Was Bucktooth really that good?

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
In the book "Playing Off the Rail" McCumber said the Tooth told him that he beat evey champion he ever played. He said he beat McCready, Archer, Ronnie Allen, Incardona, Hopkins, NY Blackie, Danny DiLiberto, Johnny Ervalino, and twenty to thirty more at least. Did he really beat all these guys? Or did he beat them getting the nuts? I find it hard to believe that a lot of them would give him that much of a spot. Johnnyt
 
As I understand it , he was an "A+" bankroll with a "B" game... he beat them by betting them out of their stroke...

Hell just ask him...err, I mean ask cornfed and he will ask tooth for ya
 
Tooth and Bensingers

Johnnyt said:
In the book "Playing Off the Rail" McCumber said the Tooth told him that he beat every champion he ever played. He said he beat McCready, Archer, Ronnie Allen, Incardona, Hopkins, NY Blackie, Danny DiLiberto, Johnny Ervalino, and twenty to thirty more at least. Did he really beat all these guys? Or did he beat them getting the nuts? I find it hard to believe that a lot of them would give him that much of a spot. Johnnyt
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Ok, I will now chip in with my first encounter with Bucktooth. Years back he came into Bensinger's, I didnt know him, and he asked to play $100 a game 1pkt. He also asked to be spotted 9 to 7. In those days anybody I didn't know that came into Bensinger's could get 8 to 7 at least. 9 to 7 to a stranger was a stretch, but I figured I'd shoot 2 barrels at him. Early in the first game, I moved a bunch of balls in front of my pocket and shipped him up table. Without hesitating, he jumped up and popped in a long shot, completely disregarding my loaded pocket. The table we were on had very small pockets, and the shot he made was low percentage. At that point I stopped the action, put my cue on the table and proceeded to chastise him.
I told him if he wanted to continue getting the premium spot of 9 to 7 he had better forget about making those kind of disrespectful shots, and the next time I load up and ship him up table he had better act like a guy needing two balls, and look to play safe, or I would discontinue that spot. This forced the 'Tooth to try and win by stalling only, which with my speed then was impossible. He went for 4 or 5 games before he gave in to the futility of his situation. Once I got winner, if he would have opened up, I would have quit anyway, and he eventually realized that. The next day I wouldn't give him the same game.

the Beard
 
Johnnyt said:
In the book "Playing Off the Rail" McCumber said the Tooth told him that he beat evey champion he ever played. He said he beat McCready, Archer, Ronnie Allen, Incardona, Hopkins, NY Blackie, Danny DiLiberto, Johnny Ervalino, and twenty to thirty more at least. Did he really beat all these guys? Or did he beat them getting the nuts? I find it hard to believe that a lot of them would give him that much of a spot. Johnnyt
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He is a good player but he can`t beat the above metioned players in a even game.I have respect for his game.
 
plays good enough to win, manages his $$$ better than he plays-like me. i smell a big game down the road, i just got to get my back sorted out, or were going to have to flip coins or do something else for what ever he can stand to bet. He is very smart and is one of the best gamblers in the world. i just hope i get well soon enough to get a crack at him, i have been down for 2.5 years and i need time to play when i'm able to play to get ready, just like Bonds there will be a * next to his name, its going to be a dark ending to a bright career when he had enough of me-and i say that with no disrespect, i do respect tooth, but i'm gonna beat him at his own game betting people out of stroke, live by the sword, die by the sword. just like in the movies it has to happen and i'm the end of the road. And again no disrespect meant, implyed or otherwise-i like tooth but when I get in the box with him game over.

i dont consider this woofing because i made it clear that medically i cant play, its known by other people here, tooth's son knows it first hand-he was at my house 4 weeks ago and saw me, so i was reluctant to say anything, but what the heck i did, getting well is more important than any pool game-if anyone is concerned about me dieing from what i have-dont be, i dont have cancer, leucomeia(SP?) or any other fatal disase, its a nerve problem in my back thats been there for 30 years and getting worse.
 
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freddy the beard said:
Ok, I will now chip in with my first encounter with Bucktooth. Years back he came into Bensinger's, I didnt know him, and he asked to play $100 a game 1pkt. He also asked to be spotted 9 to 7. In those days anybody I didn't know that came into Bensinger's could get 8 to 7 at least. 9 to 7 to a stranger was a stretch, but I figured I'd shoot 2 barrels at him. Early in the first game, I moved a bunch of balls in front of my pocket and shipped him up table. Without hesitating, he jumped up and popped in a long shot, completely disregarding my loaded pocket. The table we were on had very small pockets, and the shot he made was low percentage. At that point I stopped the action, put my cue on the table and proceeded to chastise him.
I told him if he wanted to continue getting the premium spot of 9 to 7 he had better forget about making those kind of disrespectful shots, and the next time I load up and ship him up table he had better act like a guy needing two balls, and look to play safe, or I would discontinue that spot. This forced the 'Tooth to try and win by stalling only, which with my speed then was impossible. He went for 4 or 5 games before he gave in to the futility of his situation. Once I got winner, if he would have opened up, I would have quit anyway, and he eventually realized that. The next day I wouldn't give him the same game.

the Beard
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This is a f--kin' funny story. Freddie, you are a "classic". Only you would say and do something like that. And you would too!
 
Johnnyt said:
In the book "Playing Off the Rail" McCumber said the Tooth told him that he beat evey champion he ever played. He said he beat McCready, Archer, Ronnie Allen, Incardona, Hopkins, NY Blackie, Danny DiLiberto, Johnny Ervalino, and twenty to thirty more at least. Did he really beat all these guys? Or did he beat them getting the nuts? I find it hard to believe that a lot of them would give him that much of a spot. Johnnyt
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He forgot to add one thing. WITH WEIGHT!
 
That's not quite right, Jay. The trip to NY that Bucktooth recounts in "Playing Off The Rail" has been verified; he did not lose to anyone he played with, and the crowd included Blackie and Ervolino. GF
 
i look at that if u had me in a trap like that i probably would have fired at my hole too!!! then after hearing your two cents i would have continued to get out and get the dough...if u quit, well, u quit.. at least i got the something out of it...
 
deadwhak said:
i look at that if u had me in a trap like that i probably would have fired at my hole too!!! then after hearing your two cents i would have continued to get out and get the dough...if u quit, well, u quit.. at least i got the something out of it...
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rrrrrrrrrrrr
 
George Fels said:
That's not quite right, Jay. The trip to NY that Bucktooth recounts in "Playing Off The Rail" has been verified; he did not lose to anyone he played with, and the crowd included Blackie and Ervolino. GF
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Thanks George. I know that he played good when he was a young man. I just didn't know he played that good. In his later years, say after age 40, I only saw him play getting weight. Of course, he WAS usually stealing. That part isn't wrong.
 
George Fels said:
That's not quite right, Jay. The trip to NY that Bucktooth recounts in "Playing Off The Rail" has been verified; he did not lose to anyone he played with, and the crowd included Blackie and Ervolino. GF
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Keep on posting here George!!! With Freddy, Jay, Grady and yourself we will be in heaven hearing these stories.
 
When BUCKTOOTH went to NEW YORK in 1964 he was 25 he beat everybody he played EVEN NO SPOT the lis of players was quite long NO ONE can say they beat BUCKTOOTH WHEN HE CAME TO NEW YORK.......... YOU CAN CHECK WITH PETE MARGO.
 
cornfed said:
When BUCKTOOTH went to NEW YORK in 1964 he was 25 he beat everybody he played EVEN NO SPOT the lis of players was quite long NO ONE can say they beat BUCKTOOTH WHEN HE CAME TO NEW YORK.......... YOU CAN CHECK WITH PETE MARGO.
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Does the TOOTH regret not getting his teeth fixed with some of the loot he scored? ;) :)
 
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