A Thread to post colorful poolroom stories

[codewarrior]

My other pool thread generated the thought that a new thread revolving around the colorful characters in the poolroom would be welcomed. So here it is. When I have time, I'll tell the tale of a young padowan who became the master (i.e. pwn3d me hardcore in short order).

[Wad]

Although I may not have time to get to this today, I'll be sure to get some stories in here in the future.

[jakethebake]

I once stayed after closing and banged a barmaid on one of the pooltables after getting ridiculously drunk. I went back to the place like a month later. She didn't look as good as I remembered. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[mantasm]

Once some guy let me touch his special pool vest.

[Jersey Nick]

I lived in a college town for a while and and played at the student union. One day a road player named Mike Dunklin came in with a partner, Joe. Mike asked one of the local players, Jim (a really good shooter), for a game, and Jim asked me if I had ever heard of Mike. I told him I knew of Mike but I had never seen him play. I said that supposedly Mike had given St. Louis Louie the 8 a few weeks before and beat Louie like a drum. Jim knew Louie and decided to make a game. They seesawed and Jim felt lucky to get out with his wallet intact.

I decided to test Joe’s speed at one-pocket. I shot some of the best one-poket I ever played but we ended up even as well. I had a feeling that Jim and I had both been let off easy. Mike and Joe were invited to the the pool players poker game that night and Joe gave one of the best brag lines I’d ever heard:

“If Nick wanted to play $100.00 a rack one-pocket, and he lived in New York and I lived in L.A., I would take a cab every day. Both ways.”

[codewarrior]

That explains the stain on the cloth.

[lucas9000]

one time when i was working at a pool hall, i had to close at the end of the night, and some guy was so wasted he thought i was a chick. i was open-minded, so i let him siimp on a pool table. he came back a month or so later and looked at me with a grimace, but didn't say anything.

[kerssens]

A friend and I used to shoot pool after work a lot and one time at the bar we met a couple old Russian guys. We started playing games for vodka shots (pronounced woodka). They sucked so we got wasted, along the way we taught them some American words like "hey baby, you got a hot ass" and such. They fronted as beer tap salesmen but I'm pretty sure they were Russian mafia or KGB or whatever.

[Toro]

[ QUOTE ]
I once stayed after closing and banged a barmaid on one of the pooltables after getting ridiculously drunk. I went back to the place like a month later. She didn't look as good as I remembered. /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

They never do.

[Toro]

Why can't guys figure out when they are being hustled? When I was at Fort Lewis for basic we would go into Tacoma when on leave. I became friends with this guy Dan from Gardner who was a great pool player.

Dan was cleaning up pretty good in the bars in Tacoma and I enjoyed watching it. But this one time he starts playing this guy and right off the bat, I kind of sensed that he being hustled. Dan won the first game which is of course how they start the hustle.

Then the guy won game after game, just barely, all the while raising the stakes. After about the 4th game, I grabbed Dan and told him he was being hustled but he insisted he could beat the guy. After a couple more losses I literally had to drag him out of the joint.

Only later after we got back to base would he admit that he got hustled but while it was happening he was helpless to the situation.

[thabadguy]

When i was an undergrad, I stayed at school for summer after sophomore year for research, was shooting some str8 pool at the union, when all these kids who are there for orientation come in. 2 of these kids(abercrombie& fitch type douchebags) are standing near the counter and talking how they only play if at least $100 a rack is at stake. The kid working the counter(dan) hears this and comes over to tell me this.
I start missing all the shots. Dan tells the douchebags to play me as i suck at pool but love to gamble, and yells out to me to play them.
Im like alright...and then start missing some really obvious pots, as im "practising"
They come over and are like..lets play 8ball at $10 a rack first..so i play em..and lose like 3 games real bad..then they wanna up the ante, they make it a 100 a game, i win it narrowly...and tell em that i got lucky..do it again, until ive won 5 racks

At this point, i yawn and am like..aight..im done..pay me.

They look at each other and are like...err sure..i need to go to the atm..i say.."alright..ill come with u"
u shoulda seen the look on these kids faces, me and dan follow them to the atm at the union..they look at each other..and run like their pants were on fire.
I knew i wasnt gonna get paid from these douches anyways..but got a good laugh outta it.

[TheWorstPlayer]

I'm glad the money doesn't mean that much to you. When I was an undergrad I would have been forced to break their legs.

[Toro]

If you lost, would you have paid? If the answer is yes, I think you're the one who got hustled.

[TheWorstPlayer]

The answer is probably yes, but that is not being hustled, that is knowing what you are likely getting into and not caring that much about $100.

[benza13]

[ QUOTE ]
one time when i was working at a pool hall, i had to close at the end of the night, and some guy was so wasted he thought i was a chick. i was open-minded, so i let him siimp on a pool table. he came back a month or so later and looked at me with a grimace, but didn't say anything.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's disgusting, but still, ni han.

[thabadguy]

Dude, if i wanted to hurt them, i couldve..very very easily. But its just funnier this way, imagine how funny itd be when they see me walking to class, also I dont wanna get kicked out for causing trouble against incoming freshmen on campus in broad daylight.

[Toro]

You're missing the point. I'm not saying you should have broken their legs like some thug. Once they welshed(hope I can say that) you were screwed. Get the money on the rail before the match or have some neutral 3rd party hold it.

[Wad]

When I was 18 or so a friend of mine by the name of Lance worked at the local pool hall. He shot pool on a regular basis with A.J., who was a local redneck with too much money and too much gamble in him. A.J.'s dad owned a few rural bars so we headed over to one of them on a Saturday afternoon to get a game going. We ended up shooting doubles for $20 a rack against A.J. and his partner, who happened to be a 6'4", 350 lb. farm boy wearing overalls and still had his sh!t covered boots on. Now keep in mind when I was 18, I probably was about 5'11" and 150 lbs. soaking wet.

We proceeded to beat them 8 games straight, which meant nothing to A.J., but his partner was getting more agitated every game. After they gave up and paid us, A.J. came over to us and said (and I'm not kidding here!) "We don't wanna play no more pool, but if you wanna wrassle for 10 bucks apiece, we'll do that".

I tried so hard not to burst out laughing but failed miserably. The farm boy didn't take too kindly to that and charged at us. I swear I have never seen someone that size move so fast! I was scared to death and Lance and I barely made out the door and into his truck. Never went back to that bar again.

[Toro]

You should have told them you would wrassle for just one match, then forfeited the match and gave em the 10 bucks.

[HDPM]

Bar pool stories always involve fighting over the money it seems. pool hall stories seem to focus on the nut cases who play the game. But I did play bar pool once in a frat boy bar with a nut case friend from the pool hall one time. After we won the bet and the frat boys didn't pay - of course - my friend decided to collect the bet. He was drunk - of course. I guess it's the old saying about fools and drunks. There were so many guys piled on trying to kick my friend's ass that nobody could hit him. All I could see was the brim of his hat and the bright red dunken nose poking out. Nobody bothered with me for whatever reason. Somehow I got my friend dislodged from the pile and out the door basically unscathed. What an idiot he was that night. And some other nights when he got drunked up for that matter.

Much preferred the pool hall where the bets got paid and there were no fights. Just a collection of lunatics. Dollar gin with Crazy Timmy. Cheap nine ball with the Bennett Bomber. Cheap anything with Roger Rabbit a/k/a Roger Ramjet. Drinking w/ Marty. Chain smoking with the Big Man watching children get injured while running top speed into pinball machines. Carleton insisting on pushout rules playing with his balabushka in the fellini case. Jonesy betting football. That's only a few. I miss the pool hall. That particular one closed and became a church for the horror of all horrors.

[turnipmonster]

I always read about how pool is a gambling game but then it seems like everyone is always playing for even money. isn't this more like playing chess for money?

[Wad]

I have to agree with this. I'll post some actual pool hall stories in the future.

After our local pool hall closed, it became the lunchroom for a company that moved into the building. My future wife at the time ended up working for that company and I met her for lunch one day at work. I left feeling so depressed.

[thabadguy]

[ QUOTE ]
I always read about how pool is a gambling game but then it seems like everyone is always playing for even money. isn't this more like playing chess for money?

[/ QUOTE ]
It is a gambling game, but when some1 worse than you doesnt mind playing at 1:1, why would you offer to spot him a handicap or better odds?
There was this guy from china who played at the union pool room, (avg str8 pool break of about 35) and hed spot me a score of 40 in a race to 100 at str8 pool, playing one to one. Funny thing was, he would often insist to spot me 60+ when playing 1:1.

[HDPM]

the fact that pool is a game of skill and the information is out in the open - like chess - means that the money gambled on it will always be smaller than in games where luck is a factor - like poker. Pool players are whining big time about the poker boom. They want guys to come in and lose their paycheck for a gambling thrill like back in the day. Isn't happening.

[MHarris]

Back in the early/mid-90's, there was a great action room in the area, South Philly Billiards. I think it was Jimmy Fusco that ran it, and a guy who went by "Cornflakes" (known in the poker world as John Hennigan) took on just about all comers. One day, a young Shannon Daulton came in, and he and Flakes end up matching up in one-pocket, a race to 4 for 10k, with Flakes getting 9-7. Flakes was dominating, taking a 3-0 lead in games, and a 6-(-2) lead in the 4th game. Shannon battled back, eventually tying the set. In the last game, they were jockeying back and forth with one ball left on the table to decide the winner of the set (and anyone who ever saw him play will tell you that Flakes maneuvers a single ball around as well as anyone). Anyway, Flakes leaves the cue ball and object ball both frozen to the long rail adjacent to his pocket, about 5 diamonds apart. Shannon gets up there and banks it into his pocket at warp speed! The whole room, Flakes and Jimmy included, were absolutely stunned. After that display, Shannon set up the same shot again, except with the object ball barely beyong the side pocket, and banked it cross-side, turning the ball BACKWARDS. You'd have to have seen it to actually believe it.

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
Bar pool stories always involve fighting over the money it seems. pool hall stories seem to focus on the nut cases who play the game.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've only known one player who liked to hustle bars--let's call him "The Kid." He had a really fancy Richard Black cue that he carried in a fancy Felini case with "The Kid" embossed in the leather. He'd go around and play the eight-ball tournies at dance halls and topless joints. He'd be the only one with his own cue and, invariably, he would be asked about it.

He would respond: "Well, you see, I'm a pool hustler, and I find that having my own cue helps to keep me in stroke."

After he won the tournie, they would line up to play the hustler and lose their money. I guess they wanted to have a story to tell. After he had all the money (this was in the 70's and were talking about $5 and $10 games), he would do a couple of trick shots and leave. He was natural showman, but had a real deadpan demeanor. He'd set up the shot, explain what was going to happen, then sink the balls in a completely different way that made him look like an idiot. He left them in stiches.

He had a regular circuit, and would hit each place every 6-8 weeks. I went with him a couple of times, and when he walked in the door people would say, "It's the pool hustler!" and start buying him drinks.

The Kid would pull the same act in action rooms. He had an old Budweiser promotional cue that he kept in a ratty soft-plastic case. He had sawed off the ferule and had attached a good tip directly to the wood. When he walked in and started knocking balls around, someone would comment on it.

He'd respond: "Well, you see, I'm a pool hustler, and I find that having my own cue helps keep me in stroke."

The line would form.

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
After that display, Shannon set up the same shot again, except with the object ball barely beyong the side pocket, and banked it cross-side, turning the ball BACKWARDS. You'd have to have seen it to actually believe it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw Bugs Rucker to this to Ed Kelly in a game, warp speed and all. I lept out of my seat--I had no comprehension of how it was possible.

[HDPM]

classic. Budweiser cue in the poolhall and a richard black in the dive. Nothing better than the people who come into the pool hall and really think their budweiser/camel/jack daniel's cue is great. Or the ones with the carved wood that cost $15 at the fair.

[mmbt0ne]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">En réponse à:</font><hr />
Anyway, Flakes leaves the cue ball and object ball both frozen to the long rail adjacent to his pocket, about 5 diamonds apart. Shannon gets up there and banks it into his pocket at warp speed! The whole room, Flakes and Jimmy included, were absolutely stunned. After that display, Shannon set up the same shot again, except with the object ball barely beyong the side pocket, and banked it cross-side, turning the ball BACKWARDS. You'd have to have seen it to actually believe it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would you mind putting up some sort of diagram of what you mean here? If it's what I'm thinking....holy [censored].

[Jersey Nick]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
After that display, Shannon set up the same shot again, except with the object ball barely beyong the side pocket, and banked it cross-side, turning the ball BACKWARDS. You'd have to have seen it to actually believe it.

[/ QUOTE ]

I saw Bugs Rucker to this to Ed Kelly in a game, warp speed and all. I lept out of my seat--I had no comprehension of how it was possible.

[/ QUOTE ]

I lived 26 years in Chicago and never got to see Bugs play. I would have given my eye teeth just to watch him bank.

The trick with that shot is to hit it with a billiard-type stroke - I'll be happy to teach it at the next 2+2 poker and pool party.

[2005]

I have a friend from when I used to hang out in pool halls alot who was a pretty big gambler for the hall we were at. He would tell everyone that action was his middle name. Eventually, he adjusted his license to say just that. Kevin "action" last name.

[rocketlaunch]

Back right after high school, I played a friend for money. I was a little better, but he had a bigger ego. Anyways, we started off at a few dollars per rack and I won the first few games.

Just trying to get even, he suggested double or nothing. Now, he was a friend so I didn't want to just wipe him out, but since there wasn't a lot yet at stake, I agreed. I won. Again, he suggested double or nothing. Again I reluctantly agreed, and again I won. And a third time. He was now stuck over $100, which is a lot to two near-minimum-wage schlubs just out of high school.

We ended up playing 28 games total, all after those first few at double or nothing, and he lost every single one. Total final tally: over $300 million.

Yes, at some point, the whole charade implicitly became a joke. I made him pay for our tab--over $40 by that point--and called it even. Like I said, he was a friend, albeit not the brightest character around.

[MHarris]

OK, here's the link to the RSB pooltable: RSB pooltable (http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/~wei/pool/pooltable2.html)

Copy the code below, and when you go to the site, just click paste.

First shot: START(
%AH8Z9%BB9[5%CB7\2%DB9\0%EB3C2%FB8[9%GB9[9%HC1\1%IC0\0%JC0[8
%KC0\4%LC1\0%MB7[9%NB7\1%OB8\0%Pm8Z4%WJ1Z2%Xm5Z8%YC3C6%ZH9[0
%eD0a4
)END

Second shot (cross-side): START(
%AY2Z9%BB9[5%CB7\2%DB9\0%EB3C2%FB8[9%GB9[9%HC1\1%IC0\0%JC0[8
%KC0\4%LC1\0%MB7[9%NB7\1%OB8\0%Pm8Z4%WZ0Z1%Xm5Z8%Y[1D2%ZY1Z8
%eD1a4
)END

[thabadguy]

[ QUOTE ]
Back right after high school, I played a friend for money. I was a little better, but he had a bigger ego. Anyways, we started off at a few dollars per rack and I won the first few games.

Just trying to get even, he suggested double or nothing. Now, he was a friend so I didn't want to just wipe him out, but since there wasn't a lot yet at stake, I agreed. I won. Again, he suggested double or nothing. Again I reluctantly agreed, and again I won. And a third time. He was now stuck over $100, which is a lot to two near-minimum-wage schlubs just out of high school.

We ended up playing 28 games total, all after those first few at double or nothing, and he lost every single one. Total final tally: over $300 million.

Yes, at some point, the whole charade implicitly became a joke. I made him pay for our tab--over $40 by that point--and called it even. Like I said, he was a friend, albeit not the brightest character around.

[/ QUOTE ]
HAHA, i have a friend who we call "fucko"(this is his actual nickname), who sucks at pool, but always wants to double or nothing every rack we play, at the end of every nite he owes me a couple 100 grand every time, never pays, it is now a standing joke..he just buys the pizza and beer for the nite.
Next time im gonna ask him to sign away his soul to me.

[Jimbo]

The first shot is fairly routine for a one pocket player. The 2nd relies on the object ball curving on it's route to the opposite side pocket, pretty difficult under normal circumstances but just not possible with the exact position of the cueball in your diagram.

Just barely possible from here:

START(
%AY2Z9%BB9[5%CB7\2%DB9\0%EB3C2%FB8[9%GB9[9%HC1\1%IC0\0%JC0[8
%KC0\4%LC1\0%MB7[9%NB7\1%OB8\0%Pn8X9%WZ0Z1%Xm6Y0%Y[1D2%ZY1Z8
%eD1a4
)END

For this shot to be made the cueball must be at least as far off the rail as the square of the distance that the center of the object ball is past the far corner of the side pocket plus half the ball's diameter.

[HDPM]

hey, good to see you posting.

[Bill Murphy]

[ QUOTE ]
"Well, you see, I'm a pool hustler, and I find that having my own cue helps to keep me in stroke."

[/ QUOTE ]

That's beautiful. Just fvcking beautiful. /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[Phat Mack]

[ QUOTE ]
For this shot to be made the cueball must be at least as far off the rail as the square of the distance that the center of the object ball is past the far corner of the side pocket plus half the ball's diameter.


[/ QUOTE ]

Koehler, is that you? I'm still trying to learn how to run balls down the rail, and now you bring this up...

/images/graemlins/smile.gif