SJDinPHX
Suspended
- Joined
- Dec 7, 2007
- Messages
- 9,226
Short version...
Short version...
My early teens, circa 1948, in Durango Colo, (pop. then, about 10,000) There was only Kelly pool, and golf, and occasional 8 or 9 ball. Three bustling pool rooms in town, and old Fred Titus had the best one. He showed me a few things, and I swept up, and cleaned spitoons for free time. I was the best player in town by about 16 or so.
It was an out of the way place, so I never saw a roadman, or learned anything about matching up, (or hustling) until I started hitting the bigger neighboring cities...Denver, Alburquque, SLC...
I Learned mostly by getting my brains beat out, by guys, most of whom I could maybe outplay, but not outsmart. My best game in those days, was Golf on any size snooker table.(preferred a 6 X 12).. Thank God I was almost "trap-proof" at that game... My only salvation..
It was not until I moved to San Jose (1955) that I really began to learn the ropes. Cochran's was a real live "Pool College"...I Did not start to really learn one pocket, until the early 60's, and soon fell in love with the game... I learned (the hard way) from guys like Banana's, Rusty Jones, Jack Perkins, Sleepy Bob, Marvin Henderson, Ronnie, and others. It was a "take no prisoner" atmosphere and no one showed me s**t,...except maybe Frank Rodriguez (Bananas) We became good friends, and he taught me how to make better games, and dodge the double steer etc...
The double (and even triple) steer, was an art form in Cochran's, as I guess it was many other joints back then. For a while, I was a green lamb in a slaughterhouse.
It was not until I moved to Texas, (1962) that I felt all facets of my game had started to come together. I was still learning, but, looking back, those were the best 10 years of my life...Had more good times, and made tons of GOOD friends, and always considered Texas my adopted home. (also, actually began showing a profit.)
Thats the short version...The longer version I sent a rough draft to Dennis, and another good friend Charles M.,..It is an autobiography of sorts, that I am working on, more as a legacy to my kids. It would bore even the hardiest of pool degenerates, as it is mostly about "life lessons"...and why Daddy was gone so much.
If I ever finish it, I will be glad to email it to anyone who'd care to be bored with it... In it, I also wonder where I'd be today 'without' the 20 year hiatus.... How was I to know, that would be the greatest of times, to be a pretty capable roadman/hustler/gambling pool player. Awful hard to think I'd be better off. It may be the best roll I ever got...who knows.
PS..Unlike "Drinkin' with the Duck", (and "Banking with the Beard")...the huge publishing houses are not clamoring for it..
.
Short version...
My early teens, circa 1948, in Durango Colo, (pop. then, about 10,000) There was only Kelly pool, and golf, and occasional 8 or 9 ball. Three bustling pool rooms in town, and old Fred Titus had the best one. He showed me a few things, and I swept up, and cleaned spitoons for free time. I was the best player in town by about 16 or so.
It was an out of the way place, so I never saw a roadman, or learned anything about matching up, (or hustling) until I started hitting the bigger neighboring cities...Denver, Alburquque, SLC...
I Learned mostly by getting my brains beat out, by guys, most of whom I could maybe outplay, but not outsmart. My best game in those days, was Golf on any size snooker table.(preferred a 6 X 12).. Thank God I was almost "trap-proof" at that game... My only salvation..
It was not until I moved to San Jose (1955) that I really began to learn the ropes. Cochran's was a real live "Pool College"...I Did not start to really learn one pocket, until the early 60's, and soon fell in love with the game... I learned (the hard way) from guys like Banana's, Rusty Jones, Jack Perkins, Sleepy Bob, Marvin Henderson, Ronnie, and others. It was a "take no prisoner" atmosphere and no one showed me s**t,...except maybe Frank Rodriguez (Bananas) We became good friends, and he taught me how to make better games, and dodge the double steer etc...
The double (and even triple) steer, was an art form in Cochran's, as I guess it was many other joints back then. For a while, I was a green lamb in a slaughterhouse.
It was not until I moved to Texas, (1962) that I felt all facets of my game had started to come together. I was still learning, but, looking back, those were the best 10 years of my life...Had more good times, and made tons of GOOD friends, and always considered Texas my adopted home. (also, actually began showing a profit.)
Thats the short version...The longer version I sent a rough draft to Dennis, and another good friend Charles M.,..It is an autobiography of sorts, that I am working on, more as a legacy to my kids. It would bore even the hardiest of pool degenerates, as it is mostly about "life lessons"...and why Daddy was gone so much.
If I ever finish it, I will be glad to email it to anyone who'd care to be bored with it... In it, I also wonder where I'd be today 'without' the 20 year hiatus.... How was I to know, that would be the greatest of times, to be a pretty capable roadman/hustler/gambling pool player. Awful hard to think I'd be better off. It may be the best roll I ever got...who knows.
PS..Unlike "Drinkin' with the Duck", (and "Banking with the Beard")...the huge publishing houses are not clamoring for it..
.
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