Played omaha John just before he won the miller lite tourney in vegas-great player and class act.
Unknown "monster" players
- Thread starter DoubleA
- Start date
Played omaha John just before he won the miller lite tourney in vegas-great player and class act.
Anybody remember--
Jr. Harris
Dick Spitzer
Mike "Chewy" North Dakota
Dennis Favaro
California Vic
Jeff Carter
Ron Dobosinski
Dale Slicenger
Louie Lemke-RIP
Waterdog
Davey "Crocket"-Kunert
Don Gibson-RIP
Gene Albrect
Jimmy Wetch
Greg Fix
Ken Carpenter-RIP
Jr. Harris
Dick Spitzer
Mike "Chewy" North Dakota
Dennis Favaro
California Vic
Jeff Carter
Ron Dobosinski
Dale Slicenger
Louie Lemke-RIP
Waterdog
Davey "Crocket"-Kunert
Don Gibson-RIP
Gene Albrect
Jimmy Wetch
Greg Fix
Ken Carpenter-RIP
Here's a name for you. Does any old timer out there remember Chuck Morgan, a well known road man in the Midwest in the 60's, 70's and 80's. What about Pete Glenn, the father of the Glenn brothers who collect high end cues. Pete is still alive, about 80, and is a very distinguished looking man. Last time I saw him, he wore a big rim cowboy hat, sported a beard and looked like a character out of an old Western movie. He raised a family of seven doing nothing but playing pool.
Did anyone ever see Bud Hypes play? He was unbeatable on his own table. I think he was in West Virginia. Jack Cooney never showed his face at a tournament for 25 years, but he made the biggest scores on the planet. Jr. Goff snuck around pretty good his whole life. In fact I heard he still plays from time to time in the South. He would be in his 80's.
George Rood was probably the all time best unknown monster player. Back in the 60's and 70's, NOBODY could beat him, but he never went on the road, staying near his home in Dayton. He and his wife raised dogs and competed in dog shows.
One more for you, Chris Raftis, maybe the best one handed player after Ronnie and Little Sergio. Very doubtful Ronnie could have beaten him at 9-Ball. And he would have been a good match for Sergio. I saw him easily beat Eddie Taylor playing one handed 9-Ball, up in the air. That was in the 60's. My parents bought an old Sport King from him and put it in our den when I was a kid. They were trying to keep me from hanging in the pool rooms. P.S. Their plan backfired! :smile:
Okay one more, Gary Nolan the Bushwhacker. A notorious road man in the 70's and 80's. He has owned a room in Pennsylvania for many years now.
Did anyone ever see Bud Hypes play? He was unbeatable on his own table. I think he was in West Virginia. Jack Cooney never showed his face at a tournament for 25 years, but he made the biggest scores on the planet. Jr. Goff snuck around pretty good his whole life. In fact I heard he still plays from time to time in the South. He would be in his 80's.
George Rood was probably the all time best unknown monster player. Back in the 60's and 70's, NOBODY could beat him, but he never went on the road, staying near his home in Dayton. He and his wife raised dogs and competed in dog shows.
One more for you, Chris Raftis, maybe the best one handed player after Ronnie and Little Sergio. Very doubtful Ronnie could have beaten him at 9-Ball. And he would have been a good match for Sergio. I saw him easily beat Eddie Taylor playing one handed 9-Ball, up in the air. That was in the 60's. My parents bought an old Sport King from him and put it in our den when I was a kid. They were trying to keep me from hanging in the pool rooms. P.S. Their plan backfired! :smile:
Okay one more, Gary Nolan the Bushwhacker. A notorious road man in the 70's and 80's. He has owned a room in Pennsylvania for many years now.
I didn't say anything about going on the road together. I'm talking about the Congress Bowl in Miami, where they both hung out. I spent a little time in there myself. In those days, Marcel Camp was still alive and Pancho was hanging there too. Danny mentored Mikey, you must know that. Mike just kept getting better and better. Danny still talks about Mikey to this day. I never heard him speak with any animosity toward him, only admiration.
P.S. My "friend" Pancho steered me into a young Mike Carella. THAT is in my book! :thumbup:
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Sam Manaole isn't that well known and doesn't play that bad.
What about Ian Castillo? He plays pretty jam up too!
What about Ian Castillo? He plays pretty jam up too!
Some pretty good players on this list, although not unknown by any means. Jeff Carter and Jimmy Wetch both had successful tournament careers. Greg Fix played regularly on tour in the 80's and 90's. Probably the slowest player out there.
Jr. Harris was a road man of note, moving around the country for decades. He parked one of his Volvo's at my house for months, while he was off traveling. He batted heads with Bill Mielke over and over again, and never could beat him.
Louie Lemke was a solid shortstop, who played in many tourneys as well. He could win on the local level. Also a very talented musician and all around great guy. Gone to soon to cancer. Waterdog (Don Edwards) was a sometimes great player who succumbed to drug addiction. I played him once when he was high on acid (he told me). He went broke to me having the time of his life.
Spitzer and Chewakin were two of the best from Big Sky country. Last I heard Chewy was driving a bus up there. Spitzer kept winning bar table tourneys until recently. He also did well at the BCA many years.
Dobosenski was a super straight shooter from Wisconsin I believe. Played right there with Carter, Willie Munson and George Pawelski. I think his temper was his undoing more than once. He could get down on himself for missing a ball.
Gene Albrecht won in tournaments and gambling for a long time. Hope this helps.
I may have told this one before. I used to watch George come into the Cue and Bridge and practice every afternoon for an hour or so in the early 60's. He would throw the balls on the table and run 60 to 80 (or more) and then practice some 9-Ball. Rarely, if ever, missing a ball.
I was working behind the counter when some slick looking guy walked in carrying a slim cue case. It was early in the day. He asked me about a game and I told him the players come in later. He wanted to practice on the front table, the best table in the house, so I gave him the balls.
After an hour or so George walked in. The kid was on HIS table. George checked him out before walking over to the counter. I told him the kid was looking for a game. George approached the kid and pretty quickly they were playing $10 9-Ball. George pounded on him for a while and the stakes were raised to $20. George got him stuck three or four hundred and the kid waved a bankroll and asked George to play a set for $500. George told him he would have to win his money back the same way he lost it. Soon after the kid quit.
Next time I saw the kid was at Johnston City. I was told he was the best young player in the country, Eddie Kelly. Maybe he was, but still no match for George Rood.
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Jack Dunbar beat my good friend in 1989 or 1991, I can't remember for sure, for the drivers seat in the regular division 8 ball singles at the VNEA in Vegas. I saw Weldon play out there too. Gary Spaeth had a pretty good couple of years out there too.
Simon Pickering? Plays great and a nice guy too! I'm not certain but I think he is from Canada or Washington state. I used to read about him in On The Wire newspaper. My friend knew him and we were talking to him at the BCAPL. Simon is married with kids now and doesn't get out as much as he used to. Funny thing is, before the tournament my friend and I were both saying that we always wondered what happened to that guy (Simon) and then he wins the tournament, lol.
Great Read!!!
I had not read any on this thread, opened it this morning as I was watching Wimbledon. Simply spellbinding. I,ve lost some coin to quite a few listed here in the TX,OK,LA and CA areas:frown:....still great memories. Reds in Houston early eighties, action central along with Rusty's on NW Highway in Dallas. A kid they called "The Bird" played mostly at a strip joint off Lancaster Ave. in Ft. Worth, died young, can't remember his name, any recall out there? Bill Furgeuson used to stake several around there aside from Fat Ralph, another kid called little Dean...An elderly man named Fez Cassan (Kasan) SP? was in El Paso for years and told a ton of stories how he tortured them all, Cornbread Red, Jersey Red, Wimpy, etc. I am quite sure he and "Cowboy" Jimmy Moore used to run the road together. Any recollections from the old schoolers?
I had not read any on this thread, opened it this morning as I was watching Wimbledon. Simply spellbinding. I,ve lost some coin to quite a few listed here in the TX,OK,LA and CA areas:frown:....still great memories. Reds in Houston early eighties, action central along with Rusty's on NW Highway in Dallas. A kid they called "The Bird" played mostly at a strip joint off Lancaster Ave. in Ft. Worth, died young, can't remember his name, any recall out there? Bill Furgeuson used to stake several around there aside from Fat Ralph, another kid called little Dean...An elderly man named Fez Cassan (Kasan) SP? was in El Paso for years and told a ton of stories how he tortured them all, Cornbread Red, Jersey Red, Wimpy, etc. I am quite sure he and "Cowboy" Jimmy Moore used to run the road together. Any recollections from the old schoolers?
Young Poolplayer
The poolplayer that died when he was very young you're referring too nicknamed "bird" was Frank Thompson.
David Harcrow
The poolplayer that died when he was very young you're referring too nicknamed "bird" was Frank Thompson.
David Harcrow
Excaliber
Yes, and I think he had an older brother and had a cue he called Excaliber.
Yes, and I think he had an older brother and had a cue he called Excaliber.
"The Bird" was Frank Thompson.
Fez was a very good friend of mine. He had so many road stories about he and Cowboy Jimmy Moore, Wimpy, Rags Fitzpatrick, Ralph Greenleaf and many others. Fez had also been a prizefighter when he was younger. I last saw Fez in 2004. He was 91 years old, and still made the rounds to every pool hall every day scouting the action, and selling cues. I saw Bobby Madrid a few years ago and had asked about Fez, Bobby told me that he had moved to be with his daughter in New Mexico.
I took many trips to Albuquerque with Fez back in the late 1980's to visit Jimmy Moore. They were very good friends, and it was amazing to hear them discuss their adventures. Fez was always a good friend to me, and we talked almost every day, even after his memory started to go. He would remember the stories of the road in great detail, he just wouldn't remember that he had told you the same story 3 times already that day. Many people in El Paso know that I would sit there (despite how many times he had told the same story) and make Fez feel as if it was the first time I had ever heard it. That drove some people crazy, but I owed a lot to Fez, and I just sat there wide eyed, hanging on every word (no matter who it annoyed). He was a fixture in the El Paso pool scene for many years. I am assuming that by now he has passed away. I miss him a lot.
I know and have played with Glenn, Al, and Bobby Zack many times.
Glenn is better than both Bobby and Al, with Al needing probably the seven out from Glenn and the 8 from Bobby. I have gambled with Al a few times...he gave me the seven last time and he beat me in a close one. I would consider myself a lowish "A" player.
Glenn is probably the best player in the NW hands down. He takes heat from guys like Eddie Mataya, Bobby Zack, Don Wirtamen, and of course a few Canadians that travel down here (Tourangeau, Potier, etc.)
I used to play with James Walden out in OKC. At the time, he was THE BEST player I had ever seen. He ran 7 racks of 8 ball on me on a shimmed Gold Crown. And we were just messing around!