Hustler Days

[imported_Chuck Weinstock]

I just read the new book "Hustler Days" by R. A. Dyer. It's really the story of three "famous" hustlers, Rudolf Wanderone Jr. (aka Minnesota Fats), Luther Clement ("Wimpy") Lassiter Jr., and Jacob Jerome Breitkopf Jr. (Jersey Red) and their various careers from the 1920's through until the 1990's. It is a fascinating look at the subculture of the hustler and the history of pool--from it's peaks and it's
valleys.

As I was reading it, though, I was struck by the similarity to poker. Pool was extremely popular through WW II and into the very early 1950's...but as America went suburban, pool declined in the 1950's. Then, in the early 1960's two events happened nearly simultaneously. 1) A "hustlers" tournament was created in Du Quoin, IL (and covered eventually by Sports Illustrated), and the movie "The Hustler" came out.

This led to a resurgence of pool. (My family even bought a "Minnesota Fats" table during that era.) This resurgence lasted into the early or mid-1970's.

Notice the similarity to the recent explosion of poker due to the near simultaneous occurance of WPT, Moneymaker, and Positively Fifth Street.

Enjoy it while you can.

Chuck
(Hey Jimbo...have you read it yet?)

[Vehn]

Jimbo's ego could no longer be safely contained in the confines of this forum.

[HDPM]

No, he had a real problem. Hopefully he will be getting back here more.

[krazyace5]

I am no pro, but this could be like comparing apples to oranges. Since the poker explosion also has something to do with the internet, now anyone regardless of how much money you have can jump on the internet and get into the action. Even if the internet was around when pool was so popular it would not be able to help it like it does with poker.

Come to think of it though the internet did the same thing for stocks and look what happened there.

Guess it is all a gamble, anyone care to take odds on how long or how far pokers popularity will go? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[Timer]

[ QUOTE ]

Guess it is all a gamble, anyone care to take odds on how long or how far pokers popularity will go? [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I think it has pretty much peaked.

[Ray Zee]

i knew all three of them and played with red and wimpy. but of course they were great and i wasnt. fats wasnt all that good but a good hustler and talker. red wasnt in wimpys class either. gambling with all three i am ahead money from each. but not much.
i never saw wimpy miss a ball on the old big sloppy pocket bunswick tables only on the gold crown.

[Ray Zee]

also i wanted to add fats wasnt a great three cushion player either. although that may have been his best game but he couldnt generally beat the best players in any room where the game was played alot. he probably got more people interested in pool than any other person. so that made him one of the greats.

[imported_Chuck Weinstock]

Yes, the book made that clear (about Fats). I had forgotten that you belonged on the list as well...I did not see your name in the book. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Were you involved with any of the big tournaments, or just ring games?

[Ray Zee]

chuck, i wasnt ever a really good player just what they called a lock up player, meaning i sized people up well and made the game right for me. i beat them all at one time or another. at least the ones that played and gambled. few i could beat even up.