Why has woofing become SO important?

Fatty Was The Father Of Woofing!

I spent many hours around Fats here in St. Louis. Even before the movie, when he was "NY Fats". I saw many great matches between Fats and Long Beach. Now Long Beach couldn't OR wouldn't even talk about a game with Fats without a 1/2 pint. (I was the gofer who would always go downstairs to get it). I really think it was because he couldn't put up with the verbal attacks & WOOFING that Fats would always put out. Long Beach also had this most remarkable little red dog that would get on a table and push all the balls into the pockets with his nose.
Another great Fats woofing match I saw here in St. Louis was years ago at a tournament. Fats was in his winter of pool playing and got involved with another Great Woofer and lost pretty good. That player was our own "Keith".
TY & GL
 
cardiac kid said:
Rude Dog,

In some circles today, it is OK for young African-American men to continuously use the "N" word to describe others who look like them. If I were to use the same word to describe those same men, I would be singled out as a racist! The word Tommy D used, incited the same feeling in me and others. I'm over it. I accept his apology. It has become just another word ingrained in the American culture.

If you really had a physical problem with your face, not your Avatar, you might be more sensitive to other people's thoughts, deeds and words.

John, these are still just words on a screen. Very powerful words. But words none the less. I chose the word "incited" because that was the first reaction I had to it. Again, Seasons Greetings to all and to all a good life!
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Cardiac, I did not want to sound like I was downplaying Tommy's choice of phrases to use, I do understand that to some it could cause pain. I simply wanted to state that if that apology wasn't good enough to show his sincerity, then theres nothing else he can do to make it right.
Peace, John
 
From the horse's mouth...

OldHasBeen said:
...Another great Fats woofing match I saw here in St. Louis was years ago at a tournament. Fats was in his winter of pool playing and got involved with another Great Woofer and lost pretty good. That player was our own "Keith."
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Here's a reprint of Keith's post relating to that event:

Matter of fact, I did play Minnesota Fats. Actually, I was the last guy that he played for money before he passed.

I was in St. Louis competing in a pool tournament when I was about 19 or 20. Many of the best pool players of that era were in attendance, including Ronnie Allen who was good friends with the fat man. I was the up-and-coming star at this time, my game not even at its peak, and Fats, I believe out of curiosity, wanted to see how good I played. He had been hearing about this young kid from California, and Ronnie, with his usual gift of gab, got the game going.

I was one of the very few privileged individuals given this opportunity to gamble with Minnesota, as he liked to be called, and what a show it was, one of the best times I have ever had in my life and something that I will never forget. I played him a nickel a game, 8 to 7, one-pocket, and then I spotted him 10 to 8 playing banks. He was a perfect gentleman, very funny, and the games were all pretty close. We were cutting up with each other, and if you think I'm funny, you should have seen him. He was the ultimate entertainer when he was at the table, a real crowd-pleaser, and this was a very unique show between a living legend and a kid. "How, do you like me now, Junior?," he would bellow out after making a good shot, and then as he would approach his next shot, he would turn to the crowd and make gestures towards me. I ate it up, laughing just as hard, if not harder, as everybody else. The whole joint was pulling for Fatty, which I don't blame them. If I wasn't playing, I would have been rooting for him, too. I ended up beating him out of 8 dimes, and he paid me off: 4,000 in $500 bills and the rest in C-notes. He autographed every single one of those $500 bills as he handed them to me. They were priceless, and I sure do wish I still had them. I was on the road with a guy named Charlie the Ape then, and for whatever reason, Charlie went south with my winnings, stealing every single one of those signed $500 bills. But there is one thing that nobody can ever take away from me, and that is this wonderful memory, one I will always cherish, of playing Rudolph Wanderone a/k/a Minnesota Fats.

Years later, I was living in Nashville, and word came out that Fats was very ill and in the hospital. I went to see him and he knew who I was, and even though he didn't feel good, he still maintained his sense of humor. He was talking about old times, laughing and smirking. A week later, he passed.

Tom, I want talk to you at the Derby City Classic about the above incident. ;) Thanks for sharing!

JAM
 
Looking Forward To It !!!

JAM said:
Here's a reprint of Keith's post relating to that event:

Matter of fact, I did play Minnesota Fats. Actually, I was the last guy that he played for money before he passed.

I was in St. Louis competing in a pool tournament when I was about 19 or 20. Many of the best pool players of that era were in attendance, including Ronnie Allen who was good friends with the fat man. I was the up-and-coming star at this time, my game not even at its peak, and Fats, I believe out of curiosity, wanted to see how good I played. He had been hearing about this young kid from California, and Ronnie, with his usual gift of gab, got the game going.

I was one of the very few privileged individuals given this opportunity to gamble with Minnesota, as he liked to be called, and what a show it was, one of the best times I have ever had in my life and something that I will never forget. I played him a nickel a game, 8 to 7, one-pocket, and then I spotted him 10 to 8 playing banks. He was a perfect gentleman, very funny, and the games were all pretty close. We were cutting up with each other, and if you think I'm funny, you should have seen him. He was the ultimate entertainer when he was at the table, a real crowd-pleaser, and this was a very unique show between a living legend and a kid. "How, do you like me now, Junior?," he would bellow out after making a good shot, and then as he would approach his next shot, he would turn to the crowd and make gestures towards me. I ate it up, laughing just as hard, if not harder, as everybody else. The whole joint was pulling for Fatty, which I don't blame them. If I wasn't playing, I would have been rooting for him, too. I ended up beating him out of 8 dimes, and he paid me off: 4,000 in $500 bills and the rest in C-notes. He autographed every single one of those $500 bills as he handed them to me. They were priceless, and I sure do wish I still had them. I was on the road with a guy named Charlie the Ape then, and for whatever reason, Charlie went south with my winnings, stealing every single one of those signed $500 bills. But there is one thing that nobody can ever take away from me, and that is this wonderful memory, one I will always cherish, of playing Rudolph Wanderone a/k/a Minnesota Fats.

Years later, I was living in Nashville, and word came out that Fats was very ill and in the hospital. I went to see him and he knew who I was, and even though he didn't feel good, he still maintained his sense of humor. He was talking about old times, laughing and smirking. A week later, he passed.

Tom, I want talk to you at the Derby City Classic about the above incident. ;) Thanks for sharing!

JAM
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JAM'NKEITH - I am looking forward to sharing a few adult beverages (Budweiser) with both of you. My entry is in - My room is booked & my stroke was last seen going south at a high rate of speed.
TY & GL
 
OldHasBeen said:
JAM'NKEITH - I am looking forward to sharing a few adult beverages (Budweiser) with both of you. My entry is in - My room is booked & my stroke was last seen going south at a high rate of speed.
TY & GL
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Hi Old timer,
keith will spot u in Budweiser`s race.
Two days ago I ran into a road player of your time-Jack Raines.Do u remember him? cheers
Vagabond
 
Not by that Name.

vagabond said:
Hi Old timer,
keith will spot u in Budweiser`s race.
Two days ago I ran into a road player of your time-Jack Raines.Do u remember him? cheers
Vagabond
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That name doesen't ring a bell but if he was pretty good than he might have used other names & nic-names. I know I had two favorites that I used.
TY & GL
 
OldHasBeen said:
That name doesen't ring a bell but if he was pretty good than he might have used other names & nic-names. I know I had two favorites that I used.
TY & GL
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AKA `Action Jackson`.He now is 59 year old. At the same time I also ran into `Tuscaloosa Squirrel``Cheers
vagabond
 
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Rude Dog said:
Cardiac, I did not want to sound like I was downplaying Tommy's choice of phrases to use, I do understand that to some it could cause pain. I simply wanted to state that if that apology wasn't good enough to show his sincerity, then theres nothing else he can do to make it right.
Peace, John
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John,

My choice of words obviously concerned and affected you. Through my now sixty years, I've heard that "phrase" used by both friend and foe. I waited a day or so to post a reply because I wanted to temper my words.

I don't know Tommy D. If he's from Texas, I may have met him at the US Open One Pocket. He plays jam up. As a person, only one entity will judge his character. I'm definitely not it!
 
cardiac kid said:
John,

My choice of words obviously concerned and affected you. Through my now sixty years, I've heard that "phrase" used by both friend and foe. I waited a day or so to post a reply because I wanted to temper my words.

I don't know Tommy D. If he's from Texas, I may have met him at the US Open One Pocket. He plays jam up. As a person, only one entity will judge his character. I'm definitely not it!
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Howdy,
Tommy appeared to be sincere in expressing his feelings and the issue should be considered as closed.Cheers
Vagabond
 
woofing

OldHasBeen said:
You say Woofing is - purely to make money for a group of shadowy interested parties in the background.
Without these shadowy parties in the background - what’s left?
As Grady and a lot of big$ people are starting to realize - That is the most marketable product that our game has to offer. "THE COLOR".
The upscale yuppies & business people that are attracted to our game are coming to see, feel & hear the excitement and allure that the old backroom poolrooms had to offer. They want to experience the underworld subculture that they have imagined for so long. They want to see the "Shady" characters lurking in the corners and the flashy playing hustlers pouncing on their prey. The main attraction for the general public is what you call - Everything that is wrong with our game.

oldhasbeen you have hit the nail right on the head!as a pool player and a harley rider i see the similarities,a few years ago the yuppies would not be caught dead on a harley now they all want one so they can wear their tshirt and sport their new tatoos,it's now safe to be a bad boy.one of my riding buddies has a tshirt that says"10 years ago you hated us now you want to be one of us".pool is is going through the same growing pains,people want to see the "color and spirited banter" but the powers that be at espn will not show this,bad for the sport they say,even though it has worked for poker.
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