What ever happened to Mika Immonen?
- Thread starter Tom In Cincy
- Start date
Yea, Mika's been around the Philly area playing from what I hear on the grapevine. Every time something good happens in the world of pool in that area where I'm from, I hear it in about 15 minutes
Timberly?.....the northeast is THE Mecca for pool rooms. What are you looking for in a room?...they might not be multimillion dollar "Clicks" style rooms, but if you want to play, or get played (action I mean)....you can find it if you look. From what I hear the best action room right now is in Allentown, but some others are:
Tacony
Feasterville
Drexeline
Markley
Classics
D&D
Harrys in Frazer
Billiard club in West Chester
and more I'm probably forgetting....
just depends on what you want to do. I never heard anything about a Planet 9ball in Limerick?.....thats where my wife is from. They were going to put a casino there, but opted for up State a little. Maybe that had something to do with it?
Gerry
Timberly?.....the northeast is THE Mecca for pool rooms. What are you looking for in a room?...they might not be multimillion dollar "Clicks" style rooms, but if you want to play, or get played (action I mean)....you can find it if you look. From what I hear the best action room right now is in Allentown, but some others are:
Tacony
Feasterville
Drexeline
Markley
Classics
D&D
Harrys in Frazer
Billiard club in West Chester
and more I'm probably forgetting....
just depends on what you want to do. I never heard anything about a Planet 9ball in Limerick?.....thats where my wife is from. They were going to put a casino there, but opted for up State a little. Maybe that had something to do with it?
Gerry
I did ask Mika the last time I saw him about the Planet Pool pool room in Limerick, PA, about a 15-minute drive from Valley Forge Conference Center, home of the SBE!
We went there several years ago right after the SBE concluded. I really liked the place. Mika was one of several owners. Inside the pool room, there were several enclosed cases of Mika's world championship trophies and pool paraphernalia on full display, and there were many large black-and-white photos of various players adorning the wall. In the back of the pool room, they had one room with day-glow lighting on the tables and balls, I presume for the kiddies, and in the front of the room, there was one designated table with TIGHT pockets for action.
Mika told me that the owner of the land that they were leasing from got into trouble with the law and I think was incarcerated. Because of the landlord's legal troubles, the pool room's existence came to an end at this location. It is a shame because I really liked the place.
Here is a picture I took several years ago of Keith at Mika's pool room, with Jose Parica standing in the background.
JAM
We went there several years ago right after the SBE concluded. I really liked the place. Mika was one of several owners. Inside the pool room, there were several enclosed cases of Mika's world championship trophies and pool paraphernalia on full display, and there were many large black-and-white photos of various players adorning the wall. In the back of the pool room, they had one room with day-glow lighting on the tables and balls, I presume for the kiddies, and in the front of the room, there was one designated table with TIGHT pockets for action.
Mika told me that the owner of the land that they were leasing from got into trouble with the law and I think was incarcerated. Because of the landlord's legal troubles, the pool room's existence came to an end at this location. It is a shame because I really liked the place.
Here is a picture I took several years ago of Keith at Mika's pool room, with Jose Parica standing in the background.
JAM
Attachments
JAM said:
My bad...You guys must be talking about the room on Ridge Pike at the Auction up on the 2nd fl.? I didn't know Mika and Steve/Cindy called it Planet 9ball. I only played there twice before moving to Fl. That was the sister room to Classics in Pheonixville about 20 minutes south. Yea, they had some trouble with the landlord or something after putting together a nice room. Thats what happens when you have to deal with the farmers out in the country!
Gerry
Gerry said:
As one who has frequented pool rooms located in the North and the South, I have come to the conclusion that it's not the physical structure of the pool room as much as it is the environment.
There is definitely a different atmosphere down South in the pool rooms than there is in the North, and IMHO, it is the warm and genuinely nice people themselves who make the experience of playing pool down South so very exciting.
Don't get me wrong. I enjoy the pool rooms I have frequented up North, but there ain't nothing better than the warm hospitality I have experienced down South. Each room I have visited, it's like walking into the home of an old friend. Again, it's not the pool room itself, but the people who make it special.
JAM
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JAM said:
i'm not so sure about that , jam. you may be right and certainly if mika told you that,,,,but i didn't think mika had a %. anyway, you're right about the property. the pool room owner bought the property, but legal issues nixed the deal and ownership of the property was up in the air.
T
Timberly
Guest
There's two pool rooms in my area and no action. The pool rooms can't serve alcohol so they get a lot of kids and the equipment is not in good shape.... nothing like a bunch of kids running around, talking loudly, bumping into you, and no action to watch to make an enjoyable pool experience. 
I quit playing when I moved here. I'm used to places that serve alcohol so there's no kids allowed and there's a known action table that usually has action on it. This doesn't exist where I live and I didn't see it when I was at Drexeline. I've also heard that a couple of other places that I've inquired about but have not been to yet, are also like the rooms where I'm at & Drexeline.
I'm not saying that there's not action here, I'm just saying that it's different here... not what I'm used to. The atmosphere is different... I've been to a place in Allentown that has a little action but again, I didn't care for the atmosphere (kids & the only snacks come from a vending machine). I went to another place just above Allentown...same thing but no action... we were the only ones there & for snacks we could get a soda out of the machine & order a microwave pizza. I went to Mully's in Johnstown.... nice tables, not a bad pool room....the best one I've been to in PA but still no alcohol so there's quite a bit of kids.
Yrs ago when I played everyday, I didn't drink.... probably wouldn't drink in the pool rooms here (if it was offered). It's just an important factor because if they sell it, the kids aren't allowed in. If all the kids were like Tanner.... well behaved, care about pool, & take acre of the equipment, it wouldn't matter.
I was definitely spoiled in SC & TX... both were hot spots at the time and there was always PLENTY of good action to sit back & enjoy. When I left SC, Shannon Daulton, Tony Watson (clean & sober) Cliff Joyner, & Tony Ellin were all playing every night in the same pool room & people were coming from all over to play them. It was phenomenal. Then I moved to TX and was still surrounded by great players.... I ran a wkly tourney that had Erman Bullard, Coy Lee, Fat Ralph, Joey Barnes & Lizard every wk. Players out on the road like Jeremy Jones & Danny Harriman would stop in & play at that tourney.
From the atmosphere to the action... it's just different here.
I quit playing when I moved here. I'm used to places that serve alcohol so there's no kids allowed and there's a known action table that usually has action on it. This doesn't exist where I live and I didn't see it when I was at Drexeline. I've also heard that a couple of other places that I've inquired about but have not been to yet, are also like the rooms where I'm at & Drexeline.
I'm not saying that there's not action here, I'm just saying that it's different here... not what I'm used to. The atmosphere is different... I've been to a place in Allentown that has a little action but again, I didn't care for the atmosphere (kids & the only snacks come from a vending machine). I went to another place just above Allentown...same thing but no action... we were the only ones there & for snacks we could get a soda out of the machine & order a microwave pizza. I went to Mully's in Johnstown.... nice tables, not a bad pool room....the best one I've been to in PA but still no alcohol so there's quite a bit of kids.
Yrs ago when I played everyday, I didn't drink.... probably wouldn't drink in the pool rooms here (if it was offered). It's just an important factor because if they sell it, the kids aren't allowed in. If all the kids were like Tanner.... well behaved, care about pool, & take acre of the equipment, it wouldn't matter.
I was definitely spoiled in SC & TX... both were hot spots at the time and there was always PLENTY of good action to sit back & enjoy. When I left SC, Shannon Daulton, Tony Watson (clean & sober) Cliff Joyner, & Tony Ellin were all playing every night in the same pool room & people were coming from all over to play them. It was phenomenal. Then I moved to TX and was still surrounded by great players.... I ran a wkly tourney that had Erman Bullard, Coy Lee, Fat Ralph, Joey Barnes & Lizard every wk. Players out on the road like Jeremy Jones & Danny Harriman would stop in & play at that tourney.
From the atmosphere to the action... it's just different here.
T
Timberly
Guest
We can trade.... You take my place (45 min from Valley Forge) and I'll take your place in FL... I don't mind the heat... I do mind the snow.Gerry said:yup!...it's not like it was 15 years ago, but maybe some day again
My wifes up there right now looking at Properties for us, so I can get out of this sweltering, bug infested, sweat pit known as Florida. Did I say it was HOT here?
Gerry
