Chicago bugs rucker bank game

rich htx

Verified Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2016
Messages
1,092
From
Houston TX
Don't know if this is old news to you guys here

But here's bugs bank video
Chicago Bugs Rucker bank game: [ame]http://youtu.be/BAlRHRJidaM[/ame]
 

lll

Verified Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
19,057
From
vero beach fl
as mentioned watching bugs bank is poetry in motion
i was lucky to see him play not knowing who he was
just that he was really good
he was playing earl heisler for $500 game onepocket at the sports palace New Orleans 1970's
didnt find out he was a legend until the 1990's when an article called "legends of the road" featured him in billiards digest??
 

cincy_kid

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2015
Messages
7,792
From
Cincinnati, OH
a beast indeed....any time I hear that name it also reminds me of Gary. They played on several occasions and to be honest I am not sure who won the majority of the time (maybe someone else can chime in on that).

Here is an old video (not complete) from a 1993 LA tourney (1p, banks and 9b). Not sure if this video was part of the tourney or just action on the side but here you go - part 1 of 11 hehe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UARNoccs5-0

Those pockets sure were huge back then :)

Ironically enough, you have 2 of the best bank pool players who ever lived and neither one of them won this particular tournament - it was Mark Tadd, who also won the 9b tourney as well. He almost snapped all 3 off but the cookie man Steve Cook stood in his way and knocked off the 1 hole.
 

poolisboring

Verified Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
756
From
toledo
gary was my bank pool hero--i modeled my bank game after his.....a very talented player, not just in banks, died way too early in life--remember chatting with him at dcc around 2000--he was sick then........when i was at red shoes a few years ago, the counter guy was telling me when bugs, joey spaeth and some other bank legend played banks, when one of them got down to 3 balls and they were all sitting in good spots to be banked, they would just give the guy the banks and rake the balls--they were that good--hell, u dont even see guys doing that in 9 ball anymore-- we used to do it--a guy gets a tough luck scratch and the last 3 are all on one end of the table, we would just rake em--of course we werent high stakes gambling either--then u gotta make the guy get out........
 
Last edited:

cincy_kid

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2015
Messages
7,792
From
Cincinnati, OH
gary was my bank pool hero--i modeled my bank game after his.....a very talented player, not just in banks, died way too early in life--remember chatting with him at dcc around 2000--he was sick then........when i was at red shoes a few years ago, the counter guy was telling me when bugs, joey spaeth and some other bank legend played banks, when one of them got down to 3 balls and they were all sitting in good spots to be banked, they would just give the guy the banks and rake the balls--they were that good--hell, u dont even see guys doing that in 9 ball anymore-- we used to do it--a guy gets a tough luck scratch and the last 3 are all on one end of the table, we would just rake em--of course we werent high stakes gambling either--then u gotta make the guy get out........

I agree with you, super talented player in all games (even played 3 cushion pretty well) and also agree he died way too early in life. I enjoyed all the times I got to play with him and all the times I got to watch him play, when he got in gear, there was no stopping him that's for sure...

PS - I noticed on that video that Gary won that match and also it looked like it was part of the tourney but someone posted on that youtube thread that it was a $1,500 set so who knows...
 

dinoboy1

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
22
From
Chicago, Il
leonard rucker AKA "Bugs"

leonard rucker AKA "Bugs"

I agree with you, super talented player in all games (even played 3 cushion pretty well) and also agree he died way too early in life. I enjoyed all the times I got to play with him and all the times I got to watch him play, when he got in gear, there was no stopping him that's for sure...

PS - I noticed on that video that Gary won that match and also it looked like it was part of the tourney but someone posted on that youtube thread that it was a $1,500 set so who knows...

I totally agree. Bugs was a close friend of my dad ("Freddy the Beard") Bentivegna. He really was that good, if not the best ever for money. He almost never missed the game winning ball, or balls. He was my hero, friend, and one heck of a guy!
 

mr3cushion

Verified Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
7,617
From
Cocoa Beach, FL
I agree with you, super talented player in all games (even played 3 cushion pretty well) and also agree he died way too early in life. I enjoyed all the times I got to play with him and all the times I got to watch him play, when he got in gear, there was no stopping him that's for sure...

PS - I noticed on that video that Gary won that match and also it looked like it was part of the tourney but someone posted on that youtube thread that it was a $1,500 set so who knows...

I knew VERY well for 50 years, I NEVER saw him even attempt to play one 3 cushion shot! He and I used to run into each other all over the country. He was in DC when I played, 'George the Greek' for BIG money in 3C. Bugs knew He could always get a 'Gapper' when I played! And I always tried to sneak a bet in on Him, without knocking His action!
 

dinoboy1

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
22
From
Chicago, Il
Bug's final days

Bug's final days

I agree with you, super talented player in all games (even played 3 cushion pretty well) and also agree he died way too early in life. I enjoyed all the times I got to play with him and all the times I got to watch him play, when he got in gear, there was no stopping him that's for sure...

PS - I noticed on that video that Gary won that match and also it looked like it was part of the tourney but someone posted on that youtube thread that it was a $1,500 set so who knows...

I never knew he played 3 cushion, wow. I know he was at one time the best bank pool player in the world, and another when he was considered the best one-hole player in the world. At the height of his game and glenn rogers game, he would give piggy bank 10-8, which is ridiculous.
My dad and i went to visit him in hospice, about two weeks before he died. he called my dad and asked us to bring him king crab legs, AND, ribs (the HOT One's), from "Ribs and Bibs". So, my dad bought a case of king crab legs, had me cook some for him, and then we stopped at "Ribs and Bibs", on the way to the hospital, and had a little lunch visit. Probably the worst thing a guy could eat, that's dying and is a diabetic. But he was still very grateful for granting his request!
 

dinoboy1

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
22
From
Chicago, Il
gary was my bank pool hero--i modeled my bank game after his.....a very talented player, not just in banks, died way too early in life--remember chatting with him at dcc around 2000--he was sick then........when i was at red shoes a few years ago, the counter guy was telling me when bugs, joey spaeth and some other bank legend played banks, when one of them got down to 3 balls and they were all sitting in good spots to be banked, they would just give the guy the banks and rake the balls--they were that good--hell, u dont even see guys doing that in 9 ball anymore-- we used to do it--a guy gets a tough luck scratch and the last 3 are all on one end of the table, we would just rake em--of course we werent high stakes gambling either--then u gotta make the guy get out........

Definitely. Gary had a fantastic bank stroke for running balls in bank pool. He made it look so easy!
 

dinoboy1

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
22
From
Chicago, Il
a beast indeed....any time I hear that name it also reminds me of Gary. They played on several occasions and to be honest I am not sure who won the majority of the time (maybe someone else can chime in on that).

Here is an old video (not complete) from a 1993 LA tourney (1p, banks and 9b). Not sure if this video was part of the tourney or just action on the side but here you go - part 1 of 11 hehe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UARNoccs5-0

Those pockets sure were huge back then :)

Ironically enough, you have 2 of the best bank pool players who ever lived and neither one of them won this particular tournament - it was Mark Tadd, who also won the 9b tourney as well. He almost snapped all 3 off but the cookie man Steve Cook stood in his way and knocked off the 1 hole.

Speaking of Steve Cook, i have the video tape of his one pocket match against Bugs in either the first or second "legends of one-pocket" tourneys. Steve won. He looked so harmless for a champion pool player, but he was a monster!
 

poolisboring

Verified Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
756
From
toledo
watching steve playing one pocket, you could almost fall asleep--not because it was boring, but because it almost seemed like he could lull you into a false sense of security, then next thing you knew it was over---ill never forget that match at legends of op where jose parica made like 6 balls over a 5 game span--talk about amazing defensive one pocket--he put on a clinic.......then you have bugs, everyone should watch his banks tape, its hilarious, some of the things he says, wish i could have met him, sounded like a cool cat--wish i could have played him in banks, but he would have murdered me, but hey, he did that to just about everyone in banks.......
 

dinoboy1

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2005
Messages
22
From
Chicago, Il
watching steve playing one pocket, you could almost fall asleep--not because it was boring, but because it almost seemed like he could lull you into a false sense of security, then next thing you knew it was over---ill never forget that match at legends of op where jose parica made like 6 balls over a 5 game span--talk about amazing defensive one pocket--he put on a clinic.......then you have bugs, everyone should watch his banks tape, its hilarious, some of the things he says, wish i could have met him, sounded like a cool cat--wish i could have played him in banks, but he would have murdered me, but hey, he did that to just about everyone in banks.......

i wish i could have seen the parica match. What were the match details?
 

lll

Verified Member
Joined
Mar 19, 2007
Messages
19,057
From
vero beach fl
dino
is that you in the avatar??
your dad and i got to know each other alittle via this site
and i got to meet him in person at the first tourney at tunica
i miss him
nice of you to be posting over here
larry landsman
 

cincy_kid

Verified Member
Joined
Nov 23, 2015
Messages
7,792
From
Cincinnati, OH
I never knew he played 3 cushion, wow. I know he was at one time the best bank pool player in the world, and another when he was considered the best one-hole player in the world. At the height of his game and glenn rogers game, he would give piggy bank 10-8, which is ridiculous.
My dad and i went to visit him in hospice, about two weeks before he died. he called my dad and asked us to bring him king crab legs, AND, ribs (the HOT One's), from "Ribs and Bibs". So, my dad bought a case of king crab legs, had me cook some for him, and then we stopped at "Ribs and Bibs", on the way to the hospital, and had a little lunch visit. Probably the worst thing a guy could eat, that's dying and is a diabetic. But he was still very grateful for granting his request!

Hey Dino, thanks for the post and welcome to the site, I have not see you post before so it's nice to meet you. Although I never met your dad personally, I know that almost everyone (if not everyone) on this site was a big fan of Freddy and misses him a lot.

Hope you hang out some more and maybe we get to meet at one of our pool events - Chicago about 85 days away! :)

PS - I was talking about Gary playing 3 cushion...i don't know if Bugs did or not.
 

poolisboring

Verified Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
756
From
toledo
i wish i could have seen the parica match. What were the match details?
accu stats might have it..... i dont know what year but it was legends of op and i believe steve won it that year--he beat parica 5 zip in a completely dominating performance......
 

Miller

Verified Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Messages
5,524
From
East St. Louis Area
http://www.onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=8971
;)

i wish i could have seen the parica match. What were the match details?

your dad and billy commentated it. pic of them in the booth somewhere in that thread.....

accu stats might have it..... i dont know what year but it was legends of op and i believe steve won it that year--he beat parica 5 zip in a completely dominating performance......

PIB - used to be available on accustats. the beard and billy thought that cook played nearly perfect one pocket. if i remember correctly, grady was in the booth for a while as well. its a keeper....

:)
 

poolisboring

Verified Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
756
From
toledo
a beast indeed....any time I hear that name it also reminds me of Gary. They played on several occasions and to be honest I am not sure who won the majority of the time (maybe someone else can chime in on that).

Here is an old video (not complete) from a 1993 LA tourney (1p, banks and 9b). Not sure if this video was part of the tourney or just action on the side but here you go - part 1 of 11 hehe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UARNoccs5-0

Those pockets sure were huge back then :)

Ironically enough, you have 2 of the best bank pool players who ever lived and neither one of them won this particular tournament - it was Mark Tadd, who also won the 9b tourney as well. He almost snapped all 3 off but the cookie man Steve Cook stood in his way and knocked off the 1 hole.
another bank pool legend took 2nd in the banks behind tadd -- Donny Anderson ......
 
Top