The Hustler Got Hustled

Beware_of_Dawg said:
curious... was this guy skinny about 5'7" or so and claimed to be a veteran that was hurt? his limp.. did he have a prostetic? really straggly looking fellow stunk of liquer ? Looked pretty busted but ordered high end liquer from the bar?
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This guy was close to 6', about 180 or more, limp, about 50, gray hair, smoked Camel regulars like me, and had an accent from the Boston. Some Long Islanders talk like that too. Me, I talk Brooklynese. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
This guy was close to 6', about 180 or more, limp, about 50, gray hair, smoked Camel regulars like me, and had an accent from the Boston. Some Long Islanders talk like that too. Me, I talk Brooklynese. Johnnyt
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Yeah, Different guy. I'll start another thread sometime about the guy I described above and this strange run in I had with him one day in a hall down here in Florida. It was a odd experience that has stuck with me.

But good story, Thanks for sharing.
 
Did it all the time . . .

TheBook said:
I guess this is a old hustler technique or just something that some players like to tell as a entertaining story.
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I did do dirty work, often dusty work in my auto body shop. It wasn't unusual if I got dirty during the day to shower and put my dirty clothes back on or just wash my hands and face to go out shooting pool. Bugged me to have my face filthy trying to shoot pool so I had to wash my face and hands. Sometimes when I hadn't worked that day or had stayed clean all day I dug up dirty clothes to wear to go shoot pool. You had to look like you were working class to get the working class would be hustlers involved and the real hustlers were reassured that you were a working class fish seeing the dirty or stained clothes. Many a small time hustler thinks he can beat any working class stiff and they were my bread and butter.

Hu
 
I dressed up as a nurse (before I became one). I would play in bars near big hospitals. Another was Army or Navy uniform. I would play in blue collar bars and say I was heading home on leave. If I didn't get too much of their money they would always get me drunk. Then there was the mechanic, toolmaker, home from Merchant Marines, and many, many others. One night three of my friends wives who were all sisters by the way. I had the pleasure of dating all three before they were married. Their mother was a knock-out, so I tapped her too. Oh the memories. Anyhow they put a wig on me, did the heavy make-up thing to my face, painted my nails, and put a long dress and woman's shoes on me. They took me to two bars in our neigborhood where most people knew me for years. No one caught on. A few guys hit on me, and I made enough on the pool table to take the seven of us out to party the next weekend. Johnnyt
 
The Hustler got Hustled!

Johnnyt, that sure was a good read, I really did enjoy reading it!

I thought the guy was gona turn out to be "U.J. Puckett" tho!:smile:



David Harcrow
 
Johnnyt said:
I dressed up as a nurse (before I became one). I would play in bars near big hospitals. Another was Army or Navy uniform. I would play in blue collar bars and say I was heading home on leave. If I didn't get too much of their money they would always get me drunk. Then there was the mechanic, toolmaker, home from Merchant Marines, and many, many others. One night three of my friends wives who were all sisters by the way. I had the pleasure of dating all three before they were married. Their mother was a knock-out, so I tapped her too. Oh the memories. Anyhow they put a wig on me, did the heavy make-up thing to my face, painted my nails, and put a long dress and woman's shoes on me. They took me to two bars in our neigborhood where most people knew me for years. No one caught on. A few guys hit on me, and I made enough on the pool table to take the seven of us out to party the next weekend. Johnnyt
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I can't rep you, but this one sure deserves it!

Folks, this is 'tough Johnny! Going to that extreme to hustle! And, that was BEFORE it was an 'acceptable' thing to do! LMAO Johnny!!!!!
 
That was a great story Johnny. LMAO over the fact the hustle is elaborate enough to include a costume. :grin-square:
 
Great​
post JohnnyT. Anyone that has played any serious pool has been there. One of the times it happened to my was by Double J. Before JJ won the 8ball nationals (BCA's???) he showed up at Strachers in Akron Ohio and played a couple of strong shortstops winning a few and losing a few. He only played 9ball during this time and since I was mainly a 1pkt banger I thought with the right game I could book a win. There were a few strong onepocket players in the room (Kenny K,Mike Vero, Mario Cilitti, etc) No one matched up with JJ at 1pkt and I asked for 10-6 for 200 hundred a game. He countered with 9-7 from watching him play 9ball I knew that would not be enough. The next day I seen him and he told me that his friend would go in with him and he would give me 9-6 for 500 a game.

He​
won the flip and outmanuvered me to win the first game by a close score. I knew that was a bad sign since he could shoot better then me if he could move better I was in deep do-do. I figured I would break and since I had maybe the best 1pkt break around if I couldn't win I my break I would quit. I hit the break perfectly putting a ball in the jaw area and another real close while leaving whitey on his long rail frozen with the stack in the way. He three rail kicked my ball in and left me behind my other ball. Needless to say he won that game also. Thousand dollar lesson learned. Next time I seen him he won the BCA's. Still to this day my gambling game selection is suspect two weeks ago it was shorted handed PLO with two bracelet winners and two guys who have experiance in the "big game" that debacle set me back 48k.
 
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That brings back a lot of memories about when I worked in the pool rooms johnny! Here's one along the same lines as yours.


I remember the time Jimmy Matts came in and I was about to close the pool room (Cue Corner Downingtown PA). I never met him, and he asked me to play $5 9ball. I'll play anyone $5 9ball so we got at it. I was actually playing well, but this guy was "different". He never said much to me, but talked to himself the whole time from mumbling to back and forth conversation! After maybe an hour My mentor Andy walks in and pulls me aside half pissed asking me what the frig I was doing playing Jimmy Matts! I was like....who? He said this guy is a straight up killer, and how much have I lost? I was only down $30 or so, and as I racked Jimmy guessd I was tipped off by Andy, so I put my last $50 on the table and said thats all I got man, I'll play til it's gone. about 11 minutes later I was busted. He played flawless smooth catatonic 9ball kinda like Earl. I wasn't pissed, just in awe......because the guy would play for $5 a rack! Of course after that everyone had a Jimmy Matts story to tell me :) I was just lucky to get off that easy. Apparently Jimmy would play the same for $5 or for $500. Allen Hopkins said Matts was the best "unknown" out there with a freakish high gear.

G.
 
Johnnyt said:
One weekday I had just opened, and was practicing on the billiard table when this guy
walks in. He was over six-foot tall and dressed in painters clothes and walked with a limp. He
smelled of cheap wine. He watched me play billiards for a few minutes before he asked if I
wanted to play for two dollars a game and loser pays for the time for the table. I told him it was
slow now and I could play but if I got busy I would have to quit. He said he understood and we
played. I played him two games of a race to fifteen point?s wins. I beat him both games easy. The
score was four to fifteen and six to fifteen. He paid me and paid for our time on the table and
thanked me for the games and left.

The next day this same guy came in at about the same time dressed the same and
smelling the same asking if I had time to play a few. I said yes. We played two games and again
I beat him three to fifteen and six to fifteen. He came in everyday for the rest of the week and we
played with the same result. I didn?t see him on the weekend and had forgotten about him by
Monday. Sure enough at a little after one in the afternoon on Monday in he comes. He said he
had hit the daily double at Belmont Park Saturday for four hundred and sixty dollars. He said he
always played the one-two combo in the double and it came in. I followed the horses in the paper
so I knew that the one-two had come in like he said and paid four-sixty for a two dollar bet.

He said he was on a lucky streak and would I play him for twenty a game instead of the
two dollars we had been playing for. I felt a bit guilty. But said I would. I figured I would beat
him for twenty or forty dollars and he would quit and that would end it.

The first game I beat him eleven to fifteen. Before the next game he asked if I would
raise the bet to forty a game. I said yes and beat him ten to fifteen. The next two games he won
thirteen to fifteen and twelve to fifteen and said he was getting use to the table now. He then
asked if I wanted to up the bet to eighty a game. I said why not make it a hundred a game?

He agreed and we played five more games with him winning four of them. Then we
played another five games and he won four of them. By now I am a little rattled that I am letting
this chump beat me for some serious money. At this point he says today is his last day painting in
this area and would not see me for awhile. Thinking I wouldn?t get a chance to get even after
today, I say how about making it two hundred a game. I figured he would say no, but he said
sure.

We played five more games at two hundred each and he won them all. I said I was broke
then.

He then says to me. I will play you for your stick against my three hundred. Well my cue
was a nice one, but not worth three hundred to me. In fact I won it in a pool game for payment of
fifty-five dollars. I said yes and we played. He won nine to fifteen. I gave him the cue and we
said our good-byes and he left.

About two minutes after he left one of my regular customers came in as I was sitting at
the counter licking my wounds. He says, "I hope you didn't play that guy that just left with the limp."
"Why?" I said.
"Because he was the New England Three Cushion Champion not too many years ago."
What a fool I felt like at that moment. Johnnyt
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Here's a blast from my past. Johnnyt
 
Great Story and we have all been taken at one point or another if we hung around long enough.
I guess like fishing stories I have one as well and iwas the laughing stock of the room after this one.
Years ago living in a small town in Arkanasas I got a call that Terry Bell and Larry hubbart were playing in a bar called the Friendly Tavern in Texarkana. It is only about 50 miles away so I called a good friend and we took off.
We got there about 4 pm and the place was packed as they were playing for I think $100 a game, bar table 9 ball. that was quite a bet for the area and back in about 73.
We got down a side bet, betting on Hubbart when a guy From Hope ak, called me to play some $50 9 ball on the back table.I jumped at it and away we went
We eventually raised the bet and I ended up winning about $900. A nice little score in those days.
I was young and a little cocky and was feeling very good and Hubbart was kicking Terry's butt that day so things were going nicely for us.
I was guying rounds of drinks and really basking in the day when a strange sort walked into the bar and began handing out business cards.
he made the rounds and finally to our table and handed us card and not saying a word. I read the card and it was something about being a deaf mute and in need. It sort of got to me. So when he made his final round I made a big deal of standing and handing the guy a $50 bill.
He shook, nodded, and headed for the door.
Puckett was sitting there and said,"what a scam"!
I was a kid and it upset me and Puckett knew it did. he just roared laughing and just when the deaf mute got to the door puckett yells loudly to the deaf mute,"hey Mr, zip up your pants"!
The guy stopped dead in his tracks and checked his fly. He turned and glared at Puckett, shot him the finger and hit the door.
Puckett again roared and the whole place was laughing at me. Hubbart had to stop play and sit down.
It was my day in the barrel!
 
I dont believe it, A three cushion player that gambled. lol

Johnnyt said:
One weekday I had just opened, and was practicing on the billiard table when this guy
walks in. He was over six-foot tall and dressed in painters clothes and walked with a limp. He
smelled of cheap wine. He watched me play billiards for a few minutes before he asked if I
wanted to play for two dollars a game and loser pays for the time for the table. I told him it was
slow now and I could play but if I got busy I would have to quit. He said he understood and we
played. I played him two games of a race to fifteen point?s wins. I beat him both games easy. The
score was four to fifteen and six to fifteen. He paid me and paid for our time on the table and
thanked me for the games and left.

The next day this same guy came in at about the same time dressed the same and
smelling the same asking if I had time to play a few. I said yes. We played two games and again
I beat him three to fifteen and six to fifteen. He came in everyday for the rest of the week and we
played with the same result. I didn?t see him on the weekend and had forgotten about him by
Monday. Sure enough at a little after one in the afternoon on Monday in he comes. He said he
had hit the daily double at Belmont Park Saturday for four hundred and sixty dollars. He said he
always played the one-two combo in the double and it came in. I followed the horses in the paper
so I knew that the one-two had come in like he said and paid four-sixty for a two dollar bet.

He said he was on a lucky streak and would I play him for twenty a game instead of the
two dollars we had been playing for. I felt a bit guilty. But said I would. I figured I would beat
him for twenty or forty dollars and he would quit and that would end it.

The first game I beat him eleven to fifteen. Before the next game he asked if I would
raise the bet to forty a game. I said yes and beat him ten to fifteen. The next two games he won
thirteen to fifteen and twelve to fifteen and said he was getting use to the table now. He then
asked if I wanted to up the bet to eighty a game. I said why not make it a hundred a game?

He agreed and we played five more games with him winning four of them. Then we
played another five games and he won four of them. By now I am a little rattled that I am letting
this chump beat me for some serious money. At this point he says today is his last day painting in
this area and would not see me for awhile. Thinking I wouldn?t get a chance to get even after
today, I say how about making it two hundred a game. I figured he would say no, but he said
sure.

We played five more games at two hundred each and he won them all. I said I was broke
then.

He then says to me. I will play you for your stick against my three hundred. Well my cue
was a nice one, but not worth three hundred to me. In fact I won it in a pool game for payment of
fifty-five dollars. I said yes and we played. He won nine to fifteen. I gave him the cue and we
said our good-byes and he left.

About two minutes after he left one of my regular customers came in as I was sitting at
the counter licking my wounds. He says, "I hope you didn't play that guy that just left with the limp."
"Why?" I said.
"Because he was the New England Three Cushion Champion not too many years ago."
What a fool I felt like at that moment. Johnnyt
Click to expand...
 
Sounds like a guy named Manny Hammel. (no idea if the spelling is correct) Physical description sounds about the same. Thats the exact way he always worked it. Painter always stinking of booze. Traveled with a beat up cue that he carried around with no case. I just don't know how good he was at 3-cushion. Great nine ball player. I played all around Boston about 15 to 20 years ago and saw him around the area then. Didn't know him very well, just the stories. He probably would have been around fifty in the early 90's. I don't know when your story is from, just someone that popped into my head based on your description.

Jason
 
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