How good was Keith Thompson?

onepockethacker

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Jan 31, 2012
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I was wondering how good Keith Thompsin was. I think he won the all around at Johnson City one year.
 

Cowboy Dennis

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Dec 16, 2008
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Detroit,Michigan
I'm sure he's on the beat list. :)
Rod.

You must've been looking:D

It seems to me that someone has been deleted from the Beat List, right above "Can I Hold A Hundred".

Charles Low Down Dirty Preacher Red Jones — one pocket
Charles Rosie Rosenblatt — one pocket
Charlie left handed from Ky. Jones — one pocket and banks
Charlie the Ape — bar pool
Chicago Paul Jones — one pocket and straight pool
Chris Gentile – one pocket and banks
Chris MacDonald — one pocket
Chubby Chino, Chicago Chino — 8 ball
Chuey Rivera — 8 ball
?????????????????
Cliff Spotmaster Joyner — one pocket and banks
Clyde Childress — banks
Country Calvin Hargrove — bar pool
Crazy Frank from Buffalo – one pocket
Cuban Joe Valdez — one pocket
Dallas Joey Torma — one pocket
Dallas West — tournament only, straight pool House of Lords, Chicago
Danny Buffalo Kid Di Liberto — bank pool
Danny Medina — bank pool
Dave Yeager
David Sizemore — one pocket
Denny Searcy — bank pool
Diamond Bill Cress — 9 ball and one pocket
Dick Weaver — one pocket and banks

Don Preacher Feeney – straight pool
Don Rose — bank pool
Don Waterdog Edwards — one pocket
Donnie Anderson — bank pool
Earl The Pearl Strickland — bank pool
Eddie Detroit Whitey Beauchene — bank pool
Eddie from Milwaukee Matthews — bar pool, one pocket
Eddie The Hat Burton – one pocket
Eddie White Cannonball Kienowski — banks
Edgar Shake and Bake White — one pocket
Edward Chris McGeahan — banks
Efren Bata, The Magician Reyes — one pocket and banks
Elihu Alley-Oop O’Rear — bar pool
Eugene Clem Metz – bar pool 8 ball
Fat Glen Knowles — one pocket and banks

Floyd Baxter – bar pool
Frank Bananas Rodriguiz — banks
Frank McGowan — One Pocket, Fred Whalen tourn. LA, 4 games to 2
Frank Sailor Stellman — banks
Freddy New Orleans Sessions — banks, one pocket
Freddy Salem – one pocket
Frisco Jack Cooney – one pocket
Gary Pinkowski — banks and one pocket
Gary Spaeth — one pocket, banks when he was very young
Gene The Glove Catrone — one pocket
George Brunt — banks
George Michaels — one pocket , banks and 8 ball
George Pawalski — banks
George Stardust Lounge Chicago Walker — bar pool
Glen Piggy Banks Rogers — bank pool, one pocket
Grady Professor Mathews — one pocket
Greg Big Train Stevens — bank pool
Handsome Danny Jones – bank pool
Harry Poochie Sexton – bank pool
Harry the Horse McConnell — one pocket

Hippie Cole Dickson — one pocket and banks
Hippie Jimmy Marino — bank pool
Hippie Jimmy Reid — bank pool
Hound Dog Calhoun — one pocket
Howard The Coward Meechum — bank pool
Hubert Daddy Warbucks Cokes — banks and one pocket
Ike Runnels – banks
Iron Joe Procita – banks
Isaac Little Miami Gonzales — banks, one pocket
Isadore Pony Rosen – banks and one pocket
Jack Jersey Red,The Red Raider Breit — tournament only, Philly Legends, two matches, one pocket
Jaffar Patch Eye, Henry Chapman Basheer — banks and one pocket
James the sniper Christopher — one pocket
James Youngblood Brown — banks and one pocket
Jamie Red Rifle Farrell – banks

Jeff Carter — banks and one pocket
Jerry Breisath — banks

Jerry the Actor Orbach – one pocket
Jerry Prado – one pocket,Hot Springs, AR
Jew Paul Brusloff — one pocket
Jimmy Flyboy Spears – one pocket
Jimmy Pretty Boy Floyd Mataya — tournament 9 ball
Jimmy The Kid Wetch – tournament one pocket

Joe Cognoscenti Gold — banks and one pocket
Joe Philly Ross — one pocket
Joe Rocha – bar pool
Joe The Grinder/ The Back Solomon — one pocket
Joey Cincinnati Kid Spaeth – bank pool

John Abruzzo — bank pool
John Drew Hagar — one pocket
John Henry McHenry — one pocket
John Red Shoes Zaksas — bank pool
Johnny Boy Skinner — bank pool

Johnny Lefty, Cannonball Chapman – banks and one pocket
Johnny Popcorn Miller – one pocket

Johnny Velvet Foghorn Ervolino — banks
Jose Amang, Little Giant Parica – banks and one pocket
Jumpin’ Sammy Jones — one pocket
Junior Weldon – bar pool, one pocket
Keith Earthquake, Ether McCready — bank pool
Keith Young Squirrel Thompson – one pocket
Kenny Romburg Remus — one pocket, banks and billiards
King James Rempe — banks
Kokomo Joe Ross — banks
Larry Boston Shorty Johnson — banks
Larry Iceman Hubbart — banks
Larry Oil Can Lisciotti — banks
Larry Swartz — 8 ball, one pocket
Leon Ledford – bar pool
Leonard Bugs Rucker — one pocket
Little Al Romero — one pocket
Little David, The Giant Killer Howard — 9 ball
 

fred bentivegna

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Feb 2, 2005
Messages
6,690
From
chicago illinois
Young Squirrel

Young Squirrel

Here are 2 separate posts I made a while back.

19 year old, Keith Thompson beat Ronnie Allen & Luther Lassiter in the All-Around at Johnston City in 1970. He was a hippie and didnt have a regular-sleeve shirt to wear in the finals. All he had was tank-tops and sandals.

He wasnt even going to play! He was afraid he would pee all over himself playing those guys so he was going to forfeit and go back home to Texas. I talked him out of it. I told him there many players that wished they could be in his shoes, and it would be an insult to all of us if he didnt play.

He didn't even have a cuestick! I had to give him my cue to play with. He won the championship playing with my Joss West. I still have the cue and keep it in a trophy case. (Sorry, sold it) As Grady said, it was one of the all-time great upsets. It ended up ruining his career because he could never again live up to that. Later, when he would try to make a game, people would demand ridiculous spots based on his championship performance.



Keith winning the nineball and then the all-around was tantamount to the US beating the Russians in Hockey in the Olympics of 64. He was a straight shooter, but he was miles away from the top guns. In Johnston City that year, Keith and I played 1pkt every day. I had to spot him (9 to 8 and 8 to 7), so I was well aware of his speed.

In the all-around finals he didnt have shoes to wear (only sandals), or even a shirt (only a tank top), and finally he didnt have a cue stick (He won it playing with my stick as a loaner)

He wasnt even going to compete in the finals and was just going to forfeit and go back to Tx rather than embarass himself against Ronnie and Wimpy. I talked him into staying and playing, citing that it wasnt fair to the rest of us who would have killed their children to be in his position, whether he thought he could win or not.

In a series of freak events, he won the damn thing. I had heard that the reason he quit, and it made sense, was where does he go from there? How is he ever going to get a decent game after beating Ronnie and Wimpy? The pressure had to be enormous. A too much, too soon, scenario.


Beard
 

androd

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Dec 10, 2008
Messages
7,718
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New Braunfels tx.
In Johnston City that year, Keith and I played 1pkt every day. I had to spot him (9 to 8 and 8 to 7), so I was well aware of his speed.

Beard

WOW. Giving 9 to 8 and 8 to 7 to the all around champ, that's impressive.:D
Rod.
P.S. Young Squirell didn't know which pocket was his. :sorry
 

fred bentivegna

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Feb 2, 2005
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6,690
From
chicago illinois
However, I do believe...

However, I do believe...

WOW. Giving 9 to 8 and 8 to 7 to the all around champ, that's impressive.:D
Rod.

Rod, that sounds strangely like one of the Duck's Bizarro World comments, ie., Good is Bad, Right is Wrong, night is day, love is hate, etc.

P.S. Young Squirell didn't know which pocket was his. :sorry

...that he figured it out enough to beat Ronnie and Wimpy playing 1pkt (two 4 out of 7's) in the All-Around Finals.
He also had to know where those other five pockets were in order to finish ahead of all those monsters, including Wimpy, in the 9 Ball tourn. We dont even need any "living" witnesses to verify that. That's in the history books.

Beard
 

androd

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Dec 10, 2008
Messages
7,718
From
New Braunfels tx.
...that he figured it out enough to beat Ronnie and Wimpy playing 1pkt (two 4 out of 7's) in the All-Around Finals.
He also had to know where those other five pockets were in order to finish ahead of all those monsters, including Wimpy, in the 9 Ball tourn. We dont even need any "living" witnesses to verify that. That's in the history books.

Beard

Yes, I know him well. When I first saw him he was 16 years old and just started to play, he miscued or jumped the table every other shot. He'd gotten his mom to plead with the owner to let him come in.

About 6 months later he came downtown and asked for the 5 ball out from everyone. Curtis Tally AKA Swamp Rat AKA King Curtis ( one of the best 9 ball players) gave it to him. Squirrel won easily.

About 1 year before Johnson city Cole Dixon tried to give him the 7 ball, but had no chance. (Cole didn't offer to play even or to give him the 8 ball) He just cranked off with " come kid you got the 7 ball." Cole wasn't much older himself. :)
I ended up with Coles cue, that Stroud had just given him on his way to Houston. I sold it to Fly Boy and he still has it.
My point is how fast he was improving. I know he could play 9 ball very well. I didn't know he could play one pocket that well.
Rod.
 

fred bentivegna

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Feb 2, 2005
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chicago illinois
Well, actually...

Well, actually...

Yes, I know him well. When I first saw him he was 16 years old and just started to play, he miscued or jumped the table every other shot. He'd gotten his mom to plead with the owner to let him come in.

About 6 months later he came downtown and asked for the 5 ball out from everyone. Curtis Tally AKA Swamp Rat AKA King Curtis ( one of the best 9 ball players) gave it to him. Squirrel won easily.

About 1 year before Johnson city Cole Dixon tried to give him the 7 ball, but had no chance. (Cole didn't offer to play even or to give him the 8 ball) He just cranked off with " come kid you got the 7 ball." Cole wasn't much older himself. :)
I ended up with Coles cue, that Stroud had just given him on his way to Houston. I sold it to Fly Boy and he still has it.
My point is how fast he was improving. I know he could play 9 ball very well. I didn't know he could play one pocket that well.
Rod.

He wudn't no great shakes as a 1pkt player, but for whatever reason, he was in a shooting coma and couldnt miss a ball.
Speaking of Cole, at that 70 tourn Ronnie was playing, and having trouble with Cole playing him 9 to 7.

Beard
 

Alfie Taylor

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Jan 21, 2010
Messages
189
I knew Kieth well.

I knew Kieth well.

Kieth Thompson was close friends with my brother Bobby and me. We all went on the road together. He was Pasadena material and Bobby's age.
Kieth was just like any kid his age in that he ate lots of candy bars and read comic books...between shooting peoples cajones off almost every time he got to the table. Kieth had nerves of steel and believed any one pocket trap could be gotten out of if you looked long enough.

The three of us were together in Atlanta when Bobby got cut so badly we thought he might bleed out. The story is in the book I just wrote.

When two gang members assaulted Bobby's family, Kieth loaned him his gun and Bobby killed them. Justifiable Homicide...Next case judge.

Don't sell young Kieth short because he showed up in the winners circle wearing a tank top. I heard someone tell him he wasn't supposed to win the J.C. tourney. Kieth told him "I won that tournament because I played better than anyone who went up against me". Never having played straight pool he ran something like 70 and out against Mr. Allen. As far as I am concerned Kieth's is the proper and correct scripture. Don't take his glorious 15 minutes away from him
Kieth didn't quit playing because, as someone mentioned "He couldn't live up to what he had done". He quit because he preferred working. True, refinery work sucks but he is now retired and living quite comfortably while many of his pool contemporaries are still hookin' and jabbin' to eat another meal.
Keep it nice. Alfie
 

fred bentivegna

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chicago illinois
Preferred working?

Preferred working?

Kieth Thompson was close friends with my brother Bobby and me. We all went on the road together. He was Pasadena material and Bobby's age.
Kieth was just like any kid his age in that he ate lots of candy bars and read comic books...between shooting peoples cajones off almost every time he got to the table. Kieth had nerves of steel and believed any one pocket trap could be gotten out of if you looked long enough.

The three of us were together in Atlanta when Bobby got cut so badly we thought he might bleed out. The story is in the book I just wrote.

When two gang members assaulted Bobby's family, Kieth loaned him his gun and Bobby killed them. Justifiable Homicide...Next case judge.

Don't sell young Kieth short because he showed up in the winners circle wearing a tank top. I heard someone tell him he wasn't supposed to win the J.C. tourney. Kieth told him "I won that tournament because I played better than anyone who went up against me". Never having played straight pool he ran something like 70 and out against Mr. Allen. As far as I am concerned Kieth's is the proper and correct scripture. Don't take his glorious 15 minutes away from him
Kieth didn't quit playing because, as someone mentioned "He couldn't live up to what he had done". He quit because he preferred working. True, refinery work sucks but he is now retired and living quite comfortably while many of his pool contemporaries are still hookin' and jabbin' to eat another meal.
Keep it nice. Alfie

Damn Alfie, I was around him a lot too, in 70 and 71 in Johnston City. We gambled and partied together. Keith was a 19 yr old, young, hippie boy who liked to party then. Unless he found Jesus, I couldnt possibly imagine him preferring working to playing pool.
Circumstances may have dictated working, because he complained bitterly to me in 71 that he couldnt get any kind of decent action since the JC win.

Beard

Nobody is trying to take anything away from his moment of glory. I think that that was the 1st 9 Ball tournament Wimpy didnt win in 10 years.
 
Last edited:

Jimmy B

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Kieth Thompson was close friends with my brother Bobby and me. We all went on the road together. He was Pasadena material and Bobby's age.
Kieth was just like any kid his age in that he ate lots of candy bars and read comic books...between shooting peoples cajones off almost every time he got to the table. Kieth had nerves of steel and believed any one pocket trap could be gotten out of if you looked long enough.

The three of us were together in Atlanta when Bobby got cut so badly we thought he might bleed out. The story is in the book I just wrote.

When two gang members assaulted Bobby's family, Kieth loaned him his gun and Bobby killed them. Justifiable Homicide...Next case judge.

Don't sell young Kieth short because he showed up in the winners circle wearing a tank top. I heard someone tell him he wasn't supposed to win the J.C. tourney. Kieth told him "I won that tournament because I played better than anyone who went up against me". Never having played straight pool he ran something like 70 and out against Mr. Allen. As far as I am concerned Kieth's is the proper and correct scripture. Don't take his glorious 15 minutes away from him
Kieth didn't quit playing because, as someone mentioned "He couldn't live up to what he had done". He quit because he preferred working. True, refinery work sucks but he is now retired and living quite comfortably while many of his pool contemporaries are still hookin' and jabbin' to eat another meal.
Keep it nice. Alfie



I never got to meet him. I wish I had. I heard Buddy Hall brag on him before and say that he thought Kieth should be in The Hall Of Fame. What do you mean when you say that he is 'the proper and correct scripture' . I am not familiar with that term. Does that mean that you think he played like God?? I've only heard the word scripture used as like in religious text.

Why did those gang members assault Bobbys' family? Just for kicks or was it a robbery? Did Bobby do them at the time of the assault or did he stalk them finish it later??. Or did the shootings just go unsolved? What kind of gun did he use. Did you and Bobby play much pool?? Keep posting. Welcome........
 

Alfie Taylor

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189
doesn't that sound silly?

doesn't that sound silly?

Think about it. Kieth couldn't get a game because of J.C.? Ridiculous.With fifty states full of people who don't know the first thing about Johnston City, what in the world makes you think he "couldn't get a game"? I mean come on. Eddie Taylor won so many tournaments and drummed champions for 30 years yet he and I went into town after town where nobody knew the first thing about him.

As far as my use of the word "scripture", it meant nothing and I probably could have picked a better word. I meant nothing holy. If you have something to discuss about Kieth, great, that's why I'm playing around with posting, but if you feel the need to pick apart my poste over semantics I suggest you find something more interesting to occupy yourself with.

As far as Bobby laying those hoods to waste, a judge and Jury felt he was justified. Case closed. I shouldn't have gone there in the first place. That's Bobby's business.

Bottom line...Maybe you could, but you didn't get up there and shoot Lassiter and Ronnie down. Kieth did. He didn't luck out. He ran out. Let him savor his well deserved victory without remarks based on jealousy....or whatever
Keep it nice. Alfie
 

NH Steve

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New Hampshire
Think about it. Kieth couldn't get a game because of J.C.? Ridiculous.With fifty states full of people who don't know the first thing about Johnston City, what in the world makes you think he "couldn't get a game"? I mean come on. Eddie Taylor won so many tournaments and drummed champions for 30 years yet he and I went into town after town where nobody knew the first thing about him.

As far as my use of the word "scripture", it meant nothing and I probably could have picked a better word. I meant nothing holy. If you have something to discuss about Kieth, great, that's why I'm playing around with posting, but if you feel the need to pick apart my poste over semantics I suggest you find something more interesting to occupy yourself with.

As far as Bobby laying those hoods to waste, a judge and Jury felt he was justified. Case closed. I shouldn't have gone there in the first place. That's Bobby's business.

Bottom line...Maybe you could, but you didn't get up there and shoot Lassiter and Ronnie down. Kieth did. He didn't luck out. He ran out. Let him savor his well deserved victory without remarks based on jealousy....or whatever
Keep it nice. Alfie
I don't think the question about your use of the word "scripture" was a bad question -- I read your whole new book and you "turn a phrase" very well indeed. With the recent publications of Bobby Cotton's, your book, The Lizard's upcoming book, and you can even go back and include Jay Helfert's book, I honestly think yours is the best written in that poolplayer-autobiography-genre, and one of the things I especially enjoyed was the occasional unique (to me) turn of phrase that you came with every now and then. But I also didn't quite understand "As far as I am concerned Kieth's is the proper and correct scripture" in your earlier post -- meaning something like it was the gospel truth that he was a great player? Don't get me wrong, I like the phrase, I just want to make sure I am understanding it correctly (and I think Jimmy B was just asking the same thing -- maybe :) )
 

Jimmy B

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I don't think the question about your use of the word "scripture" was a bad question -- I read your whole new book and you "turn a phrase" very well indeed. With the recent publications of Bobby Cotton's, your book, The Lizard's upcoming book, and you can even go back and include Jay Helfert's book, I honestly think yours is the best written in that poolplayer-autobiography-genre, and one of the things I especially enjoyed was the occasional unique (to me) turn of phrase that you came with every now and then. But I also didn't quite understand "As far as I am concerned Kieth's is the proper and correct scripture" in your earlier post -- meaning something like it was the gospel truth that he was a great player? Don't get me wrong, I like the phrase, I just want to make sure I am understanding it correctly (and I think Jimmy B was just asking the same thing -- maybe :) )



Yes, of course Steve. My post was definitely meant to be just inquisitive and supportive. I am glad also to see that Alfie and The OnePocketHacker are verified members now and posting. I need to get that book too.........keep it nice...........
 

wincardona

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Aug 7, 2007
Messages
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Dallas Tx.
Kieth Thompson was close friends with my brother Bobby and me. We all went on the road together. He was Pasadena material and Bobby's age.
Kieth was just like any kid his age in that he ate lots of candy bars and read comic books...between shooting peoples cajones off almost every time he got to the table. Kieth had nerves of steel and believed any one pocket trap could be gotten out of if you looked long enough.

The three of us were together in Atlanta when Bobby got cut so badly we thought he might bleed out. The story is in the book I just wrote.

When two gang members assaulted Bobby's family, Kieth loaned him his gun and Bobby killed them. Justifiable Homicide...Next case judge.

Don't sell young Kieth short because he showed up in the winners circle wearing a tank top. I heard someone tell him he wasn't supposed to win the J.C. tourney. Kieth told him "I won that tournament because I played better than anyone who went up against me". Never having played straight pool he ran something like 70 and out against Mr. Allen. As far as I am concerned Kieth's is the proper and correct scripture. Don't take his glorious 15 minutes away from him
Kieth didn't quit playing because, as someone mentioned "He couldn't live up to what he had done". He quit because he preferred working. True, refinery work sucks but he is now retired and living quite comfortably while many of his pool contemporaries are still hookin' and jabbin' to eat another meal.
Keep it nice. Alfie
Good post Alfie, nobody's goin to win the the all around at JC if you can't play, nobody.:sorry I missed the tournament that year, but I heard about this young unknown kid from Texas that 'got lucky' I also heard about when Reyes came into the country and how lucky he got in Houston, with that"pump stroke"

I would also like to get a copy of your book, how do I go about it?

Billy I.
 

Deeman

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Oct 6, 2004
Messages
1,333
Good post Alfie, nobody's goin to win the the all around at JC if you can't play, nobody.:sorry I missed the tournament that year, but I heard about this young unknown kid from Texas that 'got lucky' I also heard about when Reyes came into the country and how lucky he got in Houston, with that"pump stroke"

I would also like to get a copy of your book, how do I go about it?

Billy I.


Let us all know where to get a copy.

Great to have Alfie posting.

DeeMan
 
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