Old Pools Halls --- Need your help!

[CaliRed]

I am asking for some help for a website I hope to get going. I have secured the name www.oldpoolhall.com . I am planning on paying tribute to pool halls around the U.S. that qualify as a genuine Pool Hall. I would like to tell a story of each of those pool halls with pictures of the inside or outside, pictures of the players that frequented them along with stories of the players and the pool hall.

The Color Of Money came out in 1986 and spawned the birth of the strip mall pool places. I am focusing on the pool halls before then.. Every good pool player had favorite pool halls, along with the one he spent most of his time in.

I think it would be really neat to have a site where you could read up on the important pool halls of the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. I would also like to dedicate a section to even older ones, but getting info on them might be hard to do.

For those of you that wish to donate pictures, along with stories, feel free to send them to photos@oldpoolhall.com

I bet alot of you either have pictures, poloroids, slides or tapes.... I would be more that happy to scan any pictures/slides you may have and would also transfer them to a CD or DVD for you. Pictures/slides are at risk of deteriorating or being damaged by floods/fire and other events. I would send you 2 CD's or DVD's back in return, one you can store safely at your house and the other you can give to someone else, so if something ever happens at one place, you have not lost everything. I know, because at 35 years old, I lost everything I had acquired thru 35 years on this earth, because of some kids playing with lighters at my apt. complex.

I would scan them at a high resolution (300 x 300), which would allow you to print them or view them in great detail. I can also clean up some that may have spots on and such. I would also give credit to those donating. Also, if you have a website already up with pictures of players and pool halls, I would be in debt to you if you offered permission to use some of your stuff, with proper credit, of course.

If you mailed them, I would scan them right away and mail right back.

Anyways, I hope you all like the idea and would find it interesting. I know my heart always go back to the old pool halls... I was lucky enough to experience one of them as my home turf and I don't believe there are many left these days. The players and the pool halls from those days deserve a home in cyberspace for all to enjoy.

Thanks much,

Greg

 

[gulfportdoc]

Greg, I emailed you one of Wimpy's old home room in Elizabeth, NJ.

Doc

P.S. This photo was floating around the web. It's not my picture.

 

[One pocket Smitty]

There were a couple in Houston that deserve mention.
Le Cue
Red's
Le Cue was as good as it got for a poolroom. Anyone who was suppose to be thought of as a player came through Le Cue.---Smitty

 

[SJDinPHX]

Great Idea Greg,

I'm sure everyone wishes you much success in this venture.
As you well know, you are going back to an era well before digital cameras or camera phones.

Also, I don't know of anyone, in those days, who cared about anything but getting in, making a score, and getting out unscathed.
Never saw a pool player snap a picture, of anything, in my life.

Might I suggest keying in on a specific target, for instance Cochrans, and finding out through local players, if they can help you locate the heirs of those former owners, and put you in touch with them. I'm pretty sure Dick Cochran had kids, I think Dick has long passed...Grady would know. You may strike gold there.

You know Artie once owned Bensinger's but I can't visualize him taking any pictures, (I'm sure there may be a few "Nick Nolte" type mug shots the CPD would have on file) wouldn't hurt to ask him or Fred though.
There may be pictures some reporter took out front, while they were trying to kick Artie "out" of the paddy wagon.

Good Luck

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

Greg..........I happened to have a few rare pics....

I have a couple taken inside Bensingers, and a couple taken inside Freddy's old North Shore club - maybe the only ones in existence.....



- Ghost

 

[CaliRed]

thanks Doc.... that's a cool pic... wish it was scanned at a higher resolution so a person can zoom in and look at details around the room... but it's a good start.... one of the best there was, and in his room.

thanks Dick... I'll have to send Grady a message. Probably a good idea to focus on some of the more popular rooms to start. I just thought of something when you mentioned Nick Nolte pictures (hehe, you do crack me up) I was thinking of that thread on AZ in the Action Room about someone asking "Who is this crazed individual" Compare the pic in that thread with Nick's "forgot my comb" picture

Ghost, you certainly have my interest peaked on those pics. With all the talk of those 2 places, I would love to be able to picture what it was like in there, as to better understand the conversations about it. Feel free to send them off to me, if you wish. Even if you don't want them posted, I would still like to see them.

 

[mr3cushion]

I got a Miilion of em (well mabe about a 150)

I got a Miilion of em (well mabe about a 150)

I probably have more pics of Bensingers than anyone, that includes "The Beard", there was a fellow that hung out in Bensingers for years, his name was Clint Brothe, he was a photographer in WWII for the Army, also a billiard player somewhat. Between pics of my Dad and Myself, I do believe I have about 150 photos taken inside Bensingers from 1968 to 1972. many old time billiard players from that era who all gone but a few of us.

 

[philwelch]

I probably have more pics of Bensingers than anyone, that includes "The Beard", there was a fellow that hung out in Bensingers for years, his name was Clint Brothe, he was a photographer in WWII for the Army, also a billiard player somewhat. Between pics of my Dad and Myself, I do believe I have about 150 photos taken inside Bensingers from 1968 to 1972. many old time billiard players from that era who all gone but a few of us.

Bill where has the time gone? To think that you're calling yourself an oldtime billiard player. We sure had some good times at The Chicago Billiard Cafe back in the 80's. Of course back then they had about seven or eight 3cushion tables. Now they have exactly 0! Doesn't seem like a poolhall without at least 1 billiard table. They also had some nice tournaments with the likes of Raymond Cuelmans, Blomdahl, Ashby, Gilbert, Bill Smith, Mazin Shooni, and a slew of great players I'm not remembering. Lots of good memories.

 

[gulfportdoc]

Greg-- The guy who posted the pictures of Wimpy's old pool room goes by the name of "branpureza" on AZ billiards. The post where 3 pictures were shown was from 11-24-07. He lives in Elizabeth, NJ; and he probably has the original digital pictures.

Good luck! ~Doc

 

[fred bentivegna]

Got a couple

Got a couple

Got a couple of Bensinger pics, but they are on my game room wall. I will have to scan them and send you a jpeg. Will do it after I return from my knee procedure tomorrow. Should be knocked out for at least a week.

the Beard

 

[fred bentivegna]

A couple from Bensingers

A couple from Bensingers

Here are some pics I had put in my book The GosPool taken in Bensingers.
Use them if you like.
I am sleeping next to the 6x12 snooker table.
Table 13 was the main 5x10 and was situated in front of the snack bar, convenient for the sweators.
The guy playing with Peaches is a young Artie.

the Beard

 

[CaliRed]

Got a couple of Bensinger pics, but they are on my game room wall. I will have to scan them and send you a jpeg. Will do it after I return from my knee procedure tomorrow. Should be knocked out for at least a week.

the Beard

thanks Freddy... I hope your knee procedure works out good and hope it's the last one. Make sure they give you lots of good stuff for the pain!! My back went out last thursday and I've been walking like Tim Conway's portrayal of the old man on the Carol Burnett Show.

 

[CaliRed]

Those are great pics Freddy... you don't by chance have any larger versions of them, do you? Did you send larger copies to the publisher and they cropped them down to fit in the book?

 

[CaliRed]

Freddy,

Are you doing a Al Bundy thing with your hand in the broke and hungry photo?

Also, it looks like on that pic of you on the 5x10, you are actually on the table shooting. Just curious, I played many hours on a 5x10 and we still had the rule of one foot on the floor... was that a standard rule for your pool hall?

 

[fred bentivegna]

probably, somewhere

probably, somewhere

Those are great pics Freddy... you don't by chance have any larger versions of them, do you? Did you send larger copies to the publisher and they cropped them down to fit in the book?

I got em' somewhere, but I aint gonna look for them today. Going to the croaker at 5:45 AM in the morn. Have a lot of stuff to do.

the Beard

 

[fred bentivegna]

Keeping warm

Keeping warm

Freddy,

Are you doing a Al Bundy thing with your hand in the broke and hungry photo?

Just keeping my hand warm. Actually it just kept my arm from falling down to that filthy floor.

Also, it looks like on that pic of you on the 5x10, you are actually on the table shooting. Just curious, I played many hours on a 5x10 and we still had the rule of one foot on the floor... was that a standard rule for your pool hall?

That was when Artie owned the joint. He'd let you hang from the light like a chimpanzee if you wanted to.

the Beard

 

[P00lh0li0]

Bumping this thread up and got a question for you Chicago guys.

I was watching that old Chuck Norris movie Code of Silence on the tv and in the last half of it, he gets into a fight in this pool room. You had to go down some stairs from the street and on the right was a set of steer horns and trophies and left looked like a soda machine and counter. There was another flight of stairs going up by one wall. I want to know if this was Bensingers, some other room in Chicago, or just Hollywood sound stage stuff. Thanks.

 

[usblues]

The greatest.....

The greatest.....

Like SJD said,never saw a camera ever in the good old bad days.This could possibly turn into the best quest of all time,picures of old halls,amazing!I'll try and rack my noodle for some thoughts of where to look also.Good luck with that tomorrow Freddie,adios,Bob....................speaking of that CN movie,might of been Palace on Market St[SF]...............

 

[blackeee]

I am asking for some help for a website I hope to get going. I have secured the name www.oldpoolhall.com . I am planning on paying tribute to pool halls around the U.S. that qualify as a genuine Pool Hall. I would like to tell a story of each of those pool halls with pictures of the inside or outside, pictures of the players that frequented them along with stories of the players and the pool hall.

The Color Of Money came out in 1986 and spawned the birth of the strip mall pool places. I am focusing on the pool halls before then.. Every good pool player had favorite pool halls, along with the one he spent most of his time in.

I think it would be really neat to have a site where you could read up on the important pool halls of the 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's and 80's. I would also like to dedicate a section to even older ones, but getting info on them might be hard to do.

For those of you that wish to donate pictures, along with stories, feel free to send them to photos@oldpoolhall.com

I bet alot of you either have pictures, poloroids, slides or tapes.... I would be more that happy to scan any pictures/slides you may have and would also transfer them to a CD or DVD for you. Pictures/slides are at risk of deteriorating or being damaged by floods/fire and other events. I would send you 2 CD's or DVD's back in return, one you can store safely at your house and the other you can give to someone else, so if something ever happens at one place, you have not lost everything. I know, because at 35 years old, I lost everything I had acquired thru 35 years on this earth, because of some kids playing with lighters at my apt. complex.

I would scan them at a high resolution (300 x 300), which would allow you to print them or view them in great detail. I can also clean up some that may have spots on and such. I would also give credit to those donating. Also, if you have a website already up with pictures of players and pool halls, I would be in debt to you if you offered permission to use some of your stuff, with proper credit, of course.

If you mailed them, I would scan them right away and mail right back.

Anyways, I hope you all like the idea and would find it interesting. I know my heart always go back to the old pool halls... I was lucky enough to experience one of them as my home turf and I don't believe there are many left these days. The players and the pool halls from those days deserve a home in cyberspace for all to enjoy.

Thanks much,

Greg

Back in the early 70s Jack Daniels Magaine did an article with some interesting photos of a place in my home town by the name of "Buddies Place" It was owned by the late Cecil Maxwell {an excellent bank player} and Buddy Ray Lockert. The place is no longer there but if you could dig up a copy of that Mag., you would have some interesting material. I worked there racking balls in my younger days. A lot of famous players came through there. Jimmy Reid,Louie Roberts, Nick Varner, Steve Mizerak, Vernon Elliot, Jack and Alphie Taylor, Tony Fargo, just to name a few. James "Meathead" Parks, a high speed one-pocket player played some great matches there and I am glad I was ther to see and be a part of it.

A true "Old Style" Poolroom.

 

[DShoe]

If I could find a pool hall that doesn't have THE LOUDEST JUKEBOX EVER I would be a very happy man.