When Iwas a kid

bstroud said:
You missed a few other players like me, Savanna Red, Grady, Tommy Lambert, New York Blackie, Don Watson, Detroit Whitey, Pucket and of course Bobby Chapman.

$1000 a game 9 ball was common and sometimes even $5000 a game. A new Corvette was $4000. I know because I had one.

I also had a 10,000 dollar bill in my pocket as well as numerous 1000 and 500 dollar bills.

All the card players and thieves were always there to gamble. It was a wonderful place.

Bill S.
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Absolutely. And don't forget Don Willis.

All the best,
WW
 
And, as long as it's a rogues' gallery, although he played tournaments as well, let's not forget Bill "Weenie Beanie" Staton. A great marathon session player.

As far as I can remember, the player best able to fit into both pool rooms and country clubs.

All the best,
WW
 
deanoc said:
...Alfie was about as cagey,i never saw him lose, but from the Cotton Palace, Billy was the most dangerous...Now this was not counting San Jose Dick, he was a different breed altogether no one knows for sure how good he really was and he played all games, 14:1, one pocket, 9 ball..I even heard he knocked Billy T Dyer out cold, and Billy T was tough. Guys used to post $10,000 and bring people to fight him..This place was a tough pool room,it wasn't the place to go without a certain amount of hutzbah
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Dean, you have really got a bunch of bad information!..First of all, I never played 14.1, and very little 9ball in those days!....Second, Billy T. Dyer was my best bud, and yes he was tough..He could have easily whipped me with one hand tied behind his back! :rolleyes:

Alfie was another good buddy, and he is/was about 5' 2'' tall, and weighs about 120 lbs..He also would be a favorite to kick my ass!..I was never a fighter, or known to be one..I have a perfect record the only 3 fights I was in..0 wins, 3 losses!..Are you trying to get me killed? :eek:
 
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I'm from St. Louis and I'm 29 years old. I remember when I was 10 until 16, there was 50 pool rooms around St Louis area within an hours drive maybe more including bars. They had tournaments every night of the week, 30 out of the 50 pool rooms had action and about 5 of them were big action and serious pool rooms. A few places I could go on Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday and minimum play 3-4 people $100-$500 sets. This one pool hall had 5 or 6 big tables and you couldn't get on unless you were gambling and most times you had to show up at 6pm to get a table. That wasn't that long ago. Now I would say there is about 10 real pool halls around and basically maybe 1 or 2 have any action at all and its few and far between. If someone plays for $500 or $1,000 everyone watches and that's the talk for a month like its a set for $100,000... There is still places that have action probably not like in the 60s,70, and 80's but some places down south mostly Atlanta, N.O., and occasionally some town will have good action for a month then nothing. Now you have to play pool tournaments every weekend just follow them and all the good players show up and you have to match up there. That's the only way to make it as a pool player now and you have to be good enough to get staked gambling against good players and good enough to win 1/3 tournaments. Basically you have to be a top 5 player to make it I think.
 
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my stories about dick have been removed
i never saw him play and my stories were here say info

as you guys know if we stick to only eye witness testimony our stories get less interesting

i did hear that dick played 9 ball and straight pool pretty sporty

i actually never saw anyone paly straight pool at the cotton palace
not that this means they never did


this was a pool room where i was not favorite to win


Dick probably has some stories about he taylors that could entertain us
i couldn't even match up

i was out classed

the kids i ran with mostly won else where and game here to see the best players

Jack Taylor was someone I didn't get to see much
It was rumored that RD Matthews had threatened Jack
and Jack left before things got worse

This was probably a good idea
 
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