Tell a story about a famous person stopping in your pool room.

[Shooter08]

Feel the same

It was about 10 or 11 years ago I worked for a Bank, since it was Presidents' Day I was off work. I went up to my favorite Pool Room Northfield Billiards and was just hanging around with maybe 7 or 8 guys that included 2 of the owners. It was a dingy cold depressing sort of a day and not much was happening at all. I remember looking out the front window and thinking ( that guy looks like Nick Varner ) and he was walking right towards the Pool Room. The closer he got the more it looked like him then I realized it is him! He was on the road selling his line of Nick Varner cues and cases , when he came in the group all perked up . Nick was the perfect salesman that day selling a good number of cues and cases's to the owners . I went to the drugstore and bought one of those throw away cameras and took some nice photos of Nick with everyone. He had been up in our area before but that day took everyone by surprise . Very good memories.

Called the number on one of his products, women answered, told me give me a sec I'll get Nick. I figured Nick was a sales guy, ah not so much, after 2-3 minutes I said is this Nick Varner, he said yeah like I was talking to Nick Schmo nobody. Tell ya what gave me some faith, also CJ has been free with his time, both really cool dudes.

 

[GreenFeltguy]

David Duke

I owned a big room in a rough area with 27 tables, my business was about 25% black and David Duke, the Grand Knight of the Ku Klux Klan used to stop in on Tuesday nights in the 90s. He was fearless and maybe a little Ku-ku for doing this, just about everyone knew who he was.

 

[DJSTEVEZ]

Earl Strickland made a scheduled promotional appearance at one of the local Pool halls I used to frequent...does that count?

A few lucky people won a raffle to get the opportunity to play him at 8-Ball.
I was one of them. He was a real nice guy. No attitude or anything. Very "salt of the earth" type. -Z-

 

[Paul Schofield]

It was in the late 80's. Fifteen minutes before closing on a very slow week night. There could not have been 5 customers in the house plus staff. Completely unexpected and unannounced, Bill Murray comes waltzing through the front door for a nightcap. When one of the staff asked for an autograph for her son, Bill asked what her son's name was and his age. She replied " Jimmy is 9. " Bill signed: " To Jimmy, Leave home now! Bill Murray."

 

[pug1986]

I was hitting balls in the pool room at the union at U of M. This was about 2010 and Clive Owen walks in (the actor). He was hitting balls with some random kid 2 tables away. I didn't know who he was at the time, just noticed his British accent then the attendant told me who it was. Then people started stopping at the door and calling his name which is when the attendant closed the doors. Just us 3 in there.

 

[Paul Schofield]

I thought I would revive this thread. It is a good one.

I am cheating here. If you all recall, Tom Ridge was Head of Homeland Security under George Bush, and was also Governor of Pennsylvania. Tom Ridge and I graduated from the same high-school (different years) in Erie PA. When Tom was running for the State Senate, his campaign headquarters was across the street from my poolroom and bar. Tom came in for lunch regularly through that time. Tom is really a good guy. Incidentally, he hosted his high-school class reunion in the Governors Mansion in Harrisburg.

 

[jackpot]

I didn't know it worked

That would be Tommy "The Mole" Bernstein.
Tommy was a old One Pocket player from Joliet, who claimed to be the son of the only known survivor of the notorious St. Valentine's Day massacre, back in 1929.
One day I asked Tommy how his dad had managed to live through the hail of gunfire that had killed seven others. He said it was a technique called redirection. Actors sometimes used it onstage.
When the shooters ordered everyone to line up against the wall, Tommy's father began walking backwards towards the door, giving them the impression that he was walking in. I have used this ploy many times myself to sneak into movie theaters.
When he got to the door he took off running and was never seen again until late 1934 when he hooked up with Bonnie and Clyde.
I believe most of this story to be true. :smile:

Man, Tramp that was what my mother would tell me to do when I wanted money
for the movies. I never tried it since when I wanted Cushman motor scooter she
told me to just put a large wheel on the back of my bicycle and a real small one on
the front and it would be like I was going down hill all the time and wouldn't have
to peddle. Well that didn't work so I figured walk in backwards and they will think
you are coming out was a con too. Not long ago Ronald McDonald came in the
pool room, but I don't know for sure if it was really him, or just some one in a
Ronald McDonald costume. It sure looked like him.
jack

 

[GoldenFlash]

Archie Moore, Light Heavyweight Champion

Archie Moore was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world in 1958 and he lived in San Diego.
At the end of Broadway there was a bowling alley called the "Tower Bowl" and it had a large pool room in it.
Archie used to come in there on Sunday mornings, by himself, and I played bank pool with him. Always had his cue with him. He loved to play banks for a dollar a game. He played pretty good too.
"Long Beach" and "Tommy the Sailor" used to come down from the Arcade Pool Room up on 4th street and try to hustle him, but he'd have nothing to do with them.
Really a nice guy, but would never discuss boxing or the fight game whatsoever....he'd politely say, "let's not talk about my business, ok?"
I most regret not getting a snapshot of us playing together as he was quite agreeable to those kind of things. I had his autograph on a menu for years.

 

[StrokeofLuck]

Very early 80s I was in our local hall, just me and the female bartender. I was shooting some balls off on a 9 footer, beautiful summer day (misspent youth), and Paul Newman came in with a few guys from his auto racing team. The place was known for having great burgers and fries, so I'm guessing that's what led him there. The bartender came down and said, "Do you know who that is?" I told her I did and she goes, "Aren't you going to get his autograph?" I've never been one to do that so I said, "Nah, let the guy eat his burger, I don't want to bug him."

Looking back on it now, I regret maybe not asking him if before he left he'd give me the honor of shooting one game with me.

 

[GoldenFlash]

Mike Sigel and Larry Hubbard stopped at the Golden Cue in Albany NY to practice for awhile. They were on their way from Rochester to some big tournament. When finished they came up to pay the time and return the balls. Larry paid his $1.40 (at that time pool was alot cheaper). When it came time for Mike to pay his time he asked the owner "do you know who I am". The owner said matter of factly, " yeah, the guy who owes me $1.40"... whenever i think of that story i cannot but help laughing. And yes, Mike paid his time...................mike

That kinda' reminds me of a story Chuck Berry told in his autobiography. His musical idol, Muddy Waters, was in town and Chuck was escorting Muddy around to see various acts. They went upstairs at a place and the lady at the ticket box says to Chuck...."that'll be two dollars please". Chuck paid.
Muddy walks up next and says..."I'm Muddy Waters". Without blinking an eye, the ticket lady says..."that'll be two dollars, please".
Muddy forked it over without a word.

 

[jay helfert]

Archie Moore was the light heavyweight boxing champion of the world in 1958 and he lived in San Diego.
At the end of Broadway there was a bowling alley called the "Tower Bowl" and it had a large pool room in it.
Archie used to come in there on Sunday mornings, by himself, and I played bank pool with him. Always had his cue with him. He loved to play banks for a dollar a game. He played pretty good too.
"Long Beach" and "Tommy the Sailor" used to come down from the Arcade Pool Room up on 4th street and try to hustle him, but he'd have nothing to do with them.
Really a nice guy, but would never discuss boxing or the fight game whatsoever....he'd politely say, "let's not talk about my business, ok?"
I most regret not getting a snapshot of us playing together as he was quite agreeable to those kind of things. I had his autograph on a menu for years.

Archie came to the last big tournament we had in San Diego, the year before Swanee died, also in a bowling alley poolroom (maybe the same place - early 90's). I think Swanee played Kim in the finals. I don't remember who won.

 

[pt109]

Very early 80s I was in our local hall, just me and the female bartender. I was shooting some balls off on a 9 footer, beautiful summer day (misspent youth), and Paul Newman came in with a few guys from his auto racing team. The place was known for having great burgers and fries, so I'm guessing that's what led him there. The bartender came down and said, "Do you know who that is?" I told her I did and she goes, "Aren't you going to get his autograph?" I've never been one to do that so I said, "Nah, let the guy eat his burger, I don't want to bug him."

Looking back on it now, I regret maybe not asking him if before he left he'd give me the honor of shooting one game with me.

Paul Newman didn't like giving autographs...he just felt that acting is just another job...
...and actors shouldn't be idolized.

Paul stopped at a small room in Toronto in the 90s...they had a regular 6x12 golf game....
...nobody bothered him him...except to buy him a coffee.
I think he was fascinated with the golf game....we play it with 15 red balls as obstacles...
...gotta hit a rail every shot...lotta squabbling goes on....
...I made a quiet living supplying snooker cues to this group....they broke them a lot..

Paul stayed for about three hours...I think he enjoyed himself....
...I came in a few hours later....sorry I missed him.

But I like how our Canucks treated him...we can be pretty cool sometimes.

Gordon Lightfoot's manager was a regular in this game....yeah, he had to buy a couple
cues off me also....:rotflmao1: