San Jose Dick Interview

Terry Ardeno · May 19, 2010

Dear Mr Booth,

Is there any way that you can do an in depth interview with SJD? We all know how busy you are with many things in life as well as just maintaining this site. But that (interviewing SJD) is something that really should be on a 'must do" list. We consider him one of the MVP's here at this site, as well as being a very gifted player.

Please consider doing this. Thanks in advance and as always, thanks for the work you've done and are doing to keep this site the great place that it is!

Fast Lenny · May 19, 2010

Terry Ardeno said:
Dear Mr Booth,

Is there any way that you can do an in depth interview with SJD? We all know how busy you are with many things in life as well as just maintaining this site. But that (interviewing SJD) is something that really should be on a 'must do" list. We consider him one of the MVP's here at this site, as well as being a very gifted player.

Please consider doing this. Thanks in advance and as always, thanks for the work you've done and are doing to keep this site the great place that it is!

I would be willing to go to Dick's house and do an interview with him on video, people could post questions here for me to ask along with Steve. I have wanted to do this with him for awhile for sure, Steve could embed the video on the site which would be pretty cool. I have plans on doing a few more interviews with some different people.

Skin · May 20, 2010

If questions for Dick can be posted, I have a couple I'd like to hear asked in the interview.

1. He came out of a small town in Colorado. How'd he get started in pool?

2. Who taught him, if anybody, in those very early years?

3. He's told a story on here about his first encounter with Ed Kelly. He was 18 and Kelly was 16, and that took place I believe in Louisianna (Shreveport?). The game was 9b and 14.1 - Dick was supposed to win at 9b but Kelly did; Kelly was supposed to win at 14.1 but Dick did. After that they became friends and tried to help each other when they crossed paths according to Dick. I'd like to know more about that.

Skin > enquiring minds want to know.

SJDinPHX · May 20, 2010

Skin said:
If questions for Dick can be posted, I have a couple I'd like to hear asked in the interview.

1. He came out of a small town in Colorado. How'd he get started in pool?

2. Who taught him, if anybody, in those very early years?

3. He's told a story on here about his first encounter with Ed Kelly. He was 18 and Kelly was 16, and that took place I believe in Louisianna (Shreveport?). The game was 9b and 14.1 - Dick was supposed to win at 9b but Kelly did; Kelly was supposed to win at 14.1 but Dick did. After that they became friends and tried to help each other when they crossed paths according to Dick. I'd like to know more about that.

Skin > enquiring minds want to know.

Skin,

Eddie is exactly 4 1/2 yrs. younger than me. I believe I was about 22 or so, which would have made Ed about 18, at our first chance encounter, in New Orleans. (circa 1956...green roady, meets greener roady

) Neither one of us had much money, so after a brief skirmish, we became friends, and decided to try and make a few bucks together. (plus, we had the Irish thing goin'.....In a town like NOLA, were both like drunken sailors on leave)
If I recall, the night life eventually busted us both. Not too much pool action, in the 50's in NOLA. If there was...we never found it.

Cardone recently put us in touch with each other, (thanks Billy)... and we talked for over an hour catching up...We had not seen or talked in about 25 years. That is one of the great things about this site, and modern communications in general.

Don't know why anyone would care, but I will give him a ring later and check his recall of those days. Eddie is a guy worthy of all the respect given him, He earned it... And though our lives took somewhat different paths... 52 years later, I am glad to say, we are still good friends.

Terry Ardeno · May 20, 2010

Dick,
How did you get started in pool? Were you a "natural" player or gifted? How many hours did you practice? Did you have a table at home? What were your early years like? Do you remember when you first started playing for money?
Thanks for any info!

Fast Lenny · May 20, 2010

Dick is so old he sees in black and white!

Hey bud, hope the next time we play I do not have to remind you which pocket is yours, I will plead the 5th. Dick let me know when your free and we can do a video interview, would enjoy it, we can sip on some drinks too.

SJDinPHX · May 20, 2010

Terry Ardeno said:
Dick,
How did you get started in pool? Were you a "natural" player or gifted? How many hours did you practice? Did you have a table at home? What were your early years like? Do you remember when you first started playing for money?
Thanks for any info!

Terry,

To answer your questions in order; ...Don't remember...Maybe I was autistic like "Rain Man"...Zero...No...13.

Please ask El Beardo the same questions...I'm not sure if we are speaking at present...

Terry Ardeno · May 20, 2010

Lenny,
If you can arrange this, could you offer copies of it for sale on DVD? Also, if you do arrange this, let us know so we can post some questions for you to ask Dick.
Thanks.

Also, when you talk to Scott again, let him know what a great job he's doing with Billy in the booth! Them guys are funny as heck together!

Terry Ardeno · May 20, 2010

We still love you anyway.

We still love you anyway.

SJDinPHX said:
Terry,

To answer your questions in order; ...Don't remember...Maybe I was autistic like "Rain Man"...Zero...No...13.

Please ask El Beardo the same questions...I'm not sure if we are speaking at present...

SJD,
You "answered" those questions like somebody had first read you your rights!

Slightly more informative than sign language!

So let me get this straight and sumarize.....At some time, you played pool for money at 13 with no practice.

Period. End of "interview". Ok......uh, ok.

At least that's some what of a start.

Uh....Lenny, you got your work cut out for ya buddy!

SJDinPHX · May 20, 2010

Fast Lenny said:
Dick is so old he sees in black and white!

Hey bud, hope the next time we play I do not have to remind you which pocket is yours, I will plead the 5th. Dick let me know when your free and we can do a video interview, would enjoy it, we can sip on some drinks too.

Thanks Lenny,

Things are a little up in the air right now. Hope we can get together soon.

Even the Az One Pocket tournament is looking a little dim right now. Give me a call, you are welcome at the house any time. (Bring Jude to bet on the side, he lives only a few blocks from me)

9/8 Duck <---has elevated your spot..

Fast Lenny · May 20, 2010

SJDinPHX said:
Thanks Lenny,

Things are a little up in the air right now. Hope we can get together soon.

Even the Az One Pocket tournament is looking a little dim right now. Give me a call, you are welcome at the house any time. (Bring Jude to bet on the side, he lives only a few blocks from me)

9/8 Duck <---has elevated your spot..

I will take 8-6 and the snaps or 9-7 and the snaps without alternating pockets, I want you to not get confused which pocket your shooting at.

I will try to get together with you soon and we can do a video interview in your poolroom. Also Terry, I will upload it on the internet so you will be able to watch it and Steve can embed it here for everyone to see also.

I do hope things get better on the home front Dick, God bless you and yours. I hope your able to make it for the one pocket and I draw you in the tourney, plus I need a good co-pilot who likes to drink for the Grady and John match, we are only 2 1/2 weeks away.

fred bentivegna · May 20, 2010

Responding

Responding

Originally Posted by Terry Ardeno
Dick,
How did you get started in pool? Were you a "natural" player or gifted? How many hours did you practice? Did you have a table at home? What were your early years like? Do you remember when you first started playing for money?
Thanks for any info!
Terry,

To answer your questions in order; ...Don't remember...Maybe I was autistic like "Rain Man"...Zero...No...13.

Please ask El Beardo the same questions...I'm not sure if we are speaking at present...

SJD

The Mufti Diver has asked and he shall receive:
Started playing pool while waiting to be called from the waiting list at the bowling alley. Never bowled again, I was 14. No natural ability whatsoever. Always played good banks but it took 16 years to be a top one pocket player.
I was either playing games or practicing 14-15 hrs a day. No table at home.
Was a sucker from 14 to 21. The first game of pool I played I bet on it.

Beard
I feel so cheap replying like this in the Muff Man's thread. Can this be construed as a hijack? I will let the sanest, fairest, neutralist, poster on the forum decide that, Cowboy D.

SJDinPHX · May 20, 2010

fred bentivegna said:
Originally Posted by Terry Ardeno
Dick,
How did you get started in pool? Were you a "natural" player or gifted? How many hours did you practice? Did you have a table at home? What were your early years like? Do you remember when you first started playing for money?
Thanks for any info!
Terry,

To answer your questions in order; ...Don't remember...Maybe I was autistic like "Rain Man"...Zero...No...13.

Please ask El Beardo the same questions...I'm not sure if we are speaking at present...

SJD

The Mufti Diver has asked and he shall receive:

Started playing pool while waiting to be called from the waiting list at the bowling alley. Never bowled again, I was 14. (found out with pool, you could sneak out on the time...whereas, with bowling, the creeps wanted 25 cents up front, for shoe rental)

I had absolutely, NO, ZERO, ZIP NADA natural ability whatsoever. ( I did excell at "pleasuring" myself though, does that count ?)

Always played good banks, (straight in shots, and playing position were my weaknesses at "normal" pool games).... but it did took me over 46 years to become, even a mediocre one pocket player...But, By then, my eyes were failing, along with my "Johnson" and my knees. Sooooo....

I was either playing games (lots of "Cop's and Robber's)...or practicing 14-15 hrs a day. (with short naps in between)

No table at home..... I had one, but my good friend, Detroit Whitey stole it, gotta love the guy, huh !!!!

I Was a sucker from age 14 to 61. The first (and the last) game of pool I played, I bet on, and lost.... So I decided to write about my exciting [sic] exploits, with complete disregard for actual facts...I made up for my obvious shortcomings at pool, by being very..."laughable, hilarious, weird" (pick one)

Beard
I feel so cheap replying like this in the Muff Man's thread. Can this be construed as a hijack? Hate to see the Mufti, get any press

Terry... I have taken the liberty of editing some of the Beard's remarks (please re-read the above quote)

As I said before...one of the interviewee's is obviously in the advanced stages of Alzheimers. He has even forgotten how to properly brag,...coherently..
.

Skin · May 20, 2010

SJDinPHX said:
Skin,

Eddie is exactly 4 1/2 yrs. younger than me. I believe I was about 22 or so, which would have made Ed about 18, at our first chance encounter, in New Orleans. (green roady, meets greener roady ) Neither one of us had much money, so after a brief skirmish, we became friends, and decided to try and make a few bucks together. (plus, we were both like drunken mick sailors on leave)

Cardone recently put us in touch with each other, (thanks Billy)... and we talked for over an hour catching up...We had not seen or talked in about 25 years. That is one of the great things about this site, and modern communications in general.

Don't know why anyone would care, but I will give him a ring later and check his recall of those days. Eddie is a guy worthy of all the respect given him, He earned it... And though our lives took somewhat different paths... 52 years later, I am glad to say, we are still good friends.

Thanks, Dick. I got some of the story right at least.

Skin

Cowboy Dennis · May 20, 2010

fred bentivegna said:
I feel so cheap replying like this in the Muff Man's thread. Can this be construed as a hijack? I will let the sanest, fairest, neutralist, poster on the forum decide that, Cowboy D.

Freddy,

You know that I am always neutral in these things so I will use the Duck's own post in OUR music thread to show what he said about hi-jacks. Of course in this case it's no reflection on the original poster, Terry Ardeno.

Thread: Cowboy's / Beard's Official Music Lovers Thread View Single Post
#135 03-12-2010, 08:33 AM
SJDinPHX
Verified Member Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,585

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by demonrho

(Damn - I just realized I highjacked the thread from Dennis and Freddie. Sorry guys, I go crazy when the topic of music comes up )

D-Person,

Hi-jacking is perfectly legal, if the subject matter is unbearably BORING...Or if the OP, and his main respondent's, don't have a f-ing clue what they are talking about...This is refered to as a "Mercy Hi-jacking", and certainly applies in this case..
__________________
SJDinPHX <-- Will work for Yukon Jack--

Terry Ardeno · May 20, 2010

SJDinPHX said:
Terry... I have taken the liberty of editing some of the Beard's remarks (please re-read the above quote)

As I said before...one of the interviewee's is obviously in the advanced stages of Alzheimers. He has even forgotten how to properly brag,...coherently..
.

How I wish HBO would make a new sitcom based on the characters here at OnePocket.org!

You guys would be gazillionaires for sure.

Each of you and the Beard's posts on how HE started were funny stuff. And if just reading all this stuff is so much fun, I can't imagine how much fun it would be if all of us could hang out everyday together in the same pool room!

Wish we all lived closer to each other......

Terry Ardeno · May 20, 2010

Cowboy Dennis said:
Freddy,

You know that I am always neutral in these things so I will use the Duck's own post in OUR music thread to show what he said about hi-jacks. Of course in this case it's no reflection on the original poster, Terry Ardeno.

Thread: Cowboy's / Beard's Official Music Lovers Thread View Single Post
#135 03-12-2010, 08:33 AM
SJDinPHX
Verified Member Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,585

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quote:
Originally Posted by demonrho

(Damn - I just realized I highjacked the thread from Dennis and Freddie. Sorry guys, I go crazy when the topic of music comes up )

D-Person,

Hi-jacking is perfectly legal, if the subject matter is unbearably BORING...Or if the OP, and his main respondent's, don't have a f-ing clue what they are talking about...This is refered to as a "Mercy Hi-jacking", and certainly applies in this case..
__________________
SJDinPHX <-- Will work for Yukon Jack--

No offence taken C-B Dennis!

aka "The Ref"

May these threads last forever! Viva la OnePocket.org!

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRrFWp4DUho[/ame]

JoeyA · May 28, 2010

Pdr

Pdr

For SJD:

What is your second favorite liquor?

Has drinking helped your pool game?

Can you suggest a Pre-Drink-Routine for wannabees looking to climb the ladder?

JoeyA

mr3cushion · May 28, 2010

Classic Questions from a CLASSY guy

Classic Questions from a CLASSY guy

JoeyA said:
For SJD:

What is your second favorite liquor?

Has drinking helped your pool game?

Can you suggest a Pre-Drink-Routine for wannabees looking to climb the ladder?

JoeyA

Joey' These Q&A's are priceless, that's all I can say!
http://mr3cushion,com
Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

SJDinPHX · May 28, 2010

A Foolproof method for "perfect, mistake free, one pocket !!!

A Foolproof method for "perfect, mistake free, one pocket !!!

JoeyA said:
For SJD:

What is your second favorite liquor?

Has drinking helped your pool game?

Can you suggest a Pre-Drink-Routine for wannabees looking to climb the ladder?

JoeyA

JoeyA,

Always glad to share my knowledge with those who sincerely want to learn the game. Just for you, here are my answers to your queries.

Q. #1... Anything 100 proof...Q. #2... Can't really recall, all I know is, when I stumbled in the pool room, I had "action". (many times, fights would break out, over who would get me first)

Q. #3...In my action days, upon waking...my sweetie used to serve me Bloody Mary's in bed...Then after my s, s, and s, and a few beers for mouthwash, I would launch into my controlled regimen of straight YJ...(the trick is, very little chaser...water will kill you !!!)

Then I would head for my favorite bar/bartender, for counseling, and a few more belts, to get my courage up...Then, after a few "lap dances", I would swing by the liquor store, (re-stocking is essential) on my way to the pool room...to formally begin my day...

SJ Duck

PS.. to all beginners...I would highly recommend, a very rigid practice regimen, for a few years. (Not at pool, thats the easy part...but first, you MUST get the "pre-drink routine" down pat)....Caution...This may not work for everyone...

San Jose Dick Interview

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