Toby Sweet

Toby Sweet greatness

Growing up in New York and loving the history of the game I always picked the brains of the players who were old school , guys who played in the 60s 70s etc . A gentleman who taught me most of what I know flatlands Freddie who traveled with Allen Hopkins many years ago and was a strong player himself told me this , in 7-11 billiards in Manhattan in the mid the late 60s and 70s , the 3 best push out 9 ball players were Toby Sweet , Boston Joey and little known WaWa and Puerto Rican player who played with a house cue . He said they all played awesome and were the favorites against anyone and often played each each other . With no video of Boston Joey or WaWa I found accustats videos of Toby and I was delighted . Too be completely honest my game went up after watching him play and when I struggle I watch the videos even today .
 
Toby was a very fine player, but not exactly under the radar. I once saw him beat Jim Rempe 11-0 in Florida at nine ball about 30 years ago.
 
yep his name is danny and was from spring valley new york just up from the jersey line.
he played 9 ball as good as any or better. never was a hustler. just walked into a room and asked to play anyone. and ran out racks. didnt stall much or con anyone. was never a bad guy to anyone and i hope he has a good life down there in florida and is happy.
was kind of friends with steve the whale as he lived up that way . now he was a real peach.
toby got his real road work and experience when he and cuban joey valdez went on the road for 6 months. joey was a first class rough thief. went to jail for bank robbery too. not many know that story. stalled everywhere and double crossed as many people as ervolino did. both were the two worst pieces of s--t in the pool world. but two top players.
 
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Johnny Ervolino?

maha said:
yep his name is danny and was from spring valley new york just up from the jersey line.
he played 9 ball as good as any or better. never was a hustler. just walked into a room and asked to play anyone. and ran out racks. didnt stall much or con anyone. was never a bad guy to anyone and i hope he has a good life down there in florida and is happy.
was kind of friends with steve the whale as he lived up that way . now he was a real peach.
toby got his real road work and experience when he and cuban joey valdez went on the road for 6 months. joey was a first class rough thief. went to jail for bank robbery too. not many know that story. stalled everywhere and double crossed as many people as ervolino did. both were the two worst pieces of s--t in the pool world. but two top players.
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When Toby had a poolhall in Hollywood Florida I had my sailboat docked behind his apartment. We became friends and I often went to his room to play. Even got him out on the boat one day.
The last time I spoke to Toby he was back living in NY and said he doesn't play much anymore. He said he has taken up painting.
 
oldschool1478 said:
When Toby had a poolhall in Hollywood Florida I had my sailboat docked behind his apartment. We became friends and I often went to his room to play. Even got him out on the boat one day.
The last time I spoke to Toby he was back living in NY and said he doesn't play much anymore. He said he has taken up painting.
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Is the Toby's that's still in Hollywood his old place??
 
Toby the hippie. he came through bellevue ohio In 1970 I think the year. Traveled with cuban Joe, who was a very good player. tobey played Steve Cook. Joe played Dave Moguey. cuban told us Toby hadnt book a loser. toby had real long hair, wore a red bandana and bib overalls. He played perfect when I saw him play.
 
Toby came thru Carbondale IL/SIU campus, Crazy Horse Billiards, on his way to Janscos/Johnston City. Never saw someone play that good....probably 1968.
 
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Island Drive said:
Toby came thru Carbondale IL/SIU campus, Crazy Horse Billiards, on his was to Janscos/Johnston City. Never saw someone play that good....probably 1968.
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By 75 many knowledgeable people were saying he was the best 9 Ball Player in the World.
 
Nostroke said:
By 75 many knowledgeable people were saying he was the best 9 Ball Player in the World.
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He had a calmness, a level of consistency that didn't seem to waver. His speed control was spot on, as was his cue ball control. He never looked uncomfortable at the table.
 
Nostroke said:
By 75 many knowledgeable people were saying he was the best 9 Ball Player in the World.
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Maybe so on the nine footer. Buddy Hall was the unquestioned king of 9-ball on the seven footer in the mid-1970's.
 
Matlock with the Big Cue Ball on a 7 footer....was not a game Buddy went lookin' for during David's prime years.
 
Island Drive said:
Matlock with the Big Cue Ball on a 7 footer....was not a game Buddy went lookin' for during David's prime years.
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Yes, Dave in 8- ball and Buddy in 9-ball were almost unbeatable back then.

Mike Sigel famously went to Shreveport in the mid-1970's to play Buddy and lost money to him without ever missing a single ball in a long session of nine ball on the bar table.

I recall hearing that Matlock once ran a 28-pack in bar table 8-ball. That must have been something to see!
 
oldschool1478 said:
When Toby had a poolhall in Hollywood Florida I had my sailboat docked behind his apartment. We became friends and I often went to his room to play. Even got him out on the boat one day.
The last time I spoke to Toby he was back living in NY and said he doesn't play much anymore. He said he has taken up painting.
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Here is a link to his artwork. I like it.
http://www.tobysweet.com/
 
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I lived in the FT Lauderdale area from 1980 to about 2010, and saw him play a few times.

I got a story about Toby second hand from the guys that owned Q-Stix in Pompano Beach. Supposedly Toby was put on a game one time with a great player who came from up north looking for him (whose name I do not recall) for something like $25k a set.

Toby broke the first rack and ran out the set to 9 I believe it was. The road player's backer pulled up.(lol) After the match the guy says to Toby "I really can play pretty good, you know" To which Toby replied "I wouldn't know, I never seen you shoot".:thumbup:
 
Here’s Toby Sweet....the artist

7FE49F82-FD0C-4106-81CE-542691159198.jpeg

And here’s Toby Sweet...the feared pool player

727716BD-C41A-4225-9351-475811D88742.jpeg
 
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