Hi Lou
We definitely know the same people!!! , I used to play against Ronnie all the time, same as Filipino gene as well as Richie Marquez and others. Also, used to see them down at Gino and Carlo's down in North Beach.
Earl Whitehead was a great guy, it was always about the game and the equipment. I got some great cues from him, including some Hoppe cues which I still have. I never sold any of my cues, and have them all, even have an old Harvey Martin cue.
At the Palace, as an undergrad, when I was practicing for the ACUI tournaments (American College Union International tournament for the National Collegiate tournament), I would get pool balls and play on the 12foot snooker tables and just do drills and straight shots. Remember how big those tables were?
It might of been me, not sure, I always played 75 point games. I love straight pool. I quit playing when I finished my PhD in Organic Chemistry and got a real job. Now that my children are in college, I am going to start playing again and get into some of these tournaments. I just pulled some of my cues out of storage and they are still straight. I haven't played with any of my cues since 1988. I live in CT now and Paul Drexler is refurbishing some of my cues and making shafts for them. He is a master.