NH Steve
Administrator
It looks like I have a fairly nearly transcribed interview I did with Salt — I’m going to have to get it posted!Rest in peace ‘Salt’. I had some good chats with him — a very likable guy!!
It looks like I have a fairly nearly transcribed interview I did with Salt — I’m going to have to get it posted!Rest in peace ‘Salt’. I had some good chats with him — a very likable guy!!
It was the Palace that had all the glass tiled walls wasn't it?I practically lived in Cochran’s in 66. Also after the Navy.. We must have crossed paths and breathed the same air back then...
I don’t remember Cole being there in 66 though, but there were plenty of other very good players who frequented Cochran’s... The payball game on “Big Bertha”, the 6 x 12 snooker table, was always on whenever there were 3 or 4 good players in town...
You are right that we were so young. I don’t remember seeing Jack there but I only went into the city once in a while because there was so much bar action in the east bay.Frank,
Was Frisco Jack Cooney there at that time. In around '70 he came to Long Beach and we bummed around awhile looking for action. Ended up playing each other one day, I got him in OP and he got me in 9-ball. One hell of a nice guy, and what a calm demeanor, and shot lights out, beautiful stroke We were so young.
thanks, Whitey
Thanks Frank! That explains a lot about pay pool in the bay area, for Jack Cooney was one hell of a pay pool player. By per chance we almost matched up in pay pool, for I was asked to play him, but declined for I was tapped and would not play on my shooting partners money. 3 or so years later he took down a marathon pay pool match down south.You are right that we were so young. I don’t remember seeing Jack there but I only went into the city once in a while because there was so much bar action in the east bay.
In one of those visits I waited a few hours to get into the pay ball game because there was always a list of names waiting their turn. When one dropped out the next in line went in.
Well after being in the game for a few hours a young guy around twenty years old gets in the game being staked by a couple of older gentlemen. At one point Philipino Gene whispers to me that when the new kid in the game makes two balls in a row he’s getting out. After a while this kid does get in stroke and Gene pulls out and me also shortly after him. Turns out that the word was that the kids name was Cliff Thorburn that later was a world snooker champion.
Yes, that's right, Bill.It was the Palace that had all the glass tiled walls wasn't it?
Jeff Bay who owned Cochran's under name Hollywood Billiards and owned Hollywood Billiards in LA probably has the paintings that were on the walls of Palace Billiards....painting that hung up high in the Palace is something to behold. For those regulars who remember it, it was a guy taking his shirt off while the woman is in bed waiting for him. It's a Gay 90's type genre' but I wish I knew who owned it now. I'd pay handsome money for that painting....
In 68 or 69, Artie was on the road in CA with 'Fat Jerry' from Chicago. In LA at 4th & Main they met a little Mexican straight rail player that never missed, he didn't speak English much. They dragged him up to San Fran to play Katsura at the Palace. The owner was, Bill? who would bet any amount on Katsura. They played the first night and she beat Artie's horse pretty bad. When they left the PR and got back to their room, they had a friend ask him, "What happened, you couldn't run points?" He confessed he'd never played with ivory balls before, they rolled off a little on him.A trip down Market .. . Did anyone know Katsura, the girl player or Ernie Morgan, the good one handed player who blew off his bridge hand playing wi dynamite?
It sounds like the "60's" were good to You!mr3C.
After a night of play.....I remember a 24 hr restaurant on market street, up street away from the bay that I ventured in around 3am to get a bite after playing. When I walked in WOW, I felt like I was in the Star Wars Bar scene that had every animal, from every planet partying and carrying on. It was a hoot to see all these gay people, dressed like those in the Star wars scene. Almost felt like halloween in a way. The place was packed, bars had emptied out. Kinda like a Dennys/Not. I did work at Henry Africas on Vanness Blvd. They called em fern bars. For me to make a Tom Collins, I had to crack an egg, remove the yolk, pour it in a can/shake it with the mix and serve, with that frothy head. Also, if you wanted a screwdriver. We squeezed a fresh orange for each drink.
In 68 or 69, Artie was on the road in CA with 'Fat Jerry' from Chicago. In LA at 4th & Main they met a little Mexican straight rail player that never missed, he didn't speak English much. They dragged him up to San Fran to play Katsura at the Palace. The owner was, Bill? who would bet any amount on Katsura. They played the first night and she beat Artie's horse pretty bad. When they left the PR and got back to their room, they had a friend ask him, "What happened, you couldn't run points?" He confessed he'd never played with ivory balls before, they rolled off a little on him.
When they came back to play again, they insisted to play with the, 'plastic balls'. Katsura had beaten the little guy so badly, Bill agreed to any terms. Naturally, He beat her and they busted out the room for more than 3 times what they had lost. Once the guy got a hold of the, 'plastic balls' it was history.
I never saw her play in person.
!00% Jimmy! Especially when He groomed a couple of young players on the 'QT.' Down in Bensingers and at the Northshore Club where the action was pretty Big and regular.Good Story relating the difference in the ivory and plastic. I never would have thought it could be that much. But Artie was so smart. I would have cussed the little guy out and called him a choke artist but Artie knew what to do. Artie might be in an action room and be playing himself while backing three or four other guys at the same time, knowing he had the best of it in all spots. He just knew...
I ran into him too and had the same impression of him like you do. In the sixties I played a lot in a bowling alley in Monteray Park California. For a week straight there was a guy scoping me out. He then set up a coffee shop meet with the three of us. They wanted to set a game up (doing business) with me giving up the five ball and Ernest playing one handed. He even showed me a scrapbook of his. In that book there was something in it about him playing for loyalty in England. Wanting me to dump I told them that’s not a thing I would. Never saw them after that. The next day one of the waitresses told me that they skipped out on the coffee bill. Couldn’t have been more than a few bucks.knew nubby morgan well. a total piece of what do they call it. only one worse was detroit whitey. both great players at their prime.