To: John and Doc, I was a mainstay at 6th and Manhattan during the "Golden Years of Pool." Back then gas was 30 cents/gallon and we used to make the rounds up to Hollywood , West LA and at night to Tournament Billiards or to Norwalk (Charlie Milikens) or to The Billiard Palace in Bellflower. What a time for characters and action. The room at 6th street had all the action one could want. Right next door was a Recording Studio and Wolfman Jack used to come over for lunch every day. Phil Specter was a regular along with his bodyguard George who used to play straight pool for $20/game 100 points two to three times per week. Gypsies played out of there and they had a golf game that got very big and the money would be stacked on the table. No hickies but the games could get to thousands counting sidebets. I once played a game for about $4000 and had $750 of the bet. It was Brian's and my last money. We won and the next game was for $200 and that's how it went every day. Doc, the pocked marked guy you were referring to was a finance guy named Bill Burgess out of Texas and yes he was a $5 one pocket player. He got hustled on the golf course by Ronnie Allen and Ronnie lost some serious money. Bill played almost scratch golf. Of course Ronnie gave him a check and you can figure out the rest of the story. Lou was our houseman and he was a good guy for pool players. He was very generous and steered road players around. He is/was a good friend of mine and is now in a Nursing Home in Riverside. I played Keith Thompson (young squirrel) two weeks after he won in Johnson City and back in those someone could be undercover forever. Anyway I got him stuck and broke him and in the interium found out who he was and when he came back I had to ask for a spot. You guys are bringing back great memories. keep it up.