Rags Fitzpatrick article in BD

[NH Steve]

RA Dyer came out with a real nice article on Washington DC area early One Pocket legend 'Rags' Fitzpatrick. Both Weenie Beenie and Eddie Taylor (for two) have said Rags was one of the top One Pocket players in the 40's or 50's. He died right before the very first Johnston City tournament, meaning his years near the top were before One pocket got much public awareness.

Rags is one of the players, along with Johnny Ervolino, Earl Heisler and others that should be on the next One Pocket Hall of Fame ballot for sure.

http://photos1.flickr.com/2453260_d1f235c747_m.jpg
Rags pic from RA Dyer's web site
http://www.hustlerdays.com/

In his coverage of Untold Stories, Dyer is uncovering a good bit of early One Pocket lore -- his section in BD is quickly becoming my new favorite (sorry, George :) )

Of course Tom Shaw's Legends of the Road series in Pool and Billiards magazine also digs up lots of good early One Pocket stories. I understand Tom's compiling those into a book -- sure sounds good to me, because I personally only own about a third of them.

Keep up the good work, guys!

[OldHasBeen]

From the stories I've heard from Gordon Guy (Gracie), the great One-Pocket player (Rags) from D.C. was Black.

TY & GL

[BackPocket9Ball]

In the "Winning One Pocket" book, there is a picture of a black player also nicknamed "Rags", but I think his real name is James Woods. I don't have the book in front of me so I think that's his real name.

The Washington DC "Rags" is John Fitzpatrick.

[jrhendy]

In the "Winning One Pocket" book, there is a picture of a black player also nicknamed "Rags", but I think his real name is James Woods. I don't have the book in front of me so I think that's his real name.

The Washington DC "Rags" is John Fitzpatrick. I believe the Rags in the book is Rags Woods from Los Angeles, who played some one pocket but was a better straight pool player. I do not know where he was originally from, but he was in LA from the 60's to the 80's.

[NH Steve]

I believe the Rags in the book is Rags Woods from Los Angeles, who played some one pocket but was a better straight pool player. I do not know where he was originally from, but he was in LA from the 60's to the 80's.There indeed was a black 'Rags' and a white 'Rags' -- the Dyer article is about the white dude -- John Fitzpatrick from the Washington DC area. I was confused about that too, but I had just asked Weenie Beenie the same question when I met him at the DCC.

[bjspivey]

I remember Raggs, he was a friend of Brier Spiveys {my dad] Dad liked to go to the chicken fights in Haver Hill Ohio, Raggs & his wife would go with mom & dad They would WIN pretty good,Came home with a Desoto conv/mom & dad would book in the stands Lay 13 to 10 pick! Raggs always dressed Flashy So did my Dad, Mon used to say they looked like a Face Cards, a Winnin pair!! :D