Swanee

F8it

F8it

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hi there! I've been posting quite a bit lately since taking a well deserved beating awhile back and hope I won't be sticking my foot in my mouth again or stepping on any toes again if I haven't already! ( I think I did!) :p

Just wanted to know if any of yah old timers or not so old timers remember or have any entertaining yarns about the late great Jay "Swanee" Swanson? Many have said he had the smoothes stroke of all but I'd like to know more, much more if possible. Thank you.
 
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JAM said:
F8it, here's a thread about Jay Swanson from October of 2004: http://azbilliards.com/vbulletin/upload/showthread.php?t=7931&highlight=Swanee

I never met him personally, but I've heard wonderful things about him! Today, there is an annual a Jay Swanson Memorial Tournament held in his memory.

JAM
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Doggone it I done it again! Thanks JAM!!! :) Guess I should've done a thorough search in past threads! :o Still... what I read for your link (Thanks) there doesn't seem to be all that much "insider" information. Guess he was a very private, quiet type? I'd still like to know more if anybody has some great stories about the man. Somebody has to have sweated his action at one time or another.
 
F8it said:
Hi there! I've been posting quite a bit lately since taking a well deserved beating awhile back and hope I won't be sticking my foot in my mouth again or stepping on any toes again if I haven't already! ( I think I did!) :p

Just wanted to know if any of yah old timers or not so old timers remember or have any entertaining yarns about the late great Jay "Swanee" Swanson? Many have said he had the smoothes stroke of all but I'd like to know more, much more if possible. Thank you.
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He was a very polite,nice, sweet gentleman.I did not know till I met him that people out side the South could be such gentleman.He used to do lots of quarter to half masse shots.I learned to do Masse` shots by watching him.
vagabond
 
Jay was friendly, very humble, and laid back. He was a good pinball player too. When I knew him in the early 80's it was difficult for him to get any local (San Diego) action. Sometimes I gave him rides and would ocassionally go have a bite with him. He used to call the all you could eat Chinese place we would go to the "Chinese spot." Everyplace was a "spot." He had a few winner take all battles with Keith down at the Billiard Tavern. (JAM ask Keith about this.)

Oh, there was an old guy (Victor K.) with a cane who came more days than not to College Billiards in early to mid 80's. He loved to play 9-ball for good money but was tough to match up with. He was well off--carried a huge wad of C-notes with a rubber band. Swanee would have to give him the 5-out and the breaks and usually got the cash. (I think Keith played the old guy too but I'm not sure).

Martin


F8it said:
Hi there! I've been posting quite a bit lately since taking a well deserved beating awhile back and hope I won't be sticking my foot in my mouth again or stepping on any toes again if I haven't already! ( I think I did!) :p

Just wanted to know if any of yah old timers or not so old timers remember or have any entertaining yarns about the late great Jay "Swanee" Swanson? Many have said he had the smoothes stroke of all but I'd like to know more, much more if possible. Thank you.
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jazznpool said:
Jay was friendly, very humble, and laid back. He was a good pinball player too. When I knew him in the early 80's it was difficult for him to get any local (San Diego) action. Sometimes I gave him rides and would ocassionally go have a bite with him. He used to call the all you could eat Chinese place we would go to the "Chinese spot." Everyplace was a "spot." He had a few winner take all battles with Keith down at the Billiard Tavern. (JAM ask Keith about this.)

Oh, there was an old guy (Victor K.) with a cane who came more days than not to College Billiards in early to mid 80's. He loved to play 9-ball for good money but was tough to match up with. He was well off--carried a huge wad of C-notes with a rubber band. Swanee would have to give him the 5-out and the breaks and usually got the cash. (I think Keith played the old guy too but I'm not sure).

Martin
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Man... He could dab it... How did he match up against Sigel, Buddy, Reyes etc.? That is if he gambled against them. Thanks for the reply! I might have to adjust my favorites list!!!! :D
 
Jay was a Hellava...........

F8it said:
Hi there! I've been posting quite a bit lately since taking a well deserved beating awhile back and hope I won't be sticking my foot in my mouth again or stepping on any toes again if I haven't already! ( I think I did!) :p

Just wanted to know if any of yah old timers or not so old timers remember or have any entertaining yarns about the late great Jay "Swanee" Swanson? Many have said he had the smoothes stroke of all but I'd like to know more, much more if possible. Thank you.
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I was around Jay about 5 or 6 times in various states & tourneys. Played awesome and knew how to gamble.
He was at a big tourney here in St. Louis (way back when) at a big union hall. He came up to me and told me he had played this fellow cheap about three times before (in the past) but his backer was never around so he had lost once and broken even twice.
Well the backer was there now and Jay told me to LOAD UP THE RAIL. They were playing one pocket 5 ahead for $2K. I ended up with a little over $3K on the rail and Jay won in less than 3 hours.
I told Jay what I had bet and tried to give him half. He refused and said he only wanted 20%. He said he remembered the score I had put him on in Detroit a few years earlier when he was broke and I staked him. I knew he had the NUTS so I refused to take anything.
What a Player & Gentleman!

TY & GL
 
swanee was agreat guy and would do anything for you,I hung around san diegos college billiards and hard times downtown,was thier when we got the news he died
 
CHIEF1 said:
swanee was agreat guy and would do anything for you,I hung around san diegos college billiards and hard times downtown,was thier when we got the news he died
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I started playing at College Billiards late 92 and met Jay back then. He was always in College and playing around southern California. It was the stroke, watching what he could do with the cueball - what a super stroke - smooth.

I remember he gave me a couple of lessons in 94, and Louis called me when I was visiting family in Nebraska that he died, June 96. I believe he was eating with Mondo or Klein that night and then had a heart attack. Years later, I was talking to Jay Markoff and he told me that actually the very next day he had had an appointment to get himself checked out with his doctor...

An appointment scheduled just too late.

We all miss him here in San Diego. We still talk about him alot.

Now that Gaslamp Billiards is owned by someone other the Mark Griffen, I am not sure what is going to happen with the Memorial this year we have every year in January. Mark had some ideas I think on new venues. This last year we got 219 players for a two day tournament. Maybe Mark might jump in here and let us know if he has anything for next year.

Jay "The Gentle Giant" Swanson, "Swanee"
 
Thanks a million guys/gals!!! I appreciate your participation and wonderful stories!!!! :) I soooooo regret never having met him. :( He was a true gentleman and seemed to be an "approachable" guy. Many of the great players are awesome, but some have an aura about them that can be intimidating. It has nothing to do with them as people but sometimes you just a vibe that can inhibit you a little. I have no doubt if - I had the opportunity - to approach him and say hello. I'm surprised there aren't most posts paying tribute to him!!! :( What I wouldn't give to have had the privilege to hang out at the China SPOT and hear his road stories!!! :cool:

I read he had a great influence on Johnny Archer's career and was an avid surfer too! Are there any Accu-Stats or other footage tapes of his play? Was he a "natural" South Paw, i.e. not like Sigel? How did he fare against the other greats? Thanks again!!! :D
 
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Hi, Here are a few things about Swanee and the other old timers at College Billiards in San Diego. I used to play one hole with Swanee 8-5 for $5.00 a rack. This was back in the 80's. He moved real strong. Other players there were Dick Megiveron, Billy Graves, Victor Castro, "Hotel" Dick, Mike Delfino, Morro Paez, Tony Blankenship and others. Swanee never said too much, he moved around slow as he was "big" and he did have a sweet stroke. I think it was Tuesday nights that they had a weekly nine ball tournament. It was two sets, race to 5. In those short sets, a lot of luck happened. It wasn't handicapped though so usually the better players finished high.//Mark
 
mfinkelstein3 said:
Hi, Here are a few things about Swanee and the other old timers at College Billiards in San Diego. I used to play one hole with Swanee 8-5 for $5.00 a rack. This was back in the 80's. He moved real strong. Other players there were Dick Megiveron, Billy Graves, Victor Castro, "Hotel" Dick, Mike Delfino, Morro Paez, Tony Blankenship and others. Swanee never said too much, he moved around slow as he was "big" and he did have a sweet stroke. I think it was Tuesday nights that they had a weekly nine ball tournament. It was two sets, race to 5. In those short sets, a lot of luck happened. It wasn't handicapped though so usually the better players finished high.//Mark
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I played at college back then as well,mostly billiards in the back with the mexicans,but did play some up front and in the thursday tourney a few times,I played vic c billy graves roy,swanee,mondo,doug ,ronnie,and hotel quite often.had great times
 
For those that want to know, the 10th annual Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball tournament will be Jan 28-29, 2006 at Hollywood Billiards in Los Angeles. The price is still $62. Last year we had 213 players, so I am not sure how big this thing is going to get - but NOT above 256 (if we can go past 196).

I try to have this the weekend before SuperBowl and that is what is happening this year. Hope to see everyone there. I apologize that the event is no longer in San Diego, but it needs at least 30 tables to make it work.

All other details will be about the same. Might have to shorten the race a little because so many want to play. After all, this is a only a two day event.

The added will be $4000 if a full field shows up. I'll have all the details worked out in a couple of weeks. Poster should be made up by then.

Mark Griffin
 
Mark Griffin said:
For those that want to know, the 10th annual Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball tournament will be Jan 28-29, 2006 at Hollywood Billiards in Los Angeles. The price is still $62. Last year we had 213 players, so I am not sure how big this thing is going to get - but NOT above 256 (if we can go past 196).

I try to have this the weekend before SuperBowl and that is what is happening this year. Hope to see everyone there. I apologize that the event is no longer in San Diego, but it needs at least 30 tables to make it work.

All other details will be about the same. Might have to shorten the race a little because so many want to play. After all, this is a only a two day event.

The added will be $4000 if a full field shows up. I'll have all the details worked out in a couple of weeks. Poster should be made up by then.

Mark Griffin
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Spamming my thread eh?!!! Just kiddin' it's o.k.!!! Thanks for the update as some people were wondering where the next Jay Swanson Memorial was going to be held! It would be more proper to have it again @ College Billiards, but I understand the situation. On a positive note it's a lot closer to me than San Diego so may check it out!!! Btw, do you have any pictures you can post up of Jay? I'd appreciate that.
 
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