Tapioca City

[JAM]

Have you ever been hustled by a gaffe? I am always amazed when I hear about some of the gaffes in pool. Some of these gaffes are well known, and others can only be heard about by word of mouth, for obvious reasons.

One of my favorites that I witnessed was at the Glass City Open in Toledo. There was a Challenge the Pro table set up in the lobby of the Radisson Hotel. By day, all proceeds went to charity, and by night, some of the players put on a show for all spectators.

During the wee hours of the morning, a couple of locals put out a proposition that they'd pay anybody a C-note if they could run three balls. That's right, just three balls. The only stipulation was that the player had to shoot with THEIR cuestick. Apparently, the cuestick must have had weights placed in it which made it impossible to shoot straight.

Another gaffe I only heard about through word of mouth was when nails were placed in the rails. Any time a ball hit the rail in this area, it bounced in the wrong direction.

One time at a local tavern I used to hang out at, we got a hold of a trick 8-ball. A friend and I inserted it in the coin-operated table without anyone taking notice and then sat back to watch the show. One player came up with a straight-in 8-ball shot for the win, and when he fired at it, the 8-ball just hit the rail. The expression on his face was priceless. I have never laughed so hard.

Anyone have any gaffe stories they'd like to share? I'm sure there are some great ones out there. Bring 'em on!

JAM

 

[hemicudas]

Have you ever been hustled by a gaffe? I am always amazed when I hear about some of the gaffes in pool. Some of these gaffes are well known, and others can only be heard about by word of mouth, for obvious reasons.

One of my favorites that I witnessed was at the Glass City Open in Toledo. There was a Challenge the Pro table set up in the lobby of the Radisson Hotel. By day, all proceeds went to charity, and by night, some of the players put on a show for all spectators.

During the wee hours of the morning, a couple of locals put out a proposition that they'd pay anybody a C-note if they could run three balls. That's right, just three balls. The only stipulation was that the player had to shoot with THEIR cuestick. Apparently, the cuestick must have had weights placed in it which made it impossible to shoot straight.

Another gaffe I only heard about through word of mouth was when nails were placed in the rails. Any time a ball hit the rail in this area, it bounced in the wrong direction.

One time at a local tavern I used to hang out at, we got a hold of a trick 8-ball. A friend and I inserted it in the coin-operated table without anyone taking notice and then sat back to watch the show. One player came up with a straight-in 8-ball shot for the win, and when he fired at it, the 8-ball just hit the rail. The expression on his face was priceless. I have never laughed so hard.

Anyone have any gaffe stories they'd like to share? I'm sure there are some great ones out there. Bring 'em on!

JAM

Golf on the snooker table was a big gambling game here all through the 70s. The big money room had a snooker table that had a trick side pocket. If you rolled the object ball down the rail at just the right speed it would roll around the lip of the pocket, come back to the side you shot it from and fall into the pocket.

Gene “The Glove” Catron, pops in one afternoon and joins in the ring golf game we had going on another snooker table. When the smoke cleared, Gene, me and Marcus Collier had made money and the rest had hit the door. Gene asked me if I wanted to play some heads up and I passed. He asked Marcus and he agreed. Gene went to the rest room and Marcus asked me if I wanted in? I said sure but told him to play on the trick side table, Marcus agreed.

They crank it off for $30 and $3 per hickey. They split the first two games without the trick side coming into play. They agree to raise the bet to $50 and $5 the next game. The third game Marcus slow rolled the ball, as if lagging to the side pocket and the ball rolled passed the pocket to the other point, then rolled back along the lip of the pocket and fell into the hole. Gene hit the ceiling. He screamed, “What it do?” An argument ensues but ends quickly enough.

Gene has now got it in his mind that he knows the trick and can take advantage of the trick side just like Marcus did, WRONG. The shot comes up a few times after the argument for Gene and he keeps lagging the ball down the rail but he can not get the speed right to make it fall back into the pocket. Gene, takes the heat but keeps playing, trying to make the shot when it comes up. Gene won two or three games during the session but none involved the trick pocket. He finally tapped out and swore to come back and practice the shot and play some more but left town the next day.

 

[JAM]

Golf on the snooker table was a big gambling game here all through the 70s. The big money room had a snooker table that had a trick side pocket. If you rolled the object ball down the rail at just the right speed it would roll around the lip of the pocket, come back to the side you shot it from and fall into the pocket.

Gene “The Glove” Catron, pops in one afternoon and joins in the ring golf game we had going on another snooker table. When the smoke cleared, Gene, me and Marcus Collier had made money and the rest had hit the door. Gene asked me if I wanted to play some heads up and I passed. He asked Marcus and he agreed. Gene went to the rest room and Marcus asked me if I wanted in? I said sure but told him to play on the trick side table, Marcus agreed.

They crank it off for $30 and $3 per hickey. They split the first two games without the trick side coming into play. They agree to raise the bet to $50 and $5 the next game. The third game Marcus slow rolled the ball, as if lagging to the side pocket and the ball rolled passed the pocket to the other point, then rolled back along the lip of the pocket and fell into the hole. Gene hit the ceiling. He screamed, “What it do?” An argument ensues but ends quickly enough.

Gene has now got it in his mind that he knows the trick and can take advantage of the trick side just like Marcus did, WRONG. The shot comes up a few times after the argument for Gene and he keeps lagging the ball down the rail but he can not get the speed right to make it fall back into the pocket. Gene, takes the heat but keeps playing, trying to make the shot when it comes up. Gene won two or three games during the session but none involved the trick pocket. He finally tapped out and swore to come back and practice the shot and play some more but left town the next day.

I remember seeing quite a few snooker tables down South. Great story.

Bill and Billie's in Arnold, Maryland, has two snooker tables, very well maintained, and there is a GREAT snooker table at The Playing Field in Richmond.

Last time we were in Richmond, a trucker rolled in driving an 18-wheeler. He was from Romania, couldn't speak English very well. However, he came in and wanted to play anybody in the joint some snooker. He got played and left empty-pocketed, but I admired his gamemanship, just wanted to gamble and didn't care with who. I never saw him again.

I have heard quite a few stories about "Big Bertha" at HardTimes in California. Quite a few big games played on it, especially golf. Most young players today are 9-ball mechanics, but don't have knowledge of other games, which is what separates the lions from the lambs, those who can play ALL games.

Thanks for the story!

JAM

 

[vagabond]

I have heard quite a few stories about "Big Bertha" at HardTimes in California.

JAM

I never such nasty/hostile/hatefilled/mean/vile pockets in my life.especially the right corner pocket on the head string side.

 

[JAM]

I never such nasty/hostile/hatefilled/mean/vile pockets in my life.especially the right corner pocket on the head string side.

LOL! Yeah, I heard about the "Pit of Despair."

JAM

 

[crawfish]

I once lost to a guy who stood back four feet from a door lock and tossed a key at it and it hung there. Took him three tries. This count? WOW, this guy took off almost everyone with that one. Jam, call me with that story by the way. Thanks. Keith

 

[JAM]

I once lost to a guy who stood back four feet from a door lock and tossed a key at it and it hung there. Took him three tries. This count? WOW, this guy took off almost everyone with that one. Jam, call me with that story by the way. Thanks. Keith

That's amazing. We've got the best coin-throwers in the States (maybe in the world) up here in Maryland. Anybody who tosses coins in Baltimore will go broke!

Matter of fact, Keith's got a great story about a coin-tossing incident, which may just suit your project.

JAM

 

[hemicudas]

That's amazing. We've got the best coin-throwers in the States (maybe in the world) up here in Maryland. Anybody who tosses coins in Baltimore will go broke!

Matter of fact, Keith's got a great story about a coin-tossing incident, which may just suit your project.

JAM

I heard about the coin tossing prowess and how high they will bet in your area, JAM. I've also heard they have a good deal less gamble on the pool table though.