Truck drivin' players
- Thread starter pulzcul
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Kenny is one of the nicest guys I have been around.
He would show up in Marysville and play where I think Sloan was really the only guy to get a decent shot at him.
When players had the membership cards for the back room I remember being able to see him on one table and a young Dee on another table with Dane lurking around somewhere else.
Twas fun days.
He would show up in Marysville and play where I think Sloan was really the only guy to get a decent shot at him.
When players had the membership cards for the back room I remember being able to see him on one table and a young Dee on another table with Dane lurking around somewhere else.
Twas fun days.
There was a guy from Northern California I used to call Vacaville Bill. He used to drive a rig AND shoot real good pool. He later opened a poolroom in San Ramon (I think). I lost contact with him long ago and always wondered what happened to him. Certainly some folks from the Bay Area would remember him and let me know where he is now.
I bartended for several years at a truck stop called Giovannis right off of the 99 in Ripon, CA. The owner of the place was a big promoter of pool and added money to weekly tournaments for years, he had two valley cougars in the sports lounge attached to the restaurant. Over the years many great players came and matched up, ie Kim Davenport, Billy Palmer, Dave Piona, Chohan, both Cano brothers, Gary French, Bryce, Amar, most of the best Nor Cal players, the place just attracted good action. Oakland Herbie brought some guy named "Go Away Jesse" that matched up with my Dad, Len Swisher. Dad took down the cash by the way! Anyways, I bartended full time there and would put hours in on those bar boxes every day. They were MY tables! I would constantly be in action with truckers that were passing through and a couple guys would pass through twice a month and leave multiple cnotes, just like clockwork. It was sweeeet. The tables were bouncy railed and took some getting used to and it was difficult to conceive of somebody crawling out of a cab and beating me, and it almost never happened. Until.........One day an old guy came in, sat down, got drunk and challenged me to a game, 20 a rack. I won the first one and then he put me in lockdown, I found myself kicking at everything on my own table. Returning the favor I start locking him down as well but the difference was he kicked like four balls in a row in on me and beat me for a hundred or so. Of course he quit, explaining that he had to get over to Reno before a storm hit. That old trucker got me, but he was one of the only ones! Marc
8ballEinstein said:
You must know Wino then. He was from Antioch.
Well my game was decent b4 i started team driving for a company called crst. They paid 4 me and my girlfriend to go to school and get our cdl's under the condition that we work 4 them for 8 month's. And trust me they ran us to death! And my game has fell back to the beggining stage. I have no natural talent and to keep my game sharp i have to practice at least every 2 days for at least 2hrs per session. So 4 me truck driving definately interfered with my game because your on the road so much and stuck in the truck 24/7.
jay helfert said:
Not sure Jay. I'm not from that part of California.
The reason I know Vacaville Bill is because I ran into him in Bakersfield (at Filibusters). He was doing his trucking gig and looking for a game. A ring game developed. Several folks jumped in, including he and I. I didn't know him at the time but we traded phone numbers. After that, he contacted me a couple of times when he drove his rig to Southern Cal.
8ballEinstein said:
Did you know I had a room in Bakersfield in the 70's? Jay's Cue Ball Recreation. 22 Gold Crowns and the hottest spot in town. Mike Francis was the second best player in town. He now owns the poolroom on Rosedale Hwy, called the Cue Ball. He called me and asked if he could use that name. I said sure, why not.
jay helfert said:
Indeed, I heard about your room out there. Never went there since I'm not from that area either. I just happened to be in Bakerfield, traveling with "Two-dollar Don". That must have been over 20 years ago. At that time we heard that Filibusters was the place to go. We got into a ring game with some sporty players. No one came out a big winner but I think Frank, a top local player, came out ahead.
Years and years ago while Teryy Bell {APA} were still young, Terry and family had a place in Texarkana called the Road Map.
There were bar tables in there and a tricky gold crown and Terry played like a magician on it.
For those not aware, back in the 70"s Terry Bell played $5-10 9 ball as well as anyone on the planet. He never missed anything for low stakes.
We were playing something very cheap when a big truck pulling an empty flat bed parked out front on the shoulder of the road. This fellow strolls in and sits quietly at the bar and plays very close attention to Terry running out like gas through a funnel.
Terry got into a situation on the table and made the coment that he didn't know how to get out. The truck driver mad some suggestion, Terry executed and got out. Obviously impressed Tery asked the trucker if he played and of course his answer was, "well, a little bit".
The trucker went to his truck and returned with his cue. An old Viking in a soft case and away they went. They played for $5.00 a game for about 2 hours and stayed about even. The trucker then raised it to $10 a game and seemed to get more intrested. Some period later, the trucker hit Terry with an 8 pack and never looked back. He ended up winning about $150 and had Tery's respect forever.
The trucker was a class gentleman, tipped well, thanked Terry for the game and compimented him over and over, cranked up his truck and went on down the road.
Some will, while most won't, but for those who don't know, it takes one hell of a player to beat Terry Bell in those days on his table for low stakes. I didn't shut my mouth for a couple of days.
This happened in about 1975-76 and having played in every state in this country since, I never saw the trucker again and never heard of him again. Now, 30 yaears later, he may have been one of the best 9-ball players I ever saw. For $5-10 a game in those days Tery Bell could hang with any of them including Earl,Buddy, Louie, and on and on.
There were bar tables in there and a tricky gold crown and Terry played like a magician on it.
For those not aware, back in the 70"s Terry Bell played $5-10 9 ball as well as anyone on the planet. He never missed anything for low stakes.
We were playing something very cheap when a big truck pulling an empty flat bed parked out front on the shoulder of the road. This fellow strolls in and sits quietly at the bar and plays very close attention to Terry running out like gas through a funnel.
Terry got into a situation on the table and made the coment that he didn't know how to get out. The truck driver mad some suggestion, Terry executed and got out. Obviously impressed Tery asked the trucker if he played and of course his answer was, "well, a little bit".
The trucker went to his truck and returned with his cue. An old Viking in a soft case and away they went. They played for $5.00 a game for about 2 hours and stayed about even. The trucker then raised it to $10 a game and seemed to get more intrested. Some period later, the trucker hit Terry with an 8 pack and never looked back. He ended up winning about $150 and had Tery's respect forever.
The trucker was a class gentleman, tipped well, thanked Terry for the game and compimented him over and over, cranked up his truck and went on down the road.
Some will, while most won't, but for those who don't know, it takes one hell of a player to beat Terry Bell in those days on his table for low stakes. I didn't shut my mouth for a couple of days.
This happened in about 1975-76 and having played in every state in this country since, I never saw the trucker again and never heard of him again. Now, 30 yaears later, he may have been one of the best 9-ball players I ever saw. For $5-10 a game in those days Tery Bell could hang with any of them including Earl,Buddy, Louie, and on and on.
ironman said:
Man that sounds like Wino (Richard Winesettle), or Jim Williams! (more about him later). Wino was the nicest guy in the world, and loved to play cheap 9-Ball. and might not miss many balls. That was in his prime years, the 70's. He was on the road with his truck constantly then. Maybe about late 20's to early 30's in age. And he always carried a nondescript little soft case.
He was pleasant looking (not handsome by any means), about average height (maybe 5'9), usually had short dark hair (almost a crew cut), and also an average build (not thin or fat). I wish I could describe him more. Yes, he would compliment me on a nice run out.
He was from N.Cal and would stop in my poolroom about once a year in the early to mid 70's. So I got to know him. He would saunter in with his cue case and just ask me if I was ready to play. Off we would go playing 5 or 10 dollar 9-Ball. We would play on my front table that I loved, and I would get down on my belly and play my A game.
He would park his truck right across the street from the poolroom, so he could keep an eye on it. Win or lose, he never said one bad word. Never! He loved to play a good game and I could give him one back then. I just remember it being close between us. I doubt that either of us ever won over a $100.
I haven't seen or heard from him in a long long time. I bet John Henderson on here knows him.
One other pool playing trucker that I remember is Jim Williams, a well built guy with short blonde hair, and average height also. He would have been in his 30's back then. Another super easy going guy that didn't talk much at all. Nice looking man also. A little more rugged than Wino, he looked well built. Usually wore a long sleeve shirt, and working man pants, like khakis. Also had his little soft case with him, nothing fancy.
Jim played real good, like pro speed. Even better than Wino, who could show some weakness sometimes. Jim was a tough customer on the pool table. I couldn't beat him, although I tried a time or two. He had that high gear where he just fired 'em in from all over. He was one of my roughest games in Bakersfield, right there with Peter Gunn in terms of ability. I might still rate Peter ahead of him. Peter was a world beater on the West Coast in the 60's and 70's. Probably Keith's toughest game on a bar table.
These were two high speed players, capable of giving any pro big problems. Jim was really low key and soft spoken. Didn't talk much when we were playing, but a super nice guy. That's why I would play him when he came around. I never won against him in a few go rounds. Also cheap action, maybe ten or twenty a game (although he was willing to bet higher, I wasn't). And he would play me One Pocket too.
Same for Peter Gunn. He was more talkative but a super nice guy. Dark skinned and built like a football fullback, which he was in High school. Funny how the really best players were usually nice guys. I guess they knew they were going to win, so it paid to be nice. Peter was definitely not a trucker. He was a pool player all the way!
Jim Williams could really dab it. I remember him well. Nice looking ruggedly built blonde guy. Maybe 5'10 or 11. Very humble guy. Please and thank you all the way. He would be in his 60's now. Anyone know him?
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CDL"s were not implemented until the late '80's.BigRigTom said:
Jim and Wino were both right handed. I really think Wino was more of a good shortstop speed, but Jim was a solid pro speed player. He was smooth and effortless when he played. And I doubt he would have shied away from anyone. Like I said, he was a serious player. But very low key. He never would bark at anyone or even talk loud. A man's man.
If someone wanted to play, he would just say sure and go and get his cue. Very confident with no hustle in him. And no quit either.
If someone wanted to play, he would just say sure and go and get his cue. Very confident with no hustle in him. And no quit either.
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I'll stop by sometime and play
PMK me your address and phone #,and maybe a place to park my big truck. I keep my cue with me in the truck.hemicudas said:
ironman said:
I'm disappointed in you, Ironman. What kind of pool detective are/were you,,,,,,not even able to remember if the guy was left handed or not? Just kidding. For some reason I remember all that fun stuff from 30-40 years ago. I do know who the trucker was though. He has related that story quite a few times.
Terry Bell was a hell of a player in those days. Big table or bar box. When Terry lived in Alabama he and I got to be friends, might have been our last names, LOL. The last bar table tournament held here in Jackson in 1979 before Bill Stack and I moved to Chicago, Terry finished second to Buddy Hall. It had some pretty sporty players in it too, Larry Hubbart, Louie Roberts, Denny Searcy, etc. I also played in it and was one of the also-rans as was Bill Stack. Our truck driving buddy must have been on the road at the time because he was not at this event.
The truck driver you speak of used to thump the likes of Jamie Farrell, US Open winner and local hero, Reed Pierce. In fact, this truck driver once spotted a road player, that he didn't know at the time, the 6 ball and beat him for over $3K. Our truck drive buddy eventually found out who he had beaten giving up the 6 and knew he had out run the nuts. Oh,,,,,,,,the player was Jimmy Wetch. Don't believe me? Go ask Jimmy.
hemicudas said:
Do I know this guy Bill? Do you have a name? Yes, Terry played good back then and even ran around with Larry Hubbart. But Larry was the star of the team. Terry could not beat Louie, although he tried a couple of times.
I might be wrong,but I seem to remember playing on a barbox at the old Mid Continent in Jackson,MS.