Here yesterday, gone today....

My poolhall closed several days ago. I went there Sunday and door was locked. Called the last few days, no answer and doors are locked. My job I work at, had acquired their food business in the last year and the salesman was shocked too.

It was only a few blocks from where I live. It had the only 9 ft tables in it, that I know of around here. There were 4 of them. I was able to go there a few times a week.

Believe it or not, looking forward to each Sunday at 11:00, when I got to go play pool for several hours on a 9ft table in a quiet place, was heaven to me. It was a place to forget about life and focus on the beauty of the game. I starting thinking about next week as soon as I was done playing that day.

After being absent from playing pool for about 13 years, I had picked up the cue again about 8 months ago. I was only able to fit in Sundays where it was $5.00 from 11 to 5 and Tuesday I was able to get in a couple of hours when it was $2.00 a hour.

My body has steadily been fallling apart since I was about 20, so the first several months I started playing again after a 13 year layoff, I was shooting so horribly, that I really felt like saying I was going to have to scratch this off my list of things I could do. But I kept with it and starting to finally get a bit of stroke back the past few months or so. My body is shot for few days afterwards, but every moment is worth it.

I suffer from Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, which basically means all the muscles of your entire upper body and legs, waste away to nothing over time. As you can imagine, since almost all of a pool stroke is using the upper body, my stroke and stance has got to be almost comical over the years It also kills my back leaning over the table, so that 1st hour is hell, even with pain pills.

So when I read on here about people's games going down the tubes and how difficult it is to deal with it, I understand where they're coming from. Whether it's age or what I got, it's all the same thing.... the game you love to play, and have played most of your life, is tough to accept when you can't play it anywhere's the way you used to. I was never even a shortstop, but I could make almost any shot there was, and I could get out.

So I don't know what the hell I'm going to do now.. .I don't want to play on bar tables. There is a place that has 8 ft tables, so that may be my only option. I have always looked at a pool table, as being a 9ft or larger. Some of the joy will most certainly disappear based on no 9 ft'ers.

Now the reason for this post, is not to tell some sob story. I hadn't mentioned it before, as I try to keep my personal crap to myself . I understand I'm much better off than alot of people in life, but it's to relay a story about how pool is such a beautiful game. That in can mean so much to a person and their life. It can bring happiness and peace of mind, that is unequaled by other things in life. Sure it's just a game, where you try and hit a ball into a pocket, but for those that have played it and understand the beauty of it all, it can be a very meaningful period of time, while you are playing.

You get stuck in working every day and the stress of life, and that time on the felt can wash it all away for a few hours. So let the stories of the good old days flow freely, it's a escape from life for some of us, where we can look back at the good times in life, when pool was played in dark and dingy pool halls but the equipment was top notch. There was no music and video games, just pool mister

So I tip my drink to the game of pool. If I can't find a place that's enjoyable to play at anymore, it was a helluva ride while it lasted. A person believes in his mind, that he will play till he can't walk around a table anymore, but really, a person can only play until it isn't enjoyable anymore. You keep changing the bar of what you have to play at, in order to be enjoyable, but at some point your going to have to say if I can't beat the local bar flies, it might be time It just might mean I have to spend more time here, causing trouble

Cali "lost his 9ft'ers" Red

Those things in life that we take for granted that will just be there when we want them to be...

I don't want to find myself in that situation again. One of my old favorite pool halls was closed due to fire for 4 months. It was terrible.

Sorry to hear about your loss, you have indeed lost a good friend in that 9 footer.

CaliRed said:

My poolhall closed several days ago. I went there Sunday and door was locked. Called the last few days, no answer and doors are locked. My job I work at, had acquired their food business in the last year and the salesman was shocked too.

It was only a few blocks from where I live. It had the only 9 ft tables in it, that I know of around here. There were 4 of them. I was able to go there a few times a week.

Believe it or not, looking forward to each Sunday at 11:00, when I got to go play pool for several hours on a 9ft table in a quiet place, was heaven to me. It was a place to forget about life and focus on the beauty of the game. I starting thinking about next week as soon as I was done playing that day.

After being absent from playing pool for about 13 years, I had picked up the cue again about 8 months ago. I was only able to fit in Sundays where it was $5.00 from 11 to 5 and Tuesday I was able to get in a couple of hours when it was $2.00 a hour.

My body has steadily been fallling apart since I was about 20, so the first several months I started playing again after a 13 year layoff, I was shooting so horribly, that I really felt like saying I was going to have to scratch this off my list of things I could do. But I kept with it and starting to finally get a bit of stroke back the past few months or so. My body is shot for few days afterwards, but every moment is worth it.

I suffer from Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, which basically means all the muscles of your entire upper body and legs, waste away to nothing over time. As you can imagine, since almost all of a pool stroke is using the upper body, my stroke and stance has got to be almost comical over the years It also kills my back leaning over the table, so that 1st hour is hell, even with pain pills.

So when I read on here about people's games going down the tubes and how difficult it is to deal with it, I understand where they're coming from. Whether it's age or what I got, it's all the same thing.... the game you love to play, and have played most of your life, is tough to accept when you can't play it anywhere's the way you used to. I was never even a shortstop, but I could make almost any shot there was, and I could get out.

So I don't know what the hell I'm going to do now.. .I don't want to play on bar tables. There is a place that has 8 ft tables, so that may be my only option. I have always looked at a pool table, as being a 9ft or larger. Some of the joy will most certainly disappear based on no 9 ft'ers.

Now the reason for this post, is not to tell some sob story. I hadn't mentioned it before, as I try to keep my personal crap to myself . I understand I'm much better off than alot of people in life, but it's to relay a story about how pool is such a beautiful game. That in can mean so much to a person and their life. It can bring happiness and peace of mind, that is unequaled by other things in life. Sure it's just a game, where you try and hit a ball into a pocket, but for those that have played it and understand the beauty of it all, it can be a very meaningful period of time, while you are playing.

You get stuck in working every day and the stress of life, and that time on the felt can wash it all away for a few hours. So let the stories of the good old days flow freely, it's a escape from life for some of us, where we can look back at the good times in life, when pool was played in dark and dingy pool halls but the equipment was top notch. There was no music and video games, just pool mister

So I tip my drink to the game of pool. If I can't find a place that's enjoyable to play at anymore, it was a helluva ride while it lasted. A person believes in his mind, that he will play till he can't walk around a table anymore, but really, a person can only play until it isn't enjoyable anymore. You keep changing the bar of what you have to play at, in order to be enjoyable, but at some point your going to have to say if I can't beat the local bar flies, it might be time It just might mean I have to spend more time here, causing trouble

Cali "lost his 9ft'ers" Red

Click to expand...

Greg.......That fu#king sucks...but..playing on 8-footers isn't that bad - you should probably do that...there's a bar a just few blocks from my house that has two 8-footers, and when I just feel like conveniently hitting some balls, I'll stop by there in the afternoon when hardly anyone is there...the one thing that I like about it is I feel like an actual shotmaker on that table, lol.

- Ghosty

Greg, thanks for posting this. Very sorry to hear of any room closing, but especially when it is near & dear to someone I know. Well, maybe your real pool table abilities have taken a hit because of the tough cards you've been dealt with your health, but here on OnePocket.org you will always be one of the real heavy hitters!!

Greg, I was touched by your story. I appreciate your relating it to us. After getting to know most of the folks on 1po, it's nice to hear some of the more personal stuff-- especially from the regulars like yourself. Some of us --like Beard-- are open books. Others are very private. I guess I'm somewhere in the middle.

My sincere condolences about the loss of your local poolroom. It's too bad you couldn't get a used 9-footer for your home, or to go in with some guys to put one somewhere where y'all could use it.

I've never played 1P on an 8-footer, but I know it's done. My guess is that it would be particularly interesting using 11 or 9 balls in the rack.

Keep us posted on your pool quest. And I hope I get a chance to meet you in person one of these days.

Doc

CaliRed said:

My poolhall closed several days ago. I went there Sunday and door was locked. Called the last few days, no answer and doors are locked. My job I work at, had acquired their food business in the last year and the salesman was shocked too.

It was only a few blocks from where I live. It had the only 9 ft tables in it, that I know of around here. There were 4 of them. I was able to go there a few times a week.

Believe it or not, looking forward to each Sunday at 11:00, when I got to go play pool for several hours on a 9ft table in a quiet place, was heaven to me. It was a place to forget about life and focus on the beauty of the game. I starting thinking about next week as soon as I was done playing that day.

After being absent from playing pool for about 13 years, I had picked up the cue again about 8 months ago. I was only able to fit in Sundays where it was $5.00 from 11 to 5 and Tuesday I was able to get in a couple of hours when it was $2.00 a hour.

My body has steadily been fallling apart since I was about 20, so the first several months I started playing again after a 13 year layoff, I was shooting so horribly, that I really felt like saying I was going to have to scratch this off my list of things I could do. But I kept with it and starting to finally get a bit of stroke back the past few months or so. My body is shot for few days afterwards, but every moment is worth it.

I suffer from Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, which basically means all the muscles of your entire upper body and legs, waste away to nothing over time. As you can imagine, since almost all of a pool stroke is using the upper body, my stroke and stance has got to be almost comical over the years It also kills my back leaning over the table, so that 1st hour is hell, even with pain pills.

So when I read on here about people's games going down the tubes and how difficult it is to deal with it, I understand where they're coming from. Whether it's age or what I got, it's all the same thing.... the game you love to play, and have played most of your life, is tough to accept when you can't play it anywhere's the way you used to. I was never even a shortstop, but I could make almost any shot there was, and I could get out.

So I don't know what the hell I'm going to do now.. .I don't want to play on bar tables. There is a place that has 8 ft tables, so that may be my only option. I have always looked at a pool table, as being a 9ft or larger. Some of the joy will most certainly disappear based on no 9 ft'ers.

Now the reason for this post, is not to tell some sob story. I hadn't mentioned it before, as I try to keep my personal crap to myself . I understand I'm much better off than alot of people in life, but it's to relay a story about how pool is such a beautiful game. That in can mean so much to a person and their life. It can bring happiness and peace of mind, that is unequaled by other things in life. Sure it's just a game, where you try and hit a ball into a pocket, but for those that have played it and understand the beauty of it all, it can be a very meaningful period of time, while you are playing.

You get stuck in working every day and the stress of life, and that time on the felt can wash it all away for a few hours. So let the stories of the good old days flow freely, it's a escape from life for some of us, where we can look back at the good times in life, when pool was played in dark and dingy pool halls but the equipment was top notch. There was no music and video games, just pool mister

So I tip my drink to the game of pool. If I can't find a place that's enjoyable to play at anymore, it was a helluva ride while it lasted. A person believes in his mind, that he will play till he can't walk around a table anymore, but really, a person can only play until it isn't enjoyable anymore. You keep changing the bar of what you have to play at, in order to be enjoyable, but at some point your going to have to say if I can't beat the local bar flies, it might be time It just might mean I have to spend more time here, causing trouble

Cali "lost his 9ft'ers" Red

Click to expand...

Well said indeed Red.

Greg
The 8 ft's will get bigger now that the 9 ft's are gone. When you just need to hear the balls clicking they'll sound fine on whatever table's available. Life's about changes. Good luck with yours.
Rod.
PS, you're right it stinks.

Yeah, it's always sad to hear about someone's local pool hall closing. It really is a loss that goes beyond a simple business closing as the pool hall is such a social place for many of us. We all certainly understand your comments about looking forward to Sundays in the pool hall, the quiet contemplation of a game of one pocket, the click of the balls and the banter between the regulars. 8 footers certainly will be a change, but hey, it might be fun to play a more offensive one pocket game on them. Hope you find others who appreciate the game as much as you do.

No pool room in Hot Springs, AR

No pool room in Hot Springs, AR

My favorite place to be, other than home, is Hot Springs, AR. Been going there since I was a little child. There used to be big pool action there during the racing meet, for years. Ronnie Allen, Puckett, Joe Salazar, Vernon Eliott, James Christopher, Ali oop, Sonny White, Country Calvin, Good Time Charley, Steve the Lizard, and on and on. The town has gone from all that, to not having a single big table in the whole town. I still go there a couple times a year to see my old pal, Sammy Eubank, and I always enjoy myself, but the closest big table is about 50 miles away -- and there is zero action.

Going back there in late August or Sept. anyway.
Going to Saratoga NY (the racing meet) for a few days first, at the end of this month, to hang with the pool legend, Brooklyn Jimmy. (He's also probably the best horse handicapper in the country)

The Duck is probably asking himself right now, "Jeez, is there anybody in the pool world that that f'n Beard doesnt know?!" (Aside from him, the answer is no.)

Beard

fred bentivegna said:

My favorite place to be, other than home, is Hot Springs, AR. Been going there since I was a little child. There used to be big pool action there during the racing meet, for years. Ronnie Allen, Puckett, Joe Salazar, Vernon Eliott, James Christopher, Ali oop, Sonny White, Country Calvin, Good Time Charley, Steve the Lizard, and on and on. The town has gone from all that, to not having a single big table in the whole town. I still go there a couple times a year to see my old pal, Sammy Eubank, and I always enjoy myself, but the closest big table is about 50 miles away -- and there is zero action.

Going back there in late August or Sept. anyway.
Going to Saratoga NY (the racing meet) for a few days first, at the end of this month, to hang with the pool legend, Brooklyn Jimmy. (He's also probably the best horse handicapper in the country)

The Duck is probably asking himself right now, "Jeez, is there anybody in the pool world that that f'n Beard doesnt know?!" (Aside from him, the answer is no.)

Beard

Click to expand...

I played a guy last night who learned how to play in The Green Door in Little Rock. Ever heard of it, Fred?

Not a hijack, Red. I'm sorry to hear about the pool room and your health. Tough stuff when you're getting down the road in age. I think like Doc does. Buy a used 9 ft. table and put it somewhere, your house is best . That's what I did. It hasn't helped my eyesight any, but it sure is a gas being able to just step into the garage and stroke a few.

Skin

greg it does suck to lose something that gives you pleasure especially when your options as to what you can do physically are limited.
i guess its time to make lemonade and drill those long straight ins from the rail on the 8 footer larry

Green Door?

Green Door?

Skin said:

I played a guy last night who learned how to play in The Green Door in Little Rock. Ever heard of it, Fred?

Not a hijack, Red. I'm sorry to hear about the pool room and your health. Tough stuff when you're getting down the road in age. I think like Doc does. Buy a used 9 ft. table and put it somewhere, your house is best . That's what I did. It hasn't helped my eyesight any, but it sure is a gas being able to just step into the garage and stroke a few.

Skin

Click to expand...

I dont know of it. Was it a pool room or a bar. There was never much action in Little Rock. Years ago there was an old time pool room where you could get ten dollar action, and there was a college pool room in a mall, but not much gambling.

Beard

thanks for the replies, onepocketeers ® © (sic)

I've always dreamed of having a pool table, but I've been stuck in a apartment my whole life, and there is no house on the horizon, unless I hit the lottery.

Have spoke to the wife and threw out the "pool table in the living room" idea. I get the "Are you f&*kin nuts" look everytime. Somehow in a apt complex, I couldn't see me getting away with the noise from balls being hit. I would probably be found one day with a cuestick protruding from my internal organs.

Yeah, I guess I just got to deal with it. It's been a bit of a shock though... I spent the first 25 years of my pool career playing pretty much all on 9 ft tables. The only time I played bar tables, was when I was getting drunk in bars and hustling some bar pool. There were always 9 ft tables everywhere I went. Then I moved to Omaha and found out the 1 main place here, had a bunch of 8ft tables. In Seattle, a bar table was a 8 ft table, here a bar table is a 7ft table... I guess

But oh well..... life goes on and I'm just along for the ride

I'll keep playing until I can't...... I already told my wife I wanted to be buried with a pool cue next to me. I ain't going to have anything else to do in there, might as well play some casket pool

CaliRed said:

thanks for the replies, onepocketeers ® © (sic)

I've always dreamed of having a pool table, but I've been stuck in a apartment my whole life, and there is no house on the horizon, unless I hit the lottery.

Have spoke to the wife and threw out the "pool table in the living room" idea. I get the "Are you f&*kin nuts" look everytime. Somehow in a apt complex, I couldn't see me getting away with the noise from balls being hit. I would probably be found one day with a cuestick protruding from my internal organs.

Yeah, I guess I just got to deal with it. It's been a bit of a shock though... I spent the first 25 years of my pool career playing pretty much all on 9 ft tables. The only time I played bar tables, was when I was getting drunk in bars and hustling some bar pool. There were always 9 ft tables everywhere I went. Then I moved to Omaha and found out the 1 main place here, had a bunch of 8ft tables. In Seattle, a bar table was a 8 ft table, here a bar table is a 7ft table... I guess

But oh well..... life goes on and I'm just along for the ride

I'll keep playing until I can't...... I already told my wife I wanted to be buried with a pool cue next to me. I ain't going to have anything else to do in there, might as well play some casket pool

Click to expand...

Be a little tough reachin some of the shots though.

Well, it's been about a year now since I started going to my new place. At the other place, I had just picked up a cue again after a real long layoff. I couldn't make a ball and was absolutely sick and embarrassed of the way I played. I had no idea it would take this long to get somewhat back in stroke.

I guess a lot happened to the ole body in that long time away from the table. When I first started coming in this place, I wouldn't play anyone because I knew I needed to start making some balls before I even would begin to entertain the thought of playing someone... even for free.

I did that for about 6 months ( I only get about 6 hours a week practice in) and in the last 5 months I've started to mix it up a little. I wouldn't ever play any of the bangers, I jumped right in with the guys that play every day. Their the people that hang out there all day and night. Of course I got my ass whipped real good for a few months but I would only play real cheap, and just playing someone saved me 3.20 a hour on table time. I just needed to play and put pressure on myself.

The only game I could get was 9 ball, because no one would play a game of onepocket unless it was for at least 5 a game. Well, when you're trying to get back in stroke, that can add up real quick when your cueball isn't going where you want it to.

The last 2 months I finally started jumping into the onepocket again. It really sucks the big one, to love the game more then any other game, but you never get a chance to play it because of where you live or because of a tight financial situation. I have only 3 people to choose from.... 1 is a lock artist that has a stable of regulars that play well beneath him, that donate to him EVERY time he plays them. No job except for robbing the blind. He plays everyday and hangs out there day and night. He would play cheap because he knew he was robbing me. I got 9-7 and lost at that for the first 6 or 7 times and then got lucky and won a set. The ones I lost were bloodbaths, with a few closer games in there every now and then.

Of course I knew what was coming next. "I can't spot you, you play too good" "I will only play you even". I didn't even bother "negeotiating" I said fine "Ill beat your ass even" I wanted to beat him even and didn't even want the hassle of a spot. So I lose another 6 or 7 sets with some more one-sided victories for him. I get him to play a couple of sets of bank pool in there and beat him at that, very close though. Now that game is off the table (no pun intended)

Then I started breaking even. He would win the first set, I would win the 2nd. That had to irritate the crap out of him Then the last 4 or 5 sets, I've won 2 of them. We play races to 3. I won 3-0 and one time battled back from down 2-1. Then on Sunday, we each win a game, then I beat him 8-0. Next game I ran 8 and out on him for the win. Today he doesn't want to play. I think I just lost a customer. He's going to do the high roller thing now.

The 2nd guy is much better then me and he gives me 10-5 but not very often. Too much work for him. He's too tough anyways, because he can run balls. One mistake and I'm down 7-0 already.

3rd guy is a guy that shoots for hours every day with one guy. 9 ball only. I hook him sometimes after he's done. He's one of those guys that was born with a horseshoe up his ass. (Dennis, close your ears) He is so lucky it makes me sick. I'm telling you he is constantly getting every roll in the book. It really bothers me, because you think it evens out, but I don't play him often enough, so it's all him and it's too much to overcome. I was down a set of 9 ball, 8-3 going to 9 and I worked my butt off to get to the hill with him. 5 games where every shot was do or die. Final game he misses the one ball, it slops in another pocket and in the process knocked the 2 right up on the 9 ball for a combo that Ray Charles couldn't miss.

Well he gets hard up for a game so once in a while he will play onepocket with me. That's right, a 9 baller against a guy that is trying to get things going for him again. Oh... let me add, his luck carries over to this game too. I'm supposed to win against him. But he won 2 sets to my one, and it was brutal. I found out quick, that you can't leave those type of people anything. Because he still thinks he's playing 9 ball and he will shoot at anything remotely close. If he makes it, I don't stand a chance.

Yesterday, I play him. (I had told myself I wouldn't play him 9 ball again, because he pulled that shoot safe every other shot on me, and I'm not putting up with that crap. I'm talking shots anyone would take, he'd play safe) So we play a race to 3 and I win the first game easily. Pick off some balls every time he makes a mistake. I think I won 8-2. 2nd game I sold out and he ran 6 on me. He also got me in a real bind and I took 2 intentionals. I could not find anything to shoot at. So I'm down 6 to -2. I tell myself I'm going to come back and still win. I shoot smart. I don't leave anything and he wastes most of his turns having to take out my ball. I make some good shots and get back to 6-5. Then I make a fantastic severe cut shot and of course the cue ball is coming straight down the table but finds a way to go into the side pocket. He wins that game.

Game 3, I shoot real strong and torture him. Made great shots and never left him anything. I win. I'm up 2-1.. need one more game. (I'm also on my case 20.00 too)

Game 4 is a hour long battle. I get way down 6-0 after he swung at a ball and made it. Once again, I refuse to give up and I tell myself I"m going to get back it one ball at a time. I do too. I never leave anything. I keep getting a ball near my hole. It's 6-5 him and then he hangs a ball up I can't take out. All the balls are uptable, so I follow it in. I did not want him on 7. We play about a 30 mins with each of us needing a couple of balls. One time he sells out with 2 balls on the bottom rail and it looks like he's leaving me straight in for a easy out. He tried to take out my ball and double kissed it. Oh but wait!!!! the cueball gets pushed towards his hole and now it looks like he's also going to scratch !!!

EXCEPT... the horseshoe reared it's ugly head again. He titty hooks me with the ball so deep in his pocket, I don't see what's holding it up. 2 balls near my pocket and I can't see them. I try a Efren shot and it resulted in a CaliRed shot I owe one. Anyways I finally won that game on a very nice bank that rolled in sweet. I love pocket speed banks just as much as I do 90 mph banks.

So that's where I"m at today. I got my brains beat in for a few months by people that I should have got about 4 balls from. Now I'm breaking even and even winning some.

I love this game! Just thought I would share another book. See Artie, you ain't the only one that likes to write.

SactownTom said:

Those things in life that we take for granted that will just be there when we want them to be...

I don't want to find myself in that situation again. One of my old favorite pool halls was closed due to fire for 4 months. It was terrible.

Sorry to hear about your loss, you have indeed lost a good friend in that 9 footer.

Click to expand...

Tom,
Bill had some bad luck at Snookers. After the fire, he had a construction fiasco in front of his place that almost cut it off from people driving in and out. Then the construction company who had the place all torn up went belly up so the place stayed that way for a couple of years more than necessary. You probably know that they closed Snookers a few years ago. Now Bill is singing in bars around the city! He actually has a hell of a voice and does some great old blues songs. Who da thunk it?! They also closed up my old pool room, Beechmont Billiards. Chester ran it into the ground. They tore down that building and it's a Starbucks now! lol

I am happy to post that in little old Paducah a new/old pool has reopened, and doing well.

There are (3) here this little town with this new one opening up and while one of them just has bar tables (valley and diamond 7 footers), they all seem to be busy everynight.

A friend of mine told me last night he had won the monthly tournament last Saturday for $1500 first place payout.

I have to admit the successful places do two things;

1. Have leagues (most are grumbling) but damnit they pull in alot of folks on the weeknights, I think that pays all the bills.

2. Work it. - Have tournaments, events, promote.

Best of rolls,

Ken

CaliRed said:

My poolhall closed several days ago. I went there Sunday and door was locked. Called the last few days, no answer and doors are locked. My job I work at, had acquired their food business in the last year and the salesman was shocked too.

It was only a few blocks from where I live. It had the only 9 ft tables in it, that I know of around here. There were 4 of them. I was able to go there a few times a week.

Believe it or not, looking forward to each Sunday at 11:00, when I got to go play pool for several hours on a 9ft table in a quiet place, was heaven to me. It was a place to forget about life and focus on the beauty of the game. I starting thinking about next week as soon as I was done playing that day.

After being absent from playing pool for about 13 years, I had picked up the cue again about 8 months ago. I was only able to fit in Sundays where it was $5.00 from 11 to 5 and Tuesday I was able to get in a couple of hours when it was $2.00 a hour.

My body has steadily been fallling apart since I was about 20, so the first several months I started playing again after a 13 year layoff, I was shooting so horribly, that I really felt like saying I was going to have to scratch this off my list of things I could do. But I kept with it and starting to finally get a bit of stroke back the past few months or so. My body is shot for few days afterwards, but every moment is worth it.

I suffer from Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy, which basically means all the muscles of your entire upper body and legs, waste away to nothing over time. As you can imagine, since almost all of a pool stroke is using the upper body, my stroke and stance has got to be almost comical over the years It also kills my back leaning over the table, so that 1st hour is hell, even with pain pills.

So when I read on here about people's games going down the tubes and how difficult it is to deal with it, I understand where they're coming from. Whether it's age or what I got, it's all the same thing.... the game you love to play, and have played most of your life, is tough to accept when you can't play it anywhere's the way you used to. I was never even a shortstop, but I could make almost any shot there was, and I could get out.

So I don't know what the hell I'm going to do now.. .I don't want to play on bar tables. There is a place that has 8 ft tables, so that may be my only option. I have always looked at a pool table, as being a 9ft or larger. Some of the joy will most certainly disappear based on no 9 ft'ers.

Now the reason for this post, is not to tell some sob story. I hadn't mentioned it before, as I try to keep my personal crap to myself . I understand I'm much better off than alot of people in life, but it's to relay a story about how pool is such a beautiful game. That in can mean so much to a person and their life. It can bring happiness and peace of mind, that is unequaled by other things in life. Sure it's just a game, where you try and hit a ball into a pocket, but for those that have played it and understand the beauty of it all, it can be a very meaningful period of time, while you are playing.

You get stuck in working every day and the stress of life, and that time on the felt can wash it all away for a few hours. So let the stories of the good old days flow freely, it's a escape from life for some of us, where we can look back at the good times in life, when pool was played in dark and dingy pool halls but the equipment was top notch. There was no music and video games, just pool mister

So I tip my drink to the game of pool. If I can't find a place that's enjoyable to play at anymore, it was a helluva ride while it lasted. A person believes in his mind, that he will play till he can't walk around a table anymore, but really, a person can only play until it isn't enjoyable anymore. You keep changing the bar of what you have to play at, in order to be enjoyable, but at some point your going to have to say if I can't beat the local bar flies, it might be time It just might mean I have to spend more time here, causing trouble

Cali "lost his 9ft'ers" Red

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That'sa great post! I had no direction in life whatsoever till the first time I walked into a poolroom. It saved my life.

Sherm,

I've chatted with Bill over the last few years. I knew about the hall closing and that he and Don tried to make it a dance bar with pool tables.

Sorry to hear about Beechmont Billiards. I was there before you opened the place. I also played at your old place in Oakley. Both great action places.

I miss my friends and pool halls in Cincinnati. But, I hear Michaels is still going strong.

cuesmith said:

Tom,
Bill had some bad luck at Snookers. After the fire, he had a construction fiasco in front of his place that almost cut it off from people driving in and out. Then the construction company who had the place all torn up went belly up so the place stayed that way for a couple of years more than necessary. You probably know that they closed Snookers a few years ago. Now Bill is singing in bars around the city! He actually has a hell of a voice and does some great old blues songs. Who da thunk it?! They also closed up my old pool room, Beechmont Billiards. Chester ran it into the ground. They tore down that building and it's a Starbucks now! lol

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Nice read there Greg. I kept wondering throughout that story what kind of tables you were playing on, because in the original you said that the place had closed and you would have to resort to 8 ft.ers. I don't know why but I had thought somehow that you lived in the city of industry. duh.

They call the coin op 7ft and the coin op 8ft tables both bar tables arround here. Some bars and rooms use to have both. One action place use to be a bar with only one of each. There was quite a bit of action. Sometimes if you were playing for only $5 per game you would have to just quit and give up the table. I saw some great games on those tables. Eddie Burton had several good matches with One Eyed Tony, Bob Ogburn, Jerry Bento, Fat Randy, Christopher, Hopkins, Geese, Ernie Sellers, Lotsapopa, Harley, Fountain Inn Red Willis, Mountain Man and many other I can't even think of and many many others who went unidentified, even though there were 9ft tables available in 3 or 4 locations ten minutes away. But they played in this little bar.

An amusing tale. It was when Gerald Ford was pres. He was set to make a speech here about a half mile down the road from this bar. It was kind of a big deal for some but the people in this place either didn't know or didn't care. Bob Ogburn shows up with a friend who I think was just a tagalong friend and anyway he makes a nineball game with Burton. It was 100$ a game just playing by the game and Bob is betting his own and Eddie has a backer. Well Bobs car is 6ft from the front door which was a storm type glass seethrough. They are playing on the table next to that door. In other words from where you break the balls, Bob could take two steps back and look right at his car through the glass. The car was literally less than 15 ft from where the table was that they were on.

The first thing Eddie makes a couple of good run outs and gets ahead. Bob bets about 3 or 4 people on the side. Then Eddie wins a couple of more. Then Eddie misses a key ball and low and behold he pisses it in. Bob hits the roof. F-=k you . I'll play some more if you call your ball you lucky shittin em in son of a blankitty blank beep beep so and so. So funny. About that time he is just walking arround and looks out this storm window. He has a curious look on his face. He looks over at his traveling companion and says "We may as well just keep playing. Somebody has broke open the trunk of the car and ripped out ass off"

Some of the local young kids had been told by an older tush hog to go out there and use some method to prize open the trunk right quick like and remove every single thing in there. They had not checked into a place so all their luggage and everything was gone. Now after checking out the situation Bob wants to just continue shooting pool to try to get his money back, and asks me and Eddie to try to recover his shit and we say yea yea sure will. So I find out that the kids had just opened up their suitcases and started throwing out clothing and useless stuff out the car window as they flew down the road so it was spread out all along the roadside and anything like of any value was long gone too never to be seen again. Oh well.

Back at the bar things are not going Barts way. Eddie is wired and on his pet 8fter that rolls every way but the right way and has been playing a lot and is getting all the rolls. Well the place is packed now and it is way after dark. The car breakin thing was in broad daylight. So low and behold these two suits come in that nobody knows. Bob hardly notices because he don't live here or know what's up. So people mutter a little and give them room and they just start watching the game, so everybody says screw it, resume action. And Black Bart is cussing everything and everybody, paying off Burtons backer and 4 or 5 side bettors. Then one of the suits makes a phone call. It turns out that they are secret police scouting for the dumb ass president and just stumbled in the place but did not like this gambling. So they had called the local city police. The city police burst in the place and ask the suits what is the big crime here???

The two secret polcie suits tell the local cops what to do and the cops do exactly what they are told. The suits say that crazy guy there (Bob Ogburn)
is the main culpret and must be locked away. He is raising hell and just gambling with all these poor drunk people. Now the very last thing the local cops want to do is lock up anyone for this petty gambling stuff. They know the deal and this place never call the cops. They are their own police which is what the real police like. Nevertheless they put Bob in handcuffs and haul him away to be locked up and thrown in the drunk tank. I think that was about the last time I saw Bob in this town. I wonder why hmmmmmmm....