A One Pocket Story

[jrhendy]

In the 70's I played at a room called The Golden Cue about 20 miles from downtown LA. The owner, Indian Joe Monzingo, used to go in with me & we played anyone who walked through the door. We got beat many times but I was always in action & booked enough winners to keep playing. If you played around LA and wanted action, you had to play with the Mexican Players from 4th & Main, downtown. I played Morro, Ernesto, Veracruz and other guys more times than I can count over the years. They were tough to beat, but when you did win you won something. When they first started coming around, one of the backers sweated my one pocket came & told me to come down to 4th & Main & he would steer me around for 30%. Sure enough, he put me on a couple of guys and we beat them for a few dollars. Then he told me he had one more guy coming in that would go off a little. I beat the guy out of some money and when we met back at the Golden Cue to whack it up he said: " I should get more $$ for the last guy, he was my brother!" I did send in a little more & will never know if it was true or not, but it was a funny story.

[hemicudas]

In the 70's I played at a room called The Golden Cue about 20 miles from downtown LA. The owner, Indian Joe Monzingo, used to go in with me & we played anyone who walked through the door. We got beat many times but I was always in action & booked enough winners to keep playing. If you played around LA and wanted action, you had to play with the Mexican Players from 4th & Main, downtown. I played Morro, Ernesto, Veracruz and other guys more times than I can count over the years. They were tough to beat, but when you did win you won something. When they first started coming around, one of the backers sweated my one pocket came & told me to come down to 4th & Main & he would steer me around for 30%. Sure enough, he put me on a couple of guys and we beat them for a few dollars. Then he told me he had one more guy coming in that would go off a little. I beat the guy out of some money and when we met back at the Golden Cue to whack it up he said: " I should get more $$ for the last guy, he was my brother!" I did send in a little more & will never know if it was true or not, but it was a funny story.His brother? Treachery was rampant at one time. Hell, it might still be for all I know. I remember vividly how it use to be totally about the cash. It didn't matter how well you played, it was how smart you were. There were only 2 possibilities, that I see, here. The guy was squeezing you for more money wheather the guy was his brother or not. And, if it was his brother you know that he worked a jellyroll from his brother's end, just in case he beat you. Hell, he might have even been in with his brother and squeezed you to get some of his money back, lol.

1974, I am playing in a tournament in Biloxi, MS. I get knocked out early and match up with another guy that got knocked out early. Playing even one pocket, the guy beats me out of $700-$800, all I had on me. The line I had gotten on the guy was that I needed 8-7. Problem was he wouldn't adjust any kind of way. So, I take the heat and drive back to Jackson, sell a pristine 65 Impala SS for $1,000 and go to the local action room to pick up a good road player that was virtually unknown, in Miss., to take back to Biloxi to get some of my money back. The road player had given me 10-6 and liked it. So, I knew he was the nuts to beat the guy in Biloxi. Now remember, to give me 10-6 and like it, you didn't have to play Grady's speed, lol.

I walk into the pool room in Jackson and look to my right, where the shoe shine stand was and my road player is sitting there. Before I go up to him and tell him the situation, I look around the pool room, just in case it could hurt me talking to the guy. Sure enough, on the back table, practicing by himself is the guy from Biloxi. He had followed me back to Jackson.

"Wheels really turning now", I walk to the back table and motion for the guy to come to the restroom. He follows me in. I tell the guy I want 25% for steering him around Jackson and he says fine. Now remember, this guy refused to readjust our game in Biloxi and I'm still hot. I tell him to go ask the "Hippie" in the shoe shine stand to play. I tell him the action was a little tougher than playing me but that the whole pool room would go off behind the guy. He says OK and I tell him to stay in the restroom for 3-4 mins. after I come out so they don't put us together.

I come out of the rest room, walk up to the shoe shine stand and give the "Hippie" $1,000 and tell him to knock this guy on in.

A few hours later the guy from Biloxi unjoints, shaking his head and says, "Take it down". The "Hippie" lays out $3,200 on the table, picks up $1,100, puts it in his pocket and I walk over and pick up the other $2,100. I tell the guy from Biloxi it might be better to adjust the game when asked in the future.

[Lunchmoney]

His brother? Treachery was rampant at one time. Hell, it might still be for all I know. I remember vividly how it use to be totally about the cash. It didn't matter how well you played, it was how smart you were. There were only 2 possibilities, that I see, here. The guy was squeezing you for more money wheather the guy was his brother or not. And, if it was his brother you know that he worked a jellyroll from his brother's end, just in case he beat you. Hell, he might have even been in with his brother and squeezed you to get some of his money back, lol.

1974, I am playing in a tournament in Biloxi, MS. I get knocked out early and match up with another guy that got knocked out early. Playing even one pocket, the guy beats me out of $700-$800, all I had on me. The line I had gotten on the guy was that I needed 8-7. Problem was he wouldn't adjust any kind of way. So, I take the heat and drive back to Jackson, sell a pristine 65 Impala SS for $1,000 and go to the local action room to pick up a good road player that was virtually unknown, in Miss., to take back to Biloxi to get some of my money back. The road player had given me 10-6 and liked it. So, I knew he was the nuts to beat the guy in Biloxi. Now remember, to give me 10-6 and like it, you didn't have to play Grady's speed, lol.

I walk into the pool room in Jackson and look to my right, where the shoe shine stand was and my road player is sitting there. Before I go up to him and tell him the situation, I look around the pool room, just in case it could hurt me talking to the guy. Sure enough, on the back table, practicing by himself is the guy from Biloxi. He had followed me back to Jackson.

"Wheels really turning now", I walk to the back table and motion for the guy to come to the restroom. He follows me in. I tell the guy I want 25% for steering him around Jackson and he says fine. Now remember, this guy refused to readjust our game in Biloxi and I'm still hot. I tell him to go ask the "Hippie" in the shoe shine stand to play. I tell him the action was a little tougher than playing me but that the whole pool room would go off behind the guy. He says OK and I tell him to stay in the restroom for 3-4 mins. after I come out so they don't put us together.

I come out of the rest room, walk up to the shoe shine stand and give the "Hippie" $1,000 and tell him to knock this guy on in.

A few hours later the guy from Biloxi unjoints, shaking his head and says, "Take it down". The "Hippie" lays out $3,200 on the table, picks up $1,100, puts it in his pocket and I walk over and pick up the other $2,100. I tell the guy from Biloxi it might be better to adjust the game when asked in the future.

Great story $Bill, Who was the hippie? Hippie Jimmy?

Lunchmoney

[hemicudas]

Great story $Bill, Who was the hippie? Hippie Jimmy?

LunchmoneyLunch, I left names out of the story for a reason. Jimmie Reid wasn't the only "Hippie" around in those days. I believe there were more than one "Hippie" that could have given me 10-6 and liked it, lol. I played similar to "Woppie" from the DFW area. I moved pretty well but was never much of a threat to run 8 and out. Sad but true.

[Lunchmoney]

Lunch, I left names out of the story for a reason. Jimmie Reid wasn't the only "Hippie" around in those days. I believe there were more than one "Hippie" that could have given me 10-6 and liked it, lol. I played similar to "Woppie" from the DFW area. I moved pretty well but was never much of a threat to run 8 and out. Sad but true.

Yeah, I was able to figure out that you didn't want to mention any names and it aroused my curiosity. The only "Hippie" I could come up with Jimmy Reid. You are right though there were a lot of long hairs around in'74, myself included. Names or not it was still a great read. It would be fun to play some time. I don't move particularly well and usually win games by making balls, heaven help me when I miss though....

Lunchmoney