tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post8314275857475841776..comments2023-02-10T09:46:17.518-05:00Comments on Mid Life in the Fast Lane: Return to PoolBrian in VAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-834015249147921092013-06-21T16:20:57.374-04:002013-06-21T16:20:57.374-04:00Hi Jim,
Sub-cultures, for sure. It seems as if eve...Hi Jim,<br />Sub-cultures, for sure. It seems as if every game/hobby/sport has them, too.<br /><br />I used to ride my bike about 4 miles in Arlington VA, when I was 10, to play pool in this pool hall where the owner let me sweep the floors for table time. I had to be gone by 5:00 pm cause that's when the riff raff began to come in. The place was a legendary hustler's hangout and there were money games going every night - some, I'm told were upwards of $50,000 and would go on for several days. And that's 1967 money, too!<br />The owner's name was Bill Staton but his nickname was Weenie Beenie. Allegedly, he scored $50K in a big money match, and used it to buy a chain of fast food joints in the DC area called Weenie Beenie. From those he claimed to have become a millionaire.<br />Thanks for coming by!Brian in VAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-4607835941372531282013-06-21T16:16:09.572-04:002013-06-21T16:16:09.572-04:00I think that was either Deacon Crane or Luther Las...I think that was either Deacon Crane or Luther Lassiter, TJ. I recall seeing pictures of both men with a white handkerchief prominently showing in their hand.<br />I have a 1952, 9-foot Brunswick Anniversary in my game room (basement)that I purchased about 7 years ago on ebay. It started it's life in a pool room in Baltimore and was then refurbished and sold to the owner from whom I bought it. The rails are loaded with cigarette burns and it has a lot of character, and plays great, too.<br />Thanks for dropping by!<br />Brian in VAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02923999291735012309noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-45310761380541791092013-06-21T11:06:21.770-04:002013-06-21T11:06:21.770-04:00Good post Brian.
It is always interesting, that li...Good post Brian.<br />It is always interesting, that little sub-cultures are going on out there that the rest of the world knows nothing about.<br /><br />Pool rooms.<br /><br />I did not know that they were still out there. But I also live in a small town. I remember one existing where I grew up. A big room of tables for anybody to come and rent a table and play and there was a big door to another room that I guess you had to be a member to go through. I was just a teenage kid though and we went to the place to play pin-ball not shoot pool.Jim Bangshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11618333090634257257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7020795192961608117.post-75755553864566180002013-06-21T11:02:35.112-04:002013-06-21T11:02:35.112-04:00I spent a lot of my misspent youth in pool halls. ...I spent a lot of my misspent youth in pool halls. I miss those days, a little, but ultimately other interests took over. I still find myself with a cue in my hand, on those little saloon tables.<br /><br />What table do you have at home? I had one as a teen, but it so often was covered with stuff you had to do housekeeping before racking up. Plus, home tables always seemed to have dead rails.<br /><br />And most rooms in suburban homes were not big enough. Unless there was a basement.<br />Basements were the best! Crank up the stereo and rack the balls. Ha Ha you probably know the old "should I rack the balls" joke.<br /><br />As I type this I am getting a ghost itch between the first two fingers of my left hand. As a lifetime non-smoker the residue of cigarette smoke would transfer from the felt onto my left (bridge) hand and cause it to itch. I would overcome this by using a handkerchief wrapped around the stick. It was surprisingly effective but looked like an affectation. There was a pro or a hustler who did that back in the sixties...I don't remember who...not Mosconi, but I'm thinking of him as I type this.<br /><br />tj <br /><br /> Tim Joe Comstockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351911607475089105noreply@blogger.com