Unknown "monster" players

[JAM]

Whatever happened to Bobby Leggs and Big Wayne, both played strong.

Bobby Leggs is still around, last I heard, and can be seen in Baltimore area during the daytime hours most times. He still attends Valley Forge Super Billiards Expo, I believe.

Wayne from Baltimore is still around and is seen frequently at action events in the Baltimore area. He sometimes hangs out with Jeff the Piano Man. Sometimes he has a collection of used cues with him for sale. He also sells new Frey cues.

I always liked Wayne. He loves the action and always bets it up. If he can't find a good sweat match, he will just handicap his opponent's game and play himself. He's one of Maryland's oldies but goodies.

JAM

 

[JAM]

I remember Geese, Nate, Bo & Mikey Newport, Bobby Leggs, & Freddy Boggs all in Bill & Billies one nite, action packed what a nite!

Sadly, Geese passed away severals year ago from cancer.

Nate pops up every now and then and gives us all a cameo appearance, but I think he's rather be playing cards.

Bo and Mikey Newport had a family feud sometime ago and were not speaking. I hope they have made up by now. I remember when Bo would be in action at the original Bill and Billie's in Glen Burnie, but poor Mikey was under 18. In Baltimore at this time, the minors had to leave the pool room at midnight.

Many times I would hang with Mikey outside because he was not allowed inside after the midnight hour. Unfortunately for Mikey, that is exact time when the action would begin, after the bars closed down.

Bo still goes to DCC on occasion. I have not seen Mikey in a long while.

I ran into my man Freddy Boggs in Vegas a few years ago. Every now and then I read his name on this forum, that he is competing in some tournament out West. Freddy's brother Scotty, who used to be a good player in the Maryland area, got married and moved to Florida. I don't hear much about Scotty anymore. Freddy, on the other hand, has been known to bet it up on occasion. Before he left for Vegas, he snapped Keith off right before my eyes playing one-hole at USA Billiards in Laurel. Couldn't happen to a better guy!

JAM

 

[mark8950]

curtis payne? AKA KING CURTIS

Last I Saw Him Was In Shreveport At A Bar Table Tourney! Sparky

 

[gulyassy]

I'll give you one that was a monster player back in the 70's and before. His name was Chuck Morgan, he was from North Carolina and lived in Cleveland. He played banks with Bugs Ruker back when Bugs Ruker was unbeatable. They played all weekend at the Hilltop Motel In Streetsboro, Ohio. Neither one could get any distance on the other in games and ended up quitting even. They played full rack banks to 8 for $300.00 a game. This motel was a 24 hour action spot so they played continuous for about 30 hours. I remember back in the 70's when Chuck was working in a pool room on West 25th in Cleveland. It was called La Cue. He was there for action. He would throw out all 15 balls and rum out in rotation. This is how he practiced. He was "the pool God" when I was growing up.

 

[pooljunky220]

monster player

i dont know if anyone from the NE area knows of chuck altomare. he plays jam up and has for a while. he is like a machine when he plays, nothing else going through his head. hes capable of beating almost anyone. he was in NY at masters and was told by his backer to ask a certain guy if he wanted to play $300 sets. when he asked, the guy asked him what he wanted for weight and when chuck said "even", the guy RAN to get his cues. 4 or so sets later, chuck was up maybe one. they had to leave so they gave the money back to the guy and left. chuck said that the guy played really good and his backer said, "he should hes the world #1, dennis orcullo." when i heard that, i wasnt even suprised. chuck is just an animal.

 

[jay helfert]

I'll give you one that was a monster player back in the 70's and before. His name was Chuck Morgan, he was from North Carolina and lived in Cleveland. He played banks with Bugs Ruker back when Bugs Ruker was unbeatable. They played all weekend at the Hilltop Motel In Streetsboro, Ohio. Neither one could get any distance on the other in games and ended up quitting even. They played full rack banks to 8 for $300.00 a game. This motel was a 24 hour action spot so they played continuous for about 30 hours. I remember back in the 70's when Chuck was working in a pool room on West 25th in Cleveland. It was called La Cue. He was there for action. He would throw out all 15 balls and rum out in rotation. This is how he practiced. He was "the pool God" when I was growing up.

I remember Chuck Morgan from back then. He and Joey Spaeth were the big name players around Ohio back then. What happened to him?

 

[pharaoh68]

i dont know if anyone from the NE area knows of chuck altomare. he plays jam up and has for a while. he is like a machine when he plays, nothing else going through his head. hes capable of beating almost anyone. he was in NY at masters and was told by his backer to ask a certain guy if he wanted to play $300 sets. when he asked, the guy asked him what he wanted for weight and when chuck said "even", the guy RAN to get his cues. 4 or so sets later, chuck was up maybe one. they had to leave so they gave the money back to the guy and left. chuck said that the guy played really good and his backer said, "he should hes the world #1, dennis orcullo." when i heard that, i wasnt even suprised. chuck is just an animal.

Chuck is definitely a monster. There's no doubt. And he could've gone pretty far too. He ended up having some problems over the years and thats likely the ONLY reason more people don't know his name.

 

[pooljunky220]

Chuck is definitely a monster. There's no doubt. And he could've gone pretty far too. He ended up having some problems over the years and thats likely the ONLY reason more people don't know his name.

Yea unfortunately, some times people get caught up in the wrong stuff. he def plays great and was told by John Schmidt, i believe, that he has the best break he has ever seen. not bad for a guy who isn't known that well.

 

[Koop]

i dont know if anyone from the NE area knows of chuck altomare. he plays jam up and has for a while. he is like a machine when he plays, nothing else going through his head. hes capable of beating almost anyone. he was in NY at masters and was told by his backer to ask a certain guy if he wanted to play $300 sets. when he asked, the guy asked him what he wanted for weight and when chuck said "even", the guy RAN to get his cues. 4 or so sets later, chuck was up maybe one. they had to leave so they gave the money back to the guy and left. chuck said that the guy played really good and his backer said, "he should hes the world #1, dennis orcullo." when i heard that, i wasnt even suprised. chuck is just an animal.

He plays in a lot of Joss events. I've seen him play numerous times.
Though he is rarely, if ever, a favorite to win an event he is never taken lightly.

 

[Steve Stough]

Anybody remember a guy from NE Pennsylvania, Jimmy Matz about 20 years, one of the most feared players in the north east (world class talent) and always had a backer...sorry to say Jimmy took his life a few years ago, kinda comical in the pool room, had some antics and smoke a little cigar

 

[Craig]

Didn't Horace Harper beat everyone that came through Macon, GA at one time? I heard everyone lost to him - every top player at the time.

On the bar table what about guys Jimmy King or Joe Wofford or even Danny Cook.

Jimmy King has been hanging out in Alabama for a little while now, He still try and hustle in the bars if he can get staked nowadays.

But he plays pretty sporty on the bar-box, and to only have one eye.

On a big table I dont think he was as much threat.

 

[ibuycues]

Chuck Morgan

I'll give you one that was a monster player back in the 70's and before. His name was Chuck Morgan, he was from North Carolina and lived in Cleveland. He played banks with Bugs Ruker back when Bugs Ruker was unbeatable. They played all weekend at the Hilltop Motel In Streetsboro, Ohio. Neither one could get any distance on the other in games and ended up quitting even. They played full rack banks to 8 for $300.00 a game. This motel was a 24 hour action spot so they played continuous for about 30 hours. I remember back in the 70's when Chuck was working in a pool room on West 25th in Cleveland. It was called La Cue. He was there for action. He would throw out all 15 balls and rum out in rotation. This is how he practiced. He was "the pool God" when I was growing up.

I remember Morgan well, a true monster. I lived in Canton, Ohio in the early 70`s, and several games hooked up with Chuck at the Hilltop. He played Fred martin (Canton), Emil Glocar (Akron), and others.

Thanks for bringing his name up!

Will

 

[DoubleA]

Have we named them all?

 

[Ltldebbie]

Now lets start taking some off

Have we named them all?

I saw little Leo Newberry playing last week and if that's any indication of how he's playing any more....Take him off. He lost to Stan Torengo 7-0 and Stan let him off his chair many times to kick at his ball. Couldn't stand up to the pressure. Another one bites the dust. I hope the best for Leo but all those years of substance abuse has probably caught up with him. There but the grace of God go I.

 

[Nostroke]

He plays in a lot of Joss events. I've seen him play numerous times.
Though he is rarely, if ever, a favorite to win an event he is never taken lightly.

When Chuckie was right, he won 3 Joss Events in a row i believe. He may have won 4 outta 5 . I dont think even Ronnie Alcano bested that. It was probably 8 years or so ago and the tournaments were mid state as i remember. Dana might have the exact info-not sure.

 

[uwate]

No thread about unknown monster players would be complete without naming "Monster John" aka John Rouse. He is a jamup player down here in south florida. Plays incredible 1p and banks and his 9ball game is strong. He beat Lil John in 9ball at the DCC.

 

[crawfish]

How could we forget Buster Mercer? He came through NC back when I was in College in the 80's. What's his story?

 

[Tommy-D]

> You mean Buster Merchant? I've only seen him play 1-hole on the big table,but have seen his bar table game several times,and he's quite strong,a grinder in the "Good Time Charlie" mold.

People down in Mississippi are fond of the belief that he either plays or used to play as good on the small track as Reed Pierce.

I came up with a couple more in the last couple days. There is a player from up in Bethpage,Ny named Scott Nacovsky that used to play pretty strong,and another from the same neck of the woods named Danny Barouty.

Scott beat Archer once at the Bicycle Club event that Sigel won,as a qualifier. Barouty was a 14.1 specialist,and a strong one,said to run 200's regularly.

Anyone remember Bill Mielke,or know Wayne Collins? Tommy D.

 

[StevenPWaldon]

Is Danny Barouty really an unknown? Granted, I didn't know of him before moving to NYC but it seems like he's been on the scene for a while.

The first time I saw him play I had no idea who he was. He's a tubby guy with a funny stroke, and he was playing Mika on the front table at Amsterdam. Mika was practicing 14.1 with him to get ready for the 14.1 World Championships in NJ the following week. So this guy keeps running out, and making great shots to keep his run going. "Who is this guy that's beating Mika!?" I thought to myself. It turns it it was Barouty, who was also practicing for the upcoming 14.1 WCs himself.

>...and another from the same neck of the woods named Danny Barouty.

Scott beat Archer once at the Bicycle Club event that Sigel won,as a qualifier. Barouty was a 14.1 specialist,and a strong one,said to run 200's regularly.

Anyone remember Bill Mielke,or know Wayne Collins? Tommy D.

 

[DoubleA]

In the early 90's,there was a guy named Barry Medlock in NC(around Ashville I think) that played very very good. Anyone know him or what happened to him?