No contest. Bugs drawing away. Especially for big,big money. Gary was able to fade a decent bet, like up to $1500 to $2000 a set, tops. The sky was the limit with Bugs, even tho both players would be getting backed.
Gary was a great banker. He just didn't play as good as Bugs. As far as I know, only Eddie Taylor did. Maybe Youngblood. Maybe.
Beard
Actually like most times, Freddy, you're close! Gary would agree that Bugs, at his prime, was probably the better and Eddie Taylor at the top of the heap in banks. And you're right on the money
aspect also. I staked Gary for many years and I was never a deep pocket gambler. I had a family and a business that took priority and would not put myself in a position that would harm either
of them. Gary always knew that and cared about my family and business as if they were his own. I never once had a concern of whether Gary was trying his best for my money! He often would
refuse games that I wanted him to try because as he said "it's too tough"! Because of that we very seldom lost! From the mid '80's on Bugs could not beat Gary! They played at least 6 times
that I have very vivid memories of and Gary won all but one time. That time most of the people thought Bugs won when in fact they broke even on sets, Gary was ahead on games won and
because I was pressured in to raising the bet prematurely, we lost $1k. Two of the times they played, they played one pocket and Bugs spotted Gary a ball. Gary won both of those and the spot,
even though a psychological advantage, did not really show up in the score. I'm certainly not saying Gary was better than Bugs, but by this time Bugs just could no longer beat Gary. I'd also
like to go on record as saying that Bugs was probably the best person on the planet for Gary to match up with. I wish they could have played EVERY day and not because we were winning. Bugs
was always a gentleman. Meaning that there was never any sign of an argument, disagreement, or disrespect of any kind between them. They both had a lot of respect for one another. We'd
sometimes take a break in the action to go outside for a little fresh air (or maybe smokey air) the 3 of us together as if we were road partners or just friends instead of rivals. We were rivals, but
still friends!
Since we're on the subject of "Spaeth & Bugs", I'll relate another little story about Joey Spaeth and Bugs. This was told to me in part by Billy Carrelli, another Cincinnati player and comments
from Joey. When Bugs first started playing one pocket, his stake horses recognized his talents but knew there was a great deal he didn't know about the game. Joey was one of the best movers
in the country at that time, so Bugs' stakehorses set up a weekly game at a small quiet pool room in Dayton. They would bring Bugs down every week to Play Joey cheap ($50 a rack) one pocket
with Joey giving Bugs 11-8 in the beginning. Of course over a period of about 6 months or so, the game made several adjustments until they were playing even and Joey realized that he could
no longer beat Bugs even. Joey said "I took him to school and now Bugs is the teacher".