Such big-time players always drew spectators - the railbirds, they called them - and these railbirds would crowd around the end of the tables, sometimes balancing on their heels to afford themselves a better view of the action. There have been plenty of others, too - even world-class players from overseas - and so it was always wise to know who was who and what was what when you were invited to play for money at the Cue & Cushion. I remember watching when guys like Corey Deuel and Jeremy Jones strolled in, looking to make games. “It was a great pool hall, having been a favorite haunt of Jersey Red, John “Duke” Dowell, Texas Bob and a cast of colorful others. It is still there.” Cue & Cushion, Houston, Texas, R.A. Hat stores, which has been fitting cowboy hats since 1933 at the same location. Right next door to the burlesque house was Peters Bros. I never went upstairs before checking out the photos of the dancers that week. These were girls with feather boas wrapped around their waists and chests. The burlesque place had photos of dancers in glass frames on the walls in front of the place. It was located in downtown Fort Worth on Houston Street on the second floor over a burlesque house. Ask around, old timers probably remember the pool hall. I came back later when I was 16 and 17 and hustled pool there. This was an open-bay pool room with dozens of tables where you played for 60 cents an hour. “When I was a teen-ager in Fort Worth, I had an uncle who introduced me to Texas Recreation in downtown Fort Worth. Unfortunately, I never had much talent for playing pool.” Texas Recreation, Fort Worth,Texas, Big Daddy
BOULEVARD BILLIARDS POOL HALL PHILADELPHIA HOW TO
My dad would bring me to Allinger’s on the weekends and teach me how to shoot pocket billiards. Many of the famous players came to Allinger’s: Willie Hoppe and Willie Mosconi for example. In addition to helping to manage the place, my father did most of the repairs and maintenance of the billiard tables. The business was managed by Sam Ross and his family: Martin Ross, Louis Ross, Jerry Ross, Jay Ross and my father, Irving Polsky. “My Grandfather, Sam Ross, owned Allinger’s probably from about 1945 until it closed. When I graduated from college and started working for a living, pool left my life for 40 years, during which time Allinger’s quietly closed up forever.” Allingers, Philadelphia, Rayna Polksy I remember the going rate was a dime a rack, pretty good money in those days.Īllinger’s was a Philly landmark, the high holy place of pool south of New York City. Bang your stick on the floor a couple of times, yell ‘RACK!’ and a little black girl would scurry over and rack ’em for you, for tips. You could rack your own, of course, but if you could also get help. The strongest memory I have of Allinger’s was the rack girls. The floors were all bare wood planks, and I remember that the place wasn’t a high example of cleanliness, but there seemed to be a high degree of orderliness. Inside, right in front of the counter, was the main action table, with a prominent sign proclaiming ‘NO GAMBLING’, but of course that was just for show. It was on the second floor, but since whatever was on the first floor had really high ceilings, the climb up the stairs to Allinger’s was long and narrow, and it wasn’t unusual to pass a few bums hiding out from the weather. “I remember Allingers! I played there a few times in the late ’50s, early ’60s, when I was still in school.
I have recently picked up the game again and I now know that he was actually at the top of his game when he signed my cue!” Allinger’s, Philadelphia, Michael McCafferty He did, and I still have the cue and the pen. I then sanded off a section on the top of the butt, bought a Parker ink pen and asked Mr. “In 1963 or 64 I bought a Willie Hoppe special (Brunswick) cue through the owner (a kindly, short, bald-headed man). I was just starting to play pool and my friend pointed him out to me as a great player, although at the time I really didn’t realize HOW great a player. As you know this is where Wimpy played when in town, and it is where I saw him ( I still have a perfect vision of that white head standing out in the dimness along the left wall watching the goings-on). Elmos pool hall (2nd floor, a few buildings up from the YMCA). “When I was in the navy (1961-1965) I was stationed in Norfolk ,VA and played pool every minute I had at St.
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