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Old Posted Jan 13, 2012, 8:47 PM
alittle1 alittle1 is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 446
Shooting Pool in the 'Peg

Ah, nothing was finer than taking Friday afternoons off to go shooting pool. I did this for about three years. I started out getting a note from my Mother, so I could go to the Doctor or Dentist, coupled with the 'was sick' notes to the school. I later started my own collection, in which I ranged from, taking care of a sick aunt; to having to go out of town. I was the comic relief for the teachers of my school, I'm sure they were taking bets on what I would come up with next. I even made the mistake one day of getting my dates mixed up and showing up for class to their amazement; " what are you doing here?"

In my younger day I used to troll the pool rooms from downtown to the 'burbs, looking for a new game. I played with the old guys at King George, down in the basement behind Mitchell-Copp on Hargreave. Waiting and watching for a couple of weeks, while I learned the game of 'skittles' from the English masters. I was called in to play when one of the regs didn't show up. It was a game that made you understand, weight, angles and banks.

I played the basement at Saratoga and watched the great one's hone their skills on the best that Winnipeg had to offer. When Vic, 'the stick' Johnstone brought Chenier to town in the early 60's, Brunswick's Glamour Boy dazzled the wannabee's with his trick shots and brisk style of play during the day. At night, when the paying customers where gone, the real money games started. I can still remember seeing Georges sitting in silence as Merle D ran the table on him, re-racked, and ran the table to the 5 ball, George just walked over and put a G-note in Merle's hand and said good night.

There was the Strand on Garry, next to the Garrick theatre. A very productive pool room that catered to the office worker at noon, the street kids in the afternoon and the 'Fedora- crew' at night. The 'commish' was just around the corner at Ellice and Donald where everyone stopped at before dropping in to shoot stick. The small snack shop at the front did a brisk business selling bars, gum, smokes and mix, while it was open till 10, everything was available for players when required. The big tables offered plenty of room to stretch, the felt was tight and groomed, the cushions were live and it was home for several years. Practice was a two bucks an hour, and any prospects for a game that the proprietor found for you, ended up with a 'fin' or a 'saw-buck' in the corner pocket for ole Bill. Valet parking was available if you had a good night and the Rupert Street street car was there for those who didn't keep the peace.

One of the nicer two table pool halls was AAC on Arlington at Flora. Pop's on Tache was convenient until the Big Snow of Feb./60 caved in the roof. Esquire and the 'Rio' were nice downtown halls that catered to the workingman. It would be a sin if I didn't mention Obee's Pool Hall, a North End Tradition.
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