The horses

[Grady]

Since the other thread about the ponies has gotten way off track I thought I'd relate what I know about such matters. I have known three men who could legitimately beat the horses or the dogs.Two of these stalwarts weren't ultimately sucessful because by the time they'd be winning in the six figures they were betting so much money that they changed the odds so they could no longer win. Thus the subject of this tale is the one guy that I knew who prevailed at the track.
This gentleman was an excellent pool player, too. In Artie like fashion (only meant as a compliment) he won almost every time he played pool. Sometimes he'd stake a player and have to get the cash himself after the player couldn't win. He hated to have to show speed. Nobody ever knew how good he played because to my knowledge he never had to show all his speed.
He made his mind up that he could beat the horses. He did so to the tune of up in the seven figures.
I refer, of course, to the great "Brooklyn Jimmy". I don't know if he is still alive but I can tell you honestly that all of my dealings with this man were nothing short of magical.After beating the track he made millions more in the jewelry business. Jimmy was (is) goodhearted to a fault. If you were a poolplayer there was no chance that you'd leave broke, around JImmy.

[junior]

Since the other thread about the ponies has gotten way off track I thought I'd relate what I know about such matters. I have known three men who could legitimately beat the horses or the dogs.Two of these stalwarts weren't ultimately sucessful because by the time they'd be winning in the six figures they were betting so much money that they changed the odds so they could no longer win. Thus the subject of this tale is the one guy that I knew who prevailed at the track.
This gentleman was an excellent pool player, too. In Artie like fashion (only meant as a compliment) he won almost every time he played pool. Sometimes he'd stake a player and have to get the cash himself after the player couldn't win. He hated to have to show speed. Nobody ever knew how good he played because to my knowledge he never had to show all his speed.
He made his mind up that he could beat the horses. He did so to the tune of up in the seven figures.
I refer, of course, to the great "Brooklyn Jimmy". I don't know if he is still alive but I can tell you honestly that all of my dealings with this man were nothing short of magical.After beating the track he made millions more in the jewelry business. Jimmy was (is) goodhearted to a fault. If you were a poolplayer there was no chance that you'd leave broke, around JImmy.

Thanks for sharing that with us, Grady. Jimmy sounds like a very talented guy. Any idea what his method for beating the races was?

[jay helfert]

I only saw him once or twice in New York, so I didn't really know him. But I did know Don Willis, one of the all time great hustlers at many games including pool. Don laid low the same way, sneaking in and out of town like the Lone Ranger. People would still be trying to find out who he was days after he left.

And Don was the best sports handicapper I ever knew. He made a good living betting sports, but his specialty was college basketball. He knew all the teams, even the small schools and he could find the bad lines every time, and exploit it.

Like Artie, in his later years he stayed around Vegas betting the books, especially during basketball season. He didn't mess with the horses much to my knowledge. I think he knew better.

By the way, no one ever beat him in a foot race running backwards.

[fred bentivegna]

...Thus the subject of this tale is the one guy that I knew who prevailed at the track.
This gentleman was an excellent pool player, too. In Artie like fashion (only meant as a compliment) he won almost every time he played pool. Sometimes he'd stake a player and have to get the cash himself after the player couldn't win. He hated to have to show speed. Nobody ever knew how good he played because to my knowledge he never had to show all his speed.
He made his mind up that he could beat the horses. He did so to the tune of up in the seven figures.
I refer, of course, to the great "Brooklyn Jimmy". I don't know if he is still alive but I can tell you honestly that all of my dealings with this man were nothing short of magical.After beating the track he made millions more in the jewelry business. Jimmy was (is) goodhearted to a fault. If you were a poolplayer there was no chance that you'd leave broke, around JImmy.

Yes, he is still alive and well. I went to visit him in NY last Aug. I documented the trip with photos and comments in my blog
http://secretsofahardcorepoolhustler.blogspot.com/2008/02/brooklyn-jimmy-cassas.html
Like Fats, you will never see another one like 'em.

the Beard

[Grady]

Wonderful pictures and story, Freddie. Thanks for backing me up about Jimmy. He's so smart that it practically defies description.
"How're ya doin' Grady?", Jimmy asked me one time.
"Ok,", I answered.
"No, really, how ya doin'?," he continued.
"Well, I'm a single father and I never seem to get extra money but I'm in good health and have a pretty good life," I said.
"I'd like to help you out and I aint' takin' no for an answer," says Jimmy.
I can't let you do that," I respond because I was a proud man who got by all right.
"Look, I have so much money that I can't possibly spend it all. I insist that you take this and I don't ever want it back. It's my honor to assist you and I'm gonna be deeply offended if you don't allow me to help in my own small way." he states sincerely.He talked me into reluctantly accepting what was his idea of some small help. I didn't look or count what he handed me. It was $3,000.
We were at the time sitting in a NYC restaurant where we had cut up jackpots for hours, especially about our mutual sort of best friend "The Red Raider". What else can I say? The memories of this special person are part of what makes me glad I'm a pool player. Kudos to you Jimmy and thanks for everything you've been and many more years of good health.

[Artie Bodendorfer]

Wonderful pictures and story, Freddie. Thanks for backing me up about Jimmy. He's so smart that it practically defies description.
"How're ya doin' Grady?", Jimmy asked me one time.
"Ok,", I answered.
"No, really, how ya doin'?," he continued.
"Well, I'm a single father and I never seem to get extra money but I'm in good health and have a pretty good life," I said.
"I'd like to help you out and I aint' takin' no for an answer," says Jimmy.
I can't let you do that," I respond because I was a proud man who got by all right.
"Look, I have so much money that I can't possibly spend it all. I insist that you take this and I don't ever want it back. It's my honor to assist you and I'm gonna be deeply offended if you don't allow me to help in my own small way." he states sincerely.He talked me into reluctantly accepting what was his idea of some small help. I didn't look or count what he handed me. It was $3,000.
We were at the time sitting in a NYC restaurant where we had cut up jackpots for hours, especially about our mutual sort of best friend "The Red Raider". What else can I say? The memories of this special person are part of what makes me glad I'm a pool player. Kudos to you Jimmy and thanks for everything you've been and many more years of good health. Brooklin Jimmy has all good stories about him playing horses and Tall Al new him real well. And he said Jimmy was a good horse player and a good pool hustler. And tall al played horses his whole lif and he played good pool and he played his heart out when he played. And he realy loved the horses. And hen he would eat it was like watching the sixth symponey playing. If you ever watched him eat you would see a man that enjoyed every bite. Nobody in life ever ate like Tall Al.And he was a rael nice guy like Brooklin Jimmy. And his whole life was horses.and so was Jimmy. And the were good friends. And the will go to the hall of fame for horses that was their lif and thats what the enjoyed. And when I was younger I use to watch peaches and Tall Al play double deck pinocale. Against Freddy and Jimmy moon the played al night in Freddies apartment. And Freddies wife would tell Freddy to come to bed. But Freddy wouldnt go to bed. He would play pinocle all night and the were all good players. And I now Brookline Jimmy and Tall al would rather play horses then eat.

[jay helfert]

Thanks for this Freddie. I had no idea how Jimmy played when I was hanging around New York. I don't think I ever played him and he was in 7-11 all the time. I think he felt sorry for me, seeing how I was playing Murderer's Row every night. :)
He was close buddies with Rex, who was only too happy to relieve me of my measley few bucks. After Richie or Red got through with me, Rex would lure me over to that big 5x10 by the counter and empty me out. I still laugh about it with him now when I see him in Vegas. I may have been a sucker then, but I managed to make some money in the pool world, more than most.