[JerseyBill]

Being one of his best friends I Know he liked to gamble. Four Seasons pool room which he owned he could often be found playing Mike Sica or one of the local players either one pocket, nineball, straight pool, three cushion, banks, one handed or any other game you can name. They didn't have a snooker table so he had to go a few miles to play.
He gave Hawaiian Brian the 7 , he played Grady Matthews nineball, one pocket and snooker. He played Buddy Hall in Detroit for a thousand or two nineball and WON! I could go on and on. Someone is confusing him with one of the champions that would go to a tournament and stay in his room the whole time so that he wouldn't be put in a position to play. Steve came out of his room, he'd play anyone when he was in his prime.
WHAT he didn't do often was HUSTLE. He didn't like to go around and hustle people for money, BUT he'd play anyone that he bumped into and just about anywhere. I could tell you twenty stories , but he's gone and they are stories.
In case anyone is trying to defame him because he didn't gamble, let me know, I'll try and arrange a game with he and you!

[pt109]

I wish he hadn't gambled....he got my cash at gin rummy.
In the 70's when he decided to play 9-ball he went on the road
betting his money to get used to the game.
A lot of people didn't like it.

[lou the greek]

I the early 90s whenever Steve was in town he used to come and play in the weekly handicapped 9ball tournament at West End Billiards in Elizabeth N.J, this tournament was like no other,players who competed regularly there were Rodney Morris,Tony Robles,Alan Hopkins,Jack Colavita, Neptune Joe Frady,Jimmy Fusco, Mike Lebron, and many others,one time even the great Efrem Reyes who happened to be in the NY city area came to play, one week I had the misfortune of drawing Steve in the 1st round, being a handicapped tournament Steve had to give me the 5, anyway everything goes my way, got every roll and then some, and I beat Steve 5-0, Steve the gentleman he was even though it was the luck that got him beat and not the great shooting by me, says to me nice shooting Louie,I proceed to lose my next match and had to play Steve again on the left side, he won the toss and proceeded to break and run 5 racks and out.

[The_Milkman]

Hi Jay, I saw Steve at Hard Times Sacramento. Just as regular a guy as could be and here this guy's a legend. Was he better than everyone from the beginning or was he relentlessly driven?

[accdealer]

Originally Posted by cdavis9771

Gambling for money is a totally diferent mentality than tournament playing. I know many gamblers that looked as if they could beat the best in the world. But when they play tournaments they just don't get the job done. There are some exceptions but percentage wise the tourney players come out on top. Just as when the tourney players try to gamble they dont fair as well. It is just a different mentallity.

efren is definitely more of a tournament player than a cash player.

oh wait, I think I have that backwards, definitely a better cash player than tournament player.

also, mike sigel, nick varner, allen Hopkins, buddy hall and the list goes on of players that you wouldn't want to be on the business end of in either a tournament or for the cheese

[accdealer]

steve came to emerald city billiards in s. jersey one night to matchup with the owner eddie Sheehan, a very good player in his own right and a character.

so before the coin toss, I suppose in an effort to shark steve, he says, 'you sure you don't want a big mac or something before we get started?'

don't remember the outcome, I was just a kid and probably went home shortly after they started playing. but it was a pretty funny joke, and also it was an honor to meet the miz.

[mr3cushion]

Originally Posted by jay helfert

I'm not saying Steve never gambled, but it was not his M.O. He had a lot of pride and wouldn't let anyone woof at him. I never say him play for high stakes or heard of it either. I don't know about his match with Shannon, but knowing Shannon, he might have tried to stir Steve up. And Steve might have gone for it. In a sitiuation like that, I would have bet on Steve. He had a lot of pride, and was a fierce competitor.

Jay; I'll relay this story to you since you probably know more about me and my reputation gambling than anyone else involved in this thread.

I don't exactly remember the year, but, Steve had just opened his first room in NJ, Metuchen, I think. I was on the road on the East coast with, New York "Pancho" and Jimmy Fusco, between the 3 of us we had all the, "pool room" games covered.

Myself being the 3 cushion player, and Pancho being one of the BEST instigators in the world, sort of embarrassed Steve into playing me some 3 Cushion. He had a brand NEW GC billiard table, along with all the rest of his NEW equipment in the room!

It was about 10 pm when we started to play, 25 points for $500.00. Two games later, Steve pulled up, He did have someone there that went in with him, don't know who.

It was about 45 minutes from closing, and Jimmy and Steve were trying to make a game, actually, the REAL reason we were there. Me playing the 3 cush was just insurance money! Jimmy and Steve decided on Steve getting 9-8, Steve said, " The Brunswick people gave him a NEW GC 2 for his home, they would play there after the room closed. We all went to Steve's home, including the guy who bet on him in the 3c match.

They started out for $300.00 a game, after a 1 hour or so, Jimmy was up a few games. Steve suggested since it was getting late, they play a set, race to 4 for a Gnote, if Jimmy would play him, 10-8, 9-8, the game was on! I have to mention this, and with NO disrespect to Steve. After the first couple of games, Steve couldn't pocket a ball 4 feet away! Jimmy had broke him down a little, I don't think Steve was used to bunting the cue ball, he was used to letting out his stroke! They only played the one set, the side better had enough, and Steve was a little tired.

So we WON, almost $3,000.00 for the night, and on to the next score.

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"

[tenball007]

I saw miz in Dallas at Rustys in the the early 80s.He had a shot where he had to make a ball and launch the cue ball off the end rail then roll under another 9 ft. then roll across that deep ass shag carpet to hit a ball on the floor by a guys leg .Got 20 to one odds and then asked for more bets on the 19 th miss.Damn if he didnt nail it.Brought the house down.

[80P]

Originally Posted by jay helfert

Larry beat Steve in One Pocket when Steve knew nothing about the game. He hustled him and Larry was one of the best hustlers ever. Got me once too. After this Steve determined to learn how to play One Hole and eventually became one of the best at it as well. In fact, I believe Steve beat Larry in the only tournament One Pocket match they ever played in Philly.

Great story, thanks jay. I always enjoy reading these

[itsfroze]

=============

[mikemosconi]

Originally Posted by bchilton

I once watched him play a match in Huntsville, Allabama against Johnny Tona. Mizerak finished the match with a score of minus 1 after only one inning at the table. Johnny had over a 100 ball run. This was around 1986.

I played with Johnny Tona at his own room in Huntsville in 1990. Tona was already about 65 years old then. He traveled for Brunswick in the 50s and early 60s courtesy of Mosconi- they were friends. Tona was a GREAT 14.1 player - a Sicilian - also played country western fiddle a a professional - how is that for a life's work- pool player and country western musician- and Sicilian to boot! He told me stories of him playing with Mizerak in the 80s Tona's standard gambling game in 14.1 was that he played you 100 to 40 points. I NEVER beat him at that game!

Sad story he told me- his wife hustled HIM out of his own house when she hooked up with a Real Estate broker and they sold the house from under him via title scheme- he lost everything in 1988- he ended up selling his Balabushka that Irving Crane had made for him by George for $5,000 in 1988- needed the money- played with a Falcon cue after that, Johnny played in the 1989 US OPEN 14.1 in Chicago- that is where I met him. Real nice guy- would gamble big 9 ball as well in his home room in the 1980s.

[kkdanamatt]

Originally Posted by xianmacx

I know Steve is mainly known for his tournaments and exhibitions but Im sure in his younger days he was a big gambler....Lets hear some of those stories.
________
silversurfer reviews

I saw Steve gamble during the height of the days at West End Billiards in Elizabeth, NJ during the 1980's and 1990's. He wasn't always the winner and I never saw him in very high stake games.

Country told me that he beat Steve in One-Pocket and Blackjack.
Country got weight in One Pocket (don't remember the numbers).
Playing Blackjack, Country was the house and Steve lost $1500 in one session and quit.

[nick serdula]

Then let him take a loan out on his Balabushka for a bus ticket. Weeks later Steve came back for the Cue. He said I can't believe you aren't keeping the Cue. Dick said What the F would I want that thing for? Hits like crap
Willie told Steve whatever you do, do not play that man straight. He forgot about nineball I guess.
Steve had a gamblers heart. But you have to ask when you can play like that! Batter up.
Nick

[JerseyBill]

Steve did in fact gamble but largely for other peoples money. He had a partner in the Four Seasons pool room in Metuchen N.J. named Goose. Goose was well off and staked Steve anytime he wanted to play. Most of the people in that area didn't really want any part of Steve. He was indeed a truly GREAT player.
On occasion he would dabble with Allen Hopkins and Allen held his own a lot of the time. I'm sure it wasn't a large amount of money but it kept them both sharp. This was in the early eighties at the time I hung out in that poolroom even though it was quite a drive from my house.
On a week when there was a worlds straight pool tournament in New York being held
you could see a whose who of players in Steves Pool room. He would match up with a few of the guys and if by chance a good player came in that didn't know them he might end up gambling with a Mike Sigel or the like.
One of the memorable games there was when Hawaiian Brian came to town. Steve tried to give him the 7 in nineball and for most of the day Steve was ahead. Eventually Brian got even at the end of the day.
Another memorable game I remember was Steve in the Rack, a poolroom in Detroit. Paul Mottey and I were friends with Steve and we egged him on to play Buddy Hall a set for about a thousand. Steve ended up winning a close match.
That amount was probably an exception for Steve, but he did enjoy playing for money.

[JerseyBill]

steve read what i wrote. they dont know first hand.