John The Greek passes away

[philip guagliardo]

John the Greek one of the alltime steer men in Chicago has passed away from Cancer . John knew all the good bar spots and take a good player too and normally would wait in the car so he didn't knock the action . He could be freezing in the car just waiting for his end ! He gave his life to betting on pool and playing a little himself and thats how he survived his whole life. One of his great players he backed was Artie B , he loved backing Artie cause he never lost and when Artie left Chicago he hooked up with Waterdog another great player andthey proceeded to make scores . John was extemely supersticious and one time Bugs was playing Coon Can and stuck 300 and went to the Greek and said Greeky give me 300 to play ! Bugs said I cant lose because I'm going to play with 2 extra cards ! Bugs lost cause he really wasn't playing with extra cards and then the Greek told him I should have checked your horoscope before I gave you the cash . he really believe that stuff ! He really was one of a kind and gets my vote for being one of the alltime scufflers ever . He just loving betting on the side or taking a piece of the players action more than anybody I ever met . I once went with him to a spot after I went broke at the track and we walked in the bar and there was nice action , John spotted a penny on tails on the floor and said lets hit the door ! a penny on tails is bad luck . He was a very unique person to say the least . John made a lot of good scores playing in the bars because he didn't look like he could play cause he couldn't draw the ball more than 3 inches and even suckers who couldn't play thought they could beat him , but they didn't ! John made his last home base at Chris's billiards were he continued betting when ever he could . Chicago has lost one of the last alltime scufflers and I hope his astrology sign Gemini has predicted a nice resting place for the Greek . This was mostly told to me by Artie B the guy he loved backing . John was always an easy bite for me and I thank him for the devotion to pool . REST IN PEACE !

Race track Phil And Artie B

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

John the Greek one of the alltime steer men in Chicago has passed away from Cancer . John knew all the good bar spots and take a good player too and normally would wait in the car so he didn't knock the action . He could be freezing in the car just waiting for his end ! He gave his life to betting on pool and playing a little himself and thats how he survived his whole life. One of his great players he backed was Artie B , he loved backing Artie cause he never lost and when Artie left Chicago he hooked up with Waterdog another great player andthey proceeded to make scores . John was extemely supersticious and one time Bugs was playing Coon Can and stuck 300 and went to the Greek and said Greeky give me 300 to play ! Bugs said I cant lose because I'm going to play with 2 extra cards ! Bugs lost cause he really wasn't playing with extra cards and then the Greek told him I should have checked your horoscope before I gave you the cash . he really believe that stuff ! He really was one of a kind and gets my vote for being one of the alltime scufflers ever . He just loving betting on the side or taking a piece of the players action more than anybody I ever met . I once went with him to a spot after I went broke at the track and we walked in the bar and there was nice action , John spotted a penny on tails on the floor and said lets hit the door ! a penny on tails is bad luck . He was a very unique person to say the least . John made a lot of good scores playing in the bars because he didn't look like he could play cause he couldn't draw the ball more than 3 inches and even suckers who couldn't play thought they could beat him , but they didn't ! John made his last home base at Chris's billiards were he continued betting when ever he could . Chicago has lost one of the last alltime scufflers and I hope his astrology sign Gemini has predicted a nice resting place for the Greek . This was mostly told to me by Artie B the guy he loved backing . John was always an easy bite for me and I thank him for the devotion to pool . REST IN PEACE !

Race track Phil And Artie B

Yeah Phil.........I've known the Greek for 40 years, since he first hustled me for $3 a game when I was 18 years old and I first started hanging around the pool room.......As all of us old school Chicago players know, he was an all-time pool room character: eccentric, triple-superstitious, a little ornery, and a little tushhoggish (especially in his younger days).......All of that said, I really liked the Greek - anytime I walked in the pool room, he was always the first person that I sat down with to shoot the breeze and discuss what recent action went down, etc. - I'm gonna miss him......

Rest In Peace, John.....When I see you down the road, I'll give you an update on all of the action, matching up, etc. that you didn't get to see - I know you'll want to know.

 

[NH Steve]

Yeah Phil.........I've known the Greek for 40 years, since he first hustled me for $3 a game when I was 18 years old and I first started hanging around the pool room.......As all of us old school Chicago players know, he was an all-time pool room character: eccentric, triple-superstitious, a little ornery, and a little tushhoggish (especially in his younger days).......All of that said, I really liked the Greek - anytime I walked in the pool room, he was always the first person that I sat down with to shoot the breeze and discuss what recent action went down, etc. - I'm gonna miss him......

Rest In Peace, John.....When I see you down the road, I'll give you an update on all of the action, matching up, etc. that you didn't get to see - I know you'll want to know.

Ghost, would this be the guy I might have played at Chris's a couple times?

 

[fred bentivegna]

The Greek

The Greek

John the Greek was a true pool hustling journeyman. He will be missed. He was always a little peeved that I never included him in any of my books. I left him out on purpose, the fact that I did like him, made me not want to embarass him publicly . If I put him in the books I would have had to address his most glaring persona feature, his physical ripeness and snark. The Greek was very intelligent and an interesting guy to talk to, but for whatever reason, John was committed to heinous hygenical practices that became legendary. No socks, even in wintertime, provided an aroma that could fumigate whole poolrooms. I once beat him out of some money doing something, and he paid me off with a hundred dollar bill that he took out of his shoe. The bill exuded such an obnoxious scent that I was unable to cash it for over a week. I even took it to a bank and the teller refused it. She told me, contrary to popular thought, banks arent obligated to take currency in odiferous form. Finally, after many, many sprays with various deodorants, I snuck it thru an old man at a currency exchange. He was probably an old cocaine addict that had blown out nasal passages.
Levity aside, I will miss the Greek and wish him well in the Johnston City in the sky. RIP brother.

the Beard

I am going to post my movie script, "Roxanne's Game," a little at a time on my website. Part 1 is available for perusing on this link: www.scriptforroxannesgame.blogspot.com/

 

[One Pocket Ghost]

Ghost, would this be the guy I might have played at Chris's a couple times?

I'm not sure - I forgot what you told me about those match-ups of yours.

 

[philwelch]

John the Greek one of the alltime steer men in Chicago has passed away from Cancer . John knew all the good bar spots and take a good player too and normally would wait in the car so he didn't knock the action . He could be freezing in the car just waiting for his end ! He gave his life to betting on pool and playing a little himself and thats how he survived his whole life. One of his great players he backed was Artie B , he loved backing Artie cause he never lost and when Artie left Chicago he hooked up with Waterdog another great player andthey proceeded to make scores . John was extemely supersticious and one time Bugs was playing Coon Can and stuck 300 and went to the Greek and said Greeky give me 300 to play ! Bugs said I cant lose because I'm going to play with 2 extra cards ! Bugs lost cause he really wasn't playing with extra cards and then the Greek told him I should have checked your horoscope before I gave you the cash . he really believe that stuff ! He really was one of a kind and gets my vote for being one of the alltime scufflers ever . He just loving betting on the side or taking a piece of the players action more than anybody I ever met . I once went with him to a spot after I went broke at the track and we walked in the bar and there was nice action , John spotted a penny on tails on the floor and said lets hit the door ! a penny on tails is bad luck . He was a very unique person to say the least . John made a lot of good scores playing in the bars because he didn't look like he could play cause he couldn't draw the ball more than 3 inches and even suckers who couldn't play thought they could beat him , but they didn't ! John made his last home base at Chris's billiards were he continued betting when ever he could . Chicago has lost one of the last alltime scufflers and I hope his astrology sign Gemini has predicted a nice resting place for the Greek . This was mostly told to me by Artie B the guy he loved backing . John was always an easy bite for me and I thank him for the devotion to pool . REST IN PEACE !

Race track Phil And Artie B

John the Greek was truly an old school hustler and I can attest to your reference about him being superstitious. It was probably 15 years ago I was staking Dasher against a player the Greek was staking. (I can't recall who that was) Anyways even though I was sitting a good thirty feet from the table the Greek thought I was too interested in the game, not knowing I was staking Steve. The Greek proceeded to give me the evil eye and point his finger at me like he was putting a curse on me. Well, that was indeed what he did and he told me that he put a curse on me and that I would die within
30 days unless I paid him a thousand dollars. Needless to say I didn't take any stock in that mindset and kept my thousand dollars but I did ask John if he'd accept a check. John was a one of a kind character and I hope he rests in peace. Phil Welch