Tell us your first big win??
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Island Drive
Verified Member
1963
1963
High school sophomore year, was grounded for two months, we had a four by eight sears home table, clay balls and I never had time to play on it till then, but my dad realized I wasn't studying all that time, I was starting to hit balls in the basement. Came home from school, table was gone
he sold it to ??? for twenty dollars. I opened the phone book up after I was released and realized there was a pool room in town on Roosevelt Rd. by Hestermans bowling alley. I walked in there, and started hanging out with kids my age, sixteen Gold Crown I's, the room was owned by an airline pilot. Soon after I beat this kid out of $24 ''boy was that easy'':lol....and here I am 52 years later still enjoying myself and waiting for that game with Hendy, I think I can beat em now . Ironically the kid I beat just retired, he owned a company that sold all the equipment that you see at the airport, shuttling around, on the tarmac, the equipment etc. for the jets at O'Hare and who knows where else in the world. He's so rich, when he travels, he has to have a hotel room with two bathrooms, one for his kept wife and one for himself. He and I are now very good friends, I blame it all on him
1963
High school sophomore year, was grounded for two months, we had a four by eight sears home table, clay balls and I never had time to play on it till then, but my dad realized I wasn't studying all that time, I was starting to hit balls in the basement. Came home from school, table was gone
he sold it to ??? for twenty dollars. I opened the phone book up after I was released and realized there was a pool room in town on Roosevelt Rd. by Hestermans bowling alley. I walked in there, and started hanging out with kids my age, sixteen Gold Crown I's, the room was owned by an airline pilot. Soon after I beat this kid out of $24 ''boy was that easy'':lol....and here I am 52 years later still enjoying myself and waiting for that game with Hendy, I think I can beat em now . Ironically the kid I beat just retired, he owned a company that sold all the equipment that you see at the airport, shuttling around, on the tarmac, the equipment etc. for the jets at O'Hare and who knows where else in the world. He's so rich, when he travels, he has to have a hotel room with two bathrooms, one for his kept wife and one for himself. He and I are now very good friends, I blame it all on him 
gulfportdoc
Verified Member
Hilarious stories, Rod! 'Bama hasn't changed much. Desoxyn gradumet!? Geez, those sumbiches will keep a guy trucking for 3 days. I didn't realize you were that naughty.... I/we were overjoyed, we went on to Narlins and won 3500 from Danny Wong. I stood next to him in the Sports Palace, he nodded and I said play some one pocket he said 9ball. I got another drink and kept next to him. He finally said "How much ya lookin ta play fer" I was expecting Flied Lice, but he sounded just like all the locals there.
Rod.
~Doc
jrhendy
Verified Member
Backer Lost It on the side
Backer Lost It on the side
It's 1966 and I have been hired by AAA to sell insurance and Auto Club memberships. School with them to pass the license test does not start for a couple weeks and I am near busted. A guy I met in an action bar was a fire captain and a contractor on his days off. He will pay me cash to help him build some horse stables (block wall) in Saugus, CA.
The first day I am working 13 hours digging a ditch and hauling block and am cussing him under my breath the whole time. We get off work and stop off at a bar he knew in the valley right off the freeway. After about three beers I am feeling better and he gives me $$ to challenge the eight ball game. After a while the bet gets up a little and I am winners around $200. I see Glen Womack (The Eufala Kid) peek his head around the corner then quickly pull back so I could not see him. Glen knew me from Five Points Bowl in El Monte and knew how I played.
I went over to Larry and told him the next guy who came in would be someone I could not beat. I would play a couple games and quit and we would get out winners. Sure enough, a newcomer puts up his quarter and the other players pull up and it's just the two of us. I lose two games and quit, only to find out Larry had side bet two guys $50 each game and now we are stuck a few dollars.
I found out later from friends that knew Larry better, that he was a huge go off and needed two jobs. I worked a few more days and got paid and pulled up.
Backer Lost It on the side
It's 1966 and I have been hired by AAA to sell insurance and Auto Club memberships. School with them to pass the license test does not start for a couple weeks and I am near busted. A guy I met in an action bar was a fire captain and a contractor on his days off. He will pay me cash to help him build some horse stables (block wall) in Saugus, CA.
The first day I am working 13 hours digging a ditch and hauling block and am cussing him under my breath the whole time. We get off work and stop off at a bar he knew in the valley right off the freeway. After about three beers I am feeling better and he gives me $$ to challenge the eight ball game. After a while the bet gets up a little and I am winners around $200. I see Glen Womack (The Eufala Kid) peek his head around the corner then quickly pull back so I could not see him. Glen knew me from Five Points Bowl in El Monte and knew how I played.
I went over to Larry and told him the next guy who came in would be someone I could not beat. I would play a couple games and quit and we would get out winners. Sure enough, a newcomer puts up his quarter and the other players pull up and it's just the two of us. I lose two games and quit, only to find out Larry had side bet two guys $50 each game and now we are stuck a few dollars.
I found out later from friends that knew Larry better, that he was a huge go off and needed two jobs. I worked a few more days and got paid and pulled up.
Tell us your first big win??
That would be a huge score for me for sure John. Awesome.
That would be a huge score for me for sure John. Awesome.
Island Drive
Verified Member
Sounds like Andre/titty bar, Andy Dejesus's son, he was a great score as he was always coked up. and holdin He backed me once, we won a G note, action died, he turned to me and said ''whadda you wanna do'' boy would he sail, and still will if ya catch em right. He's always holdin'.
androd
Verified Member
Hilarious stories, Rod! 'Bama hasn't changed much. Desoxyn gradumet!? Geez, those sumbiches will keep a guy trucking for 3 days. I didn't realize you were that naughty.
~Doc
At that point in time everyone had speed. Kind of chemical warfare.
Thank goodness I'd learned to play before I got introduced to it.
Some of the younger players took it when they got up and couldn't play without it.
I never did it til I been up 12/15 hours. Quite a boost then.
Rod.
Last edited:
Island Drive
Verified Member
At that point in time everyone had speed. Kind of chemical warfare.
Thank goodness I'd learned to play before I got introduced to it.
Some of the younger player took it when they got up and couldn't play without it.
I never did it til I been up 12/15 hours. Quite a boost then.
Rod.
Never forget the Goose and Fat Randy at Red's in Houston early 80's, big ball bar table, they played solid for more than 48 hours, I think they made it into the 50 hour time frame, Benny got em, and he was wearing all white clothing.
Jeff sparks
Verified Member
The turn around
The turn around
Ok I left Blinky ( Dale Sutton ) and settled in Houston, must have been late 1966, I loved the action at TJ Parker's on Washington Ave. I was in and out of money almost daily, but it didn't matter, all I cared about was the game, staying in action, playing pool. I had no responsibilities, no one to care for or worry about, just eat, sleep as little as possible, and play all the pool I possibly could.
I bought an old beater for a couple of hundred and rented a furnished house
near TJ's place. ($10.00 a week! ) Things couldn't have been much better, I was getting steered around town to snap off the local bars and then play the tougher players in the pool room every other night or so for my share of whatever we won. It was perfect, and I loved it!
It was perfect until, I should say, because the day came when it was no longer perfect, I had played for about 20 hours straight and got soundly beat for all my money. I was totally wore out, not only from that particular game, but from several months of playing the bars and small poolrooms in and around Houston.
I was ready for a few days off, so I decided to drive back to San Antonio that night for some badly needed R & R.
I made it as far as Columbus, a small town about 70 miles to the west of Houston. I pulled off the road and parked under a street light near what appeared to be a cafe of sorts. It was 2:00am and I figured I wouldn't bother anybody by parking there.
Next thing I know there's somebody rapping on my window yelling that this place ain't a motel and that I should wake up and get the hell outta there. So I get out and stretch, look at my watch and it's about 10:00am. The place had a sign hanging that said The Turf Club, so I go in and it's an old saloon of sorts.
I notice right away that the place has two bar tables and I asked the guy if anybody around here played for money, he said hell yes I do, and so do a lot of others that will be in here tonight!
Well all the money I had was $14.00 so I asked him if he wanted to play some 8 ball for $2.00 a game? He said that would be fine, but the boys around here like to play nine ball! Well I gotta tell you, I didn't know what to say, so I just shut up and we played.
Turns out this guy owned the place and I beat him outta $1600.00 that day before any of the local boys came in. He wasn't mad, in fact he said he would stake me and steer me to all the boys when they came in. Naturally I agreed and we made another $600.00 apiece that night!
I turned around and drove straight back to Houston, turned out I wasn't homesick after all!
The turn around
Thanks Frank. Now on to other people! Let's hear it. Rod?? Hacker?? Jeff
Ok I left Blinky ( Dale Sutton ) and settled in Houston, must have been late 1966, I loved the action at TJ Parker's on Washington Ave. I was in and out of money almost daily, but it didn't matter, all I cared about was the game, staying in action, playing pool. I had no responsibilities, no one to care for or worry about, just eat, sleep as little as possible, and play all the pool I possibly could.
I bought an old beater for a couple of hundred and rented a furnished house
near TJ's place. ($10.00 a week! ) Things couldn't have been much better, I was getting steered around town to snap off the local bars and then play the tougher players in the pool room every other night or so for my share of whatever we won. It was perfect, and I loved it!
It was perfect until, I should say, because the day came when it was no longer perfect, I had played for about 20 hours straight and got soundly beat for all my money. I was totally wore out, not only from that particular game, but from several months of playing the bars and small poolrooms in and around Houston.
I was ready for a few days off, so I decided to drive back to San Antonio that night for some badly needed R & R.
I made it as far as Columbus, a small town about 70 miles to the west of Houston. I pulled off the road and parked under a street light near what appeared to be a cafe of sorts. It was 2:00am and I figured I wouldn't bother anybody by parking there.
Next thing I know there's somebody rapping on my window yelling that this place ain't a motel and that I should wake up and get the hell outta there. So I get out and stretch, look at my watch and it's about 10:00am. The place had a sign hanging that said The Turf Club, so I go in and it's an old saloon of sorts.
I notice right away that the place has two bar tables and I asked the guy if anybody around here played for money, he said hell yes I do, and so do a lot of others that will be in here tonight!
Well all the money I had was $14.00 so I asked him if he wanted to play some 8 ball for $2.00 a game? He said that would be fine, but the boys around here like to play nine ball! Well I gotta tell you, I didn't know what to say, so I just shut up and we played.
Turns out this guy owned the place and I beat him outta $1600.00 that day before any of the local boys came in. He wasn't mad, in fact he said he would stake me and steer me to all the boys when they came in. Naturally I agreed and we made another $600.00 apiece that night!
I turned around and drove straight back to Houston, turned out I wasn't homesick after all!
My first big win?
I was about 15-16 years old. I played every day at the student center at SMU.
My sister was a law student.
I had never bet more than 10 cents a game of 9 ball.
A guy came into the student center and watched me play for a while. He asked me if I would be interested in playing a guy across town? I said yes.
He took me to a ratty pool room in Dallas near Fair Park. It was the middle of summer and there was no air. The table was a 4X8 and the corner pockets were so tight that if you just brushed a rail the ball would jaw. The side pockets were huge.
The guy I supposed to play had no shirt on and had a pot belly. His name was Charlie Clark. I think he sold siding.
We started playing for $10. That was the world to me. After a few games I saw I could win and eventually did. $300.
I gave the fellow that took me $150. and kept the rest for myself. Later that week I went to the movies and when I got home realized all the winnings had slipped out of my jeans pocket and had been lost.
All was not lost however.
A few months later I beat Charlie out of my first $500. bill. The following year I beat him out of my first $1000. bill.
Once I won a $10,000. bill and I walked around with it for many years.
Those were good days.
Bill S.
I was about 15-16 years old. I played every day at the student center at SMU.
My sister was a law student.
I had never bet more than 10 cents a game of 9 ball.
A guy came into the student center and watched me play for a while. He asked me if I would be interested in playing a guy across town? I said yes.
He took me to a ratty pool room in Dallas near Fair Park. It was the middle of summer and there was no air. The table was a 4X8 and the corner pockets were so tight that if you just brushed a rail the ball would jaw. The side pockets were huge.
The guy I supposed to play had no shirt on and had a pot belly. His name was Charlie Clark. I think he sold siding.
We started playing for $10. That was the world to me. After a few games I saw I could win and eventually did. $300.
I gave the fellow that took me $150. and kept the rest for myself. Later that week I went to the movies and when I got home realized all the winnings had slipped out of my jeans pocket and had been lost.
All was not lost however.
A few months later I beat Charlie out of my first $500. bill. The following year I beat him out of my first $1000. bill.
Once I won a $10,000. bill and I walked around with it for many years.
Those were good days.
Bill S.
I/we were overjoyed, we went on to Narlins and won 3500 from Danny Wong.
I stood next to him in the Sports Palace, he nodded and I said play some one pocket he said 9ball.
I got another drink and kept next to him. He finally said "How much ya lookin ta play fer" I was expecting Flied Lice, but he sounded just like all the locals there.
Rod.
Gee Rod, wonder what you'd think I'd sound like if you met me.
LSJohn
Verified Member
What he might have thought 50 years ago could be quite different from what he might think today.
androd
Verified Member
This is not a pool score but....
This is not a pool score but....
I had a nice score once. I was in Vegas and I had about $2000 on me. I had played in a series of events at the World Series of Poker and I was tapped out. I had enough for lunch and the bus to the airport. As Im walking to my room at the RIO, and elderly woman stops me and asks if I'd like to enter the Caesers tournament drawing.
I said lady I don't need for one of those now. And start to walk away. She was persistent. She said I could win something. I said whats the prize. And she said it was a seat at the poker table. I said "Lady I got more furniture than I can do with, besides I don't have any room".
There were a lot of drawings then of poker tables, vacations, books, and all kinds of come ons. I was sick to my self having lost my bankroll earlier.
But she said, "You don't understand sir, its a seat in a poker tournament at the Caesers palace.". My eyes roll up to the sky and say "Ok lady where do I sign? I have a plane to catch!". She signs me up and I hit the road and get to the airport.
Couple months later I get an email saying Congratulations! You have won a free seat to the Main Event at the Caesers Palace annual poker series. A seat to the $10,000 Championship. I call the number and speak to the tournament director and he says-Yep you won it and it starts in a month. I ask If I can sell the seat and he says-Nope you gotta play.
So I get all the poker books I could read. Enroll in an online poker site. And I call a professional poker teacher who wrote articles in Card Player Magazine.
I flew to Vegas before the event and he charged me $200 an hour. I took a couple lessons. And all he taught me was. If you want to make the second day just don't call any bets and you will make it. But if you want to make the fourth day where the money is you got to play. Don't play your AQ's like 72. In other words be aggressive and charge your opponents for seeing your cards.
I enter the tournament and sitting there is Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and all these pros that put up $10K to play. Then there was me. About 220 entries. The top prize paid $1Million. I played my heart out for 3 days and made it to the money on the 4th. I busted a lot of top pros and the breath was taken out of me when the bubble burst and I was in the money. I was sitting next to Mike Sexton when I shoved A4 suited and was called up by a pair of Queens. I busted 25th for the tune of $17,700.
It was not the biggest score in my life but one of the best as it came out of nowhere and I was on a freeroll. My girl had left me and when I emailed her the article about me in Card Player Magazine I had a smile on my face.
But as I cashed in I was so dog tired and beat for playing 4 days for 16 hours a day. I had $17,700 cash in my pocket and as I left Caesers to go back to the cheaper room I had across the street all the hookers left me alone as I mustve looked like a wet dog that had been homeless for a year.
This is all documented and recorded so this is one tale that is true and not some fish story. I beat some top pros that day and felt like I was on top of the world.
This is not a pool score but....
I had a nice score once. I was in Vegas and I had about $2000 on me. I had played in a series of events at the World Series of Poker and I was tapped out. I had enough for lunch and the bus to the airport. As Im walking to my room at the RIO, and elderly woman stops me and asks if I'd like to enter the Caesers tournament drawing.
I said lady I don't need for one of those now. And start to walk away. She was persistent. She said I could win something. I said whats the prize. And she said it was a seat at the poker table. I said "Lady I got more furniture than I can do with, besides I don't have any room".
There were a lot of drawings then of poker tables, vacations, books, and all kinds of come ons. I was sick to my self having lost my bankroll earlier.
But she said, "You don't understand sir, its a seat in a poker tournament at the Caesers palace.". My eyes roll up to the sky and say "Ok lady where do I sign? I have a plane to catch!". She signs me up and I hit the road and get to the airport.
Couple months later I get an email saying Congratulations! You have won a free seat to the Main Event at the Caesers Palace annual poker series. A seat to the $10,000 Championship. I call the number and speak to the tournament director and he says-Yep you won it and it starts in a month. I ask If I can sell the seat and he says-Nope you gotta play.
So I get all the poker books I could read. Enroll in an online poker site. And I call a professional poker teacher who wrote articles in Card Player Magazine.
I flew to Vegas before the event and he charged me $200 an hour. I took a couple lessons. And all he taught me was. If you want to make the second day just don't call any bets and you will make it. But if you want to make the fourth day where the money is you got to play. Don't play your AQ's like 72. In other words be aggressive and charge your opponents for seeing your cards.
I enter the tournament and sitting there is Phil Hellmuth, Scotty Nguyen, Doyle Brunson, Johnny Chan, and all these pros that put up $10K to play. Then there was me. About 220 entries. The top prize paid $1Million. I played my heart out for 3 days and made it to the money on the 4th. I busted a lot of top pros and the breath was taken out of me when the bubble burst and I was in the money. I was sitting next to Mike Sexton when I shoved A4 suited and was called up by a pair of Queens. I busted 25th for the tune of $17,700.
It was not the biggest score in my life but one of the best as it came out of nowhere and I was on a freeroll. My girl had left me and when I emailed her the article about me in Card Player Magazine I had a smile on my face.
But as I cashed in I was so dog tired and beat for playing 4 days for 16 hours a day. I had $17,700 cash in my pocket and as I left Caesers to go back to the cheaper room I had across the street all the hookers left me alone as I mustve looked like a wet dog that had been homeless for a year.
This is all documented and recorded so this is one tale that is true and not some fish story. I beat some top pros that day and felt like I was on top of the world.
crabbcatjohn
Verified Member
Yea, it was Andre. We ran around now and then. It was when Jimmy Gravil had the golf table in his Mexican bar. Man that place was rough at night... Andre didn't care about the money, he would just go next door to the strip club and reload. His dad had already passed by then and he and his mom were running it. You probably remember Jimmy's joint because we were all playing golf one time when Jimmy first opened and you came in, got in the game, ran the first game out from your shot and we all quit shortly after...lol
Tell us your first big win??
What a great story, Keone! Jumping into a new discipline and free rolling with the biggies. Man that's great.
What a great story, Keone! Jumping into a new discipline and free rolling with the biggies. Man that's great.
I forgot to mention. When I got to the final 3 tables. I pick up my chips and there sitting across from me is Johnny "World" Hennigan. He was known as Cornflakes in Philly and played out of Fusco's room. He looks at me and says
-Hey Welcome Mr Wu!. He says he seen all the Deadwood episodes. It was a great meeting and we been friends since then.
If you remember he was the guy that took Orcollo last year for $30K off of a little back pocket 9 ball game that he trapped Dennis into. He also won $1.3Million last year when he won a bracelet at the World Series of Poker.
He tried to trap Efren in a game like that once but Efren wouldn't go for it.
I really think that was my biggest score. To meet such a top player and learn from him.
gulfportdoc
Verified Member
Well, I can sure relate. I was known to sample the leapers now and then in the L.A. of the 60's.....At that point in time everyone had speed. Kind of chemical warfare. Thank goodness I'd learned to play before I got introduced to it. Some of the younger players took it when they got up and couldn't play without it. I never did it til I been up 12/15 hours. Quite a boost then.
Rod.
~Doc