"When I'm gone, the place goes with me."

JAM

JAM

I am the storm
Silver Member
On busy nights, the sounds of pool games at The Golden Cue make an ambient noise—sticks knocking cueballs into object balls, the rumble of balls rolling down the ball return, and the infamous loud crack of the rack—music to a pool aficionado's ears!

With the rise of computers and fading popularity of billiards, it can be hard to attract younger patrons to play pool. "Most of the patrons that come in during the day are middle-aged or older, and only some younger make their way to the hall. Led Zeppelin and The Doors croon from the speakers as patrons play, and the hall’s background music is dominated by classic rock," says owner of The Golden Cue, Rocco Spinelli.

Well, I have been to The Golden Cue in Albany, New York, and it may be my favorite pool room in the United States. It is a real pool room. In fact, it may be the last of a dying breed of a true pool room. Come visit The Golden Cue and see real pool and real player sin a real pool room!

I've got some great memories and pool tales that I experienced here. Long live The Golden Cue and Rocco Spinelli. <3

Read more here: A Day in the Life of an Albany Pool Room

Rocco Spinelli and Keith McCready at Joss tournament in, I think, 2005.
 

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Joss Tour TD, Frankie Hernandez, Keith McCready, and Rocco Spinelli.
 

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Patrons of the bar next door to The Golden Cue, Joe's Grill. Keith ran over there betewen matches at the tournament and endeared himself to the patrons, so much so that in the finals, the entire bar came over to watch Keith play against Danny Hewitt, and Keith beat him twice in a true double-elimination format. What a weekend this was for Team McCready.

Here's a couple patrons at the bar getting a photo opp with Keith. It was beautiful!
 

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Joe's Grill and The Golden Cue welcomed Keith back the next year with a banner on the building. What a surprise! It was really cool!
 

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The Golden Cue is the real deal. It's a player's room. Check out this welcome sign for Karen Corr one year, painted right on the front glass for a Joss tourmament.
 

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As the Joss tournament drew to a close, it was time to had back home Sunday night. It's about a 5-hour drive from Albany to Washington, D.C.

We were getting ready to leave when Keith saw Kid Delicious in the front window counting his cabbage. Keith's nostrils were wide open, and I think he had visions of those dollar signs of Danny's dancing in his head. But I managed to drag him away, so off we went with the trophy and first-place prize monies in our pockets. Yay! :cool:
 

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JAM said:
On busy nights, the sounds of pool games at The Golden Cue make an ambient noise—sticks knocking cueballs into object balls, the rumble of balls rolling down the ball return, and the infamous loud crack of the rack—music to a pool aficionado's ears!

With the rise of computers and fading popularity of billiards, it can be hard to attract younger patrons to play pool. "Most of the patrons that come in during the day are middle-aged or older, and only some younger make their way to the hall. Led Zeppelin and The Doors croon from the speakers as patrons play, and the hall’s background music is dominated by classic rock," says owner of The Golden Cue, Rocco Spinelli.

Well, I have been to The Golden Cue in Albany, New York, and it may be my favorite pool room in the United States. It is a real pool room. In fact, it may be the last of a dying breed of a true pool room. Come visit The Golden Cue and see real pool and real player sin a real pool room!

I've got some great memories and pool tales that I experienced here. Long live The Golden Cue and Rocco Spinelli. <3

Read more here: A Day in the Life of an Albany Pool Room

Rocco Spinelli and Keith McCready at Joss tournament in, I think, 2005.
Click to expand...


Hey Jenn - They still have the tournament every year there?

I've never played anywhere in NY other than NYC. I'd like to get up to Albany some day. Looks like a great room. Thanks for the post.
 
Looks like a great poolroom, and an excellent article. It's a shame there was no mention of what appears to be from the photos as numerous Gold Crown I tables. These days, it is virtually impossible to operate a poolroom profitably, unless the food and/or alcohol is the main source of revenue.
 
I clicked on the article. Kind of bittersweet...pool halls are going the way of the drive in movie. Vanishing Americana.
 
JAM said:
As the Joss tournament drew to a close, it was time to had back home Sunday night. It's about a 5-hour drive from Albany to Washington, D.C.

We were getting ready to leave when Keith saw Kid Delicious in the front window counting his cabbage. Keith's nostrils were wide open, and I think he had visions of those dollar signs of Danny's dancing in his head. But I managed to drag him away, so off we went with the trophy and first-place prize monies in our pockets. Yay! :cool:
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Love it.. CLASSIC!!!
 
Hey Jam
Great story, thanks for sharing. Are you & Keith gonna be at SBE next week ? Would love to see Keith in action whooping those young whipper snappers for there cabbage.
 
Always

I always enjoy your post but this one may have been the best. Love the photos especially of Keith and Kid D.
 
It's a great room and the owner Rocky is the best!! I miss playing there.
Thanks for the article.
 
Michael Andros said:
Hey Jenn - They still have the tournament every year there?

I've never played anywhere in NY other than NYC. I'd like to get up to Albany some day. Looks like a great room. Thanks for the post.
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They stopped hosting a Joss tour stop a couple of years ago.

Sent from my BLN-L24 using Tapatalk
 
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