Well, Boston Joey got his wish this morning. He passed peacefully this morning in the hospital.
Unfortunately, like I said, I met Joey after his "hey day" when he was settling down here in Waukegan. That was the mid to late 80's. I had heard of him but never really realized his "fame" until one time we went to Fond Du Lac, WI. for a tournament and a lady walked up to him and asked for his autograph.
From what he had told me, he left home when he was around 15/16. He had a job in a hospital for about 6 months back then and that was the last job he ever worked. He supported himself his whole life by playing pool. Late in his life, after he moved here (Waukegan,IL.) he moved in with his long time friend and stakehorse Bill Gaines. He and Bill did quite a bit of traveling/playing pool. Up until about the last year or so he still played pool in local tavern leagues and ALWAYS took first place in individual standings. He always liked telling the story about when he ran into Minn. Fats on the road and asked Fats if he wanted to play for $1000 a rack and all Fats said was "Joey, I can't beat you", but he would also tell me that he could never beat Fats on a big table playing straight pool. He was definitely an honest man, I never had to "watch the count" the few times I staked him. Of course when I
staked him it was never for any really big money.
