Greg Stevens stories

NH Steve

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The late Craig Stevens from Wichita was a great player. He had gotten beat one year in the 60's when he thought maybe he shouldn't have. He came back to Kansas City and went to the pool hall daily as if he were showing up to a normal job. He told me, “I am going to hit a million balls.” When he reached the level he was looking for, he set out on the road and beat everybody he played for a couple of years. He is thought of as a 9-Ball player, but played One Pocket as good as any champion. After he died the surviving champions tell people that they used to beat him, when they didn't. He definitely should be in on the One Hole Honor Roll.

Craig/Greg Stevens was called by both names. I personally called him Greg, which helped the people around us a bit because my name is Craig. It has been a long time but I think his name really was Craig but I will check the obit on that one.

Craig was an enormous eater. I managed a restaurant one time and he came in for dinner one night. He ordered a steak, which included a 16 ounce strip steak, large baked potato, large milk and large side salad. He woofed that down and ordered another complete meal which he woofed down again. When I got off, he was hungry again so we went to a Sambo's Restaurant where he consumed a dozen eggs, 10 biscuits, and a desert.

He told me about being busted in Blytheville, Arkansas with Rudolf Wanderone (Minnesota Fats). Fatty was a big eater also. They pooled their money and returned to the motel where they had an eating contest. I asked how it came out and he said, "I spotted him a chicken and still out ate him." I would have staked him against anybody on the eating table.

One of the only times I ever knew him to get beaten when he was in stroke was when he met another road player named Bill Lawson from North Carolina. Bill, like Craig, spent his life on the road playing pool. They met in KC and neither one had ever heard of the other player. At the end Bill won $3000 after an 8-10 hour session. Bill never missed a ball and Craig only missed a 5 ball in the side pocket. What a great match. They both broke great but a few times the lay of the balls afterward didn't go Craig's way.

Craig was known for very long sessions. I caught up with him once in Tampa. He had been up 5 days and 5 nights. The bar was a known hangout for the top players who came there for the winter from all over the US. He was still giving up the 7,8,9 to anybody who would play him. Don McCaughey told me that the only way to beat him was for players of high ability to tag team him. One guy would play him for 12 hours and the other would sleep. They couldn't break him down until after the 3rd, 4rh or 5th day.

A funny guy Craig was. When he decided to get off of the road, he opened 3 pool halls in Wichita and never gambled again. He would see players walk in to his place and he would usually tell them that they couldn't play there. He protected his regulars like a pit bull.

You mentioned Steve Cook, Jersey Red, Cornbread, and Ronnie. Craig beat them all during his hot years. I think it was Ronnie who put him in practice mode originally, but then didn't want to play him when he went out on the road again.

Another pool story about Craig: He was matched up to play a good local snooker player who wouldn't play him without a good spot. They played on a tight pocket 5' x 10' with a full rack. They played for $200 per game. The spot was that Craig could only score on the black 7 and nothing else. He ran the first 2 complete racks back to back. He did that several times more through the night. He also ran out many other partial racks.

These Greg Stevens stories were sent to OnePocket.org via the Contact page by Craig Rickard -- Thanks, Craig!
 

r0ttie1

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That was a great story. I enjoyed the read. It's nice when people share their stories about great players. ;)
 

OldHasBeen

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Sep 29, 2004
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St. Louis, MO
Greg was a Helleva !

Greg was a Helleva !

I remember Greg well. Never played him myself but was with Louie when they played at Burke's Steak House in Wichita. I could write a couple of pages here about the match but don't have the time right now. I will say that I had 4; 9-hour naps while they were playing and Greg got the cheese. The pharmacy played a major role with both these great players, but that was the way it was back in the early '70's.
Another great story about Greg & Fatty involved the famous Steak House just outside of Amarillo, TX where if you could eat the entire 64 oz steak w/ baked potato, salad & roll - it was FREE. It is a great story but very long. The bottom line is that they both wanted to know "What kind of desserts were available" after dusting off the entire dinner. I know for a fact that Fatty ate an entire ham at a cafeteria about 4 hours later.

TY & GL
 

Hookman

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Nov 24, 2004
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Craig in Carolinas.........

Craig in Carolinas.........

Back in the early 60's Craig came through Charlotte and beat everybody until one smart player hooked him up with several Queen City beauties who, shall we say, drained his energy until he finally gave back some cash and left town still somewhat dragging. The best in Charlotte at that time was Mike Bell at the Paramount Billliards downtown. You are right that Craig should be in the Hall. I think he was traveling with Titanic about that time.
 

hemicudas

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May 24, 2004
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Jackson, Miss.
Mr. Stevens' first name was, Greg. Many did call him, Craig because one of the most popular TV shows then was, Peter Gunn, starring, Craig Stevens. Although I remember the show mostly because of the very sexy torch singer, Goldie, LOL.

OHB, is right about the Amarillo incident. Greg was there to play the only player Buddy Hall admitted losing to in his book, From Rags To Riffleman, Andy Oguine. I know, Andy Who? That's what they all said, until, Andy, knocked them in the creek. I wasn't there but Andy related the story to me later. Andy said he, Fatty and Greg all took their shots at the steak, with Fatty being the only one to, take the cash down, so to speak,,, and,,, keep it down, LOL.
 

Grady

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May 23, 2004
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Columbia, SC
Greg's eating!!!!!

Greg's eating!!!!!

Greg was also famous, in pool circles anyway, as a fast eater. What is also well known among pool playing,older Houstonians is the fact that I spotted him one hot dog going to 10 for a couple of thousand dollars. I won. It was never determined whether I could eat more than him. That would probably have been close.
Most days, from Le Cue at Rusk and Fannon, people would buy me and Greg lunch just to watch us eat.
He always played a ball or two under the best One Pocket players in the world. His best games were 9 Ball and gin rummy. He could "swing" pretty good when he needed to.
Maybe I'll tell more stories about this character another time.He was a great pool player although his finest pool always involved drugs and staying up days at a time.
 

hemicudas

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Grady said:
Greg was also famous, in pool circles anyway, as a fast eater. What is also well known among pool playing,older Houstonians is the fact that I spotted him one hot dog going to 10 for a couple of thousand dollars. I won. It was never determined whether I could eat more than him. That would probably have been close.
Most days, from Le Cue at Rusk and Fannon, people would buy me and Greg lunch just to watch us eat.
He always played a ball or two under the best One Pocket players in the world. His best games were 9 Ball and gin rummy. He could "swing" pretty good when he needed to.
Maybe I'll tell more stories about this character another time.He was a great pool player although his finest pool always involved drugs and staying up days at a time.
I had heard of your eating prowess, Grady but took it with a grain of salt until our friend the Pelican, who I find does not exagerate, related to me of his having a meal with ya and warned me not to reach for seconds if you still had a knife and fork in your hands.

People will tend to believe a thin guy can eat more than the big fellas now more than in the past due to the 120Lb. kid from Japan that out ate everyone in this country at the big hotdog eating contest in NY.
 

senor

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Grady said:
Maybe I'll tell more stories about this character another time.He was a great pool player although his finest pool always involved drugs and staying up days at a time.

I've said this before and I'll say it again. Stevens may not have been the best pool player at the time, but when he was at his best, usually during the 2nd or 3rd night, he was better than the rest. He didn't have the best nine ball break...he was playing nine ball one time and actually breaking them real good. The thing was after he broke the balls, his nose began to bleed...every time. People offered to break for him, but he refused. He would just go sit down with an ice pack for a couple of minutes and then continue to runout.
 

underdog

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A little more Greg Stevens

A little more Greg Stevens

I thoroughly enjoyed the addition to the Eddie Taylor interview. It reminded me of more about Greg.
He was associated with Titanic Thompson for quite a while. I met Greg through the pool world. He played golf even better than he played pool. One one occasion he followed up the US Open Golf Tournament and won bucketsful of money from golfers who had finished in the money. Titanic used to set up bets that so and so couldn't beat that pool player at golf. Greg won a lot of money doing that.
I was talking with Mosconi in Madison Wisconsin in the 60's. I asked him had he ever known Greg. After a mini tirade on any pool player who wasn't known for his straight pool, he said I guess that "Freight Train" from Wichita
can hit balls as good as any player he could think of. That was as close to a complemint as I ever heard Willie give.
Kudos on the Eddie Taylor interview. A bonafide pool icon if there ever was one.
 

NH Steve

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underdog said:
I thoroughly enjoyed the addition to the Eddie Taylor interview. It reminded me of more about Greg.
He was associated with Titanic Thompson for quite a while. I met Greg through the pool world. He played golf even better than he played pool. One one occasion he followed up the US Open Golf Tournament and won bucketsful of money from golfers who had finished in the money. Titanic used to set up bets that so and so couldn't beat that pool player at golf. Greg won a lot of money doing that.
I was talking with Mosconi in Madison Wisconsin in the 60's. I asked him had he ever known Greg. After a mini tirade on any pool player who wasn't known for his straight pool, he said I guess that "Freight Train" from Wichita
can hit balls as good as any player he could think of. That was as close to a complemint as I ever heard Willie give.
Kudos on the Eddie Taylor interview. A bonafide pool icon if there ever was one.
It seems that I am constantly reminded how pool and golf intertwine -- Titanic being a prime example. I understand Marshall 'Squirrel' Carpenter quit pool for a while to play golf? I ask that because if someone knows more, I am interested.

Certainly Ronnie Allen has been big on golf for a long time, and of course many of the younger pool players spend a lot of 'free' (now that might not be the right word!) time on the links...

Underdog, thanks for sharing your stories, by the way :)
 

scotttheshooter

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Phoenix Area
Ronnie Allen - Golfing for $$$

Ronnie Allen - Golfing for $$$

In speaking with a very well known player from the 80's and 90's and a player that travelled with Ronnie Allen-he informed me that "Ronnie played golf as good as he wanted to..." He never won by more than one shot and he knew how to lose to make a good matchup the next time around.
 

underdog

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pool players and golf

pool players and golf

I can think of quite a few good pool players who tear up the links. The same eye hand coordination and controlling a sphere in pool overlaps into golf. I watched Al Werling from New Orleans become a scratch golfer in a couple of years.. He was a heck of a 9 ball, straight pool. and bank player.
George Brundt from Milwaukee and later Florida played outstanding pool and was a very good golfer.
 

fred bentivegna

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chicago illinois
Greg Stevens stories are never exaggerated

Greg Stevens stories are never exaggerated

r0ttie1 said:
That was a great story. I enjoyed the read. It's nice when people share their stories about great players. ;)

Whatever stories you have heard about Greg are probably true. I spent a little time in the LeCue in Houston where he played. He gave me the 6,7,8,9 and took the break and robbed me. I also played him banks (my game) and gave him 9 to 8. I could play then and I was pounding him, then suddenly everthing started hanging up and I started missing. He got even and I quit. Later a sweater told me that they shut off the Air-conditioning on me and I was too dumb then to adjust. Greg had the most phenomenal schedule I ever seen. He would sleep for 3 days, M, tu, wed. Then he would get up and eat. He would eat enough for the next 4 days, because that was how long he was going to stay up and play pool. I ate with him only once. It was hideous. He was like a pig in a trough. He ate 100 miles an hour and everything in sight. He was the only guy I ever seen eat a whole loaf of Wonder Bread with a meal. This schedule of 3off and 4 on and 1 meal he kept up for months. Yes he took pills. Still he might not miss 4 balls in the 4 days. He would play with an icepack on his neck and his nose bleeding and still not miss a ball. That was my experience with him.
Freddy The Beard Bentivegna
 

hemicudas

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Jackson, Miss.
Sounds familiar, Freddy

Sounds familiar, Freddy

fred bentivegna said:
Whatever stories you have heard about Greg are probably true. I spent a little time in the LeCue in Houston where he played. He gave me the 6,7,8,9 and took the break and robbed me. I also played him banks (my game) and gave him 9 to 8. I could play then and I was pounding him, then suddenly everthing started hanging up and I started missing. He got even and I quit. Later a sweater told me that they shut off the Air-conditioning on me and I was too dumb then to adjust. Greg had the most phenomenal schedule I ever seen. He would sleep for 3 days, M, tu, wed. Then he would get up and eat. He would eat enough for the next 4 days, because that was how long he was going to stay up and play pool. I ate with him only once. It was hideous. He was like a pig in a trough. He ate 100 miles an hour and everything in sight. He was the only guy I ever seen eat a whole loaf of Wonder Bread with a meal. This schedule of 3off and 4 on and 1 meal he kept up for months. Yes he took pills. Still he might not miss 4 balls in the 4 days. He would play with an icepack on his neck and his nose bleeding and still not miss a ball. That was my experience with him.
Freddy The Beard Bentivegna
Greg, comes through Jackson, MS in the early 70s, beats everyone in the only gambling room there then, then starts spotting people. The last game he made and won at was like, Freddy's, game except the guy he was playing wins if he knocks the object ball to a rail. Yes, Greg got the break but no ball in hand. He had to make a ball on the break and get out over 50% of the time and did, on an old 9'er.
 
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