Who Made You?

SactownTom

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Sacramento CA
In Cincinnati in the late 80s, there were some 1pkt warriors that are considered pretty good players.

Clem Metz (never saw him play, but everyone said he was dangerous)

Donny Anderson (mostly known for his bank pool championships) We played 9 ball and banks.

Thorny, the table mechanic and 1pkt players aka Thorn Dawg.

Sherm Adamson played 1pkt but is known for his cue making

Whitey and his son Tommy Stephenson of Middletown OH close to Fairfield just north of Cincinnati and near Hamilton. Both fine 1pkt players and Tommy did quite well in 9 ball at the Derby when he played.

Mike Medly of 'Michael's Billiards' great bank pool player and played 1pkt with the best of local bunch.

Gary Speath is probably the best known of the list and mostly for his banking. But he also played a better than average 1pkt game.

I know I've left some names out.... must'a killed those brain cells.
But occasionally playing matching up or watching matches was a great learning experience, but I would hardly relate this to saying it MADE me a player. Just an experienced railbird

Now should I include the West Coast players that have shown me how 1pkt can be played from a shooter's perspective?
Ronnie Allen... old fart and fat and still can compete and cash.
Billy Palmer, best combination of the Mid west player and West coast player. Can do it both.
George Michaels old Chicago player that can still play.
Scott Frost played in a couple of HTB Jamborees... competes with the best of them.
Locals that aren't as well known. Jim Fabionar, Robert Aldana, James Williams, Bart Mahoney, Roger Estelle and John Henderson.

And the Filipinos, Efren, Jose, Busty, Santos, Kiamco, and Ocurllo all have shown why good players can compete in one pocket with little experience.
 
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NH Steve

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fred bentivegna said:
Gene Skinner, Marcel Camp, Joe Procita, Cannonball Eddie Keinowski, Baby Face Whitlow, Bud Harris, Hollywood Jack Nicholson, Jewtown Red, Brooklyn Jimmy, Pancho, etc., etc.

the Beard
"Jewtown Red" is a name that has come up in a couple of my interviews with older players. Who the heck was he, Freddy?
 

fred bentivegna

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chicago illinois
Jewtown Red

Jewtown Red

NH Steve said:
"Jewtown Red" is a name that has come up in a couple of my interviews with older players. Who the heck was he, Freddy?

Jewtown Red was a black old-time champion bank pool player from the West Side of Chicago, the Maxwell St. district. It used to be blocks and blocks of outdoor stalls selling all types of merchandise. Up until recently, it was always a slum area. In the early 1900s, European Jewish immigrants migrated there. Many famous ultra rich families ended up coming out of there. The billionaire Pritzkers for one. The area still exists but now they call it Maxwell st. Market and it has been moved a few blocks north. It was featured in the Blues Brothers movie. Red played mostly on the South and West side in the black poolrooms, keep in mind he was a child of the Depression. He once saved my life in a very dangerous pool room on North Clark st. I have no clue as to his real name.

the Beard
 

fred bentivegna

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Cannonball Eddie

Cannonball Eddie

lll said:
freddie can you tell us something about cannonball eddie k not familiar with that name

Eddie was "Cannonball" before Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman. He hailed from upstate NY. Played superspeed 9 ball, straight pool and one pocket. When he lived with me and Sugar Shack Johnny he actually would run 100 balls and then we would go have breakfast. He gave Weenie Beanie a ball and the break,Beanie lasted 2 games, quit and never returned.
 

Cowboy Dennis

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Cowboy Dennis said:
At the risk of appearing like we are the All-Zaniness site I'd like to ask a question that runs through my mind every now and then.

Who made you the player that you are today? Batman had the Joker, who did you have. Who taught you to gamble. Who taught you to play one-pocket. Who taught you to observe human nature in a poolroom. Who taught you most of what you know today?

I know that I have players in mind for myself, from Old Man Tom who insisted that all of us young guys tell him the next shot that we were going to play, before we shot the current shot. I can still hear him loudly asking, "what are you going to shoot next?", and I smell the aroma from his pipe.

To "Black Dennis" who made me the gambler that I am, by teaching the value of jacking the bet, to his detriment. I was known as "White Dennis" in that poolroom.

To "California John", who taught me to play better and to gamble better.

To "Black Bill" and "Reverend Dave" and "Taxi Danny" who taught me the value of being a decent human being in a poolroom. Something I already knew but they reinforced.

To Brian Presley who gave hours and years of his time to help me become a better player. You cannot give more than your time.

To "Cornbread Red" who taught me to challenge my opponent at every opportunity. And to never let up. And to play the table at times and to play my opponent at times. Once he beat me on a snooker table when he needed 10 balls and I needed 1 ball. Nothing like playing Red for a lesson.

To all of the other lesser players and thinkers that have taught me something worth knowing, and have helped my game.

Who made you and what did they do ?


To All,

In searching for some old posts I came across this one. Since looking back is something that we do at the beginning of a new year, I thought that maybe some of the newer members might like to respond to this post. Or maybe some of you who had not responded to it would. I think it's interesting to hear how different players have been influenced and by whom. Sometimes we forget who taught us some small thing or who showed us a shot that we had never seen before. I also now see that I inadvertently left "Miami" out my original post. He is to be credited with teaching me the extreme variation of defensive one-pocket.

Dennis
 

vapros

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baton rouge, la
When I began to play one-pocket, there were no good players to emulate, in Baton Rouge. But a few years later, in 1998 to be exact, big-time matches came to town and stayed for several months, as the name players assembled at Lambert's RBDs, mostly trying to match up with Flyboy in the beginning, but later it became you-name-the-game for how-much-have-you-got, night after night. Jose Parica, Shannon Daulton, Jack Cooney and Bill Incardona were among those who were in town for long periods, and many others came and went, some more than once. Amarillo Slim played a guy named Sonny White (I believe), who supposedly flew his plane down from Hot Springs for the events. Not world beaters, to be sure, but big gamblers we were told. At the height of the action, Lambert was employing as many as six armed guards in combat gear every weekend. It was great, and I spent many hours watching.

It was there that I decided that one-pocket was definitely the second-best thing one could do on a pool table. Now, a dozen years further into my old age, I have promoted it to number one. However, if I tried to credit any one player for making me the crafty champion that I see in myself, no doubt he would deny it loudly, and I wouldn't blame him a bit. That's what is so good about our game. Next time out, I'm pretty sure I will be a mean motor scooter. Last time, I couldn't get a roll if I cried my eyes out. :eek: :p
 

fred bentivegna

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chicago illinois
Sonny White

Sonny White

vapros said:
When I began to play one-pocket, there were no good players to emulate, in Baton Rouge. But a few years later, in 1998 to be exact, big-time matches came to town and stayed for several months, as the name players assembled at Lambert's RBDs, mostly trying to match up with Flyboy in the beginning, but later it became you-name-the-game for how-much-have-you-got, night after night. Jose Parica, Shannon Daulton, Jack Cooney and Bill Incardona were among those who were in town for long periods, and many others came and went, some more than once. Amarillo Slim played a guy named Sonny White (I believe), who supposedly flew his plane down from Hot Springs for the events. Not world beaters, to be sure, but big gamblers we were told. At the height of the action, Lambert was employing as many as six armed guards in combat gear every weekend. It was great, and I spent many hours watching.....

:eek: :p

Sonny White: High class guy, lower level shortstop and a very high roller.

Beard
 

junior

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Amarillo Slim

Amarillo Slim

fred bentivegna said:
Sonny White: High class guy, lower level shortstop and a very high roller.

Beard

Not trying to hijack the thread, but how did Slim play?
 

SJDinPHX

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junior said:
Not trying to hijack the thread, but how did Slim play?

I can try to answer that for you Junior. I knew him quite well. Slim Preston (as far as pool goes) needed weight from any good player, and even a few shortstops. He had an ego, just like we all do, but he knew where he was in the pecking order...and had probably the sharpest mind for matching up good, that I've ever seen...even if he didn't know the game that well.

He applied that skill to cards, props, and anything anyone wanted to bet on.
The only difference between Slim and Titanic, was Slim didn't book near as many losers as Ti...but Ti made it up in huge score volume..;)
 

Skin

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Dick, you sent an email to Dennis but never told the rest of us your story about how you began in the game. Feel like telling the short version?

Skin
 

lll

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vero beach fl
Skin said:
Dick, you sent an email to Dennis but never told the rest of us your story about how you began in the game. Feel like telling the short version?

Skin
i know id like to hear it.
 

One Pocket Ghost

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Ghosttown
vapros said:
It was there that I decided that one-pocket was definitely the second-best thing one could do on a pool table.


v.......that's a very good line....if you don't mind I'm going to borrow it from you once in awhile....:)


- Ghost
 

One pocket Smitty

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The guys I credit most are were a fine gentleman Bob Schalck and Ronnie Tadlock from Houston. I may not have spelled Bob's last name correct, but he truly was a fine player who taught me the game and how to play.--Smitty
 

NH Steve

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I never saw One Pocket here in NH in the seventies when I started playing pool, only bumped into it a tiny bit now and then once I started to go further around in New England, yet I still only saw enough to get interested in the way the game was described: like chess on a pool table; the thinking man's game with lots of safety play and strategy. Eventually I knew that was the game for me, but there was nobody playing it around me that I could learn from.

Finally, after a 15 year drought of poolrooms in my area, a room opened up and there was a recent transplant from NJ that I started beating at 9-ball, who suggested we play One Pocket. I jumped at the chance, but over the next few weeks I lost steadily to him -- the lucky son-of-a-bitch :D But I did get hooked, and had begun to gain enough confidence (and addiction) to seek out other players.

I found a guy named "Lucky", who was a horse hand at Rockingham Park in Salem, about an hour away. He and I played about once a week for a couple of years. He liked to try to force an uptable game, so I got a lot of experience dealing with that style of play...

Around that time I also found an old-timer by the name of Bob Ingersol at World Class Billiards in Saugus MA, and began going there on weekends. Bob was near eighty, but he was still a real knowledgeable player, and back in the day, he and Boston Shorty were the two top dogs in the Boston area. IN fact, Ingersol was a little older than Shorty and I heard Shorty once credit 'Ingie' for becoming the One Pocket champion he became, so I like to think I learned from the same guy Shorty did :)
 

junior

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SJDinPHX said:
I can try to answer that for you Junior. I knew him quite well. Slim Preston (as far as pool goes) needed weight from any good player, and even a few shortstops. He had an ego, just like we all do, but he knew where he was in the pecking order...and had probably the sharpest mind for matching up good, that I've ever seen...even if he didn't know the game that well.

He applied that skill to cards, props, and anything anyone wanted to bet on.
The only difference between Slim and Titanic, was Slim didn't book near as many losers as Ti...but Ti made it up in huge score volume..;)


Thanks, Dick. And I'm throwing in my vote with those who would like to hear at least a little of the story of your coming up.:D
 

Cowboy Dennis

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Cowboy Dennis said:
At the risk of appearing like we are the All-Zaniness site I'd like to ask a question that runs through my mind every now and then.

Who made you the player that you are today? Batman had the Joker, who did you have. Who taught you to gamble. Who taught you to play one-pocket. Who taught you to observe human nature in a poolroom. Who taught you most of what you know today?

I know that I have players in mind for myself, from Old Man Tom who insisted that all of us young guys tell him the next shot that we were going to play, before we shot the current shot. I can still hear him loudly asking, "what are you going to shoot next?", and I smell the aroma from his pipe.

To "Black Dennis" who made me the gambler that I am, by teaching the value of jacking the bet, to his detriment. I was known as "White Dennis" in that poolroom.

To "California John", who taught me to play better and to gamble better.

To "Black Bill" and "Reverend Dave" and "Taxi Danny" who taught me the value of being a decent human being in a poolroom. Something I already knew but they reinforced.

To Brian Presley who gave hours and years of his time to help me become a better player. You cannot give more than your time.

To "Cornbread Red" who taught me to challenge my opponent at every opportunity. And to never let up. And to play the table at times and to play my opponent at times. Once he beat me on a snooker table when he needed 10 balls and I needed 1 ball. Nothing like playing Red for a lesson.

To all of the other lesser players and thinkers that have taught me something worth knowing, and have helped my game.

Who made you and what did they do ?

I've always liked this thread, any newer members care to join in?
 

Jesse Allred

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who made me

who made me

I started playing one pocket when I was 15. I had so many amazing teachers and the game was so dynamic and intricate that the magical shots were seen more often than in any other game. Toby Flaherty was a huge influence when I was 19. Before that Chris McDonald taught me a lot about patience and staying tough through cold streaks. Gambling with Ronnie Allen, Billy Palmer, Kieth McCready and others for more money than I was comfortable with was a priceless learning experience. You can get good at the game other ways, but losing it all against champions sure seems to quicken the learning curve.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/user/jessejallred#p/u/4/jIj6eKKsUJw[/ame]
 
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Bill

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Jan 21, 2005
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Washington DC
Cowboy Dennis said:
At the risk of appearing like we are the All-Zaniness site I'd like to ask a question that runs through my mind every now and then.

Who made you the player that you are today? Batman had the Joker, who did you have. Who taught you to gamble. Who taught you to play one-pocket. Who taught you to observe human nature in a poolroom. Who taught you most of what you know today?

I know that I have players in mind for myself, from Old Man Tom who insisted that all of us young guys tell him the next shot that we were going to play, before we shot the current shot. I can still hear him loudly asking, "what are you going to shoot next?", and I smell the aroma from his pipe.

To "Black Dennis" who made me the gambler that I am, by teaching the value of jacking the bet, to his detriment. I was known as "White Dennis" in that poolroom.

To "California John", who taught me to play better and to gamble better.

To "Black Bill" and "Reverend Dave" and "Taxi Danny" who taught me the value of being a decent human being in a poolroom. Something I already knew but they reinforced.

To Brian Presley who gave hours and years of his time to help me become a better player. You cannot give more than your time.

To "Cornbread Red" who taught me to challenge my opponent at every opportunity. And to never let up. And to play the table at times and to play my opponent at times. Once he beat me on a snooker table when he needed 10 balls and I needed 1 ball. Nothing like playing Red for a lesson.

To all of the other lesser players and thinkers that have taught me something worth knowing, and have helped my game.

Who made you and what did they do ?


The Washington DC area in the 70's

Beenie's place, Jack and Jill's in Arlington and Guys and Dolls in Silver Hill - Both open 24/7.

Top-notch 9ball and OnePocket any day, any hour - both locations

Bill
 
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