hemicudas
Verified Member
Any of you guys recognize this straight shootin kid?
Who can name this straight shooter?
- Thread starter hemicudas
- Start date
Bob Reynolds
Verified Member
would that be Charles Richard Cook AKA "BUCKTOOTH"?
hemicudas
Verified Member
Yes it is Bucktooth and his brother Ron. In fact, Ron supplied the photo.
Bob Reynolds
Verified Member
Well guys, here goes my attempt to remember a story from a long time ago. I worked for Bucktooth as a houseman when I was in college.
One night Tooth's Dad, Ol' Charlie, told me about the time Bucktooth was in San Fransico playing at Cochran's and was losing big time (9-ball). Tooth was just a teenager and road the train over the Bay Bridge (lower deck back then).
On this particular weekend when Tooth was losing everything, he made the trip back to Oakland were his family lived to borrow more money from Ol' Charlie. On his second trip home to borrow more, he said to Ol' Charlie something to the effect "I know I can beat them, I just don't know what kind of spot to ask for".
As Ol' Charlie tells the story, he told Tooth "ask for the six & the break, shot one handed and bet it all". Tooth took the last $150 Ol' Charlie had that day, went back over to the city and robbed the place (Cochran's), shooting one handed and running out more times than he missed! This story may very well be the same incident with Tooth getting the 7 that Glee is talking about!
Now please remember I am telling a story told to me over thirty years ago. I am not sure of the finer points, but from the others in this thread, it sure fits Bucktooth's MO.
I personally have seen him run a rack of 9-ball shooting one-handed for some big money. His 1P game was way up there and I have related a little about a game between him and Cole Dickson in another thread.
God, those were the days in the Bay Area (mid 60's & early 70's).
Hope you enjoyed it as well as I did telling it.
One night Tooth's Dad, Ol' Charlie, told me about the time Bucktooth was in San Fransico playing at Cochran's and was losing big time (9-ball). Tooth was just a teenager and road the train over the Bay Bridge (lower deck back then).
On this particular weekend when Tooth was losing everything, he made the trip back to Oakland were his family lived to borrow more money from Ol' Charlie. On his second trip home to borrow more, he said to Ol' Charlie something to the effect "I know I can beat them, I just don't know what kind of spot to ask for".
As Ol' Charlie tells the story, he told Tooth "ask for the six & the break, shot one handed and bet it all". Tooth took the last $150 Ol' Charlie had that day, went back over to the city and robbed the place (Cochran's), shooting one handed and running out more times than he missed! This story may very well be the same incident with Tooth getting the 7 that Glee is talking about!
Now please remember I am telling a story told to me over thirty years ago. I am not sure of the finer points, but from the others in this thread, it sure fits Bucktooth's MO.
I personally have seen him run a rack of 9-ball shooting one-handed for some big money. His 1P game was way up there and I have related a little about a game between him and Cole Dickson in another thread.
God, those were the days in the Bay Area (mid 60's & early 70's).
Hope you enjoyed it as well as I did telling it.
jrhendy
Verified Member
Bob Reynolds said:
There was a terrific one handed player in downtown Los Angeles in the 60's called Fingers. The first time I ever saw the Tooth, he and Fingers were playing one handed one pocket for $50 or $100 a game. Both players could and did go eight and out a few times in the session I watched. Ronnie was the only other player I saw that played better one handed in those days.
Bob, Richards session with Roberts took place at the Midway Bowl probably about 1954. It was located between San Leandro and Hayward on East 14th street. About the same time frame Richard matched up with Eddie Mageehan at Cochorans. Richard played with two hands and Eddie played with one. I think Eddie won the session and that inspired Richard to pay attention to the one handed gaff. Mageehan made an unbeliveable one handed jump shot in to the middle of the stack to make an otherwise imposible combination and win the game. Richard defeated Johnny Vivas one handed at Cochorans in the early 60's. Vivas at the end of the session leaned his cue on the table and then jumped on it, it was a Rambow cue. Thanks for posting the mystery photo Hemicudis
gulfportdoc
Verified Member
Looks like first rate equipment, including a good set of mud balls. I wonder where the photo was taken? How old is Cook? 70+?hemicudas said:
Doc
Doc, The Tooth was born in 1939, we graduated from Castlemont HS in Oakland in 1958. I teamed up with him in 1956 and we shared a lot of adventures together. The sessions with Tug Boat Whaley were all financal disasters for us! Tug was about 60 years old at the time. Another ancient old worrior who got to us was Hundred Ball Blackie he was probably close to 80 at the time. If any one on the planet would know who invented one pocket it would be those two.
Looking at the photo that could possibly be the Midway Bowl and Richard was probaly 12 years old, I think he is 6 years older than Ronnie. Richards father, Charlie, and his two uncles, Blackie and Spike owned pool rooms at several locations in Oakland in the early 50's. One was a real action spot in downtown Oakland , you had to be 21 to get in so I don't think the photo was taken there.
Just for the record Richard's uncle Harless ( Blackie ) Cook was a TOP player, probaly played stronger than Richard ever did.
Wow that got real windy didnt it! Got to go now, have a nice day, George
Looking at the photo that could possibly be the Midway Bowl and Richard was probaly 12 years old, I think he is 6 years older than Ronnie. Richards father, Charlie, and his two uncles, Blackie and Spike owned pool rooms at several locations in Oakland in the early 50's. One was a real action spot in downtown Oakland , you had to be 21 to get in so I don't think the photo was taken there.
Just for the record Richard's uncle Harless ( Blackie ) Cook was a TOP player, probaly played stronger than Richard ever did.
Wow that got real windy didnt it! Got to go now, have a nice day, George
gulfportdoc
Verified Member
Hey, thanks for the bio, George. Shoot, Richard is only 5 years older than I, so NO WONDER he's still pretty damn sporty!glee said:
I like the sign on the wall in the photo reminding players that all pool is played on time. If that pic was taken circa 1951, then that room was pretty much ahead of the curve. Back in Pittsburgh during the later '50s we were still paying by the game: 10 cents for 8 or 9 ball, 15 cents for rotation, and straight pool was 60 cents per hour...
Doc
Hi Doc, I just got off the phone with Tooth, and he claims the room wasnt the Midway Bowl. He's guessing the room was his fathers place in Fort Bragg CA. He is also pretty sure he was 10 years old at the time.
All the rooms that I can remember in the Bay Area were play by the hour, no rack man
This is part of the list that Richard and I took on our first inter state road trip, thats the counter stationary from Cochorans circa 1961. I tried to attach more pages but could not. Not to handy with computer
All the rooms that I can remember in the Bay Area were play by the hour, no rack man
This is part of the list that Richard and I took on our first inter state road trip, thats the counter stationary from Cochorans circa 1961. I tried to attach more pages but could not. Not to handy with computer
Last edited:
Bob Reynolds
Verified Member
There is an article from 2003 in the Oakland Tribune which says Tooth is 62 years old. He was giving a trick shot exhibition at the time the article was written. That would make him 66 years old today. I am 56 and Tooth always seemed to be at least 10-15 years older when I worked for him.
So Doc, you're close....................
I have a question for John Henderson
Did you ever play at the Blue Carpet on Park Street in Alameda? I was the houseman there for a number of years working for Steve Murphy & Jack Daniels. I worked there on Friday & Saturday nights and I worked for Tooth at the House of Champions on Webster Street Monday-Thursday nights. I may be the only houseman to work at the only two pool halls in one town at the same time!
So Doc, you're close....................
I have a question for John Henderson
Did you ever play at the Blue Carpet on Park Street in Alameda? I was the houseman there for a number of years working for Steve Murphy & Jack Daniels. I worked there on Friday & Saturday nights and I worked for Tooth at the House of Champions on Webster Street Monday-Thursday nights. I may be the only houseman to work at the only two pool halls in one town at the same time!
jrhendy
Verified Member
Bob Reynolds said:
I recall playing in Alameda, but it would have been in the early 80's when I first came up to the Bay Area, and again in the mid 90's when I was working with Cue Sports Journal in the Bay Area (Oakland). I think the place I played in had Gold Crown 1's & I don't remember who I played, so I probably got beat. I spent most of my time on the first trip at California Billiards & First St. Bowl in San Jose, and made a little loop to Sacramento (Great American) and down through Stockton (Boyce's) and back to San Jose. When I was in San Jose I made some local trips with Poker Paul & Memo. I came back up here for good in 91.
titanic jerry
Verified Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2004
- Messages
- 68
to john henderson
to john henderson
Hey John,
You Must Have Played At The Alameda Bowl Because They Were The Only Place With Those Tables.
The Blue Carpet Had Macon Tables Some With Blue Cloth And Some With Beige Cloth.
I Was Long Gone By The 80's.
Titanic Jerry
to john henderson
Hey John,
You Must Have Played At The Alameda Bowl Because They Were The Only Place With Those Tables.
The Blue Carpet Had Macon Tables Some With Blue Cloth And Some With Beige Cloth.
I Was Long Gone By The 80's.
Titanic Jerry
titanic jerry
Verified Member
- Joined
- Jun 26, 2004
- Messages
- 68
To Bob Reynolds
To Bob Reynolds
WHEN DID YOU WORK AT THE BLUE CARPET. I WAS THERE FROM 1965 TO 1967.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JACK AND OR STEVE ?
IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO CONTACT EITHER ONE TELL THEM TO SEND ME AN E-MAIL
JMAHAN3714@HOTMAIL.COM
DO YOU STILL PLAY ?
IF SO WHERE ?
TITANIC JERRY
To Bob Reynolds
WHEN DID YOU WORK AT THE BLUE CARPET. I WAS THERE FROM 1965 TO 1967.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO JACK AND OR STEVE ?
IF YOU HAVE A WAY TO CONTACT EITHER ONE TELL THEM TO SEND ME AN E-MAIL
JMAHAN3714@HOTMAIL.COM
DO YOU STILL PLAY ?
IF SO WHERE ?
TITANIC JERRY
Bob Reynolds
Verified Member
Blue Carpet had BIG GANDY tables (4.5X9) with ball return. They did have tan & blue felt. Trust me on this one, I brushed them down enough.
Bob, the Big Nose Roberts match up took place at a bowling alley near Hayward CA. Richard was 13 years old then. Roberts was probably about 50 at the time, he comitted sucide in 1959 or 60. Roberts (Bob Rowland) was a partner in a pool room with Rags Fitzpatrick, and he played about a ball under Rags. So your old boss was like David taking on Goliath.Bob Reynolds said:
Now I'll tell you an Ol'e Charlie story you probably haven't heard. Richard and his dad were in SF and Richard was matched up with Bud Harris playing one pocket. Harris was the world champion 3 rail billiard player at the time, 1954 or 55.They were playing for $5 a game and Richard was losing bad, he went over to Charlie and told him he wanted to quit, Charlie told him quietly to shut up and keep playing. Richard didn't know Charlie was betting $20 on the game with the drunk guy sitting next to him and every time the balls were racked Ol'e Charlie woke him up and told him he didn't win. Charlie had found a bird nest on the ground and just couldn't give it up. Got to go now so have a nice evening. George
Bucktooth
Bucktooth
This guy has almost as many stories as Dr.Suess..and they're all true!.. if you don't believe me,just ask him he'll tell you...Very colorful guy..owns/owned a jewelry biz in the bay area..I heard him and Tony Chohon(sp) wooofing one night and ooooooh..that material was priceless!! hahaha.
Bucktooth
This guy has almost as many stories as Dr.Suess..and they're all true!.. if you don't believe me,just ask him he'll tell you...Very colorful guy..owns/owned a jewelry biz in the bay area..I heard him and Tony Chohon(sp) wooofing one night and ooooooh..that material was priceless!! hahaha.