Thoughts from the teen thread....

[rikdee]

Dateline, 1978, Lansing, MI Joe Farhats' Velvet Rail.

One poster mentioned a teen player (16 at the time), Mark Beilfuss. I watched Mark play many tournament matches during the late 70's. He was an amazing talent, a straight pool machine, who, always composed, could FIRE in the most demanding shots under pressure. During one memorable 14.1 event, I watched him defeat both Irving Crane and Joe Balsis in the same day, running 90 or so and out on both of them! Some teen player he was.
Another poster mentioned Mike Carella. Of all the match tough, money players I ever watched, he was, IMHO, the epitome. I watched him play hours of matches at the Velvet Rail. A talent for all games, his style at the table was something to admire. I still have, to this day, a copy of the National Billiard News, the month they ran the obituary for Mike, showing a picture of him over a shot in his classic stance. He died in the winter of 1979 in Hileah, FL. If I could have the game of any player, his might be it.

 

[BackPocket9Ball]

McCready once told me that he rates Carella among the top five one pocket players he's ever seen, along with Ed Kelly, Eddie Taylor, Grady, and Ronnie Allen

 

[Williebetmore]

McCready once told me that he rates Carella among the top five one pocket players he's ever seen, along with Ed Kelly, Eddie Taylor, Grady, and Ronnie Allen

BP9Ball,
I had heard from several sources that Danny DiLiberto used to hang out in Florida with Carella; and just barbecued him all the time at one pocket (not very close even). Any truth to this?????

 

[macguy]

BP9Ball,
I had heard from several sources that Danny DiLiberto used to hang out in Florida with Carella; and just barbecued him all the time at one pocket (not very close even). Any truth to this?????

Carella played in a room in Danny ran when he was a kid. He was a real creep and was always being barred, once I believe slicing Dannys tires. Later when he was hanging at the Congress after a while I doubt Danny could have beat him at anything other then Straight pool, maybe, not even golf on the 6 x 12 one of Dannys best games. (Caralla was no longer a teenager at this time but still young, early 20's) I don't think they played each other much though other then partner golf where partners would rotate. Caralla learned one pocket from Danny but he learned a lot from legend Marcel Camp who was the house man at the congress.

Camp was a wealth of knowledge, he may have had a lot to do with Dannys success at the one pocket. Caralla's strength was aggression, he ran out from every where. I know Freddie the Beard posts here, I wonder if he remembers playing Caralla in a one pocket tournament in Dayton at Joe Burns place, I am almost certain it was Freddie who was playing. It may be a record for the shortest set of 4 out of 7 ever. It was over before there had been a ball pocketed on any of the other three tables that started at the same time. If I remember right Caralla ran out off of both of his breaks after making a ball on the break and both of Freddie's breaks

 

[Williebetmore]

Carella played ...

Mac,
Many thanks for the tales. I have a picture of Marcel Camp on the wall-of-fame in my basement (I have about 80 black and whites of famous players and actors who are photographed playing pool in movies). Were you there during those days??? If so, it must have been extremely entertaining.

P.S. - I hope SJM runs across this thread, since he hadn't heard of Marcel when he took the dreaded "Betmore's Wall of Fame Trivia Challenge" (though he still has the highest score of any challenger - except for me of course; its my wall).

 

[renard]

--------Carella played in a room in Danny ran when he was a kid. He was a real creep and was always being barred, once I believe slicing Dannys tires. Later when he was hanging at the Congress after a while I doubt Danny could have beat him at anything other then Straight pool, maybe, not even golf on the 6 x 12 one of Dannys best games. (Caralla was no longer a teenager at this time but still young, early 20's) I don't think they played each other much though other then partner golf where partners would rotate. Caralla learned one pocket from Danny but he learned a lot from legend Marcel Camp who was the house man at the congress.------


Joe Burns now that guy was a promoter from the stories I've heard here in Dayton. Mac you from Dayton? Anyway all those pictures I've seen with Burns and prominant pool players of the day was impressive.

 

[macguy]

Mac,
Many thanks for the tales. I have a picture of Marcel Camp on the wall-of-fame in my basement. Were you there during those days??? If so, it must have been extremely entertaining.

I was pretty much a kid myself and may not have appreciated how great it was being around those guys. I used to drive Camp around all the time, I don't know if he had a license but he didn't have a car and I never saw him drive. This would have been around the late 60's and all through the 70's. Camp was the worst gambler, he always lost and seem to take pleasure telling you how he got beat at the wire or in the final seconds of a football game. He never spent any money on anything even if he had a pocket full, it was just for gambling. Ordered the cheapest thing on the menu and wore old clothes. He always wore a sweeter with a hole in the elbow, I can see him in front of me right now.

I saw him the day he died in the veterans hospital, I had no idea he was a veteran. I went in the room and he was laying there. I only knew it was him because I was told what bed he was in, he was unrecognizable he could not have weighed more then 70 LB's. It was strange to see him like that because he always looked much younger then he was and a very handsome man. I'm not very good at that stuff but my wife sat with him for quite a while and I sat in the hall I guess not wanting to be caught crying. She came out and we left, he died some time later on that day. Could you post the picture you have of him?

 

[macguy]

--------Carella played in a room in Danny ran when he was a kid. He was a real creep and was always being barred, once I believe slicing Dannys tires. Later when he was hanging at the Congress after a while I doubt Danny could have beat him at anything other then Straight pool, maybe, not even golf on the 6 x 12 one of Dannys best games. (Caralla was no longer a teenager at this time but still young, early 20's) I don't think they played each other much though other then partner golf where partners would rotate. Caralla learned one pocket from Danny but he learned a lot from legend Marcel Camp who was the house man at the congress.------


Joe Burns now that guy was a promoter from the stories I've heard here in Dayton. Mac you from Dayton? Anyway all those pictures I've seen with Burns and prominant pool players of the day was impressive.

He put on some big tournaments there in the early 70's that is how I happened to be there. I'll tell you a funny story about him. I didn't know him at all and I heard he was thinking or franchising pool rooms and I asked him about it. He told me to talk to him about it later. Later that night we went into his office and he was laying out the deal. At some point in the conversation he begins telling me that if anyone ever tries to F-- him they will be in a world of trouble and he opens his drawer and lays a 45 automatic on the desk. I don't think I heard another word he said after that, I just wanted to get out off there. Needless to say I never brought up the franchising thing again the whole time I was there.

 

[Williebetmore]

I was ............ Could you post the picture you have of him?

Mac,
My pictures are permanently mounted in frames, I don't really have the expertise to do it. You can go to www.newdeco.com and leaf through all the pictures to find the one I have (they have LOTS of pictures, I have most of them). He is very stylishly dressed, very handsome - obviously a player to be reckoned with. Danny D. did tell some entertaining stories regarding Marcel (Danny has visited a couple of times to give some lessons in "Betmore's Basement").

You could always drop by and play a little if you are in the neighborhood. Food, beverage, and pool always free.

Those were very touching remembrances of Marcel. I always have the same feeling when hanging around with the older "lifers." To your knowledge did Marcel ever work a day job? Its incredible that players like Danny and Grady can go their whole lives without working 9 to 5 - it just breaks your heart though to see people end up poorly without recognition or reward for a lifetime dedicated to such an elegant game.

 

[renard]

He put on some big tournaments there in the early 70's that is how I happened to be there. I'll tell you a funny story about him. I didn't know him at all and I heard he was thinking or franchising pool rooms and I asked him about it. He told me to talk to him about it later. Later that night we went into his office and he was laying out the deal. At some point in the conversation he begins telling me that if anyone ever tries to F-- him they will be in a world of trouble and he opens his drawer and lays a 45 automatic on the desk. I don't think I heard another word he said after that, I just wanted to get out off there. Needless to say I never brought up the franchising thing again the whole time I was there.

Thats a great story Mac! I've heard quite a few stories about him and that pretty accurately describes the fibre of the man. I've heard some funny ones of him as well. I never knew him, but when you hear stories told by others it creates a personna of that person in your mind. I cannot recall the particular stories of him just the people who told the stories (Weird?) Anyway thanks for sharing.

 

[Dana Bufalo]

Marcel Camp Photo

Mac,
You can go to www.newdeco.com and leaf through all the pictures to find the one I have (they have LOTS of pictures, I have most of them).

Yes indeed, New Deco has many nice pool & billiard photos CLICK HERE including this one of Marcel Camp .

I enjoyed reading these old stories about Mark Beilfuss, Mike Carella, Marcel Camp and others...

Thank you!

 

[macguy]

Mac,
My pictures are permanently mounted in frames, I don't really have the expertise to do it. You can go to www.newdeco.com and leaf through all the pictures to find the one I have (they have LOTS of pictures, I have most of them). He is very stylishly dressed, very handsome - obviously a player to be reckoned with. Danny D. did tell some entertaining stories regarding Marcel (Danny has visited a couple of times to give some lessons in "Betmore's Basement").

You could always drop by and play a little if you are in the neighborhood. Food, beverage, and pool always free.

Those were very touching remembrances of Marcel. I always have the same feeling when hanging around with the older "lifers." To your knowledge did Marcel ever work a day job? Its incredible that players like Danny and Grady can go their whole lives without working 9 to 5 - it just breaks your heart though to see people end up poorly without recognition or reward for a lifetime dedicated to such an elegant game.

I only knew Camp when he was in Miami and he did work in the pool room and did some bookmaking. Danny I believe has an accounting degree. He also had a business buying and selling antiques and used furniture for quite a few years and did real well.