Who was the HIPPIE?

poke&hope

poke&hope

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is for jay and some of the seasoned road warriors. In a billiard parlor in augusta ga. I was listening to some players and backers of players from yesteryear.

The stories they could tell was just mezmerizing. They were talking about the 70's until maybe early 80"s and how many great players were and had came thru the augusta Ga. area and sometimes mentioned columbia sc. 75 miles up the road.

They told stories of Earl,Johnny,Tad,The Miz,Shannon,Davenport,Tony Ellin and a lot of players unknown now except to the pool world at that time. Some names can'tremember.They made it sound like the wild west of pool days.


It is exciting listening to these stories told with excitement in their voice reliving those moments in their lives. One person said there was a player that was called the hippie who came thru augusta and broke everyone in the area and according to him at that time there was a lot of great players in the area.

He said there were people called from outside the area for the action and to stop this gladiator but he busted them as well then left. Does anyone with a littlie age on them know who was the HIPPIE or was this just a local name given him during his term of action.

The stories they tell (like jays,keith/Jams,and others) are enjoyable-exciting to hear and so are the characters that tell them.
 
More likely "Hippy Jimmy" Reid. He was a world beater at 9-Ball, right there in Buddy's class.
 
hippie

that was 1972! i beat jimmy reid and steve cook that same year. beat jimmy on bar table tourny in wfalls,tx and same yr steve cook won the tourny at the tropicana. both couldnt hold buddys chaulk. ask buddy about me. he will tell u i broke even with st. louie in dallas and i had buddy 7 to 4 in dallas. i lost 9-7. i went to shreveport 3 times in the 70's to play buddy! still havent beat him! ask jay about jr. norris and sparky and dick lane, all from wichita falls, tx. ask ronnie how good we played!
 
sound like Dave grossman when he came through during the early 80's.
he worked over the carolina's and ga pretty good.when he came through the beach we called him the surfer.

bill
 
Hippies

There were a few hippies around who could fit that description.

Cole Dickson was known as 'Hippie Cole'
New York Toby had the game and looks
Hippie Jimmy Reid

These 3 men could beat anyone on a good day
 
who was the hippie?

mark8950 said:
that was 1972! i beat jimmy reid and steve cook that same year. beat jimmy on bar table tourny in wfalls,tx and same yr steve cook won the tourny at the tropicana. both couldnt hold buddys chaulk. ask buddy about me. he will tell u i broke even with st. louie in dallas and i had buddy 7 to 4 in dallas. i lost 9-7. i went to shreveport 3 times in the 70's to play buddy! still havent beat him! ask jay about jr. norris and sparky and dick lane, all from wichita falls, tx. ask ronnie how good we played!
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From what I heard I think this is the correct time frame. Grossman NO way. He is too young and wrong time period. I remember the name Steve Cook mentioned as someone in the area during the 70's.

He is not the hippie but someone around this time. Maybe I can find out some info on him from some of these guys and narrow it down some. They seemed to be very impressed with Tad, was it Mark.

I always get this name mixed up with the cuemaker. I think jay is right though. It would have to be a world beater. These player/backers telling this were not average railbirds they know good pool flesh. Most did not have jobs.
 
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When you say "The Hippie", it was more than likely Toby Sweet. He spent a lot of time in the south in the 70's and he was referred to as "The Hippie" by many in the south. "Hippie Jimmy" was another player (Marino or Reid). The fact is, I have never heard of Marino or Reid referred to as just "The Hippie". Marino and Reid did put some time in on the road but nothing compared to Toby Sweet. Toby was a life long road warrior.
 
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anudder "hippie"

My brother was stationed at Fort Gordon in the early seventies. I passed through visiting him and cleaned a few pockets around Augusta each trip. Played a little in Atlanta too. Folks hung a dozen nicknames on me in those years since I never gave more than Hu(gh) and often didn't give that much. Hippie was one of them, so was Wolf, Wolfman, Bear, Wildman, a handful more. As long as the nickname had nothing to do with pool I was cool with it.

Doubt seriously I am the "Hippie" being discussed but the stories grow with time. I shut down a pool hall in Atlanta when everyone stopped play on the other tables to watch the table I was on. Just had an hour to kill before taking the great silver bird out that trip so no action and I was letting the ponies run, not on the usual stall. I was giving the fairly decent player that was taking me to the airport a huge spot and outrunning it with pure offense. I was using a house cue as I always did back then and playing eight ball. The spot was all of my shots were banks, kicks, and legal combinations. That isn't quite as big a spot as it sounds like when you are shooting position for those shots instead of forced to shoot them but it was still a ton to give the guy I was playing and there was no stalling and hoping to win. With nothing but pride on the line I was red hot and getting out in one or two innings, rarely three or more.

The small crowd gathered around was excited thinking a name was there. Wanted to know who I was and wanted to put me in action. I told them the truth, I was nobody just a pool shooting country boy from south Louisiana. Then I stretched things a wee bit and said everybody shot like that where I came from! Didn't want folks headed my way poaching in my preserves.

I looked like a younger version of my avatar pic from '88 back then and hung with a fine clean cut young man most of the time since my brother was cleaned up for the military.

Hu
 
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ShootingArts said:
My brother was stationed at Fort Gordon in the early seventies. I passed through visiting him and cleaned a few pockets around Augusta each trip. Played a little in Atlanta too. Folks hung a dozen nicknames on me in those years since I never gave more than Hu(gh) and often didn't give that much. Hippie was one of them, so was Wolf, Wolfman, Bear, Wildman, a handful more. As long as the nickname had nothing to do with pool I was cool with it.

Doubt seriously I am the "Hippie" being discussed but the stories grow with time. I shut down a pool hall in Atlanta when everyone stopped play on the other tables to watch the table I was on. Just had an hour to kill before taking the great silver bird out that trip so no action and I was letting the ponies run, not on the usual stall. I was giving the fairly decent player that was taking me to the airport a huge spot and outrunning it with pure offense. I was using a house cue as I always did back then and playing eight ball. The spot was all of my shots were banks, kicks, and legal combinations. That isn't quite as big a spot as it sounds like when you are shooting position for those shots instead of forced to shoot them but it was still a ton to give the guy I was playing and there was no stalling and hoping to win. With nothing but pride on the line I was red hot and getting out in one or two innings, rarely three or more.

The small crowd gathered around was excited thinking a name was there. Wanted to know who I was and wanted to put me in action. I told them the truth, I was nobody just a pool shooting country boy from south Louisiana. Then I stretched things a wee bit and said everybody shot like that where I came from! Didn't want folks headed my way poaching in my preserves.

I looked like a younger version of my avatar pic from '88 back then and hung with a fine clean cut young man most of the time since my brother was cleaned up for the military.

Hu
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Thanks for the great read, Hu. I enjoy pool tales! :)

Here's a cute copy-and-paste of another pool tale relayed to me about "Hippy Jimmy" Reid:

I heard a tale about "Hippy Jimmy" Reid (1985 U.S. Open Champion) and Keith McCready at a pool room in Anaheim, California. They were engaged in a battle for a sand bag and a half, 7-ahead 9-ball, even Steven. All of a sudden, 15 bikers stormed the place, and they were mad at some regulars in there, fondly known to the locals as the "Karate Guys."

All hell broke loose, bottles flying, tables getting flipped, and people running for cover. There were only 4 of the Karate Guys, but they beat the crap out of the biker gang of 15. Keith hid under the table like a scared rabbit. Jimmy lay under the table next to him. After the dust settled, their game resumed, business as usual. Another day in paradise!

P9222178.jpg
 
a good story too

JAM said:
Thanks for the great read, Hu. I enjoy pool tales! :)

Here's a cute copy-and-paste of another pool tale relayed to me about "Hippy Jimmy" Reid:

I heard a tale about "Hippy Jimmy" Reid (1985 U.S. Open Champion) and Keith McCready at a pool room in Anaheim, California. They were engaged in a battle for a sand bag and a half, 7-ahead 9-ball, even Steven. All of a sudden, 15 bikers stormed the place, and they were mad at some regulars in there, fondly known to the locals as the "Karate Guys."

All hell broke loose, bottles flying, tables getting flipped, and people running for cover. There were only 4 of the Karate Guys, but they beat the crap out of the biker gang of 15. Keith hid under the table like a scared rabbit. Jimmy lay under the table next to him. After the dust settled, their game resumed, business as usual. Another day in paradise!

P9222178.jpg
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That is a good story too! I learned when the poop hit the fan that it was best to just ease back out of the way and then go back to taking care of business. We had some interesting times around the rough side of town for six months or a year when the local biker gang had a feud going with the teamsters local back when the teamsters were very powerful and very very rough. I had friends on both sides and nothing to gain getting involved so when I was in a place and the poop hit the fan I simply got out of the way. Shots fired in anger and I was late for the door! Too much heat from the police and my face was getting a little too well known to them. Seems I was always there when there was trouble for awhile. Just an "innocent" bystander but the police were talking to me far too regularly.

In case there is any doubt who would win the war, the entire biker gang moved to Houston or so I was told. They left town and their colors were never seen again around big BR.

Hu
 
Two Hippie Jimmy's

When I was at the Billiard Den in Hollywood, 70-72, there were two players called Hippie Jimmy. Jimmy Reid and Jimmy Marino. At that time they both played pretty close to each other, and that was world class speed. In Johnston City 70-72, they were both referred to as Hippie Jimmy. They both played as good as anybody at that time, except for maybe Lassiter or Kelly. Cardone, Wade Crane, Reid, Marino was an even game anywhere neutral.

Beard
 
The last time I was at Johnson City Hippy Jimmy Marino came in off the road.
The big game that year was ring 9 ball at 350.00 a man. Cardone, Cole, Florence and anyone else that could get staked got in the game on time or another.

Hippy Jimmy Marino busted them all and won all the money. He was the best at that moment in time.

Bill Stroud
 
freddy the beard said:
When I was at the Billiard Den in Hollywood, 70-72, there were two players called Hippie Jimmy. Jimmy Reid and Jimmy Marino. At that time they both played pretty close to each other, and that was world class speed. In Johnston City 70-72, they were both referred to as Hippie Jimmy. They both played as good as anybody at that time, except for maybe Lassiter or Kelly. Cardone, Wade Crane, Reid, Marino was an even game anywhere neutral.

Beard
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Freddy,

I don't remember you being at the Billiard Den. We must have missed each other. Great pool room. Nothing like Poncho, his girlfriend and Phil Specter doing song lyrics. Remember Stanley that staked Marvin? What a case. Had a lot of fun there. Carrella was still alive.

Bill Stroud
 
pt109 said:
There were a few hippies around who could fit that description.

Cole Dickson was known as 'Hippie Cole'
New York Toby had the game and looks
Hippie Jimmy Reid

These 3 men could beat anyone on a good day
Click to expand...

Is that Toby Sweet your talking about...saw him not long ago..still wearing bell bottoms
 
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