When did Efren FIRST come to the USA?

[Nostroke]

I don't know about Red's in Houston [or when that was] but I do know that in July/Aug[??] 1885 I was the Head Referee helping out Chris Chrisman run that years BIlliards Digest 3 Cushion Open [$30,000 prize money-really, really big for those days] at Chris's Billiards on N Mailwaukee in Chicago when Efrem walked in the door and paid his entry fee. Now I had heard about him from my friend CARL CONLON but had never met him until then. Ceuleman's was there, a 19 year old Blomdahl, Larry "Boston Shorty" Johnson, Gilbert, Ashby, Torres, Hallon, Sims plus all the other usual suspects. Never seen anything like it until CAROM CORNER and SANG LEE got going [Sang came over one year later in 1986 for which I have a story about also].

So at any rate, EFREM was there, he played and was one of the also rans in that he did not make the finals. But they did have sorta a consolation finals, 8 man single elimination as I re-call, which EFREM did win to cash for $1000. As I was the head referee I was responsible for scheduling all the games. Efrem asked me if I could work around him as he was also playing in a local 9 Ball Tourney in another room in Chicago that Sat and Sun, those being the days he also had to play at Chris's in the consolation finals playing 3 cushion carom billiards. While winning the consolation finals at Chris's [he played to around a solid 0.950 average] he also won the 9 Ball Tournament, going from room to room to play what he had to when he had to. Most remarkable performance.

Hope you enjoyed it, this is a true story

Dennis Dieckman, Builder of Magik Wandzzzzzz

Did Allen Hopkins learn Efren's name from you?

 

[Renegade]

"....In July/Aug[??] 1885 I was the Head Referee helping out Chris Chrisman run that years BIlliards Digest 3 Cushion Open"

1885??? I guess that settles the question!

 

[BillPorter]

Do we all agree that Efren was not here before summer of 1885?

"....In July/Aug[??] 1885 I was the Head Referee helping out Chris Chrisman run that years BIlliards Digest 3 Cushion Open"

1885??? That settles the question!

My first laugh of the day! Thanks, Renegade.

On a more serious note, was this before or after the tournament at Red's?

 

[Tablemechanic]

Efren

I might see him tommarow at Hard Times. I will ask him, if not I will see him in Vegas. Joey's contact is one of Efren's best friends and pretty much knows the history about him. Also I see Jose Parica almost everyday and I think he would know to.

I hope you dont mind Bill, I printed out the photos of Jose, Efren, and Little Al for them. They love them and can not believe that the photos are around. I showed Efren last night and he said he looked so young. I asked him if that was the first time he was here and I think he said yes. He wants the photos when he gets back from Vegas. I will find out for sure.

Steve

 

[Nostroke]

I use to be Boy Bicol's sidekick back in the early '70s when the hot spot was D'or Billiards in Cubao. Yes he was top dog back then and mostly playing Efren, Amang and Totoy Dacer. I only did find out about his demise after I returned from the US. I was told that it was his stakehorse that was "invited" but, for not knowing what was going on, he insisted that he should go with his financier. So off they went only to be found in pieces that can fit shoe boxes.

Hey Edwin-Was anyone prosecuted for this?

Also-did this lead to less stakehorses and were the players less likely to get involved in big stakes match-ups after that? I know it would cool my desire permanently.

 

[gulfportdoc]

He gave his wife $95,000 to save and she invested it in real estate (not sure whether in CA or the Philipines) and made $20-30 million from it.

That's very unlikely. Even $1 million would be pushing it. Maybe she's friends with Hillary Clinton?

Doc

 

[pharaoh68]

That's very unlikely. Even $1 million would be pushing it. Maybe she's friends with Hillary Clinton?

Doc

Not completely. I work in publishing for a prof./trade book publishing company. One of our authors started his real estate investing business with $50,000. He just recently sold a house for a little over $80,000,000 and is brokering a deal on a $100,000,000 plus home. Trust me. Real estate is the smartest investment you can make these days. You get the right guidance and make the right moves and you can turn that kind of money into $1million in a month!

 

[bandido]

Hey Edwin-Was anyone prosecuted for this?

No one that I know of. I would guess that who ever did it is a heavyweight that no one dares to cross.

Also-did this lead to less stakehorses and were the players less likely to get involved in big stakes match-ups after that? I know it would cool my desire permanently.

No it didn't. There're actually more with bigger amounts to play around with.

 

[sixpack]

Not completely. I work in publishing for a prof./trade book publishing company. One of our authors started his real estate investing business with $50,000. He just recently sold a house for a little over $80,000,000 and is brokering a deal on a $100,000,000 plus home. Trust me. Real estate is the smartest investment you can make these days. You get the right guidance and make the right moves and you can turn that kind of money into $1million in a month!

Who is he and what is his book called?

RC

 

[jay helfert]

I don't know about Red's in Houston [or when that was] but I do know that in July/Aug[??] 1885 I was the Head Referee helping out Chris Chrisman run that years BIlliards Digest 3 Cushion Open [$30,000 prize money-really, really big for those days] at Chris's Billiards on N Mailwaukee in Chicago when Efrem walked in the door and paid his entry fee. Now I had heard about him from my friend CARL CONLON but had never met him until then. Ceuleman's was there, a 19 year old Blomdahl, Larry "Boston Shorty" Johnson, Gilbert, Ashby, Torres, Hallon, Sims plus all the other usual suspects. Never seen anything like it until CAROM CORNER and SANG LEE got going [Sang came over one year later in 1986 for which I have a story about also].

So at any rate, EFREM was there, he played and was one of the also rans in that he did not make the finals. But they did have sorta a consolation finals, 8 man single elimination as I re-call, which EFREM did win to cash for $1000. As I was the head referee I was responsible for scheduling all the games. Efrem asked me if I could work around him as he was also playing in a local 9 Ball Tourney in another room in Chicago that Sat and Sun, those being the days he also had to play at Chris's in the consolation finals playing 3 cushion carom billiards. While winning the consolation finals at Chris's [he played to around a solid 0.950 average] he also won the 9 Ball Tournament, going from room to room to play what he had to when he had to. Most remarkable performance.

Hope you enjoyed it, this is a true story

Dennis Dieckman, Builder of Magik Wandzzzzzz

How old were you in 1885? lol

 

[jay helfert]

Not completely. I work in publishing for a prof./trade book publishing company. One of our authors started his real estate investing business with $50,000. He just recently sold a house for a little over $80,000,000 and is brokering a deal on a $100,000,000 plus home. Trust me. Real estate is the smartest investment you can make these days. You get the right guidance and make the right moves and you can turn that kind of money into $1million in a month!

Excuse me. A 80M house and a 100M house? Please. I am in real estate in Southern California and that would be more expensive than any property on the whole West Coast or Hawaii. The biggest estates out here are in the
30-40M range.

You may have added one zero for emphasis. Eight to Ten Mil I have no problem with. You'll have to show me a 80M estate. Bill Gate's property is valued at 60M. Maybe your friend is wealthier than Bill too.

 

[jay helfert]

Everyone was fooled. Who was that masked man?(photo from Billiards Digest)

Sh-t, Grady was right. Ronnie won the One Pocket in 1984. Okay Grady, I owe you a dinner.

 

[karambolista]

I use to be Boy Bicol's sidekick back in the early '70s when the hot spot was D'or Billiards in Cubao. Yes he was top dog back then and mostly playing Efren, Amang and Totoy Dacer. I only did find out about his demise after I returned from the US. I was told that it was his stakehorse that was "invited" but, for not knowing what was going on, he insisted that he should go with his financier. So off they went only to be found in pieces that can fit shoe boxes.

When did this happened?

 

[gulfportdoc]

Trust me. Real estate is the smartest investment you can make these days. You get the right guidance and make the right moves and you can turn that kind of money into $1million in a month!

How much are you spending on these get-rich-quick real estate seminars?

Doc

 

[Nostroke]

Not completely. I work in publishing for a prof./trade book publishing company. One of our authors started his real estate investing business with $50,000. He just recently sold a house for a little over $80,000,000 and is brokering a deal on a $100,000,000 plus home. Trust me. Real estate is the smartest investment you can make these days. You get the right guidance and make the right moves and you can turn that kind of money into $1million in a month!

Easy man-Real Estate goes down too. I know a guy who was flipping houses in the 80's doing great, worked his way up to 5 houses all at once when the market collapsed.

Today he has no money, no credit and if he ever gets a real job and tries to put money in the bank, the IRS will take it.

I know another guy in Florida now who has 7 houses- He started in the business 18 months ago. He sold one house for a small profit and the other 6 unsold though he dropped the prices to where he is 'even'. If the market goes further south, he will be in the same boat with my other buddy.

Once the speculators start baling, watch out below.

I wouldnt go anywhere near Real Estate til there is a major pullback-at least 30% from here. Then only buy what you can rent profitably while you wait for possibe appreciation.

 

[jsp]

This is from the recent Billiards Digest article Filipino Idol...

Those familiar with the lore of Reyes will certainly recognize the name "Cesar Morales." That was the tag Reyes used when he played in Red's 9-Ball Open in Houston back in 1985, when the Filipinos who came with this "Morales" guy walked out with $81,000 in prize money and side bets after it was all over. The real Morales has been a lifelong friend of Reyes and was at Red's, where, because his name was being used, he went by the name of Cesar Chua.

Because of a misunderstanding several years back, Morales and Reyes became estranged, but have recently patched over their differences. According to Morales, who can usually be found hanging around wherever in Angeles there's a money match, the Red's ploy was a time-honored tactic which he, Reyes, as well as Rodolfo Luat and Efren's long time manager, Rolando Vicente, had used countless times in the Philippines back in the 1970s. The group would travel from town to town hustling matches against top local players. These were the days before big tournaments and televised pool in the Philippines. Even a basic landline telephone was difficult to come by. Players in the neighboring towns had often heard of this phenom Efren Reyes, but weren't sure of his face.

So I guess according to Morales (the real one), Efren has been to the country "countless times" in the 70s.

 

[Nostroke]

This is from the recent Billiards Digest article Filipino Idol...



So I guess according to Morales (the real one), Efren has been to the country "countless times" in the 70s.

I wondered if Efren was arrested allegedly on that same 'Reds' USA trip for using Cesar's passport-what was Cesar using?

 

[BillPorter]

This is from the recent Billiards Digest article Filipino Idol...



So I guess according to Morales (the real one), Efren has been to the country "countless times" in the 70s.

I read the same article, and I can't understand where you are getting your comment. The "countless times" phrase seems to apply to the Philippines, not the USA

 

[jsp]

I read the same article, and I can't understand where you are getting your comment. The "countless times" phrase seems to apply to the Philippines, not the USA

Oops. You're right. I totally misunderstood the quote. Thanks.

 

[Rickw]

First of all, to the poster that thinks a bunch of little Filipinos wouldn't be able to fend off an attack, you just don't know!

Also, this is a question for those that were in the thick of it back in the early 80's, do you think Parica could have been mistaken for Efren once in a while? I remember how everyone was freaking out about this one Filipino guy that was terrorizing the US playing pool. I never heard about a second one. Wasn't Jose around back then? If so, was he a force to be reckoned with? I would certainly think so.

Jose has told me personally that he has done things back in the early 80's that was attributed to Efren. He told me that he played a guy in Texas and ran 12 racks of 9b in a race to 13 and the guy just threw in the towel and he said that Efren was given credit for that.