The dissappearing Road Player!! LOL
- Thread starter Milo
- Start date
PIRANHA said:
Benny "The Goose" Conway was the MASTER of the "One Liners". I wish I had a book of all the funny things he has said over the years. It would be a best seller! Now please send me that buck fifty you bit me for 15 years ago. :smile:
FYI...The price of gas is the same as it was "back then." You can still buy a gallon of gas for a quarter...IF the quarter was made before 1965, as those were mostly real silver.
The reason I mention this here is that this can't be used as a reason for not being on the road.
The reason one can't afford the gas nowadays is because the bets haven't kept up with the inflationary prices.
Just 20 years ago I could easily get $5 games in most any bar...now no one bets a dollar without complaining about it.
Perhaps we need chips, like the casinos have, to help suckers...er opponents...forget the real value of the amount they're betting? Maybe taking some chips from the closest casino and using those at the bars and halls for betting might help road players.
Jeff Livingston
The reason I mention this here is that this can't be used as a reason for not being on the road.
The reason one can't afford the gas nowadays is because the bets haven't kept up with the inflationary prices.
Just 20 years ago I could easily get $5 games in most any bar...now no one bets a dollar without complaining about it.
Perhaps we need chips, like the casinos have, to help suckers...er opponents...forget the real value of the amount they're betting? Maybe taking some chips from the closest casino and using those at the bars and halls for betting might help road players.
Jeff Livingston
Johnnyt said:
Thanks Johnny, I can relate. When I was much younger I was comfortable playing five and ten dollar 9-Ball and $20-30 One Pocket. If I made a $100 score, I was quite content. Thus, I was called a nit by some who knew me back then. Harry Platis MADE me play him $1,000 a game One Pocket 20 years ago. I remember being very nervous before the match, but calmed down once we started playing. I KNEW I was a better player than him. After a while, I forgot all about the size of the bet, and just played pool. And I won!
Since then, I frequently have played for $100 to $500 a game with mixed results. I no longer fear the bet, only the player.
My average starting bet now is fifty to hundred a game, although I will still sometimes play a cheaper game if that's what my opponent prefers.
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Harry
Just saw Harry at the Seattle 9 ball tourney yesterday. He lost first round and left. Damn, I was in his bracket too. If I would of won my match, would of got a bye the next round. Damn it!!!!! LOL
jay helfert said:Thanks Johnny, I can relate. When I was much younger I was comfortable playing five and ten dollar 9-Ball and $20-30 One Pocket. If I made a $100 score, I was quite content. Thus, I was called a nit by some who knew me back then. Harry Platis MADE me play him $1,000 a game One Pocket 20 years ago. I remember being very nervous before the match, but calmed down once we started playing. I KNEW I was a better player than him. After a while, I forgot all about the size of the bet, and just played pool. And I won!
Since then, I frequently have played for $100 to $500 a game with mixed results. I no longer fear the bet, only the player.
My average starting bet now is fifty to hundred a game, although I will still sometimes play a cheaper game if that's what my opponent prefers.
Just saw Harry at the Seattle 9 ball tourney yesterday. He lost first round and left. Damn, I was in his bracket too. If I would of won my match, would of got a bye the next round. Damn it!!!!! LOL
Being on the road is when...
You have to get two rooms cause one guy snores so loud the other can't sleep.
The House man cussing you out and knocking your action because you have beat a local out of 5k and he says you will never put it back in action.
Waking up one day with 6k and going to a Western Union the next.
Staying in a Hotel where a small Indian guy knocks on the door every morning when you paid the night shift worker before he got off at 6 am.
Making a huge score and blowing a few bucks (hundreds) at a strip club and feeling like a sucker.
Hustling in small bars and asking for people that don't exist and saying they were supposed to be meeting you there for a pool game.
Going to the Gym.
Getting "accidently" woke up by your partner to see if you will go eat breakfast with them after sleeping for only 2 hours.
Beating a guy and telling him your name is Tony Watson.
Playing two guys partners for 100 a game with 117 dollars between the both of you.
I think that is enough for now, may put some more experiences on later
You have to get two rooms cause one guy snores so loud the other can't sleep.
The House man cussing you out and knocking your action because you have beat a local out of 5k and he says you will never put it back in action.
Waking up one day with 6k and going to a Western Union the next.
Staying in a Hotel where a small Indian guy knocks on the door every morning when you paid the night shift worker before he got off at 6 am.
Making a huge score and blowing a few bucks (hundreds) at a strip club and feeling like a sucker.
Hustling in small bars and asking for people that don't exist and saying they were supposed to be meeting you there for a pool game.
Going to the Gym.
Getting "accidently" woke up by your partner to see if you will go eat breakfast with them after sleeping for only 2 hours.
Beating a guy and telling him your name is Tony Watson.
Playing two guys partners for 100 a game with 117 dollars between the both of you.
I think that is enough for now, may put some more experiences on later
1on1pooltournys said:You have to get two rooms cause one guy snores so loud the other can't sleep.
The House man cussing you out and knocking your action because you have beat a local out of 5k and he says you will never put it back in action.
Waking up one day with 6k and going to a Western Union the next.
Staying in a Hotel where a small Indian guy knocks on the door every morning when you paid the night shift worker before he got off at 6 am.
Making a huge score and blowing a few bucks (hundreds) at a strip club and feeling like a sucker.
Hustling in small bars and asking for people that don't exist and saying they were supposed to be meeting you there for a pool game.
Going to the Gym.
Getting "accidently" woke up by your partner to see if you will go eat breakfast with them after sleeping for only 2 hours.
Beating a guy and telling him your name is Tony Watson.
Playing two guys partners for 100 a game with 117 dollars between the both of you.
I think that is enough for now, may put some more experiences on later
im guessing you go to western union to GET money not send it...............
SJDinPHX said:Dear Milo,
Being on the road is.... Trying to catch a nap in the car (where it's either 110* or 10 below) while your partner is taking 20 hours to break some bar player he should have beaten in 30 minutes.
Being on the road is.... Hearing an angry side bettor you've got stuck $12.00, mutter to his friend.."yeah, the S.O.B plays good, but he ain't bulletproof".
Being on the road is.... Convincing your significant other that you don't know why you're 2000 miles from home, when you said you'd only be gone a day or so.
Being on the road is....Missing (way too many) Little League games.
Being on the road is.... Discovering that you have exactly $28.56 more than you had when you left home 5 weeks ago.
Being on the road is....Loading up with bennies to drive 1700 miles home, non-stop, 2 day's before Christmas, and your car breaks down in "the armpit of the world" (which by the way, is Blyth, California) Ever try getting a car repaired on Christmas Eve in Blyth ?
Being on the road is....Also crammed full of memories, and experiences that last a lifetime. And if you're lucky, a lot of good friend's that do too.
Anyway, That's what I'm guessing it might be like.
Dick
Blythe is one horrendous town. It seems to be filled with meth heads. My girlfriend and I stopped there on the way back from Phoenix once (we live in LA) and the people were so shady that we decided not to grab a bite to eat there for fear that my car would be vandalized or stolen.
dirtypool40 said:Ok, I HAVE been there.
In fact I'll see you that and raise you that I paid his freeakin' entry fee!!!
Baker's tournament in Tampa in 1990. How about beating him 9-3 and wondering if you're walking home?
Was that the tournament with Buddy H., Benny "The Goose", Steve Cook, J.Ditoro, Tommy Kennedy, Dennis Hatch, Tom Brown, C.M.Lee, Ray Martin and 100 others ?
Wayne Gunn in the cue shop and T.R. trying to hustle side bet money.
I was there every hour and bettng $100 on EVERY table/match the last 20 matches. I lost.
Doug
(Little Goose was a kid and big Goose was hawking "On The Snap" subscriptions)
Doug
Going on the road:
Leaving New Orleans with pocketfuls of money and high hopes. Stopping in Fort Walton, FL. as your first stop and going COMPLETELY broke.
Not enough money to get any gas to get home, so filling up and then driving off without paying and spending the entire next hour looking behind you.
Getting back to New Orleans so soon, that nobody realizes you'd ever left.
Drinking on a tab in your favorite waterhole and planning your NEXT 'road tip'....
Doug
Leaving New Orleans with pocketfuls of money and high hopes. Stopping in Fort Walton, FL. as your first stop and going COMPLETELY broke.
Not enough money to get any gas to get home, so filling up and then driving off without paying and spending the entire next hour looking behind you.
Getting back to New Orleans so soon, that nobody realizes you'd ever left.
Drinking on a tab in your favorite waterhole and planning your NEXT 'road tip'....
Doug
Johnnyt said:
I 'think' he owns a room in Florida (or did). Someone probably has a photo of him, maybe JAM (she has EVERYBODY)...
Doug
How about venturing out to a far away tournament for your first road trip known for big action and beating Steve McCannich 9-6 on the bar box in your first match while not knowing he was a great player. Then, everyone in the place wants the 7 and you can't beat anybody even. To make matters worse, your road partner then beats Norm Wines 9-1, running out the set when the score was tied at 1-1. Needless to say, we had fun but were "locked up" every time we made a game.
Ahh the memories,
JLH
Ahh the memories,
JLH
SJDinPHX said:Dear Milo,
Being on the road is.... Trying to catch a nap in the car (where it's either 110* or 10 below) while your partner is taking 20 hours to break some bar player he should have beaten in 30 minutes.
Being on the road is.... Hearing an angry side bettor you've got stuck $12.00, mutter to his friend.."yeah, the S.O.B plays good, but he ain't bulletproof".
Being on the road is.... Convincing your significant other that you don't know why you're 2000 miles from home, when you said you'd only be gone a day or so.
Being on the road is....Missing (way too many) Little League games.
Being on the road is.... Discovering that you have exactly $28.56 more than you had when you left home 5 weeks ago.
Being on the road is....Loading up with bennies to drive 1700 miles home, non-stop, 2 day's before Christmas, and your car breaks down in "the armpit of the world" (which by the way, is Blyth, California) Ever try getting a car repaired on Christmas Eve in Blyth ?
Being on the road is....Also crammed full of memories, and experiences that last a lifetime. And if you're lucky, a lot of good friend's that do too.
Anyway, That's what I'm guessing it might be like.
Dick
The arm pit of the world is Milagro, NM... population, like, 2 or something (middle of the f-ing desert). The SoB gas station guy charged me $200 for a bald tire. I guess if I didn't like it, I could have pushed my car 100 miles to the next town.
Nothing like getting hijacked like that and there's nothing you can do about it. SOMEDAY, I'm gonna get helicoptered into Milagro and get my f-ing money back. It's all fun and games until the helicopter blows away your scrawny chicken your mangy dog ......Hablas ingles, Milagro gas station guy?
Word to the wise.... always have AAA.
chefjeff said:
I was just thinkin the same thing. People mention getting 5$ games in like the 70's, and back then everything was alot cheaper to buy, If i went out tonight to play thats the same bet id find everywhere. the difference is that now 5$ is barely enough to get you a gallon of gas.
the price of everything rose, except the bets.
TXsouthpaw said:I was just thinkin the same thing. People mention getting 5$ games in like the 70's, and back then everything was alot cheaper to buy, If i went out tonight to play thats the same bet id find everywhere. the difference is that now 5$ is barely enough to get you a gallon of gas.
the price of everything rose, except the bets.
I'll try to give you some comparisons. In the late 60's, I played a lot of $5 9-Ball and some for $1 & $2 a game too.
But back then, I had a nice Single apartment in Los Angeles that cost me $25 a week. All utilities included with twice weekly maid service. I had a very nice 1965 Mustang Convertible that I picked up for $2,000. You could buy a good used car for $500-1,000. Gas was .25-.29 cents a gallon. You could eat on $5 a day easily, and for $10 a day, you were eating in good restaurants. A steak dinner was $5 max. A full bag of groceries might be $10-15. On the road, motels were in the $10-20 range.
I remember that my typical daily agenda was to take a $20 bill with me each day and see what I could make with it at my job (playing pool). If I came home the next morning with $50 I had a good day (a $30 profit). A $50 score was good money. A very big score was $400. That would be talked about for days in the pool room. Thousand dollar scores were legendary. A regular job paying $100 a week was considered good and $150 a week was high pay. $200 a week was top pay. And I was making $100-200 a week playing small money pool for several years.
I remember having as much as $9,000 in my bank account in the 60's and thinking how rich I was compared to the other pool players. And I was! Back then the bite was $5, and $10 was a big bite. You only gave $20 to a very good friend. If you had a stack of twenties, you were holding good. A $20 bill then was the equivalent of a $100 bill today. No one carried hundreds back then. If someone flashed a few hundreds, he had a monster bank roll. You could buy a plain Tad for $60 and a very nice Ginacue for $125. Pool was .60-90 cents an hour.
I bought my first home in 1973 for $24,000 and it was a large home in a nice neighborhood. The payments were something like $135 a month! I had a poolroom with 22 tables in a 7,000 square foot building, that I leased for $600 a month. I was making between $500 and a $1,000 a week back then. And I was considered one of the wealthy young businessman in my community. They asked me to join the local Small Businessman's Association, which I did.
My mother and I bought an eight unit courtyard of small cottages (900 sq. ft. each) in 1976 for $139,000. I don't want to tell you how much it's worth today. You wouldn't believe me.
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