Unknown Ohio road men of an earlier era

[BHQ]

most people dont know this,
but when my mom remarried back around 1980
she married the son of ed mergard
he was one of the four mergard brothers that owned mergards lanes here in cincy and in northern ky
i think there were 7 all together, maybe 6 i forget now
i wish ed was still alive to tell the stories that were born in his pool rooms
from what i gather from my step dad ,
EVERYYYYYYYYYYYYYbody played there back in the 60's & early 70's

 

[jay helfert]

Wow, this is like a trip down memory lane for me. I only joined this site a week ago. In the late 60's I hung out at the Golden 8 Ball in Columbus, where all the pool action was hapening at the time. Kenny McCoy, Howard Vicary and many road players made for some good action. I used to live and travel with a pool player named Bud Alexander and, if anyone knows where he is, I sure would like to know. Last I heard he was in Washington DC, but that was yers ago.

Fast forward to the late 80's, early 90's and I found myself in Cincinnati, Oh. Found a pool hall called Family Billards, owned at the time by none other than Cuesmith. I met Joey and Gary Spaeth, Donny Anderson and the like. Got into playing a little bit, but never was a player.

I joined this site because I am going to start playing again as I am closing down my shop in January and my time will be my own. This is a great site...

Did you know that Danny Jones built that place in about 1964? He was the first owner. I forget who his partner was. I know it was another pool player, I just can't remember who right now. Maybe Earl Shriver. Little Miami was like the house hustler in there. I think Danny imported him for that job, so he didn't have to hustle the customers himself. Howard Barrett and Bill Mullen hung around there and several other good players spent time in the that place. I played Vickery in there and beat him. He wasn't quite the player he was to become yet. We were friends ever since. I feel bad for him now, being in the bind he's in. I for one don't believe it's true.

 

[jay helfert]

Bucky was originally from Michigan and came to Ohio in the 90's IIRC. His best days were probably in the 80's where he made a name for himself primarily on the Barbox. He played well on big tables too and even played a little 3C but by the time he came to Ohio Gary was pretty much Top Dog. Bucky is a good friend of mine and I still like the old guy. He was in my shop one day after a visit back home to Michigan. He told me about playing in a small tournament there. After the draw, he said he heard a young guy looking at the chart say, "Who the hell is Bucky Bell?" Bucky told him "I am son, and you're about to see what it's like to have your bell rung" I made Bucky a cue and put a ring on it that I engraved with "Who the hell is Bucky Bell?" When Bucky came by to pick up his cue and saw the engraving he was beaming! He showed that cue to everyone he ran into for quite some time.

Bucky played good pool for decades! He still plays good!

 

[Ky Boy]

Bucky grew up and was born in Booneville county Kentucky. His father was a judge in that town. He may have LIVED there but was not "from" there with that Twang he has.

Bucky was born in Owsley County, Booneville, Ky.......just about 40 miles from Irvine, Ky where Eric Durbin's family was from before moving to Ohio.


I will never forget the first time I saw Bucky. He was playing in one of the big tourney's Steepleton's in Lexington used to have before they closed down. He was a good barbox player and my buddy played pretty good too. He was one of the stronger players around eastern Ky. They played a set to 12 (iirc) for $300 and Bucky only gave him a few opportunites the entire set.

After it was over he had pretty much the same reply as cuesmith relayed a few posts ago.

It was classic to see that old man dab 'em the way he did....




Gary

 

[jazznpool]

I first saw Bucky play In Detroit or Lansing area in late 70's. The older guys I was with knew him and identified him as an excellent player. Funny thing to recall, but he was the first player I ever saw to shoot with a glove. It was a brown cotton work glove that had the fingers partiall cut off from what I recall.

Martin

Does anyone remember the Whistle Stop in Toledo from late 70's or the bar with 9' tables in Perrysburg, Ohio?

Bucky was born in Owsley County, Booneville, Ky.......just about 40 miles from Irvine, Ky where Eric Durbin's family was from before moving to Ohio.


I will never forget the first time I saw Bucky. He was playing in one of the big tourney's Steepleton's in Lexington used to have before they closed down. He was a good barbox player and my buddy played pretty good too. He was one of the stronger players around eastern Ky. They played a set to 12 (iirc) for $300 and Bucky only gave him a few opportunites the entire set.

After it was over he had pretty much the same reply as cuesmith relayed a few posts ago.

It was classic to see that old man dab 'em the way he did....




Gary

 

[gunzby]

Great stories
I must've grown up at the wrong corner of Ohio (NE of Cleveland). I did get to see some great players at my end though. Guys like JR Gay, Cary Cook (he wrote a book about kicking/banking called Take Your Diamonds to the Bank), Tulio Antonelli, Ronny Harwood, Parma (i think his name was Joe Louis) and a few others.

Guess I didn't stick around Ohio long enough to see the other side.

 

[gunzby]

Oops forgot about Frank Zuma too. Got to see em all when I worked at Rack n Roll in Mentor. When I was interviewed to work there the owner asked me why I wanted to work here. I didn't even pause to tell him because I wanted to play for free. I got hired right after answering.

 

[jay helfert]

Oops forgot about Frank Zuma too. Got to see em all when I worked at Rack n Roll in Mentor. When I was interviewed to work there the owner asked me why I wanted to work here. I didn't even pause to tell him because I wanted to play for free. I got hired right after answering.

How's Frank doing? Did you know Frank promoted the first professional Ten Ball events in Cleveland back in 1990-91? They were played on tight Gold Crowns and many matches became safety battles. The audience didn't like it, compared to the run and gun style of 9-Ball they were used to. It was a good idea but fell flat that first time. It would take another fifteen years before Ten Ball became an accepted tournament game. I think David Howard won one of them. He broke almost like Shane back then. I believe that Terry Moldenhauer was Frank's partner at that time. Don't know if you recognize the name.

 

[jay helfert]

what about kenny abnee, abney? spellcheck , great bigggggggg guy, played bank. worked at the golden tee part-time
is bucky bell running around in a wig and disguise considered an unknown ohio player? :thumbup:

You mean that big afro thing he used to wear? Everyone knew it was him.

 

[ibuycues]

George was the best of the best! Luther Lassiter (no less) called him the best 9-Ball player he ever knew. He was the one guy Luther did not want to play. Actually they were good friends and Luther would often visit George in Dayton back in the 60's and 70's. Don Willis was another running buddy of theirs. How would you like to draw to this threesome back then? Doubtful they ever lost when traveling together in the 50's.

Jay,

I spent most of my life in Ohio and knew many of the players you mentioned. Great, great trip for me, loaded with memories, thanks.

By the way, in Akron in the entire decade of the 1970`s at Starcher`s a player named Emil Glocar played a lot of people. In the early 1980`s he moved to Mansfield for less than a year, then off to Vegas as a dealer.

Donnie Williams was another Ohio pool player who moved to Vegas and became a top card player and dealer.

Will Prout

 

[gunzby]

How's Frank doing? Did you know Frank promoted the first professional Ten Ball events in Cleveland back in 1990-91? They were played on tight Gold Crowns and many matches became safety battles. The audience didn't like it, compared to the run and gun style of 9-Ball they were used to. It was a good idea but fell flat that first time. It would take another fifteen years before Ten Ball became an accepted tournament game. I think David Howard won one of them. He broke almost like Shane back then. I believe that Terry Moldenhauer was Frank's partner at that time. Don't know if you recognize the name.

I remember the name, but can't place the face. Frank runs a little room in Eastlake now. I stopped in there last year to see him and play a few. He seemed to be doing good.

I remember one tournament he was in that I was buying him in the calcutta. JR Gay was playing too and all I could think was who is this Sicilian Mafia looking guy. Well as the bids go up on Frank I keep going and he turns to me and shakes his head. I stopped and JR blew through everyone. I was only 18 then, but I got hooked watching those guys and playing.

 

[Jimmy R]

I used to take lessons from Bucky back when i first started playing in the early 1990's. Bucky was amazing on a barbox. We were in Vegas 1 year and he beat 38 players in a row gambling. Including all of team canada.
How would you like to run into this team.
Joe Brown
Frank Ruby
Bucky Bell
Jason Miller
Gary Speath
Thats a tough draw

Jimmy R

 

[jay helfert]

Jay,

I spent most of my life in Ohio and knew many of the players you mentioned. Great, great trip for me, loaded with memories, thanks.

By the way, in Akron in the entire decade of the 1970`s at Starcher`s a player named Emil Glocar played a lot of people. In the early 1980`s he moved to Mansfield for less than a year, then off to Vegas as a dealer.

Donnie Williams was another Ohio pool player who moved to Vegas and became a top card player and dealer.

Will Prout

Emil was a well known player to road men. He was on everyone's map as one guy to avoid or play last. He was a 100 ball runner too, a rarity in the Midwest. Donnie didn't play that speed, but had a nice One Pocket game. Still in Vegas last I heard but in failing health.

 

[gunzby]

Great stories btw Jay. Now that I am not typing on my phone it's a little easier. Dom (shamdam on here) can chime in much better on how Frank is doing since he lives near his ph and I only stop in when I travel up to Ohio to visit.

Being younger I missed out on a lot of this good stuff, but luckily pool halls were still riding the wave of The Color of Money when I was old enough to sit in the pool hall all day and night in 93. I remember reserving tables at 11am for that night and them being lucky to get that table two hours after they reserved it. I sure hope those days come around again.

 

[book collector]

most people dont know this,
but when my mom remarried back around 1980
she married the son of ed mergard
he was one of the four mergard brothers that owned mergards lanes here in cincy and in northern ky
i think there were 7 all together, maybe 6 i forget now
i wish ed was still alive to tell the stories that were born in his pool rooms
from what i gather from my step dad ,
EVERYYYYYYYYYYYYYbody played there back in the 60's & early 70's

I met a guy from Cincy in N Carolina in the Army, I thought I played pretty good and he told me to stop in at Mergards when I got discharged . I did . I won 90 dollars off some atheletic guy that looked like a movie star. He was the first person to ask me to play when I went in ,so I figured he was the best > I was only 20 and goofy. Luckily I never asked anyone else to play because he was probably the only guy in there I could beat lol. I do remember the table played great. That was summer 1971

 

[decent dennis]

54 posts and no one wished you a happy birthday!

 

[Fatboy]

Happy bday

What a great thread this is!!!!
Wow!

 

[Kentucky Rack Man]

Jay, As always you PROVIDE. I met you at the Derby a few years back and I asked you about a relative I had but never met named Bill Stegall from Mansfield, Oh. You immediately told me the story of him coming to Dayton and well the end result was not what he planned. I loved hanging around and just hearing you talk about those days. I was born in 1960 and was house man in More head, Ky that had 3 booming pool rooms in the 70’s. Man I loved my mis spent childhood. You sir have my RESPECT for your Passion and Promotion of the GAME. THANKS

 

[Jimmy_Betmore]

Great older thread revived. I was born in Dayton and have lived in and around it all but two years I spent in Ypsilanti, Michigan for college. I always loved pool and spent 99% of my waking hours at Bob Burns' place on Kingsridge Drive by the Dayton Mall through the late 90's. I learned a lot from the friends I made and had some of the funniest and best experiences of my life there. Bob is a great guy, and if you can get him going, has some incredible stories about his dad's old place (Joe Burns / Forest Park Billiards.)

But as life goes, I kind of got out of the game for a couple of years. But when I got back into it I started hanging out at Airway on Needmore and that love turned into a passion. I fondly remember an 88 year old George Rood beating my brains in while I was trying to learn one hole. Even at his advanced age, the guy never seemed to shoot anything that looked even remotely difficult, moved the cue ball with what looked like telepathy, and was mentally sharp as a tack. Speaking of legends, I worked second shift back then and would always run up there after work on Mondays to catch the middle and end of their nine ball tournament. I vividly remember hearing Todd repeatedly say over the PA, "Steve Cook wins on table X, Y, Z...", looking around, and wondering who the hell is this Steve Cook guy? That's when I learned that the best players don't always look like they'd be the best players. Without knowing any better, who would have thought the quiet little guy, with the round head, the baby blue socks, and button up sweater was a freaking world champion??? And I'm not even going to try to name them all (those who know, know) but that room was FULL of killers.

Anyways, thank you to Jay for the post. I was lucky enough to meet and even play a few of the guys you mention and reading this brought back some amazing memories.

 

[bbb]

I know George Rood & he could tell these stories everyday & not tell the same one twice. Someone in Dayton missed their chance to have a recoder going, when George was giving the crowd some history.

george rood was mentioned in several posts in this thread
since the thread has been resurrected
here is an interview with george done by steve booth at onepocket.org

Rack’em up with George ‘The Trapper’ Rood

www.onepocket.org