In was in the SF area in 70. The photo of the 3C table at the Palace was 1 in the corner of the room in the back.
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I liked playing off, 'Center stage.' One of the first players I played there was a fair 3C player, Ray Tajima, I talked him into spotting me. We played $50 a game and some guy bet $50 on the side. I won 2 games with a spot and 2 games for a $100 even, $400 later they quit. I almost forgot, there was a much older Asian man sitting and watching when I played Ray. I came to find out when I got back to Chicago and spoke to Bud Harris, he mentioned it was probably, Jimmy Lee he was a student of Welker Cochran's, and Ray was a student of Jimmy as was Bud.
At the same time Jimmy Marino was hanging around the 'Tenderloin' hustling, Bars & PR's. I was hitting balls around on that same table about 11 am, just so happens, Danny McGoorty heard I beat Ray and sweated me from afar. Jimmy came in bellowing if I wanted to play some 9 ball, I declined. But, I replied I'll try you some of this. After 10 minutes of arguing, we agreed on a game, I gave Jimmy 4 on 25 for $100 and I had side bets of $150. Now as soon as we were about to start, Danny McGoorty came and sat down in one of those orange movie seats and sweated the action. Long story, I think short., the spot got to 8 on 25 and I won $1,600 all together! All the time I was playing, Danny just sat there with this, Cheshire cat look on his face. He never said a word except, when we were done, "Where you from kid?"
The eclipse to this story is, about 4 or 5 days later, I was back up at the Palace, just sitting around. Jimmy comes back in Mad as Hell! "You F**ked me, You robbed me!" "Play some 9 ball, you got the 6." "I' don't play 9 ball, we can play more billiards." He goes on to say, "I heard who you beat in the Mission district." "I'm sure you won't give the spot I want, 12 & the break." "I calmly replied, "You're right." He kept chasing me around the joint to get me to play, we didn't. His amped up entrance in to the room and at me was that he heard I had beaten the Best 3C player in the M district, Homero Valdespino in his own room. I won pretty good, I was there with, Joe Salazar.
A little side note; during the 60's and 70's the, 'Union League' halls in colleges still had a nice pool room with 3C tables. I would get info on what colleges had 3C Champs & Intercollegiate Champs and who they were and that schools big rivals. I would go to University of MI in Ann Arbor, wearing an Ohio State sweatshirt and vice versa. BTW, always carrying Willie Hoppe's book,
"Billiards as it should be played" under my arm! Props are Big in any Hustle or Con.