Sure miss them old pool rooms of years long ago that seem to be gone

JAM said:
Heck, yeah. Gone are the days of what I consider REAL pool rooms. In my area today, pool rooms are celebrated sports bars, pick-up joints, and all have loud music and multiple TVs for sports games and screaming sports fans.

Since I roam primarily on the East Coast, my pick for "cool" pool rooms from days gone by would have to be the two Bakers, Bakers in Tampa and Bakers in Greensboro, North Carolina.

In the good old days (LOL), these two pool rooms placed POOL as the number-one attraction as opposed to sports games, booze, loud music, et cetera.

In Metro D.C. area, my choices of COOL pool rooms from days gone by would be the old Bill and Billies in Glen Burnie (today, it's Jack and Jill's), the old Jack and Jill's in Virginia owned by Weenie Beenie (today, it's gone), and Randolph Hills Billiards in Rockville, Maryland (today, it's gone). None of them served booze, and ACTION was always "special of the day" on the menu. :D

JAM
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Bakers was the place to stop for action when coming to Florida. I walked in to Bakers in the 1980,s, coming from NY. When I walked in I saw Buddy Hall, Steve Cook, Allen Hopkins, and a few others. I slowly back out the door and went to the nearest bar. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
Bakers was the place to stop for action when coming to Florida. I walked in to Bakers in the 1980,s, coming from NY. When I walked in I saw Buddy Hall, Steve Cook, Allen Hopkins, and a few others. I slowly back out the door and went to the nearest bar. Johnnyt
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LOL! :D As I recall, there was a corner bar across the street! I know because I went there! :p

I think I can remember seeing the Tampa football stadium in the distance from that pool room.

They had a snooker table there, too. When we went, there was a ring game 9-ball in progress on the snooker table. We got busted and disgusted in Tampa on that snooker table. Western Union became my friend. Ah, the memories of it all! :o

JAM
 
JAM said:
LOL! :D As I recall, there was a corner bar across the street! I know because I went there! :p

I think I can remember seeing the Tampa football stadium in the distance from that pool room.

They had a snooker table there, too. When we went, there was a ring game 9-ball in progress on the snooker table. We got busted and disgusted in Tampa on that snooker table. Western Union became my friend. Ah, the memories of it all! :o

JAM
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The Tampa Police Station was right across the steet:eek: Johnnyt
 
Old Room

Theres a place called Boocho's in Columbia,Missouri that sounds like what Johnnyt described. WW1 vintage monarch tables side by side the length of the building.One of those old brick places between other businesses on what was probably main street back in the 40's. Even the same chairs and tables. Every table gets covered before you turn the balls in.It had an aura about it. You almost expected to look over and see Greenleaf or Hoppe playing.A part of pool history thats still there. Don:cool:
 
You know its hard to believe that no one out there has heard of Jim McDaniels and his pool room in Indepndence,MO. Come on now, want say??
 
Golden Eight Ball in Phoenix probably has a lot of memories for the west coast players (and a few sneaky guys east of the Mississippi) - originally owned by Pete Glenn and his family.
 
Johnnyt said:
The Tampa Police Station was right across the steet:eek: Johnnyt
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Wow, I don't remember the police station. The bar was diagonally across the street. I do remember that. It was a corner bar, kind of an old neighborhood-type tavern. I liked it! :D

What a location for the police station, right there with the pool hall and the bar! :eek:

JAM
 
Nobody's plugged Oregon yet...so, two that would qualify as no loud jukes

The Cue Ball, State Street, Salem...Cindy & I love playing there. Played there yesterday. http://www.thecueball.com/

And, "Classics East" 122nd and Powell, Portland. This is where to play if you're looking for action.
 
yes guys and gals, those were the days....i started playing in 1950 in jersey city, first in a an after school hang out on palisades ave. run by a polio afflicted man who used his big back room for a place to go after school.....pool table, ping pong , darts....soda and chips.....15 cents a rack and fred ( the owner) racked......when i turned 16 ( year later) i migrated to the only other pool room ( real room) fagaras....long and narrow ...2 5x10 (1- billiard ) 4- 4.5x9 and a back room for the poker games .....mosconi gave several exibitions ,also jimmy caras, ..still like to play, but can`t stand the stink from the smoke and the awful loud music? just moved to wil., nc and have not played since arriving...thanks for the memories
 
Pic of my favorite place.

Found this on Flickr. My favorite old school pool hall.

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PIRANHA said:
Jim Mc shot under handed and played the roaders.Bill Lawson, Greg Stevens, U.J.Pucket and who ever.Anyone been there???
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I wonder if this is the same Greg Stevens from Wichita, KS...do ya know? I have never seen or met him, but there use to be a couple of Greg Stevens game rooms. Stevens is a popular name here in Wichita.
 
Rocky's

Rocky's Pool Hall...8 Tables...4 - 8 footers, 4 - 9 footers.
Rocky sat next to the head table. It was the only table not available on time. Challenge only. Nickel or a dime a game, one or the other, I can't remember. Rocky racked and refereed the games on that table. Soda pop the only refreshment available.
I lived in the next town over and would hitch hike over there every day after school.
Yeah, yeah I know 3 miles in the snow uphill both ways...
Never seemed to bother me then.
 
My All time favorite has to be Rhode Island Billiards in North Providence RI...A 30s style neighborhood building with tin ceilings and store front windows...About 20 brunswicks all lined up with old style beads over head..Its been updated but the original charm still exists...

Definatly a throw back room...Retro without really trying
 
mhers

Varney Cues said:
I miss Mothers here in Charlotte. It was the last real action room in the area. Front room for beaters & well kept Diamonds in the back for serious players. I used to run a Mon. night 9 ball tourney that would draw 50+ players...1st place paid as high as $1500. Often there would be more than a half dozen pros...and another 20-30 players who could beat any of them. Almost every top player in the world came through there at some point. Sadly the local room owners now could care less about action or drawing quality players...in effort to make max profit, they simply cater to the league crowd in order to fill the rooms to standing room only. I remember often at Mothers we'd have so much action in the back room (10 tables) that when the league teams would show up I'd send them grumbling into the front room Big G's...:D
If anyone is flush with cash...this area is PRIMETIME for another real room...with proper management & ownership of course.;)
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your speaking of mothers in the pass tense ,are they closed?? was there severel yr ago with wife at a landscape expo had fun.my wife shoped so long once we got locked in the mall Ha HA:p :p :p
 
old pool rooms

there is one in abbyville sc old tables and great hot dogs!!!and another in cordel ga same old tables great hot dogs:D :D :D :D
 
Stick8...The fine ruling class of the city of Charlotte decided that the public would be better served if they took the land where Mother's was and used it for a transit station for a light rail train. I'm willing to bet that more people would visit Mother's in a week than will ride the damn train in a month, whenever they get it running!
Steve
 
North Center Bowl, Chicago

Here is a photo of what was the North Center Bowl in Chicago. This was the room where Eddie got hustled by Amos in TCOM. It was a 2nd floor pool hall/bowling alley that is no longer there. When a buddy and I went to see the place again a few years ago, there was a shiney new Starbucks standing in its place. I'm standing on the left hand side of the picture and the table to my right is where the table was that Eddie/Amos played on in the movie. No, those aren't all cue lockers in the background, they're bowling lockers. The time we were there and took this picture, it was a Saturday afternoon and there wasn't much going on. I wish I had gotten back there a few more times before it was torn down.


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