[Phat Mack]

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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.

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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.