??? Wil Pay ???

[DaveK]

I agree that "If you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen". The internet, phone, TV & tournament exposer are facts of life that must be dealt with. It is up to the Hustler to figure out how.
But I can't stand it when someone deliberately KNOCKS someone’s action just to look smart or knowledgeable just because they were at a tourney. I have always taught my Son to keep his ears & eyes open and his mouth shut.
Now he plays at a bowling alley (w/ tables) and a player comes in looking for a game. He has seen this player at the "Big Time" poolroom with me. He didn't say a word but just started side betting on the player when he got in action. The next day he told me he made $280 betting on the guy and that my advice was the some of the best. I asked him if he did the next right step in this instance and he said, yes. After the game he went to the player and offered him $50. The player said he had won $850 and remembered that Tommy was my Son. He had recognized Tommy and was worried that Tommy would knock him and was happy that he didn't. He refused the $50 and Gave Tommy $50 instead. "THATS MY BOY"! - & My Daughter is even sharper!
TY & GL

Now that you've mentioned your family, I'd like to ask you a question. Would you encourage them to follow your path to superior play, to hit the road and gamble for their income, or would you advise them to follow some other route ? I will understand if you choose to ignore this question, it is a bit personal, and I was a bit reluctant to ask before you mentioned the kids.

Thanks for the stories, btw.

Dave

 

[drivermaker]

Well that is what a hustler does, he keeps you guessing before you figure it out and in OHB story it took $850.00 to figure it out. Just takes longer for some people.

The money was actually $1,130 .....$280 that his son won on the side. We don't know how much they were playing per game, but typically you don't get big $$ action in a bowling alley for pool. There might be some action going on with the bowling itself, but I've not seen in in pool.
I know quite well what a hustler does, but if a guy wants to pretend that he's a printing press at the US Treasury and keep money flying down the conveyor belt, maybe they deserve to lose that amount. At some point the guy should have been asking for the 3 and out.

 

[nfty9er]

The question was

The money was actually $1,130 .....$280 that his son won on the side. We don't know how much they were playing per game, but typically you don't get big $$ action in a bowling alley for pool. There might be some action going on with the bowling itself, but I've not seen in in pool.
I know quite well what a hustler does, but if a guy wants to pretend that he's a printing press at the US Treasury and keep money flying down the conveyor belt, maybe they deserve to lose that amount. At some point the guy should have been asking for the 3 and out.

You are right if he was sidebetting with the hustlers opponent but it is not clear, sounds like he might have been betting with the railbirds but that is neither here nor there the question is should he be protecting his pool room from hustlers or making money off their stupidness. Have you ever watched Ronnie Allen in action hustling, he can make every game close w/o his opponent ever knowing he was a champion or how good he really is. And not that it matters but many years ago I saw a lot of action in a bowling alley with pool and there may be some oldtimers from California who might remember. Palace Billiards in San Francisco was part of a bowling alley, and that is where I first beat Minn. Fats(supposedly), there was the bowling alley that the great player Sax Del Porto ran for years near USF. Lots of action there. Also 4th st. Bowl in San Jose where Texas Tony and San Jose Dick played all the time. Just thought I would throw that out in case the mentioned bowling alley might be like that. You never know but most bowling alleys do have their own hustlers for bowling. Thats another story.

 

[drivermaker]

You are right if he was sidebetting with the hustlers opponent but it is not clear, sounds like he might have been betting with the railbirds but that is neither here nor there the question is should he be protecting his pool room from hustlers or making money off their stupidness. Have you ever watched Ronnie Allen in action hustling, he can make every game close w/o his opponent ever knowing he was a champion or how good he really is.

There are a lot of unanswered questions all the way around. Did the $850 which was won by the player all come from the losing player, a backer, or railbirds? Was this the room where OHB's son normally hung out? Maybe he had no OBLIGATION to say anything to anyone if he wasn't a regular. Maybe he actually thought that it was going to be a tight match and wanted to see the outcome for his own entertainment.

Obviously the guy that lost as well as railbirds thought that their man had a good chance of winning big.

There aren't many Ronnie Allen's, Keith McCready's, Buddy Hall's, etc., something tells me this guy wasn't in their class to be able to hide it that good.

Nobody knows the importance of profit in business better than OHB , he apparently taught his son the finer points of making capitalism work at it's finest. (Does the kid have any framed pictures of the match)?

 

[OldHasBeen]

Answer to all the ???

1.- My Son is not in anyway a Pool Player (I made sure of that), but he is now 20 and likes to play at his hangout place. This is an old retro style 8-lane alley with 5 tables and he is kind of the porter & gofer, so as to play for free. The place is rented out many nights for corporate parties and other celebratory functions. This particular night my son was helping out behind the bar. The party that rented out 1/2 the place consisted of a bunch of obnoxious, flashy Car Salesmen from a big dealership with quite a few stores. The mark was trying to hustle the regular customers and asked to keep his offerings to his group. When the Player happened to come in, My Boy saw and capitalized on the situation. He WOULD NEVER let one of his friends or any of the regular customers be knowingly hustled. HE IS NOT ME, HE IS MUCH BETTER!
My Son is also a sophomore at St. Louis University (3.8 GPA) & on his way to a Law Degree. He also is a professional caddy at the most prestigious private Golf Club in St. Louis. (Summertime). He is also a part-time manager for the biggest Valet Parking Company in town. (Wintertime). He likes to play pool but he would be maybe a 4 or 5 on an APA league. He plays & gambles at golf (3 handicap). This is the direction I thought best for him. Between the caddy master & me he has developed "Street Smarts" which I think is very important along with his formal education.
TO BE CONTINUED-
TY & GL

 

[OldHasBeen]

Answers to ???

2. - The Player/Hustler is pretty good. About the 8 or last 3 under me. He hangs around the Big Time Pool Room (The Break) quite a bit. Now he has seen many $20 & $30K sets by the likes of Ronnie, Gabe, Johnny Hagar, Cooney, Buddy, Ike, Matlock & Fargo. Not to mention any of the locals that are always "In Action". Does he know how to Hustle, Take It Off & Run a Good Con ??? - YES! My Son knows better than to "Bet In The Middle" - His bets were with the other Car Salesmen.
When there is a big mid-west 9-ball tourney, My Son & his girlfriend come to watch me & eat a free steak.
There is rarely any big action at this bowling alley. If there is - I get a call and usually end up going up there to find out it is someone who knows me, so now I won't go unless the $ is posted.
This player/hustler was just working the area looking for easy money (like he should) when he came into this great opportunity. These were a bunch of 1/2 drunk Car Salesmen who knew everything. They were playing "Liars Poker" for $20 a man and trying to hustle other people. When one of them asked My Boy to play, he said - "Not unless I can have a $20 bill in both hands, like you do"!
Like I've said - I've taught him well and he has Street Smarts. He will never go for 3 Card Monty either!
TY & GL