Where Was Bensinger's?

Rich93

Rich93

A Small Time Charlie
Silver Member
Can anyone tell me where Bensinger's, the famous Chicago poolroom, was located on Randolph Street? I've read three conflicting answers: 29 West Randolph (which would be between State and Dearborn), 29 East Randolph (which would be between State and Wabash, and between Dearborn and Clark (where the government building is with the Picasso). The following link from Deno's website is interesting but gives both 29W and 29E. Any personal recollections of Bensingers would be greatly appreciated - I was too young to have experienced it myself. Thanks.

http://www.3cushion.com/On%20Line%20Collection/Newspaper.htm
 
Rich93 said:
Can anyone tell me where Bensinger's, the famous Chicago poolroom, was located on Randolph Street? I've read three conflicting answers: 29 West Randolph (which would be between State and Dearborn), 29 East Randolph (which would be between State and Wabash, and between Dearborn and Clark (where the government building is with the Picasso). The following link from Deno's website is interesting but gives both 29W and 29E. Any personal recollections of Bensingers would be greatly appreciated - I was too young to have experienced it myself. Thanks.

http://www.3cushion.com/On%20Line%20Collection/Newspaper.htm
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Rich, Try sending a pm to George Fels - he will know for sure - he used to play there when he was a young man...........Ghost
 
You shouldn't have...you misunderstood the posters question

Grady said:
Benzinger's was at Clark and Diversy.
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Hey Grady, Clark & Diversey was the later location of Bensingers, during the 60's and 70's....The poster wanted to know the exact address of Bensingers original downtown Randolph st. Chicago location, which is where it was located during the 1940's-1950's.
 
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29 W Randolph

1 Pocket Ghost said:
Hey Grady, Clark & Diversey was the later location of Bensingers, during the 60's and 70's....The poster wanted to know the exact address of Bensingers original downtown Randolph st. Chicago location, which is where it was located during the 1940's-1950's.
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It was in the loop at 29 W Randolph on the 6th floor until 1961. From there it moved to Clark and Diversey. In the 20s Bensinger had 9 rooms in the Loop with 30 or more tables. In the 40s on Randolph, they had a floor dedicated to pool, a floor for 3 cushion, a floor for snooker, a floor for bowling, and a floor for exhibitions. They reduced it to two floors up until 1961 (the second floor was for exhibitions). To me it was the all-time greatest room.

the Beard
 
freddy the beard said:
It was in the loop at 29 W Randolph on the 6th floor until 1961. From there it moved to Clark and Diversey. In the 20s Bensinger had 9 rooms in the Loop with 30 or more tables. In the 40s on Randolph, they had a floor dedicated to pool, a floor for 3 cushion, a floor for snooker, a floor for bowling, and a floor for exhibitions. They reduced it to two floors up until 1961 (the second floor was for exhibitions). To me it was the all-time greatest room.

the Beard
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Thanks, Freddie, I wish I could have seen it. I read somewhere that the makers of The Hustler wanted to film in Bensingers, but Bensingers asked for too much money. At least then we could have seen it on film.
 
Grady said:
Benzinger's was at Clark and Diversy.
Click to expand...

I played at the room at Clark and Diversy. At that time, it was called the Clark and Diversy Billiard Academy, but everybody thought of it as Bensingers. I know there was a connection to Bensingers but was never sure what it was.
 
I read The Hustler in one setting yesterday. Don't remember the address given.

If you haven't read it already, do so.

Great read. Different from movie. Starting The Color of Money today.

Walter Tevis is a great writer.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
 
freddy the beard said:
It was in the loop at 29 W Randolph on the 6th floor until 1961. From there it moved to Clark and Diversey. In the 20s Bensinger had 9 rooms in the Loop with 30 or more tables. In the 40s on Randolph, they had a floor dedicated to pool, a floor for 3 cushion, a floor for snooker, a floor for bowling, and a floor for exhibitions. They reduced it to two floors up until 1961 (the second floor was for exhibitions). To me it was the all-time greatest room.

the Beard
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Are you kidding me. I am a denizen of the Loop and live not far from 29 W Randolph. Cool to imagine Chicago during that era.

Pool ain't dead it's just underground waiting out the zombie apocalypse.
 
I always love it when old threads like this get resurrected and the voices of those who have moved on remain, as do their words of wisdom.

That's what is special about this forum. It's as if they are still here - interacting with us.

That's more special than any memoir/book/biography could ever be.

Grady
Freddy

May the Rest in Peace.
 
The ghosts of AZ resurrect themselves like ragged claws, scuttling along the floors of silent seas. From The Love Story of J Alfred Prufrock, for what its worth. (TS Eliot)

All the best, WW
 
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sonny_burnett said:
I read The Hustler in one setting yesterday. Don't remember the address given.

If you haven't read it already, do so.

Great read. Different from movie. Starting The Color of Money today.

Walter Tevis is a great writer.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Tevis called his room Bennington's....but he described Bensingers, of the Loop days.

The room used in the movie was Chris'.

An old thread where George Fels was mentioned, and Grady and the Beard posted.
.....the pool world misses them all.
 
pt109 said:
Tevis called his room Bennington's....but he described Bensingers, of the Loop days.

The room used in the movie was Chris'.

An old thread where George Fels was mentioned, and Grady and the Beard posted.
.....the pool world misses them all.
Click to expand...

I must be cracking up....The Hustler was filmed at Ames in NYC...
....The Color of Money was filmed at Chris'.

pt...played at Ames as a kid....and on the 5x10 at the last Bensingers.
 
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