jrhendy said:
As I read & reply to some of these posts, memories pop into my head about games I either watched or was involved in. Since I killed too many brain cells as a young guy, I have to get these down before I forget about them. This is one of my favorites, and I sweated every game. In 1960 or 61 there was a bowling alley in Anaheim called the "Wonder Bowl". It was huge with a 24 hour pool room. Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman from Chicago had just busted Detroit Whitey. Whitey bit him for $10 for something to eat. Later on, Ritchie Florence was playing in an action game & Whitey was leaning against a 5 x 10 snooker table throwing the balls around & watching the game. He set up a tough shot down the long rail & started barking about betting $10 on the shot. Johnny said "I might as well bust you again" & bet him on the shot. Whitey ended up winning $50. Johnny was hot about losing the $50 chasing $10 & they played a set of one pocket for the $50. When the smoke cleared, Whitey won all his $$ back plus some. In those days the pool desk was closed after hours & you had to take the balls back & play table time at the Bowling desk. Whitey gave me $20 & said take the balls back & pay the time & keep the change. I had been in the pool room all day & night & went home to get some sleep. when I came back the next night, Whitey was still there, saw me come in & said "Hey kid, got any of that $20 left?"
Good story John,
Being a few years your senior, my brain cells have almost disintegrated. I do have a few Detroit Whitey stories to tell, but cannot remember dates as well as you (sometimes I even mix up my decades)
On one of his trips out west,(probably late 50's) I busted him playing 9 ball in SJ. His stake horse was a local sucker, who accused us of "dumping"...We didn't even know each other then...Whitey got hot and smacked the guy, and then naturally he bit me pretty good. Steered him around a bit, to make his getaway money.
My Grandma died in 1959, and I went to her funeral in Detroit. I went into the old "Rathole" downstairs on Woodward ave...Whitey and Cornbreads home court at the time. (pre-Rack days) Whitey gives me the "office" and we meet at a bar up the street...I think his intent was to double steer me, but I told him I was on pretty short $$$ (which I was) so I guess he decided to double steer Cornbread instead. Corn gave me a few ball's playing 1 pocket, (my pre 1P days)and it wasn't enough,...I got broke. If memory serves me, Whitey had like $10, of my puny $50 worth of action.
Borrowed a $100 from my brother-in-law,(pretty strong bite in those days)...and went back downtown a few days later. Managed to get Red down in a Golf game (rare in there) and got a few $$$ back before he pulled up. He then tried to give me 9/7 (and then 8/7) at 1P on a tight 5X10 snooker table. He did not like that at all.
Whitey was absent for the entire re-match. Never saw him again till a few years later in LA, at 4th and Main...he's busted, and tries to tell me he heard I beat Red for 8 million (it was actually a few hundred) and he gets a little tushy about wanting a big jelly...Got him calmed down and he settled for a small bite, and we went bar hustling "in downtown LA" together. We made a few bucks, even though he almost got us killed in one joint, and I'm sure I took a brutal beating on the count, as I was playing, and he had the rail bets.
This is dragging out too long, but let me just say, we met several more times over the years (never played again) and almost every time would qualify as a war story. He was one of a kind wasn't he ?
Our very fragile friendship ended, when he did the most treacherous thing imaginable to Canadian Pete and I... I'll share that story some other day...I get hot just thinking about it..
Pete got over it,...I never did !
PS..John, Its amazing our paths never crossed in those days. I used to go down to LA and San Diego, at least 3-4 times a year. Popcorn used to steer me around. Played Fat Bill at Hollywood and Western a few times, and Harry the Horse, and others, at the Wonder Bowl...Those were Pre-Tropicana days, Richie was around, (looked all of 12 yrs. old) but RA had yet to arrive.(I'm quite sure)
Although, thinking back, I almost always worked at something in SJ, and rarely stayed more than a long week-end. But we had to have been in the same joint more than once. We have too many mutual aquaintences, not to have been.
Also thinking back, I guess I spent more time in San Diego, than LA... Good action (for me) at the old Tower Bowl on Market St. (long gone)...I Had a wealthy regular in there, who would not go off to anybody but me...pissed off the local scuffs....Played Harry there a few times too.