Detroit Red

blackeee

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Jackson, Tn
Couple of my regulars came in today and had an elderly gentleman with them whom they introduced to me as "Detroit Red" He was 88yrs old and said his name was McTaggert and used to live in Detroit. Said he left there in 1999 when his wife died and now lives about 60 miles down the road from me. He played some 9-ball with his friends and although he has only one good eye, I could tell he'd been around a pool table before. He told me he ran 250 playing straight pool and beat Mosconi In 57 playin 9- ball. Do any of you know anything about this gentleman and what kind of player he was?
 

NH Steve

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Boy, I would have like to show him this old photo...
Which, by the way, I would like a higher resolution copy. I actually bought one on eBay once -- I paid, they never delivered :mad:

It is supposed to be Detroit
 

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blackeee

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Jackson, Tn
NH Steve said:
Boy, I would have like to show him this old photo...
Which, by the way, I would like a higher resolution copy. I actually bought one on eBay once -- I paid, they never delivered :mad:

It is supposed to be Detroit

Great picture Steve!
 

Tramp Steamer

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NH Steve said:
Boy, I would have like to show him this old photo...
Which, by the way, I would like a higher resolution copy. I actually bought one on eBay once -- I paid, they never delivered :mad:

It is supposed to be Detroit

Look how close the tables are to each other, and only two lights to a table. Don't you wish you had a 'way-back machine'?
 

Grady

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Further info

Further info

To Willie's left stand "Country" arguably the greatest black pool hustler who ever lived and Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman, certainly a great Bank Pool and One Pocket champion.
 

CaliRed

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Great pic Steve... I love looking at old photos. I see it was scanned at 300 dpi, so there is a higher resolution one out there. Scumbags, hosed you though, huh?

It looks kind of cold in there.

Here is a link to a few closeups of that photo
http://onepocket.org/DetroitPoolroom40s.htm

and a thread of Steve trying to find out more info on this picture.. Interesting read.... also see KOUD replied to it, in November of 09
http://onepocket.org/forum/showthread.php?t=576
 

androd

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Grady said:
To Willie's left stand "Country" arguably the greatest black pool hustler who ever lived and Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman, certainly a great Bank Pool and One Pocket champion.

That sure doesn't look like "cannonball" to me.
Rod.
 

mr3cushion

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100 %Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman, and New York "Country", I knew them both well, Cannonball being in Chicago for many years, have seen him play fantastic banks, and very good 9 ball player, also staight pool. Country was as sharp as any hustler around, a Big behind the scenes money man in Detroit at the Rack, was in on alot of big scores. On thing I can say, if you had any money coming from a score from Country, you had no need to even count it, allways the right count!

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"
 

blackeee

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mr3cushion said:
100 %Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman, and New York "Country", I knew them both well, Cannonball being in Chicago for many years, have seen him play fantastic banks, and very good 9 ball player, also staight pool. Country was as sharp as any hustler around, a Big behind the scenes money man in Detroit at the Rack, was in on alot of big scores. On thing I can say, if you had any money coming from a score from Country, you had no need to even count it, allways the right count!

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

Nobody has answered my question.
 

NH Steve

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blackeee said:
Nobody has answered my question.
I wish I could. If you are at the Derby in a few weeks, we can try asking John Henry. He is the oldest Detroit player I know... Steve Lomako might know some Detroit old timers that would know.
 

stevelomako

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Detroit, MI
blackeee said:
Couple of my regulars came in today and had an elderly gentleman with them whom they introduced to me as "Detroit Red" He was 88yrs old and said his name was McTaggert and used to live in Detroit. Said he left there in 1999 when his wife died and now lives about 60 miles down the road from me. He played some 9-ball with his friends and although he has only one good eye, I could tell he'd been around a pool table before. He told me he ran 250 playing straight pool and beat Mosconi In 57 playin 9- ball. Do any of you know anything about this gentleman and what kind of player he was?

Sounds like one of Taxi Dannys' friends.

Is he short, bald headed and really polite?


I'll find out for sure, theres so many guys I know by face but not name. I was always horrible at that and always felt bad that they would always remember me and I couldn't remember them quick.
 

gulfportdoc

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mr3cushion said:
100 %Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman, and New York "Country", I knew them both well, Cannonball being in Chicago for many years, have seen him play fantastic banks, and very good 9 ball player, also staight pool. Country was as sharp as any hustler around, a Big behind the scenes money man in Detroit at the Rack, was in on alot of big scores. On thing I can say, if you had any money coming from a score from Country, you had no need to even count it, allways the right count!

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"
Bill-- To Willie's right, is "Country" the closest to Willie, then Cannonball furthest away? Thanks~ Doc
 

Steve - Detroit

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Steve -

How sure are you that the photo was taken in Detroit? The name "Northside Recreation" is really throwing me. Detroit doesn't really have an area referred to as the Northside, everything is east or west. There are areas called the northeast or the northwest but never just northside.

I'm not saying it isn't Detroit, I just don't know, but it would just be a very rare name for anything around here.
 

mr3cushion

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gulfportdoc said:
Bill-- To Willie's right, is "Country" the closest to Willie, then Cannonball furthest away? Thanks~ Doc
Doc; You're absolutely correct, you tell Johnny by the long skinny neck. Cannonball is holding the cue.
Bill
 

blackeee

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Jackson, Tn
stevelomako said:
Sounds like one of Taxi Dannys' friends.

Is he short, bald headed and really polite?


I'll find out for sure, theres so many guys I know by face but not name. I was always horrible at that and always felt bad that they would always remember me and I couldn't remember them quick.

He's short,very polite but still has some red hair left.
 

Artie Bodendorfer

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mr3cushion said:
Doc; You're absolutely correct, you tell Johnny by the long skinny neck. Cannonball is holding the cue.
Bill
I remember when Misnasota Fats was playing Cannon ball and he told Cannon Ball When I get done with you They will change your name from Cannon Ball to BeBee.
 

wincardona

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Dallas Tx.
gulfportdoc said:
Bill-- To Willie's right, is "Country" the closest to Willie, then Cannonball furthest away? Thanks~ Doc
Doc, Grady's usually right on with the old time players, and since you agree with him has me really wondering, but that doesn't look like Country at all to me. And Cannon Ball I thought was a little darker then the gentlemen in the picture.
 

SJDinPHX

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androd said:
That sure doesn't look like "cannonball" to me.
Rod.

Me neither Rod...too tall, and to old looking for that long ago...there is some resemblance, but I would bet its not him.

Plus, I never saw him look that somber...he was usually smiling.
 
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Artie Bodendorfer

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SJDinPHX said:
Me neither Rod...too tall, and to old looking for that long ago...there is some resemblance, but I would bet its not him.

Plus, I never saw him look that somber...he was usually smiling.
I dont thind its cannon ball but I would not lay 10 to 1. And he has cannonballs manarisums and stance. He is a little taller then cannon ball but then again he has his cue in his left had like cannon ball youe to hold ir. BUt the manarisums are very strong resemblance. But I dont think its Cannon ball. And a cleraer picture would show it. And what kind off tournement was that. With Willy in the picture. And Cannon ball player all games. He could spell and pronounce my last name better then me. And he was a clasic. I was very close to him. And I was one off the few people he backedin life. He backed me against shake and back 3 hundred dollaers a game. And I won 5 games. And lefty was as happy as a little kid. I have lots ove Cannon ball stories., But not today. Ans his hight keeps sticking in my head rhar he looks too tall in the picture. But the stasnce the way he holds the cue and his mamnarisums are idenracele. Rest in peace Lefty.
 
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