Comments on: Pocketing the Coin http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/ A journal of Southern culture and politics Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:58:24 -0400 hourly 1 By: R.A Dyer http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-5752 R.A Dyer Wed, 09 Sep 2009 02:57:22 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-5752 Great story, Chris. The Knoxville Bear is remembered as one of the greatest bank players ever. It was said the Bear would frequently run 8 and out playing banks. Not a man to be trifled with. And as you note, the Bear was also a fixture at the Johnston City tournaments, along with Weenie Beenie, Jersey Red, Fats and others. (You can read more about those tournaments here http://untoldstoriesbilliardshistory.blogspot.com/) Your story is a great homage to true artists who all too frequently have not received their due. Great job. Great story, Chris. The Knoxville Bear is remembered as one of the greatest bank players ever. It was said the Bear would frequently run 8 and out playing banks. Not a man to be trifled with. And as you note, the Bear was also a fixture at the Johnston City tournaments, along with Weenie Beenie, Jersey Red, Fats and others. (You can read more about those tournaments here http://untoldstoriesbilliardshistory.blogspot.com/) Your story is a great homage to true artists who all too frequently have not received their due. Great job.

]]> By: susan stewart http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-3005 susan stewart Thu, 13 Aug 2009 19:52:27 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-3005 Chris, This also reminds me of my misspent youth, in that I misspent my youth writing stories for you. Are you living on an island with an antique doll collection? What are you doing next Tuesday afternoon? Mike & I and the 21-year-old, having just dropped the 19-year-old off at Sewanee, will be driving through. Is there a convenient Krystal where we could meet? S. Chris,
This also reminds me of my misspent youth, in that I misspent my youth writing stories for you. Are you living on an island with an antique doll collection? What are you doing next Tuesday afternoon? Mike & I and the 21-year-old, having just dropped the 19-year-old off at Sewanee, will be driving through. Is there a convenient Krystal where we could meet? S.

]]> By: grady amann http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2012 grady amann Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:15:12 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-2012 Great story, Chris. It shows a lot of work and research. Like all old Journal hands, it brings back memories. . . . of me running up to J.D.'s or Comer's to drag Ben Byrd or Russ Bebb back to the Sports Department as deadline neared. Or as the newest hire in Sports, I would be left in the office alone and told to "get the One Star in." Phones ringing, people demanding scores, the back shop screaming for copy, the AP spitting out bulletins and me panicking. Great story, Chris. It shows a lot of work and research. Like all old Journal hands, it brings back memories. . . .
of me running up to J.D.’s or Comer’s to drag Ben Byrd or Russ Bebb back to the Sports Department as deadline neared.
Or as the newest hire in Sports, I would be left in the office alone and told to “get the One Star in.” Phones ringing, people demanding scores, the back shop screaming for copy, the AP spitting out bulletins and me panicking.

]]> By: Dennis McCarthy http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2010 Dennis McCarthy Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:03:39 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-2010 Great story—reminds me of one of my favorite stories from my misspent youth. The hustler showed up at Comer's one day and took on several of the regulars, winning a little, losing a little, until he found his mark. With the mark he worked the same strategy, winning and losing but slowly building an edge. When the mark was about to quit, the hustler suggested one last game, winner take all, and the hustler offered to play left-handed. The mark agreed. Those of you who hung around pool halls 50 years ago know the punchline: the hustler was left-handed. Great story—reminds me of one of my favorite stories from my misspent youth. The hustler showed up at Comer’s one day and took on several of the regulars, winning a little, losing a little, until he found his mark. With the mark he worked the same strategy, winning and losing but slowly building an edge. When the mark was about to quit, the hustler suggested one last game, winner take all, and the hustler offered to play left-handed. The mark agreed. Those of you who hung around pool halls 50 years ago know the punchline: the hustler was left-handed.

]]> By: Bill Vaughan http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2008 Bill Vaughan Fri, 10 Jul 2009 20:21:56 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-2008 A great piece, Chris and it really brought back great memories of McDonads on Gay Street, about a 75 step walk from the Journal where we worked. J.D. was a grea Chris, well written and it sure did bring back a lot of memories of the old days at Journal when Ralph Griffith, Ben Byrd, Russ Bebb, and I would slip off from the newsroom for a quick game of snooker at J.D.'s after the first edition was to bed. It was almost a every night ritiual. Thanks for sending me the piece. brought back some great memories of days at the Journal A great piece, Chris and it really brought back great memories of McDonads on Gay Street, about a 75 step walk from the Journal where we worked. J.D. was a grea

Chris, well written and it sure did bring back a lot of memories of the old days at Journal when Ralph Griffith, Ben Byrd, Russ Bebb, and I would slip off from the newsroom for a quick game of snooker at J.D.’s after the first edition was to bed. It was almost a every night ritiual. Thanks for sending me the piece.

brought back some great memories of days at the Journal

]]> By: Tom Jester http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-2004 Tom Jester Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:03:39 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-2004 Chris: Your story was as good as a three-bank money shot. A good read, well done. Chris:
Your story was as good as a three-bank money shot.
A good read, well done.

]]> By: Cliff Green http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-1990 Cliff Green Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:32:41 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-1990 I remember a great pool hall in the basement of the DeSoto Hotel in Rome, Ga., in the 1950s. I wandered in as a kid and saw a wall covered by a giant blackboard, where a guy filled in the baseball scores inning by inning. I'm sure none of the people in there were gambling, or anything like that. Rome was, after all, a Christian community. This is a great yarn, Chris, and I mean that not in the sense of fiction, but in the sense of a great story, well told. I remember a great pool hall in the basement of the DeSoto Hotel in Rome, Ga., in the 1950s. I wandered in as a kid and saw a wall covered by a giant blackboard, where a guy filled in the baseball scores inning by inning. I’m sure none of the people in there were gambling, or anything like that. Rome was, after all, a Christian community.
This is a great yarn, Chris, and I mean that not in the sense of fiction, but in the sense of a great story, well told.

]]> By: Dallas http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-1979 Dallas Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:58:32 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-1979 What a joy this was to read! Beautifully told story. Brings back humble memories of my own, learning to shoot a little as a Baylor University freshman in 1960. A one-armed former baseball player ran good little pool hall just off campus that included three snooker tables. He took in a lot of money from us white-bread Baylor boys, glad spenders all, every pay day. What a joy this was to read! Beautifully told story. Brings back humble memories of my own, learning to shoot a little as a Baylor University freshman in 1960. A one-armed former baseball player ran good little pool hall just off campus that included three snooker tables. He took in a lot of money from us white-bread Baylor boys, glad spenders all, every pay day.

]]> By: Billy Howard http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-1976 Billy Howard Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:30:32 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-1976 Speaking as a wannabe pool player who's chalked more than his share of slightly warped pool cues, what a wonderful story. Speaking as a wannabe pool player who’s chalked more than his share of slightly warped pool cues, what a wonderful story.

]]> By: Chalkie http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-1957 Chalkie Thu, 09 Jul 2009 07:16:07 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-1957 What a good story, sometimes I wish everybody would play billiards... What a good story, sometimes I wish everybody would play billiards…

]]> By: Bob Lamb http://likethedew.com/2009/07/08/pocketing-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-1954 Bob Lamb Thu, 09 Jul 2009 04:34:28 +0000 http://likethedew.com/?p=4252#comment-1954 Good story, Chris. I spent a lot of happy youthful hours in poolrooms, chiefly in Augusta, Ga., and saw many such colorful characters (and great players) pass through. Good story, Chris. I spent a lot of happy youthful hours in poolrooms, chiefly in Augusta, Ga., and saw many such colorful characters (and great players) pass through.

]]>