Who Doesnt Jay Know

alphadog said:
Jay how about Don Sopher[sp?] from the upper midwest .My guess is was 70ish in about
1985. Was a figure like the Deacon.Played rather sporty.
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Are you talking about Don Tozer from Illinois? I think so. He was an excellent Straight Pool player in the 50's to the 70's. Fairly tall good looking man, who always traveled with his wife. More of a gentleman pool player. I did not know him to gamble. He played in the Straight Pool every year at Johnston City. Did exhibitions too.
 
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63Kcode said:
How about Eldridge Tucker. I used to love to hear him tell stories. Sadly he seldom told them about himself and it's to late now. I would love to hear some Stories about Mr. Tucker!!!!!

Larry
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Another well known hustler from the South. The other hustlers had a lot of respect for him. He was a winner! Never saw him play, but he got around pretty good - Johnston City and the big pool rooms in the 60's and 70's. I think he even came to Houston to Red's in the 80's. He would be very old now, over 80 for sure.
 
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jay helfert said:
Another well known hustler from the South. The other hustlers had a lot of respect for him. He was a winner! Never saw him play, but he got around pretty good - Johnston City and the big pool rooms in the 60's and 70's. I think he even came to Houston to Red's in the 80's. He would be very old now, over 80 for sure.
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Me thinks you do know everybody. Guess I will be buying your book soon. Sadly Mr. tucker is no longer with us:mad:

Neil, That is one of the few stories he would tell and I loved hearing it. Thanks for sharing!!!

Larry
 
not sure

jay helfert said:
Are you talking about Don Tozer from Illinois? I think so. He was an excellent Straight Pool player in the 50's to the 70's. Fairly tall good looking man, who always traveled with his wife. More of a gentleman pool player. I did not know him to gamble. He played in the Straight Pool every year at Johnston City. Did exhibitions too.
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I played in the first Lite beer tavern tournament held in Vegas.I beieve
Omaha John won it .Played a state qualifer in Mobridge S.D. Spitzer was
there and the man i'm asking about. I believe I remember seeing Sopher
in vegas as well.Since we are talking 82 I may have distorted the facts!
Thanks Jay and I did enjoy your book.
 
alphadog said:
I played in the first Lite beer tavern tournament held in Vegas.I beieve
Omaha John won it .Played a state qualifer in Mobridge S.D. Spitzer was
there and the man i'm asking about. I believe I remember seeing Sopher
in vegas as well.Since we are talking 82 I may have distorted the facts!
Thanks Jay and I did enjoy your book.
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That's Dick Spitzer from N. Dakota. A terrific bar pool player. Dick had a high finish in the World Series of Tavern Pool as well. He played many years in Vegas at the BCA and always did well. Late 50's I'd say.
 
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Jay's gift

Hey All,

I think "Jay's Gift" is due to the fact that he treats everyone so well and is sincerely interested in what you have to say.

I met Jay in Vegas during the Predator 10-ball event in May. We spoke as we were exiting the event for the night. I complimented him on his great book and he spoke with me like he'd known me all his life. You usually don't get that kind of reception from a stranger. Even if you are paying them a compliment. Jay probably doesn't remember our exchange, but it was a highlight of my night and I won't forget it.

Oh, and by the way, Jay doesn't know my wife. I ran back to our room and told her I met Jay. Her reply, "Who's Jay Helfert?"

-Jeremy
 
Jay doesn't know me :grin-square:. But I will be at the Derby, so maybe that will change :thumbup2:
 
Roy, yes. Play him some bank pool and tell me about it!

Jay is truly a wealth of knowledge and has become the backbone of AZ Billiards.

What I have found from knowing Jay a little is that he is a "people person" with a great memory for names and faces. Also, he is really good at quickly sizing people up - amazing really - and he's good to deal with too.

He's also a very good pool player - especially at one pocket and banks - doesn't really stay in stroke and doesn't book too many losers. He is known locally as a "smart" player - a good mover in one pocket.

Jay probably could have been anything he wanted to be, from psychiatrist to physician or lawyer, but I could see where maybe he would find those professions uninteresting.

Chris
 
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ok Jay ive got one. Johnny Bailey from Ohio. Called him little red. he's in his mid 40s and said he used to run some with buddy hall. ive been hearing these stories from him since i was a kid and im 29 now. and also while im at it how about a guy named F.L Jenkins or Bub Landrum. any info would be great, thanks.
 
Jay, I would love to hear some more Clarence "Bucky" Bell stories. That guy could flat play. He came to a B tournament at Wagonwheel in Atlanta one time. My last name is Bell, so he took an immediate liking to me. He wanted me to put him in the tournament and back him. Just by looking at him, I was sure he couldn't play a lick. Biggest mistake I ever made. The guy that owned the place endend up kicking him out.

He came back later and ended up playing a guy that everyone said was the best one pocket player in Atlanta. He played him one handed...in the air and destroyed him.

Wow!

Danny Jones, I believe was around my hometown a couple of years ago running a poker game. I will ask the guy he was in "business" with, but I am pretty sure it was him.
 
Nature Boy said:
Jay, I would love to hear some more Clarence "Bucky" Bell stories. That guy could flat play. He came to a B tournament at Wagonwheel in Atlanta one time. My last name is Bell, so he took an immediate liking to me. He wanted me to put him in the tournament and back him. Just by looking at him, I was sure he couldn't play a lick. Biggest mistake I ever made. The guy that owned the place endend up kicking him out.

He came back later and ended up playing a guy that everyone said was the best one pocket player in Atlanta. He played him one handed...in the air and destroyed him.

Wow!

Danny Jones, I believe was around my hometown a couple of years ago running a poker game. I will ask the guy he was in "business" with, but I am pretty sure it was him.
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Danny Jones the pool player is long since departed. He's trying to talk God into giving him the seven ball. :rolleyes:
 
Jayson said:
ok Jay ive got one. Johnny Bailey from Ohio. Called him little red. he's in his mid 40s and said he used to run some with buddy hall. ive been hearing these stories from him since i was a kid and im 29 now. and also while im at it how about a guy named F.L Jenkins or Bub Landrum. any info would be great, thanks.
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Don't know 'em. :grin:
Wonder if Little Red is any relation to Valley Street Red, who hustled pool in Ohio a long time ago. I never knew his real name.
 
Standbykid said:
Hey All,

I think "Jay's Gift" is due to the fact that he treats everyone so well and is sincerely interested in what you have to say.

I met Jay in Vegas during the Predator 10-ball event in May. We spoke as we were exiting the event for the night. I complimented him on his great book and he spoke with me like he'd known me all his life. You usually don't get that kind of reception from a stranger. Even if you are paying them a compliment. Jay probably doesn't remember our exchange, but it was a highlight of my night and I won't forget it.

Oh, and by the way, Jay doesn't know my wife. I ran back to our room and told her I met Jay. Her reply, "Who's Jay Helfert?"

-Jeremy
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Thanks Jeremy. Yes, I remember talking with you, right by the table at the entrance. In case you didn't know I enjoy talking about pool and pool players. Especially after some exciting matches, which we had just seen.

"Who's Jay Helfert" made me laugh too! :)
 
Jay

Did you ever know players from the Midwest, for example, Weldon Rogers from Oklahoma, or Doc from Hutchinson, Ks. (World class player).

I used to play Omaha John in the 70's here in Wichita at Burke's steakhouse quite a bit.

Have you lived in California a long time? I played in Southern California (San Diego, Longbeach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach areas) in late 60's while I was in the Navy. I was still going by my first Pool nickname at the time, "Mako". Also played up in Seattle and Bremerton areas in Washington.
 
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