Thank you and keep em comin'

Mkbtank

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Apr 22, 2013
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5,901
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Philly Pa
I just want to thank everyone for sharing all these great stories recently. Especially Artie, who has been the main instigator and contributor. But all of you, Billy, Bill Smith, Jimmy B, Jam, Keone, vapros, Bill stroud, ghost, and everyone who has and is sharing your history and road stories with us.

If I'm not playing pool at the moment, I love reading about pool, and the history, and the players, and the action!! Jam made a comment in another thread about how these stories about the "golden age" of pool and gambling differ from today's. I was born a bit late for those days and when you guys(and Jam) start laying out such detail, I can picture the match and feel like I was there. So thank you and keep em coming!!!

Mitch
 

Jimmy B

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Aug 17, 2007
Messages
6,897
I just want to thank everyone for sharing all these great stories recently. Especially Artie, who has been the main instigator and contributor. But all of you, Billy, Bill Smith, Jimmy B, Jam, Keone, vapros, Bill stroud, ghost, and everyone who has and is sharing your history and road stories with us.

If I'm not playing pool at the moment, I love reading about pool, and the history, and the players, and the action!! Jam made a comment in another thread about how these stories about the "golden age" of pool and gambling differ from today's. I was born a bit late for those days and when you guys(and Jam) start laying out such detail, I can picture the match and feel like I was there. So thank you and keep em coming!!!

Mitch




You are correct, sir. Artie Bodendorfer is without a doubt, The Man. He has very inspirational and learned messages. You have to have a certain wisdom just to be able to absorb them and benefit from them like you should. Artie has brought this board back from a gloomy state, indeed. I just hope he will hang with us a while. As I read your post, I was thinking that we have lots of Bills (Bille, Billys) Don't forget Bill Meacham. A hell of a player. I like carnival stories and stories to do with movies and music almost as much as pool, but at the end of the day, this is the one pocket forum. I misspeak many times, like when I used the term 'Barker' in a carnival story. This is very derogatory and they much prefer the term 'Talker' as Don pointed out. I'm not really with it like Don, Artie, Grady, Ronnie Allen etc in regard to carnival activities. I speak in a very crude language anyway. I might be around a carnival and still hang around people who call the Bozo Dunk Tank a "N word Dipper" but they don't mean nothing by it. We're just a rubes, marks, cake eaters, carrying the banners...
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Nov 18, 2005
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4,271
You are correct, sir. Artie Bodendorfer is without a doubt, The Man. He has very inspirational and learned messages. You have to have a certain wisdom just to be able to absorb them and benefit from them like you should. Artie has brought this board back from a gloomy state, indeed. I just hope he will hang with us a while. As I read your post, I was thinking that we have lots of Bills (Bille, Billys) Don't forget Bill Meacham. A hell of a player. I like carnival stories and stories to do with movies and music almost as much as pool, but at the end of the day, this is the one pocket forum. I misspeak many times, like when I used the term 'Barker' in a carnival story. This is very derogatory and they much prefer the term 'Talker' as Don pointed out. I'm not really with it like Don, Artie, Grady, Ronnie Allen etc in regard to carnival activities. I speak in a very crude language anyway. I might be around a carnival and still hang around people who call the Bozo Dunk Tank a "N word Dipper" but they don't mean nothing by it. We're just a rubes, marks, cake eaters, carrying the banners...

I remember when somebody would do something good for me or I would like to complement for helping me. I would say my mother thanks you my father thanks you we all thank you. And from me to you. The whole world thanks you.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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Nov 18, 2005
Messages
4,271
You are correct, sir. Artie Bodendorfer is without a doubt, The Man. He has very inspirational and learned messages. You have to have a certain wisdom just to be able to absorb them and benefit from them like you should. Artie has brought this board back from a gloomy state, indeed. I just hope he will hang with us a while. As I read your post, I was thinking that we have lots of Bills (Bille, Billys) Don't forget Bill Meacham. A hell of a player. I like carnival stories and stories to do with movies and music almost as much as pool, but at the end of the day, this is the one pocket forum. I misspeak many times, like when I used the term 'Barker' in a carnival story. This is very derogatory and they much prefer the term 'Talker' as Don pointed out. I'm not really with it like Don, Artie, Grady, Ronnie Allen etc in regard to carnival activities. I speak in a very crude language anyway. I might be around a carnival and still hang around people who call the Bozo Dunk Tank a "N word Dipper" but they don't mean nothing by it. We're just a rubes, marks, cake eaters, carrying the banners...

Jimmy B That face will shock the world. Did you get that face out of shock theater. Its very powerful. And gets my attention. I wouldn't mind looking like that.
 

One Pocket Ghost

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May 25, 2004
Messages
9,715
From
Ghosttown
I just want to thank everyone for sharing all these great stories recently. Especially Artie, who has been the main instigator and contributor. But all of you, Billy, Bill Smith, Jimmy B, Jam, Keone, vapros, Bill stroud, ghost, and everyone who has and is sharing your history and road stories with us.

If I'm not playing pool at the moment, I love reading about pool, and the history, and the players, and the action!! Jam made a comment in another thread about how these stories about the "golden age" of pool and gambling differ from today's. I was born a bit late for those days and when you guys(and Jam) start laying out such detail, I can picture the match and feel like I was there. So thank you and keep em coming!!!

Mitch

Ok Mitch...I just posted up a little memory of mine involving "Brooklyn Butch"...
 

androd

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Dec 10, 2008
Messages
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New Braunfels tx.
I rolled into Montgomery Alabama one evening, I filled my car with gas, which was always a necessary move in a strange place. I had $67.00 left.
I went into the pool room and every one was at the back counter, talking about going to Johnson City after the place closed. Their plan was gonna win them big money.
I asked if anyone wanted to play some $10.00 dollar one pocket. A guy named Buster said $20.00 is a bet. I lost the flip and he broke. He won handily. He said $30.00 is a bet. I said Okay. I knew I needed to keep some cash to get back to Texas. I broke and made a few, but he got loose and was running out.
He spun his game ball in and went short rail long rail, kissed a ball, went across the table, kissed another ball and scratched. Ball in hand I got out.
I said I need a quick break, I had a donut and a coffee and took my last Disoxin.
I won about $ 600.00 and got a ticket in a speed trap in Demopolis Alabama after I left. I had bought some beer. I was going 50 in a 45 MPH zone. The beer was iced down in the rear floor board. The policeman didn't care.

He said you need to see the JP. It was 11;30 at night and court was in the back of a cleaners substation. The JP was about 90 years old, he asked how do you plead. I said whatever the officer said I'm sure is right. He said $20 dollars and court costs, which was another $19 dollars. They took me back to my car and sent me on my merry way.
Rod.
P.S. There was a good player there named "Edney" He came in while we were playing and said "Well I can't beat this guy but I might try a few with a small spot. I said OK I'll just run down the street a minute and be right back. I bought beer and left town. :p
 
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Mkbtank

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Apr 22, 2013
Messages
5,901
From
Philly Pa
Thank you and keep em comin'

I rolled into Montgomery Alabama one evening, I filled my car with gas, which was always a necessary move in a strange place. I had $67.00 left.
I went into the pool room and every one was at the back counter, talking about going to Johnson City after the place closed. Their plan was gonna win them big money.
I asked if anyone wanted to play some $10.00 dollar one pocket. A guy named Buster said $20.00 is a bet. I lost the flip and he broke. He won handily. He said $30.00 is a bet. I said Okay. I knew I needed to keep some cash to get back to Texas. I broke and made a few, but he got loose and was running out.
He spun his game ball in and went short rail long rail, kissed a ball, went across the table, kissed another ball and scratched. Ball in hand I got out.
I said I need a quick break, I had a donut and a coffee and took my last Disoxin.
I won about $ 600.00 and got a ticket in a speed trap in Demopolis Alabama after I left. I had bought some beer. I was going 50 in a 45 MPH zone. The beer was iced down in the rear floor board. The policeman didn't care.

He said you need to see the JP. It was 11;30 at night and court was in the back of a cleaners substation. The JP was about 90 years old, he asked how do you plead. I said whatever the officer said I'm sure is right. He said $20 dollars and court costs, which was another $19 dollars. They took me back to my car and sent me on my merry way.
Rod.
P.S. There was a good player there named "Edney" He came in while we were playing and said "Well I can't beat this guy but I might try a few with a small spot. I said OK I'll just run down the street a minute and be right back. I bought beer and left town. :p


THAT'S what I'm talkin about!! Thanks Rodney!

Anybody know any good Tom Wirth stories?? I'm sure there are a few good ones!!! Come on Tom :)
 

Tom Wirth

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Jul 5, 2004
Messages
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From
Delray Beach, Florida
Okay Mitch, Here's one for you all.

While traveling from the east coast to the west in '96 I made it a point to stop in any town which might have a pool room along the way. I hadn't been on the road very long when I became hungry and decided to pull into a small town just off the interstate somewhere in Pennsylvania. Just inside the city limits and on the main drag into town I notice the sign for a pool room and "Good Food". The magnet drew me in.

This was a really old style room, small and dingy. The windows had been painted black and the pool tables were old Victors or something like that. Big pockets and dark green directional cloth with poor lighting, but as it turned out, they rolled straight and true. The guy who was running the place kept them reasonably clean as he was brushing one of them down when I came in. He asked if I wanted a table and I told him not unless someone wanted to bet something on the game. He chimed right up. "What do ya want to play, and for how much." Music to my ears, thank you very much, I thought to myself. I didn't want to come off too strong so I suggested he make it easy on himself thinking he might smell weakness. He did, and asked me if eight ball at $100 a game would be alright with me. "Sure, I'll try you some." I think he was trying to intimidate me.

This is where things got weird. After a few of the standard rules were established, call shot, scratch on the eight ball, ball in hand on any foul, that kind of stuff, we got the game under way. So, with my first shot after the break I called a ball straight in the corner and it splits the wicket. "You didn't call that." he says. "What do ya mean? You heard me. I called the ball straight in that pocket." "Yeah" he says, " but you didn't call the ball coming off the cushion like that. You said straight in."

What he was saying was incidental contact with the cushion had to be called as well as the pocket. Now what would you do if you were confronted with a guy pulling this move? I thought about it. I looked at this guy and said nothing for several seconds and finally said okay to this over the top rule of his. Why? Because anyone who thinks rules like that make it easier on them are just fooling themselves. The more rules there are the better it is for the better player. He has to follow them too.

This guy's rules got even more bazaar but the point was that he was simply choking himself to death with all that silliness. Two games later he was done and I found another place down the street to eat my lunch. I didn't feel like testing his recipe for hamburgers.

Tom
 

wincardona

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Aug 7, 2007
Messages
7,693
From
Dallas Tx.
Okay Mitch, Here's one for you all.

While traveling from the east coast to the west in '96 I made it a point to stop in any town which might have a pool room along the way. I hadn't been on the road very long when I became hungry and decided to pull into a small town just off the interstate somewhere in Pennsylvania. Just inside the city limits and on the main drag into town I notice the sign for a pool room and "Good Food". The magnet drew me in.

This was a really old style room, small and dingy. The windows had been painted black and the pool tables were old Victors or something like that. Big pockets and dark green directional cloth with poor lighting, but as it turned out, they rolled straight and true. The guy who was running the place kept them reasonably clean as he was brushing one of them down when I came in. He asked if I wanted a table and I told him not unless someone wanted to bet something on the game. He chimed right up. "What do ya want to play, and for how much." Music to my ears, thank you very much, I thought to myself. I didn't want to come off too strong so I suggested he make it easy on himself thinking he might smell weakness. He did, and asked me if eight ball at $100 a game would be alright with me. "Sure, I'll try you some." I think he was trying to intimidate me.

This is where things got weird. After a few of the standard rules were established, call shot, scratch on the eight ball, ball in hand on any foul, that kind of stuff, we got the game under way. So, with my first shot after the break I called a ball straight in the corner and it splits the wicket. "You didn't call that." he says. "What do ya mean? You heard me. I called the ball straight in that pocket." "Yeah" he says, " but you didn't call the ball coming off the cushion like that. You said straight in."

What he was saying was incidental contact with the cushion had to be called as well as the pocket. Now what would you do if you were confronted with a guy pulling this move? I thought about it. I looked at this guy and said nothing for several seconds and finally said okay to this over the top rule of his. Why? Because anyone who thinks rules like that make it easier on them are just fooling themselves. The more rules there are the better it is for the better player. He has to follow them too.

This guy's rules got even more bazaar but the point was that he was simply choking himself to death with all that silliness. Two games later he was done and I found another place down the street to eat my lunch. I didn't feel like testing his recipe for hamburgers.

Tom
Tom, what he was trying to say without losing his "courage"was ...What did I get myself into.

Tom, you certainly didn't use the Jack Cooney approach, Jack would of either missed the first shot or "sloppily" pocketed the ball and missed his second shot.:D Had you sloppily pocketed the first shot i'm betting he wouldn't of said that you didn't call it that way.:lol

At least you won $200 and ate a burger down the street that wasn't "spit" into.:eek:

Bill Incardona
 

Tom Wirth

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From
Delray Beach, Florida
I thought I would provide one more story which comes from action at one of the great rooms from the Washington D. C. area. The room was Guys and Dolls which was located in Maryland and just outside of the District line. This room had many of the great players in the country coming through but it could be a rough place for the wrong player.

I remember playing in there one evening when this player they called George the Greek was in action playing high dollar nine ball. Now George had been playing in this room for a few days leading up to this night and on a few occasions he would tap out and leave the room for fifteen minutes or so and return with a fresh bankroll. The question of where all this cash was coming from eventually became a point of interest amongst a number of the locals. There were no hotel rooms close enough for him to go back to his room to restock on ammunition and ATMs couldn't provide the amount of cash he was returning with so these bright fellows reasoned the cash must be stashed in his car.

So on this particular evening while George was playing, deeply involved in this game of nine ball, out to George's Caddy theses local thieves like a pack of wolves descended. They broke into the car and ransacked it, tearing through everything searching for the gold but finding nothing of value. Frustrated by their lack of success and needing some form of satisfaction they removed the bench seat from the vehicle and replaced it with a wooden box.

It was clear that George was not well liked in this room and I suppose it could have been worse for him. They could have just stuck him up. As it turned out George didn't have any money in the car at all. He had it under it. George had placed his bankroll on the ground and rolled a wheel over it. Pretty smart as it turned out.

Tom
 

Mkbtank

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Apr 22, 2013
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Philly Pa
Thank you and keep em comin'

Two great stories Tom. Thanks!! Under the tire! That's a new one.
 

mr3cushion

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Joined
Sep 17, 2008
Messages
7,617
From
Cocoa Beach, FL
I thought I would provide one more story which comes from action at one of the great rooms from the Washington D. C. area. The room was Guys and Dolls which was located in Maryland and just outside of the District line. This room had many of the great players in the country coming through but it could be a rough place for the wrong player.

I remember playing in there one evening when this player they called George the Greek was in action playing high dollar nine ball. Now George had been playing in this room for a few days leading up to this night and on a few occasions he would tap out and leave the room for fifteen minutes or so and return with a fresh bankroll. The question of where all this cash was coming from eventually became a point of interest amongst a number of the locals. There were no hotel rooms close enough for him to go back to his room to restock on ammunition and ATMs couldn't provide the amount of cash he was returning with so these bright fellows reasoned the cash must be stashed in his car.

So on this particular evening while George was playing, deeply involved in this game of nine ball, out to George's Caddy theses local thieves like a pack of wolves descended. They broke into the car and ransacked it, tearing through everything searching for the gold but finding nothing of value. Frustrated by their lack of success and needing some form of satisfaction they removed the bench seat from the vehicle and replaced it with a wooden box.

It was clear that George was not well liked in this room and I suppose it could have been worse for him. They could have just stuck him up. As it turned out George didn't have any money in the car at all. He had it under it. George had placed his bankroll on the ground and rolled a wheel over it. Pretty smart as it turned out.

Tom

Tom; On my first trip to the East coast with "Paul Jones" from Chicago. We stopped in the Balt/DC area, I had "George the Greek" on my "Hit List" for the trip. "Nate" from DC helped with steering us around, I think, if I remember correctly, "Blue Shirt" was around at the same time. George weighed in pretty good at 3 cushion and Paul beat a couple of guys playing 1 hole too. Then it was, on our way to Philly.
 

Tom Wirth

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From
Delray Beach, Florida
Tom; On my first trip to the East coast with "Paul Jones" from Chicago. We stopped in the Balt/DC area, I had "George the Greek" on my "Hit List" for the trip. "Nate" from DC helped with steering us around, I think, if I remember correctly, "Blue Shirt" was around at the same time. George weighed in pretty good at 3 cushion and Paul beat a couple of guys playing 1 hole too. Then it was, on our way to Philly.

Nate was one of the best One Pocket players from the D.C. area. He was a pretty good golfer too as I understand it.

I once played Nate some Nine Ball and won the first five games. I broke and ran the last three of those. He finally won a game and from there he broke the nine in four straight times, and he did that with me racking them. I don't give mud racks to anyone. I had to pull up. I couldn't stand it anymore. I'm a One Pocket player at heart.

Tom
 

mr3cushion

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Cocoa Beach, FL
Nate was one of the best One Pocket players from the D.C. area. He was a pretty good golfer too as I understand it.

I once played Nate some Nine Ball and won the first five games. I broke and ran the last three of those. He finally won a game and from there he broke the nine in four straight times, and he did that with me racking them. I don't give mud racks to anyone. I had to pull up. I couldn't stand it anymore. I'm a One Pocket player at heart.

Tom

Tom; Nate and I a partners won a nice piece a change off of a guy named "Duke" and Jerry Howard in Detroit when all the money was flowing like water! Also Edgar "Shake n Bake" White was one of my regulars on the links up there.
 

Tom Wirth

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From
Delray Beach, Florida
Tom, what he was trying to say without losing his "courage"was ...What did I get myself into.

Tom, you certainly didn't use the Jack Cooney approach, Jack would of either missed the first shot or "sloppily" pocketed the ball and missed his second shot.:D Had you sloppily pocketed the first shot i'm betting he wouldn't of said that you didn't call it that way.:lol

At least you won $200 and ate a burger down the street that wasn't "spit" into.:eek:

Bill Incardona

Bill, I'm sure you're right about that first shot. I never did learn how to hustle that well. Had I had the benefit of the lessons of the likes of Jack Cooney way back then I might have been a lot wealthier than I am today. Not that I'm wealthy. :)

Tom
 

Jimmy B

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Aug 17, 2007
Messages
6,897
Jimmy B That face will shock the world. Did you get that face out of shock theater. Its very powerful. And gets my attention. I wouldn't mind looking like that.


Artie, that is a werewolf in my avatar picture. It happens to be one of the most violent fierce werewolves that you will ever run into. If you are ever over in England, strolling The Moors, it is about the last thing you would ever want to see, so stay on the roads at night. But I'm glad you mentioned Shock Theater. I grew up watching that when I was in grammar school. And the first actor who became a hero to me was none other than the wolf man himself, Lon Chaney Jr. And what a coincidence it is. He happened to pass away on this date, July 12. Of course it was many years ago. And this date happens to be Steve B.'s birthday, which is most coincidental, you would have to agree. Beware the full moon. Because all of this ties in together and has meaning. Werewolves and Vampires are very real, but we have the protection, so we don't have to worry about it. Because we compose The Music Of The Night...
 

vapros

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May 24, 2004
Messages
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baton rouge, la
Jimmy B, you are one of my favorite correspondents here. You are up to date on all manner of shit that I would never encounter otherwise. Don't stop.
 

mr3cushion

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Sep 17, 2008
Messages
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From
Cocoa Beach, FL
.......and then what happened?? I'd love to hear how you did in Philly.

Mitch; I hate to say it, but nothing earth shattering happened in Philly. I remember starting out upstairs at, “Longo’s,” they had a couple of billiard tables to the right, as you came up the stairs. I played one or two guys maybe $25.00 or $50.00 a game, maybe won a few hundred. I was on my first road trip with, “Paul Jones” from Chicago. Now, if you guys think Artie plays slow and safe, Paul could give Artie the, “7 & the break” in that department! He also won a little money playing some 1 hole.

The next stop was, “Newby’s” down in the basement, this room really reminded me a little of “Bensigers.” They had a few better players there, but didn’t bet more then at, Longo’s, I felt real comfortable in that room. Paul didn’t get in any action playing there, but, we did win some money betting on, “Blue Shirt.” Short money though, maybe 100 bucks.

The last room we entered was the most famous room in Philly for years, “Allenger’s.” The BEST 3 Cushion player ever to come out of Philly was, “Otto Reiselt.” From the 20’s thru the 40’s Reiselt played in many World 3 Cushion tournaments. As far as the action for me, about the same as in Newby’s, a couple hundred dollars. If I remember correctly, Blue came with us, to bet on me. I think him and Paul both got in action there.

Sorry to report Mitch, Philly at that time was just a normal action spot for me, if we wanted to gamble, Paul could have played some tough action, but, my idea when you go on the road with the “nut” and all, the idea is to take the beat of it. It’s was job, and when I go to work, I DEFINITELY want to get paid for my efforts! Anyone can gamble!
 
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