Who do you like to watch?

vapros

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Most of my own viewing has been on recorded matches. I like to watch Efren, as he is imaginative and a master of the cue ball. My favorite is Jose Parica, because if you watch him go around the table, he will often show you, with his hand, just what he is thinking. I have said this before about Jose - the eye of a turkey buzzard, the nerve of a house burglar, and the grin of a cub scout.

I also like to watch Richie Richeson. He is totally fearless, and always reaching for the throat. Fine game.

Watching Allen Hopkins was frustrating. I would find myself wondering when he would hit the ball, and then realize that he just did.

What about the rest of you?
 

tylerdurden

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I don't just say this because he just started posing, but I would love to see Artie play. I have even asked about it before, but there don't seem to be too many, if any, videos available :( Him posting is perhaps better in many ways though; it is certainly a pleasure to have him around. He has done commentary on a match on youtube, and it was superlative commentary. I sound like I am going overboard with compliments, but I sincerely think his knack for commentary and all things one pocket are top notch.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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I don't just say this because he just started posing, but I would love to see Artie play. I have even asked about it before, but there don't seem to be too many, if any, videos available :( Him posting is perhaps better in many ways though; it is certainly a pleasure to have him around. He has done commentary on a match on youtube, and it was superlative commentary. I sound like I am going overboard with compliments, but I sincerely think his knack for commentary and all things one pocket are top notch.
Thank you very much.I will tell you a little bit about me. That don't think I have said. I hope you find it interesting and entertaining.I will run out of room. But I will go as far as I can. First of all you cannot feed a family being a gunslinger. And your family has to eat every day.I played everybody that ever asked me too play. I played everybody including a lot of suckers. I did not play pool for glory I played because i wanted the money. And I was always looking for who had the big money. People all over the world go to work to get paid. When I went to work hustling pool I wanted to get paid. I did not play to have fun.I played for the money. And hustling pool was my job. You can say whatever you want to say. About pool players and what you might want to think what they are. And paint your own picture and image of what a pool player should be. In my time you could not make a living playing pool tournaments. And hustling was the way to go.The lower your profile the better chance of making a score. Even today how many players have a family and are making a living playing pool. Maybe a hand full? I played in one 3 cushion tournament. I finished third. I played at the stardust all around tournament. Nine ball one pocket and straight pool. I won all my first matches.And then dropped out of the tournament. I played on 3 bar league two in Milwaukee. One in las Vegas We won all three leagues.And in Las Vegas My Tournament Wins and Losses were 30 wins 3 losses. In the finals my record was 9 wins one loss. That was all my tournament play. All the players get there reputation from tournaments.Just look at the top players and you will see I am wright. I will submit this and then I will continue.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Thank you very much.I will tell you a little bit about me. That don't think I have said. I hope you find it interesting and entertaining.I will run out of room. But I will go as far as I can. First of all you cannot feed a family being a gunslinger. And your family has to eat every day.I played everybody that ever asked me too play. I played everybody including a lot of suckers. I did not play pool for glory I played because i wanted the money. And I was always looking for who had the big money. People all over the world go to work to get paid. When I went to work hustling pool I wanted to get paid. I did not play to have fun.I played for the money. And hustling pool was my job. You can say whatever you want to say. About pool players and what you might want to think what they are. And paint your own picture and image of what a pool player should be. In my time you could not make a living playing pool tournaments. And hustling was the way to go.The lower your profile the better chance of making a score. Even today how many players have a family and are making a living playing pool. Maybe a hand full? I played in one 3 cushion tournament. I finished third. I played at the stardust all around tournament. Nine ball one pocket and straight pool. I won all my first matches.And then dropped out of the tournament. I played on 3 bar league two in Milwaukee. One in las Vegas We won all three leagues.And in Las Vegas My Tournament Wins and Losses were 30 wins 3 losses. In the finals my record was 9 wins one loss. That was all my tournament play. All the players get there reputation from tournaments.Just look at the top players and you will see I am wright. I will submit this and then I will continue.
I hustled pool cards carnivals Wrigley field Shinning shoes. On the road all over the country. The Carnival gave me my Harvard Yale Degree. When I Hustled pool I didn't just want to beat one player. I wanted to beat everybody. When I was hustling in Bensingers North Shore Howard and Paulina Rosco and Damen Hammond Indiana. I would back 3 and 4 games and one or two card game. I had action almost every day. Not just me playing. But making games backing people. And Betting on other games. I was looking for all the action I could get. And I won more then 90 percent of the time. Betting and backing people in all kinds of games. And sports betting was another peace of the frosting. knowing what you are doing is the whole game.I was number one. Nobody was even close. And I will just give you one of my great wins in Jas Vegas. And you will see why they wanted to stop me. I bet the super Bowl. It was Tennessee and Jackson Vile. And Tennessee was the favorite by 7 and a half points opening line. And went of at 6 points at game time. I had about 300 hundred bets on the game betting both sides. Money line Included. The last play of the game tyhe player stretched for the goal line. But he was one foot short. For the tie. And it would have went into over time. I only watched the last two minutes of the game. The game fell 7 points the favorite won the game. I won every bet I made over 300 bets. Every bet was over a thousand dollars. You think the Casinos liked it.And I even bet more plus seven and a half points for other people. The casinos still one. Because of all the juice they got of the game. Its impossible for them to loose. But they didn't forget all the money I beat them for. Its very exciting and good for your. EGO When you win all your bets on one game.And the most that I could loose was maybe 10 thousand dollars. But that was one of my interesting stories. In the pool room the most action I had was. I had seven games I was in with and backing. The most parlays I ever made in one day was. one hundred and sixteen parlays. I didn't win too much that day. But I still one. And believe me winning ads up even if its little money. Take a acorn a day.And put it in a basket. Pretty son you will have a hole basket full of acorns. That's enough for one day. I think I am addicted to posting. Because after Freddy's Journey ending I was going to stop posting. Then Gorges journey ended to. So I keepte posting. And her I a am still posting. I think its interesting telling about your life and what we did. And I think people like to her and read about different things we did. That are interesting. Enjoy the rest of the evning.
 

wincardona

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Well Artie, you have officially hijacked Bill's thread.:lol

Allow me to finish off the hijack. :D:sorry
I lived through the same era Artie was bragging about, yes all the things he had to say was a brag, however, they were all true. When we reach a certain age in life, when we really can't perform any more..(at least as good as we would like to)..and have accomplished some of the most fascinating stuff it's hard..real hard.. to keep it under wraps. Especially legendary stuff and what Artie described has been documented and yes in Las Vegas he is a legend.;):cool: I spent 40 of my 70 years of existence living in Las Vegas and I know first hand much about what he said to be true.:D Artie and I have done a lot of business with one another in Vegas and I know all the people that he worked with..and they were all top people in the gambling world. That, you can take to the bank.

I also have been around Artie when he was playing pool in Chicago, not really that much but none the less enough to know that his won loss record was stupidly ridiculous. He was a player that you didn't want to bet against..that was a given, I really never seen him lose..but like I say I wasn't around him a lot, but enough.:heh


Any ways the players that I like watching are players like Nick Varner and Scott Frost. Take a little from both their styles and you then can become your best. Just make sure you take wisely.:D

Bill Incardona
 

akrick

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like to watch

like to watch

Efren, Scott, Nick V., Grady, Shannon, Gentile, Ronnie, Toby F, Shane and Earl for firepower.
That is a good short list for me. There are others.
 

jrhendy

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They don't make video tapes that record for that long! :lol :p

Chicago Mike recorded the match we had at the Derby five or six years ago with a handheld recorder. The match was a race to seven that lasted 14 1/2 hours.

One of the guys on AZ posted that we not only did not make a ball in the half hour he watched, we did not go for one.:D

Neither one of us had much firepower and Artie's defensive game was the best I had ever run into.

I don't know what happened to the tapes, but they might be the last ones of Artie playing.
 

stedyfred

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My favorite player to watch was Jack Cooney when he was in Philly. I also saw him at tourney in Hyattsville Md. won by T. Wirth as well as on video. Jack was triple smart in one pocket and hustling pool. He is my definition of a GR8 one pocket player.
 

Billy Jackets

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You mentioned Allen Hopkins, I've seen him beat people at One Pocket I thought he had zero chance against, turns out, they had no shot.
 

darmoose

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Chicago Mike recorded the match we had at the Derby five or six years ago with a handheld recorder. The match was a race to seven that lasted 14 1/2 hours.

One of the guys on AZ posted that we not only did not make a ball in the half hour he watched, we did not go for one.:D

Neither one of us had much firepower and Artie's defensive game was the best I had ever run into.

I don't know what happened to the tapes, but they might be the last ones of Artie playing.

Does anybody out there know if and where this tape can be seen. If anybody out there has this tape, could they post it on You Tube. I am sure there are a lot of people on here that would help with that.
 

darmoose

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I hustled pool cards carnivals Wrigley field Shinning shoes. On the road all over the country. The Carnival gave me my Harvard Yale Degree. When I Hustled pool I didn't just want to beat one player. I wanted to beat everybody. When I was hustling in Bensingers North Shore Howard and Paulina Rosco and Damen Hammond Indiana.

Artie,

You mention Hammond, Indiana. There was a bowling alley there called Stardust Bowl, had 25-30 gold crowns, 24 hrs, never closed, We had lots of action at night when the hustlers would come down from Chicago about 2AM. I discussed this a while back with Freddy, he said he had played there. I also asked him if he had played a couple of hustlers that I knew, Billy Williams and Crying Eddy, and he said he played them many times.

Did you ever play in Stardust (I don't remember seeing you) or did you play Billy Williams or Crying Eddy?

I grew up in this place and saw the likes of Cornbread Red, Vernon Elliot, Chicago Paul and others that I can't remember right now come through there.
Dick Weaver also spent a lot of time there and we played quite a few times. What a great place that was!:D:D
 

FastEddieF.

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I Watched The Best Of All Time

I Watched The Best Of All Time

I watched Jack Cooney practice for 1 hour just setting a ball in the jaws of the pocket and trying different ways of hitting it out. This was in D.C.C. when he played James Walden for 60 K. Jack got the money. I think for the big scores Jack will go down as the best money player of all time. He made more scores for the large money than anybody else. Also had a ton of gambling in him. I also saw him beat a wealthy guy in Baltimore for 50K after 2 weeks of playing and the last day they played Jack lost 35 K back. He played the guy 15-3 and the guys scratches didn't count. To Jack 50K wasn't enough so he added the spot of scratches didn't count. A True Legend in ONEPOCKET. Also A GREAT GUY. My Hero In One Pocket
 

wincardona

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I watched Jack Cooney practice for 1 hour just setting a ball in the jaws of the pocket and trying different ways of hitting it out. This was in D.C.C. when he played James Walden for 60 K. Jack got the money. I think for the big scores Jack will go down as the best money player of all time. He made more scores for the large money than anybody else. Also had a ton of gambling in him. I also saw him beat a wealthy guy in Baltimore for 50K after 2 weeks of playing and the last day they played Jack lost 35 K back. He played the guy 15-3 and the guys scratches didn't count. To Jack 50K wasn't enough so he added the spot of scratches didn't count. A True Legend in ONEPOCKET. Also A GREAT GUY. My Hero In One Pocket

Jack and Barbara Cooney..what a pair, that's the only pair that can beat a full house.;):heh Jack is one of my best friends in the pool world, when I go to Vegas we always get together and have dinner..Barbara is a gas she won't allow Jack to play pool with me as my partner because she thinks we're too old and foolish, well at least she's got one of the two things right we are foolish.:lol

Jack is recognized as being the best road hustler that ever lived. Imo he is. Together with Barbara they have compiled more road miles than any couple by far, probably at least 1,000,000 more than their closest rival. Jack has the greatest disposition of any pool hustler that ever hustled, he would go into a town and set up shop stay there for a month and win every dollar in the pool room and never have to sneak out of town in the wee hours of the morning. Matter of fact when he was through winning every dollar in the town the players he beat would shake his hand and ask him when he was coming back..true story :cool:

Jack was a top mover playing the game, I learned a lot of moves playing Jack, he's a very tricky player that never looks spectacular and when he's playing well his opponents never look spectacular either..if you know what I mean.:heh Jack along with Artie have the style that when they win you always feel that you could have won and can't wait to play them again.:mad: Very frustrating experience when you never play your best game playing against certain players...umm..must be something to it.:confused: Any ways Jack Cooney is the real deal, great player and a great person as well.

Bill Incardona
 

vapros

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Yep, I like to watch Cooney, too. He was in Baton Rouge for quite a long time in 1998, but the only DVD I have with him on it was the match he lost to Cliff Joyner in the LOOP tournament. Does anyone have other tapes of Cooney?
 

mr3cushion

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Cocoa Beach, FL
I don't just say this because he just started posing, but I would love to see Artie play. I have even asked about it before, but there don't seem to be too many, if any, videos available :( Him posting is perhaps better in many ways though; it is certainly a pleasure to have him around. He has done commentary on a match on youtube, and it was superlative commentary. I sound like I am going overboard with compliments, but I sincerely think his knack for commentary and all things one pocket are top notch.

Tyler; Here's the ONLY video of Artie hitting balls from about 1977, an interview with a reporter, ( Al Lerner) from Chicago.

In the background at the counter is a black kid (Sunshine) Artie took under his wing, became a pretty fair player. And also the patriarch of us all, Lee (Reno) Keplacki, next to Artie, the BEST hustler around Chicago for many years. Reno was so good at his trade, he hustled the same bar (Helen's) on Belmont Ave. for over 25 years. Just like in the TV sitcom "Cheers," when Reno came through the doors, the whole bar would yell out his name, "Reeeeeenooooo!"

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbIgMzAXaU0[/ame]

Enjoy
 

androd

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Chicago Mike recorded the match we had at the Derby five or six years ago with a handheld recorder. The match was a race to seven that lasted 14 1/2 hours.

One of the guys on AZ posted that we not only did not make a ball in the half hour he watched, we did not go for one.:D

Neither one of us had much firepower and Artie's defensive game was the best I had ever run into.

I don't know what happened to the tapes, but they might be the last ones of Artie playing.

Does anybody out there know if and where this tape can be seen. If anybody out there has this tape, could they post it on You Tube. I am sure there are a lot of people on here that would help with that.

This was probably the match in Galveston. I watched about one and one half hours it. "Why I don't go to tourneys" Poor Artie couldn't make a ball and John was hacking at'em and reluctant to shoot. I would've played either, but was afraid I wouldn't live long enough to see the end of their match.:D
Rod.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Artie,

You mention Hammond, Indiana. There was a bowling alley there called Stardust Bowl, had 25-30 gold crowns, 24 hrs, never closed, We had lots of action at night when the hustlers would come down from Chicago about 2AM. I discussed this a while back with Freddy, he said he had played there. I also asked him if he had played a couple of hustlers that I knew, Billy Williams and Crying Eddy, and he said he played them many times.

Did you ever play in Stardust (I don't remember seeing you) or did you play Billy Williams or Crying Eddy?

I grew up in this place and saw the likes of Cornbread Red, Vernon Elliot, Chicago Paul and others that I can't remember right now come through there.
Dick Weaver also spent a lot of time there and we played quite a few times. What a great place that was!:D:D
I played Billy Williams many times. Even in Gary Indiana, And he never one. Billy Williams had class. And was one of the best dresst pool players ever.Rich looking close. That women love to see on men. He always had money and traveled alone. He also played good nine ball. I played Billy Williams probably more than anyone. I think he was from Gary Indiana. He was a good man to play. He had money class and was looking to play.Not just shoot one or two barrels at you. And he was a good player. Crying Eddy. liked gambling. And like many other people Bugs was his Hero. And he loved to bet on him. And he would go wherever Bugs would go he thought Bugs was the Greatest. Her is one of the Sessions I played with Bugs after houer at Bensingers. When I owned the place. Bugs was there with his antarrash from the south side. About 8 people And I was there with Chuck Maddox From Peoria.And Mike O'shea.We were playing 3 games out of 5 for two thousand dollars. And I won two sets. And Bugs wanted to play another set. So Bugs asked Crying Eddy for two thousand dollars. And Crying Eddy said no I m not going to give you any money to play that man. You cant beat that man. I will give you money to play anyone but him. Bugs really got mad and upset. And he slapped Crying Eddy and said if your not going to give me any money to play. Then don't ever come with me again. Bugs feelings got hurt. And Crying Eddy repeated to Bugs you cant beat that man. after Bugs slapped him.I never seen Bugs do that because he was all ways Cool and melloy. Later on Bugs told me maybe Crying Eddy was wright. I cant beat you. But the snap back is so good. I win either way. Hammond was a good spot after houers. There was a lot of action. And like you said after 2 o'clock at night the action would start. The whole south side would come out there. Paul Beaver Lee Chip Chaser Ali up Al Fanzzo Crying Eddie Jump around Tony Scadduly a classy guy. Lloyed a real tough guy he loved Bugs and bank pool. There are so many. Its hard to remember. Even Chriss Mageean and Omahow Fats. It was a great spot. And I played Bugs alot of times out there. I just have to tell this one story Quick. I brought gorge Walker out there. He was about 5 foot 6 a real Southern guy. But he was dangerous. This big Black guy about 6 foot 4 and about 240 pounds. All Muscle. And he was ribbing Gorge Walker and said what are you going to do if I take your gun away. And Gorge Walker stood up and said Ill pull out another one. And Gorge pulled out another gun. And Everybody laughed. And I couldn't stop laughing. I told Gorge Walker that's the greatest line I ever herd.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Artie,

You mention Hammond, Indiana. There was a bowling alley there called Stardust Bowl, had 25-30 gold crowns, 24 hrs, never closed, We had lots of action at night when the hustlers would come down from Chicago about 2AM. I discussed this a while back with Freddy, he said he had played there. I also asked him if he had played a couple of hustlers that I knew, Billy Williams and Crying Eddy, and he said he played them many times.

Did you ever play in Stardust (I don't remember seeing you) or did you play Billy Williams or Crying Eddy?

I grew up in this place and saw the likes of Cornbread Red, Vernon Elliot, Chicago Paul and others that I can't remember right now come through there.
Dick Weaver also spent a lot of time there and we played quite a few times. What a great place that was!:D:D
The Chicago Ghost Doesn't no it but I snuck in and out of all the pool halls and bars Like a Ghost. Nobody New me and on the rode I never used my real name. I no the top players new me.
And when I went to Bugs Funeral In Chicago. On the south side of Chicago. I meet Jerry Hubbard And he introduced me to some of the old players from the south side of Chicago. And they would tell me your the only player in the country Bugs Couldn't beat. And I didn't cry for a lot of years,But when Bugs daughter made a speech.At her fathers funeral. She said I didn't even no my father played pool. It broke my heart. And Bugs was to pool. What Mohammed Ali was to boxing.And Bugs was the Greatest and Coolest dresser 40 years ahead of his time. And he had the walk talk and rhythm. To go with his caracter class and style. And Bugs could have been a pro Baseball player or a pro Basket ball player. Bugs was 100% Talent. Like Michale Jordan Lebron James Kobe Briant Joe Louis Sugar R Ray Robinson. Babe Ruth Jackie Robinson. Bugs choose the poor mans game. Pool And that is what he loved. Watching those shine balls go cross side and cross corner into the pockets. And that was the sound of music to Bugs. Bugs was A Hero And legend to all the young people growing upon the south side of Chicago. Frank Sinatra. Chicago is my kind of town. Elves Presley In the Ghetto of Chicago.
 
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