Tacoma Whitey Micheals, Please post photo's or any stories about him

manwon

manwon

"WARLOCK 1"
Silver Member
Hello forum members, I would like to try this tread again. I did not intend for things to get so out hand, please try to stay on the topic.

I would be greatful for any information or photo's of the late Whitey Micheals, better known as Tacoma Whitey.

Thanks to those who posted information in the last thread!!!!

Here is the information / items I have on Whitey, I am interested in this subject because I own a pool hall in Lakewood, WA which is a Suberb of Tacoma, and in these parts Whitey is a cult hero.

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Thanks Manwon
 
Tacoma Whitey

I met Whitey in 1966, I was fresh out of high school and went to WA to work for Boeing. I stayed in Puyallup and would take the bus over to Tacoma on he week ends.
Whitey owned a poolroom called the 8ball which was located on Pacific Ave. It as on or near the corner of the block. As I recall it was in a basement of a building. Max's pool room was located a few blocks away and on the other side of Pacific.
My understanding was that Whitey was from North Dakota or had spent some of his earlier years here. (Minot I believe)
Since I was from ND that was of interest to me.
The story was that Whitey beat George Frank (Billings) out of a fair amount of money. This inabled him to start up in Tacoma.
I played him once or twice. (3 cushion billiards of which he dispatched me very quickly.) I don't recall playing him at any other game.
I understand that took his own life.
Very sad ending to a great player!!
I would guess that Dan Louie would have interesting stories about Whitey.
 
I wish I had more info , and am very interested in everything posted . i used to spend my lunch hrs with Whitey when he had the Thea Manf. he was always doing some of his tricks , he said his eyes were getting bad , but you couldn't tell it by his ability to shoot . great Person . Jim
 
Tacoma Whitey

Would you have any pics of Whitey that you could post?
I recall playing some straight pool at Whitey's place. He was watching me practice and asked me how many I had ever run. I don't remember the number but a do remember him saying, 'You'll be running a lot more than that.'
As I look back, Whitey reminded me a bit like Mosconi in statue and style. Who I also had the privilege of playing in 1964.
 
manwon said:
Hello forum members, I would like to try this tread again. I did not intend for things to get so out hand, please try to stay on the topic.

I would be greatful for any information or photo's of the late Whitey Micheals, better known as Tacoma Whitey.

Thanks to those who posted information in the last thread!!!!

Here is the information / items I have on Whitey, I am interested in this subject because I own a pool hall in Lakewood, WA which is a Suberb of Tacoma, and in these parts Whitey is a cult hero.

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Thanks Manwon
Click to expand...

I would like to know more about, Whitey also! How are you Man Won?
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
I don't know if this is being read anymore but I knew "Whitey" George Michaels from the early 60s in Max Wilsons pool hall in Tacoma and watched him beat
Billy Staton, Ronnie Allen and others. Considered the best 9 ball player around and most players wanted to play One Pocket. I was a senior in College when he opened his first pool hall about a block from Max Wilsons on Pacific Ave. I had quit playing by then so I could go to school. I have lots of stories.
Chris Schmidt
Walla Walla WA
 
By the way whatever happened to Craig "manwon" Rittel? Anyone seen or talked to him lately?

Met him several years back, nice guy hope all is well with him.
 
George Tacoma Whitey from 1972:
 

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I don't wish to comment on how Whitey died as that can be left for others to write about. He was a friend. I first met him on one of my first road trips to the Tacoma/Seattle area in 1968. I went to his Pool Hall upstairs in Tacoma where he preceded to take my cash giving me 9/7 in One Pocket. We talked for a long time and just hit it off. He sent me to his other Pool Hall to play one of his housemen and told his houseman he had the nuts playing me. I won about $200 and Whitey then came on down after the match and reimbursed his houseman. He knew his houseman would lose and just wanted to have some fun. I stayed around his pool room for a few days and made a little cash and ate dinner at his house a few times. He treated me like a son. I made an annual trip to the Seattle area over the next few years but saw less and less of Whitey. I don't think he played too much after about 1975 or so and I last talked with him maybe around that time.
 
Lifted this photo from Surfer Rod....he's on the far right....
...Whitey is on the far left,

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Okay, you guys....Rod's site mislabels a lot...
...can I get ID on all three?

Is the guy on the far left Whitey?
...last time I saw him I was still too young to shave.

This is Surfer Rod....looks like the guy on the right.

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Not sure of the guy on the left, middle looks like Brian Atchley perhaps, right guys not a secret, Will got him.
 
Player far left is definitely George Brunt, out of Milwaukee WI until he moved to Florida
 
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