Is Fats a fit?

[Scrzbill]

Induct "Fats" by FIAT. Along with other old timers. Cokes and others.
This is one of the problems I have with the popularity contest. Gossip is all I have read from anyone posting.
"Fats" was a monster to pool, one pocket in general.
His induction should have been one of the first for his promotion of the game only. Was he as great as his mouth? WHO CARES!
Has anyone made a bigger name for himself in pool besides the Jansco Brothers. Johnston City was the nuts. I was there twice and you could throw a dart and hit five great players.
It was the first time I saw Ronnie Allen play and I had to pay $5. for the privilege. It was worth every penny.
"Fats" should be in, his playing skills are secondary to the attention he bought to pool and one pocket.

 

[oldspurguy]

Fats is already in the one-pocket HOF.

http://www.onepocket.org/fame.htm

 

[fred bentivegna]

Fats is already in the one-pocket HOF.

http://www.onepocket.org/fame.htm

That's why it is good to at least know what it already contains before you get on a soapbox and preach about what's missing.

Beard


Bottom line. It is interesting to hear all these different perspective re an already super successful process that is loved by everybody --everybody that participates at least.

Bottom line 2: If anybody thinks Steve Booth is gonna tweak, what to him is his legacy, you can forget about it. And getting me replaced will be harder than getting thru on the Obama Care website. What is amazing is someone suggesting that I get impeached!!!???

 

[oldspurguy]

I like it as is, and appreciate being able to have input and vote. You and Steve do a great job. Thanks.

 

[fred bentivegna]

This is an email I received the other day from someone named Tom Kerwin, that is pertinent to this thread.


Just viewed your website today, very interesting. I did note you did
not list NY Fats AKA Minn Fats, AKA Double smart fats on your list of
players you beat.

I wached him shoot one pocket from 1959 to 1964 at Scovills Bar / Pool
Room / Poker joint in Nationa; City Ill, in basement of Stockyards Inn
Hotel. Saw many games with $2000 bets on the rail. Fat's was a world
class banker and one pocket champ.

I played poker with him a few times, he was not the best poker player.

Guess the reason you do not show as beating him is he probably beat you ??

Let me know the story..Thanks

Tom Kerwin age 71, St Louis Mo

My reply:
Fats was just a little before my time, skill wise. When I got to where I could beat him playing anything, he wasnt looking to play anymore. Plus, I was a Fats groupie anyway. I would have been too embarrassed to ask him to play. I just loved being around him. He often used me to "second" a lot of his lies and outrageous claims.

Freddy B

Thanks for reply. Fats would also visit our local Pool Room at Water
Tower in N St Louis, Poor Pete's Pocket Billiards, he would hand his
roll of 100's to a local young player Vernon Pumphry, it was well over
$10,000. He said the roll was too big to keep in a pocket when he
played pool. This would upset the shooter trying to play Fats. Fats
would yak, yak, yak, to old Pete and others, would talk about eating a
whole turkey, and going to India and playing a Maharajah. He lived in
Dowell Ill, close to DuQuoin. Not far from St Louis and Johnston City
Ill. Most of these games were for $100 $200, he took all the cash
every time.He liked the far end table, A E Schmidt table 4 X 8 no
ball returns.

We had a shooter that had one eye, name was HawkEye. He would play one
handed 9 ball with a Broom handle !! no joke...would not play for over
$10 a game. Hardly ever lost.

After the Movie came out he changed name to Minn Fats. He would tell
us when he planned to be in Scovills room in National City. We were
always there, he would not show up until after Midnight, then argue
about the spot and amount etc of game for 2 hours,then would play one
pocket for $500 $1,000 a game. He could bank and kick like a wizard,
he would shoot without even bending down. He never lost.

I got married in 63, had to get a job and quit pool room, bars. It was
fun while it lasted.

Thanks again for the reply.

Tom Kerwin

Beard

 

[fred bentivegna]

This is an email I received the other day from someone named Tom Kerwin, that is pertinent to this thread.


Just viewed your website today, very interesting. I did note you did
not list NY Fats AKA Minn Fats, AKA Double smart fats on your list of
players you beat.

I wached him shoot one pocket from 1959 to 1964 at Scovills Bar / Pool
Room / Poker joint in Nationa; City Ill, in basement of Stockyards Inn
Hotel. Saw many games with $2000 bets on the rail. Fat's was a world
class banker and one pocket champ.

I played poker with him a few times, he was not the best poker player.

Guess the reason you do not show as beating him is he probably beat you ??

Let me know the story..Thanks

Tom Kerwin age 71, St Louis Mo

My reply:
Fats was just a little before my time, skill wise. When I got to where I could beat him playing anything, he wasnt looking to play anymore. Plus, I was a Fats groupie anyway. I would have been too embarrassed to ask him to play. I just loved being around him. He often used me to "second" a lot of his lies and outrageous claims.

Freddy B

Thanks for reply. Fats would also visit our local Pool Room at Water
Tower in N St Louis, Poor Pete's Pocket Billiards, he would hand his
roll of 100's to a local young player Vernon Pumphry, it was well over
$10,000. He said the roll was too big to keep in a pocket when he
played pool. This would upset the shooter trying to play Fats. Fats
would yak, yak, yak, to old Pete and others, would talk about eating a
whole turkey, and going to India and playing a Maharajah. He lived in
Dowell Ill, close to DuQuoin. Not far from St Louis and Johnston City
Ill. Most of these games were for $100 $200, he took all the cash
every time.He liked the far end table, A E Schmidt table 4 X 8 no
ball returns.

We had a shooter that had one eye, name was HawkEye. He would play one
handed 9 ball with a Broom handle !! no joke...would not play for over
$10 a game. Hardly ever lost.

After the Movie came out he changed name to Minn Fats. He would tell
us when he planned to be in Scovills room in National City. We were
always there, he would not show up until after Midnight, then argue
about the spot and amount etc of game for 2 hours,then would play one
pocket for $500 $1,000 a game. He could bank and kick like a wizard,
he would shoot without even bending down. He never lost.

I got married in 63, had to get a job and quit pool room, bars. It was
fun while it lasted.

Thanks again for the reply.

Tom Kerwin

Beard

Memo to Doc, I drop names because I have had the good fortune to have been around, and acquainted with many important ones. :sorry I could always, instead, talk about my alcoholic next door neighbor. Is that what anybody wants to hear about? Be glad to relay his antics to the folks. Sorry, but he doesnt play pool.

 

[Island Drive]

Dowell IL

Dowell IL

Memo to Doc, I drop names because I have had the good fortune to have been around, and acquainted with many important ones. :sorry I could always, instead, talk about my alcoholic next door neighbor. Is that what anybody wants to hear about? Be glad to relay his antics to the folks. Sorry, but he doesnt play pool.

South end of town, is where Fats/Evelyns home was, corner lot next to the corn fields. The outskirts of town were always animal dumping grounds, and of course once Fats lived there, it became even more so. Evelyn said Fats had anywhere from 6-800 a month vet bills for the ones he helped/saved and kept, that's the way he was. They had a small pen in the backyard for extra/pet guests. One time Fats noticed a fly in the bathroom in the home, he told evelyn it had been there two days, fats also told Ev not to kill it and let him know when it went in another room.

 

[lfigueroa]

Fats would also visit our local Pool Room at Water
Tower in N St Louis, Poor Pete's Pocket Billiards, he would hand his
roll of 100's to a local young player Vernon Pumphry, it was well over
$10,000. He said the roll was too big to keep in a pocket when he
played pool. This would upset the shooter trying to play Fats.

Tom Kerwin


Vernon is still around. I see him every once in a while.

Lou Figueroa