eluded me. When I filed the police report, the cops all laughed at me. I still have nightmares about losing that cue, wake up in a cold sweat and go check my current rig.
spin-right-round
Member
I had done a review on it last year. It’s out of stock pretty much everywhere. Maybe JJ has it, I’m still not over the loss and haven’t checked.
Thread 'Mezz Power Break G break cue review'
https://forums.azbilliards.com/threads/mezz-power-break-g-break-cue-review.535522/
spin-right-round
Member
Dude.. that is indeed a great story and I am glad you made it out safe and your friend Ming got her gear back.
But let’s be real, things could have gone south very quickly.. I’m an extremely non-violent person so even if someone did contact me I would prefer not to expose myself to that kind of risk. My story ends with the crackheads ultimately trying to sell the cues and getting caught.
go hit a few pawn shops. i go a cue back that way once.
I'm old school, non-violent but allergic to thieves. After owning several pool halls over the years I've learned that you MUST be able to take care of your own problems because no one (not even the police!) is going to help you. I've also learned that most thieves are operating from a position of weakness. Don't ask me to explain, other than to say they have no backbone when confronted.
Tang also got his cue stolen at Hard Times in Sacramento. He was napping in the stands with the cue set next to him. Another long story, but you will have to read about it in Pool Wars.Now THAT is a rare happy ending! Back in the 1980s I had a Joss J17 in a customized case stolen from the trunk of my car. I saved money for almost a year to get that cue...I put the word out and was getting calls for months about a guy in a Yankees ball cap driving a small white pickup truck...he'd walk into a pool room anywhere in western Louisiana and I'd get a call. I'd drive over straight away and just miss him. I finally got transferred out and that was that. He didn't want a quick sale, he wanted the cue, so he eluded me. When I filed the police report, the cops all laughed at me. I still have nightmares about losing that cue, wake up in a cold sweat and go check my current rig.
Bottom line - we got the cue back the next day! So I'm two for two and three for three if you count my Szamboti that Brooklyn Butch recovered for me. Oops, I forgot the one that got away. My very first jointed cue, a house cue that I paid $5 to have a brass joint installed. I laid it on the table in a poolroom in Richmond, IN to go to the bathroom. There were many people sitting around watching the game, so no worries I thought. WRONG! When I returned the cue was gone and no one saw anything!
spin-right-round
Member
Going to go post these around the neighborhood and see if anything happens. In the meantime, my renter's insurance claim got paid out so I am able to replace some things... But some other things like Vegas challenge coins, few patches and sentimental value are lost
Hoping they turn up!
Hoping they turn up!
