Two Photos: Cole Dickson and Keith Thompson

J

jjohnson

Registered
The last time I saw Cole was at Caesars Lake Tahoe around 1976 or so where Buddy Hall won the 9-Ball. At the time I heard that Buddy had recently recovered from a very bad car accident. I had an event program that showed the players' photos with a few stats. Cole's photo had a place holder and underneath it said he was 6 feet tall. Gaffaw! 5'8" tops. He probably told the event promoters not to include his picture. No sense advertising. Hustlers like to keep as low a profile as possible. The misinformation about his height was probably for the same reason. (I'd say Keith was maybe a little taller. It's was a long time ago and I only saw him once.) One of the play-by-play announcers on the Cole - Luat one-pocket match (still available from Accu-Stats?) characterized Cole as having one of those "good ole boy" personalities. And most everybody wanted to be his friend. I would agree. Click on each photo to enlarge and see the caption.
 

Attachments

  • 1 CD.jpg
    1 CD.jpg
    266.5 KB · Views: 551
  • 1 KT.jpg
    1 KT.jpg
    295.4 KB · Views: 591
Last edited:
Thanks for sharing. The picture of Cole brings back memories. Some incredible and some Mellon collie.
Hard to think but My favorite is the straight back bank where he hopped the cueball so the object ball passed underneath and knocked the back off the pocket. He was playing Harry for $1000 a game with 9-8 and 9-7 the spot.
Allen Hopkins had played Harry with 10-6 or 10-5 and gave Harry $10,000. Cole then swooped in and scooped $25,000 on the weekend all niter.
 
jjohnson said:
The last time I saw Cole was at Caesars Lake Tahoe around 1976 or so where Buddy Hall won the 9-Ball. At the time I heard that Buddy had recently recovered from a very bad car accident. I had an event program that showed the players' photos with a few stats. Cole's photo had a place holder and underneath it said he was 6 feet tall. Gaffaw! 5'8" tops. He probably told the event promoters not to include his picture. No sense advertising. Hustlers like to keep as low a profile as possible. The misinformation about his height was probably for the same reason. (I'd say Keith was maybe a little taller. It's was a long time ago and I only saw him once.) One of the play-by-play announcers on the Cole - Luat one-pocket match (still available from Accu-Stats?) characterized Cole as having one of those "good ole boy" personalities. And most everybody wanted to be his friend. I would agree. Click on each photo to enlarge and see the caption.
Click to expand...
JJ thx for the pics. Got to see him win it at Janscos during my college days at SIU.
 
AtLarge said:
The caption on the picture in post #1 says it is Charles Devalliere, likely this fellow (click on "SEE MORE"): https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/las-vegas-nv/charles-devalliere-10497260
Click to expand...
I had an espn recording from Taho from around 1984, Buddy won over Rempe. They also had a seniors division final, 50 and older where Devalliere plays Bob Vanover. The anouncer said Devalliere was a professional gambler/poker player at the time. Vanover won, he had an impressive game.

I'll have to pull that out, still have them on DVD.
 
I always enjoyed em.
When I first saw him, he dressed Sharp David Sizemore was with em.
Cole had long blonde hair and was as nice looking/clean/well dressed as a young man can get

When he first came into S. IL and walked into the pool room/bar workin' his way to Janscos, I thought it was a woman from a distance.

I went head-to-head twice with Cole, SIU Carbondale 1969 and then in 89 in Ca.
I then saw him at the Bicycle Club Card room a few years later during the Charlie Williams years.

Thx JJ for the memories.
bm
 
Last edited:
Island Drive said:
I always enjoyed em.
When I first saw him, he dressed Sharp David Sizemore was with em.
Cole had long blonde hair and was as nice looking/clean/well dressed as a young man can get

When he first came into S. IL and walked into the pool room/bar workin' his way to Janscos, I thought it was a woman from a distance.

I went head-to-head twice with Cole, SIU Carbondale 1969 and then in 89 in Ca.
I then saw him at the Bicycle Club Card room a few years later during the Charlie Williams years.

Thx JJ for the memories.
bm
Click to expand...
One of the guys I used to knock 'em around with in the South Bay (L. A.) was that guy in the first pic with blonde hair. He went by Vince. Makes that first pic look like a photoshop. Did Cole have a med low, Cali surfer but southernish accent?
 
Yep, that's most likely Cole definitely a S. Cal surfer type look. DressyBell bottom pants/outfit and dressed sharp, new cloths.
Like Liscotti said once.
Made so much money, I'd not do my wash, just threw em away and bought new ones. :)
 
cole was taller than 5/8. i used to see him every day and hung out. also introduced him to his wife in reno.
funny guy even when mad.
he was good at making money in various ways. bad at keeping it more than a few days.
we gamble and made big money together and also gambled against each other. no issues.
 
straightline said:
lol. Always casual as far as I knew. Jeans etc... lol. Could be different guys. Amazing world.
Click to expand...
1969? Did you see C.D. then?
When I worked the trick shot competition at the Bike, he was there, card player, not able to win.
And liquor was part of his lifestyle at that point.
 
Island Drive said:
1969? Did you see C.D. then?
When I worked the trick shot competition at the Bike, he was there, card player, not able to win.
And liquor was part of his lifestyle at that point.
Click to expand...
This was later in the 70s. 74 on maybe. Always wondered who CD was and still not sure. The guy I'm talking about was somebody I'd run into in the Torrance area. If it was Cole he was for sure laying it on. :D
 
straightline said:
Who's the guy in the suit?
Click to expand...
Here is a link: https://www.scribd.com/doc/274472837/History-of-Pool-1970-1979#

The first tournament listed on page 2 shows Charles DeValliere as competing in the 1970 3rd Annual U. S. Open 9 Ball Tournament. Maybe he, like Cole, didn't enter many tournaments. This historical link might interest some in itself more generally.

I think I mentioned in one of my first posts that I was told by Randy Layton, one of Cole's best friends growing up, that he kept away so as not to make too big a name for himself. Around 1969 or so, Randy even told me that Cole made a deal once with his opponent in one tournament to throw the match so he wouldn't make too good of a showing that might scare off any future action. I remember about that time reading, I think it was Billiard News(?), a small format newspaper, that listed Cole as coming in 4th place in one-pocket in Las Vegas. Don't know if this was what Randy was referring to.
 
Island Drive said:
I always enjoyed em.
When I first saw him, he dressed Sharp David Sizemore was with em.
Cole had long blonde hair and was as nice looking/clean/well dressed as a young man can get

When he first came into S. IL and walked into the pool room/bar workin' his way to Janscos, I thought it was a woman from a distance.

I went head-to-head twice with Cole, SIU Carbondale 1969 and then in 89 in Ca.
I then saw him at the Bicycle Club Card room a few years later during the Charlie Williams years.

Thx JJ for the memories.
bm
Click to expand...
Well, how did you fare against Cole in '69? He was definitely in his prime then for sure.
 
straightline said:
One of the guys I used to knock 'em around with in the South Bay (L. A.) was that guy in the first pic with blonde hair. He went by Vince. Makes that first pic look like a photoshop. Did Cole have a med low, Cali surfer but southernish accent?
Click to expand...
Cole spent a lot of time in L.A. in the late 60's. Photos don't have a soul. It is personality face to face that impresses. And Cole is one person that you'd never forget. Yes, he would talk (perhaps a hustler's affectation) with a sort of Southern drawl. But he'd walk around the table like it was an old friend. Very smooth with no doubts. You'd never forget his stroke. You might not have noticed but he was super attentive: always "present" always focused. You could see it in his eyes. One night, he got everybody talking around the L.A. pool scene: "Who is this guy going to all the pool halls in a chauffeur driven limousine?" (Mind you, I only have memories of Cole in his youthful prime and other firsthand reminiscences from others.)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top