Tony Annigoni suicide

[bbb]

k annigoni
my sympathies and condolences to you and tony's family and loved ones

 

[L.S. Dennis]

The free flow of information and opinion is vital that’s why I’m against any kind of lock down of threads no matter how uncomfortable the topic may be. These thing will eventually run their course and disappear in due time.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

Depression is a mf. Had a few people, some family, take this route.
As much as we would like to think I should have done this or I should have done that, we have no control.
I like to look at it the same way I do a heart attack or aneurysm. It's a medical condition and you don't always know when it will strike.
Playing off the rail is one of my very favorite books. One I reread almost annually.
To me it is like watching the Godfather or something. Needs to be taken out every now and then.
I didn't know him but, I feel David portrays him in a way that we are likeminded.
My condolences to the family.
R.I.P. Tony.

 

[kannigoni]

The free flow of information and opinion is vital that’s why I’m against any kind of lock down of threads no matter how uncomfortable the topic may be. These thing will eventually run their course and disappear in due time.

Vital for whom? I think people just need to be more respectful and not comment morbid statistics and graphic language. Respect is the key word here.

 

[ImaPoolnut]

I want to add to this. My lone experience with Tony was when we were both 23 years old and it was ugly. I would never forget him and my experience. Periodically, over the years I would catch snippets in publications, online, and in conversations about Tony Annigoni and what he was up to. We all get older. Some of us grow and mature in a way that is valuable to others. Many stay focused on themselves. Let's just acknowledge the pursuit to be a great player is a self-centered enterprise.

Tony transitioned over the years in a way that very, very few players with his ability and potential have done. His interest in our sport, the business of our sport, and the people of our sport was sincere and dedicated and became more important than his own game. Tony gave of himself in many ways. Tony was intelligent and knowledgeable. This tragedy is our loss.

well said Paul!

 

[Curtis]

I met Tony in 1990 at his pool hall in San Francisco and we've been friends ever since.

When Tony and David McCumber came out to Chicago, while they were on the road, I helped steer them around. And after that, we all kept in touch and remained friends through all these years.

Like for everyone else, Tony's passing caught me by surprise.

In 2001, Tony was kind enough to let me stay at his place in Manteca, California, with him and his mom, after I had got a few bad rolls myself.

He was the kind of guy whose mind was always working on one big project or another, but still took the time to help get kids off the streets and into the youth centers learning to play pool.

Tony dedicated his life to promoting pool, but he never really got his chance to hit it big.

He hit a few rough spots in the last several years.

I wish he would have called me, or any of his other friends... we would have been more than willing to help.

Gonna miss him.

Farewell my friend. And rest in peace, Tony.


Your pal,

Curtis

 

[Steve Lillis]

I just heard.he jumped off the Golden Gate. Who knows more about this?

Sorry to all of Tony's good friends in CA and beyond as I know Jay you were one of them. In the winter of 1979, I lived in Sacramento, CA and made Terry Stonier's "The Jointed Cue" my home pool room as he held open tournaments every Tuesday night for years. Mike Segal spent some of his road time there as well right before I got there. When a good player came to town to beat up on the locals the call went out to Tony in San Francisco and he was always up for the challenge. We had some titanic matches that usually went down to hill hill as the weekly tournament matches were always races to 4 at the Jointed Cue. I remember Tony as being a complete gentleman both on and off the pool table and a force to be reckoned with in any tournament. Thanks for the great memories Tony! Prayers going up for all those he left behind! God bless!

 

[justnum]

Let's be thankful there is a pool community to be part of.
Its a fringe sport/hobby as it is.

Having two pool books definitely changed my life.
You never know how you influence people until they tell you.

Trying to share a positive message.
Any issues people haven't sorted out is best used as energy for at least maintaining Tony's standard in terms of publication of books or promotion of events and size of events promoted. People set standards and few try to expand on it.

 

[jason]

Sorry to hear. My condolences to all who knew him.

 

[jimmyco]

Do not ask to lock this thread. There will be more good thoughts and wishes to come. Count on it, just as there may be more not so thoughtful remarks unworthy of a second thought. Do not take away the opportunity of those who have stories to share.

Condolences to all who knew and loved Tony.

 

[phreaticus]

Ok - well I am actually also totally anti censorship or locking down threads - and agreed, it's lovely to see/hear respectful/uplifting stories from folks that were close to him. But there are some very moronic comments in here that are obviously disturbing & super insensitive to the family, etc. Every once in a while it might be OK for the moderators to.... moderate.

It's completely beyond me why anyone feels the need to analyze/discuss/lecture the world about the logistics or psychology of a famous pool player's untimely suicide, or drag up dirt from his past in an online forum - especially when it's obvious that there are family & close friends involved in the discussion. But maybe those that do - could start another thread, and the moderators could move those posts, and this one can maintain a respectful, sensitive "In memory of..." tone for those who loved and were close to him.

I think most of us get the fact that mental illness and suicide are very disturbing, challenging topics of our broader society, and we're obviously in extra challenging times all around. Surely enough said...

Peace & love,

P

 

[Riley Pitchford]

Tony was my friend. We met while I was putting together a pool tournament for the promoters of the Sports & Boat Show in San Francisco in the mid 70's. However it never came to be but our meeting became a friendship that lasted over 40 years. I was involved in many of his projects and he in some of mine. He taught me a lot about pool and snooker. Games that he played very well. He was always working to improve. Unlike most professional pool players who think the game owes them something and spend their time thinking how they can get it Tony was trying to make it better by providing first class billiard rooms and teaching the game to the younger generation. He got equipment donated and spent his time at The Boys & Girls clubs in San Francisco and the peninsula.
The pool world will never know all of what Tony did for the game and what the game meant to him.
This is a great loss and I will miss him.

Riley Pitchford

 

[L.S. Dennis]

Tony was my friend. We met while I was putting together a pool tournament for the promoters of the Sports & Boat Show in San Francisco in the mid 70's. However it never came to be but our meeting became a friendship that lasted over 40 years. I was involved in many of his projects and he in some of mine. He taught me a lot about pool and snooker. Games that he played very well. He was always working to improve. Unlike most professional pool players who think the game owes them something and spend their time thinking how they can get it Tony was trying to make it better by providing first class billiard rooms and teaching the game to the younger generation. He got equipment donated and spent his time at The Boys & Girls clubs in San Francisco and the peninsula.
The pool world will never know all of what Tony did for the game and what the game meant to him.
This is a great loss and I will miss him.

Riley Pitchford

Well said and agreed, those of us who knew Tony feel the same way I can assure you.
By the way, still have the pool glasses you sold me a lifetime ago, updated lenses of course.

 

[whiteoak]

I agree with K Annigoni. and phreaticus.

Agree as well

 

[Bill Langelier]

Tony was my friend. We met while I was putting together a pool tournament for the promoters of the Sports & Boat Show in San Francisco in the mid 70's. However it never came to be but our meeting became a friendship that lasted over 40 years. I was involved in many of his projects and he in some of mine. He taught me a lot about pool and snooker. Games that he played very well. He was always working to improve. Unlike most professional pool players who think the game owes them something and spend their time thinking how they can get it Tony was trying to make it better by providing first class billiard rooms and teaching the game to the younger generation. He got equipment donated and spent his time at The Boys & Girls clubs in San Francisco and the peninsula.
The pool world will never know all of what Tony did for the game and what the game meant to him.
This is a great loss and I will miss him.

Riley Pitchford

Riley- that is a perfect description of Tony. Thank you for that.

 

[ShootingArts]

I notice a handful of new members in this thread. Appears to be people that joined just so they could make caring comments about Tony. That says a lot about the man! For every knock there are about a dozen great comments. For someone to be able to live a life in pool and be able to have this kind of outpouring of love is outstanding!

Hu

 

[FranCrimi]

Riley- that is a perfect description of Tony. Thank you for that.

Tony was my friend. We met while I was putting together a pool tournament for the promoters of the Sports & Boat Show in San Francisco in the mid 70's. However it never came to be but our meeting became a friendship that lasted over 40 years. I was involved in many of his projects and he in some of mine. He taught me a lot about pool and snooker. Games that he played very well. He was always working to improve. Unlike most professional pool players who think the game owes them something and spend their time thinking how they can get it Tony was trying to make it better by providing first class billiard rooms and teaching the game to the younger generation. He got equipment donated and spent his time at The Boys & Girls clubs in San Francisco and the peninsula.
The pool world will never know all of what Tony did for the game and what the game meant to him.
This is a great loss and I will miss him.

Riley Pitchford

Well said, Riley. One of Tony's major pet peeves was hotel kick-backs. Tony was the one who made me aware of this ugly and deceitful practice. Through an agreement with the tournament organizer, the hotel charged the players more for their stay and then kicked back that extra amount to the tournament organizer who kept some of it and then added some to the tournament and called it 'added money' by the hotel. It's not 'added money.' That money came from the players pockets. While other promoters around Tony were getting hotel-kickbacks, Tony was refusing this scheme. He said he'd rather see the players pay less money for their stay than make them pay for their own added prize fund and line the pockets of the promoters. He stood up to some key promoters who were doing it and they instantly saw him as an enemy. I witnessed one encounter first hand. You could see the transformation on that promoter's face when he addressed the issue with them. And do you know what their response was to him? "Everybody does it."

And do you know what Tony said in response? "No. Not everybody. Not me."

 

[justnum]

 

[Island Drive]

Well said, Riley. One of Tony's major pet peeves was hotel kick-backs. Tony was the one who made me aware of this ugly and deceitful practice. Through an agreement with the tournament organizer, the hotel charged the players more for their stay and then kicked back that extra amount to the tournament organizer who kept some of it and then added some to the tournament and called it 'added money' by the hotel. It's not 'added money.' That money came from the players pockets. While other promoters around Tony were getting hotel-kickbacks, Tony was refusing this scheme. He said he'd rather see the players pay less money for their stay than make them pay for their own added prize fund and line the pockets of the promoters. He stood up to some key promoters who were doing it and they instantly saw him as an enemy. I witnessed one encounter first hand. You could see the transformation on that promoter's face when he addressed the issue with them. And do you know what their response was to him? "Everybody does it."

And do you know what Tony said in response? "No. Not everybody. Not me."

It's ironic. The BCA miscued for about 800k when they guaranteed the hotel room fill at their BCA E. Coast venue during the DuCoff yrs.
It set matters in motion to diminish the BCA down to what it is now.
One of my best times in office for me, was gettin' product from all the supporting mfg. (about 15k in merchandise) and then Giving it free to the kids at their Jr. Nationals event. Boy their EYES lit up when I handed em a new two piece cue. During the Shane McMinn yrs.

 

[azhousepro]

Great thought. I'd love to hear mccumber talk about his dunk into the pool...pool.

I have reached out to David, and apparently Tony was wrong in what he had said about another chapter. Either that, or I remembered it wrong.

Either way, David said he is writing up a tribute for Tony and I hope to be able to share it here online soon.

Mike