Story courtesy of USBA.net

The first three-cushion tournament in Dubuque, Iowa, in a hundred years was won by Fred Lamers of Andover, Minnesota. Lamers defeated Jose Lupe Cruz of Des Moines, Iowa, in the deciding game 25-13 in 21 innings.

The tournament was held in the magnificent billiard room of the Masonic Temple on three 1932 Brunswick tables recently reconditioned with Kleber rubber from Germany and Simonis cloth from Belgium. The tournament was dedicated to the memory of Welker Cochran, Iowa’s other Hall-of-Famer and many times world champion in three-cushion and balkline. Eighteen players were divided into three flights of six for round-robin play. Each flight was assigned one of the three strongest players (Lamers, Cruz, and John Jacobson of Marshalltown, Iowa), the rest were assigned by blind draw.

To view PDF file of Charts, click on the name of the flight:

Flight A: Cruz sailed through flight A undefeated with an average of .718 and a high run of 8. A surprising second was Dave Coan of St. Paul, Minn., who got into the tournament at the last minute when two players and the first two alternates withdrew.

Flight B: In flight B, Lamers was upset 25-19 by James Richards of Milwaukee, Wisc., but won his other four games easily to finish first, averaging .735. Also finishing with a record of 4-1 was Nam Cho of Madison, Wisc., who averaged .581 and had a high run of 8. The hard-luck player in the flight was Richards, who lost only two games, one to Cho 25-23 and one to Gary Eake of Oshkosh, Wisc., by the same score.

Flight C: The seeded player in flight C was Jacobson, who lived up to his rating by going undefeated, averaging .616. Finishing second at 4-1was Tom Paley of Fenton, Missouri, who edged tournament director Bob Byrne 25-24 and lost only to Jacobson by two points. Third in the flight was Doug Taber, a history professor at Wayne State University in Nebraska.

Finals: The finals began at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday with a major upset, Cho over Jacobson 25-19 in 36 innings. Cruz and Lamers had easy wins. In the second round, both Lamers and Cruz held their opponents to 10 points while Jacobson edged Paley 25-22.

Finalists (L to R): Lupe Cruz, John Jacobson, Tom Paley, Robert Byrne (host), Nam Cho, Fred Lamers and Dave Coan.

Another upset occurred in the third round when Paley edged Cruz 25-23 in 43 innings. A crucial match was Lamers versus Jacobson with Lamers pinning a second defeat on Jacobson, 25-20 in 37 innings.

In the second-to-last round, a key matchup was Jacobson, already with two losses, taking on Cruz, who had lost only to Paley. It was Cruz 25-20 in 34 innings. Lamers, helped by a run of 8, crushed Cho 25-12.

In the fifth and final round Lamers, at 4-0 faced Cruz, 3-1. To win the tournament, Cruz had to win the game and hold Lamers to 23 points or less. A 25-24 win for Cruz wouldn’t be enough because both players would then have 4-1 records and Lamers would win the tournament on total points by a single point. The game was never close, as Lamers ran 3 on the break and stayed in the lead throughout. Cruz crept to within four at 17-13, then Lamers clicked off 5 in a row and took the game 25-13.

Lamers averaged .880 in the finals and had a best game of 1.250 in beating Paley 25-6. (In the prelims, his best game was 25-11 over Cho in only 15 innings.) Cruz took second with a record of 3-2 and a grand average of .707. Despite an average of only .464 (two one-sided losses to Lamers and Cruz took their toll), Cho took 3rd at 3-2. Following were Jacobson and Paley at 2-3 and Coan, 0-5.

Lamers won $600 for his first-place finish along with $50 for high run in the finals (8) and $50 for best game in the finals (1.250). Cruz won $500 for finishing 2nd.

Top 3 Finishers (L to R): Nam Cho (3rd), Fred Lamers (1st) and Jose “Lupe” Cruz (2nd)

The prize fund of $2,200 was formed by the entry fees of 100 from each player, $100 from the Minneapolis Billiard Club, $100 from the U.S.B.A, $100 from cuemaker Dennis Dieckman (who contributed his entry fee after have to withdraw) $50 from Ed Wedge and $50 from Bob Byrne. Thom Determan supplied an ice chest and kept it supplied with soft drinks. Gary Eake handled the record-keeping, printing out charts after every round.

The players enjoyed the venue and the town and were glad to hear that the Dubuque Open will be an annual event.

Read Dubuque article 1

Read Dubuque article 2

USBA Tournament and Event Calendar

USBA Player Rankings

Saturday, June 26 at 7:30p.m.

Ice cold soda pops… $.50

Candy bars… $.75

Pool for non-members… $10

The usual suspects and their antics… priceless

When: October 1-3, 2010

Limited to 18 players.
20 or 25 point games in prelim, based on number of players.
Finals will be 25 point games.

Must be USBA member to play.

$105 entry fee
100% payback
$$$ will be added

Advancement to finals based on W/L, total points, head-to-head

Players’ Meeting: Friday, October 1 @ 10:00a.m.

Submit entries by September 22, 2010

Send to:
Minneapolis Billiard Club
1101 Stinson Blvd. NE
Mpls. MN 55413
Contact: Fred Lamers
Fred.Lamers [at] yahoo [dot] com
(763)300-6370

MBC shirt sales have been great and the first run is sold out save 2 medium white/red shirts.  They run a little roomy.  Do big for Wiebs, just right for F-Bomb. Get ‘em while you can and if you’re bigger or smaller than a Medium, place your orders now.  The next run will go into production next week.

The Diamond 9 footer has been recovered with Aqua-Marine Simonis 860 and excellent new ballistic nylon with leather upper drop pockets have been installed.  Sounds like a track shoe. Come on in and try it out.  Fancy folds on the side pockets Fred!  Photos coming soon…

A record number of seven MBC players are making their way via three cars and a limousine to Marshalltown, IA for the Spring Fling Billiard Tournament.

Good luck!

Freddy

This report is not complete, as it is part of an “On-Going” investigation into the background and current activities of this organization (Gang).

We had hired a semi-secret investigative team that is reputed to be direct descendents of “Bulldog” Drummond. Their names were given as Bailey and Dailey Drummond. Since our meetings usually take place after midnight, I keep my hand in my pocket, on you know what. No, not that, my gun stupid. They came dressed in belted trench coats with fedora hats and dark glasses. I am pretty sure one of them is a girl, but I don’t know which one. Trust was scarce.

The three subjects hang around a semi-secret carom club called the Minneapolis Billiard Club, (Do you believe that), in the Broadway-Stinson neighborhood. All three of them claim to be owner/operators. This club is close to Interstate Highway 35 where there is always some construction going on, in case they have to bury something, late at night. I had to ask some dubious characters for directions. They kept glancing over their shoulders, mumbled and refused to make eye contact. Advice, if you go to the club, park under a street light and leave a trail of bread crumbs back to your car.

The first guy is bogus. Goes by the name of Tim Gardner. The name is an obvious “Non’de Plume” as he didn’t know the first thing about gardens; he has known associates in the Billiard/Carom world and has no apparent source of employment. The second one is also fishy. The name he goes by is Rene Ducret, so is usually referred to as “Frenchy” or “The Frenchman”. One club patron referred to him as just “French Fried”, but this, was immediately dismissed, as it could not be backed up with any evidence. These two

Nefarious bozos are still under investigation. The local police were quoted, “Who? Oh they aren’t worth our time, most of our budget is tied up in high stakes bingo and pull-tab investigation”. We, however, are still following up, as there seems to be some fire under the smoke.

The third member of this group has a history and is known as “Fast Freddy” Lamers. He claims to be from a large family and that one of his brothers is a cop, but since he looks Italian, and casual visitors have been observed bowing down and kissing his fathers ring, we are highly suspicious about what it means when he says “Family”.

One of our sources is a murky character known as “Doc”. We are pretty sure he is no Doctor, as he didn’t seem to know an aspirin from a mustard plaster. Background reports show a four year, top secret, underground connection with the United States Air Force (early sixties) followed by two years at various Government facilities including NASA and then four years at the NSA in the late sixties, but any expansion on that info was like stealing a pork chop from a coon hound. Our crack investigative team said, “there was spurious threats, knife waving, random shots and dirty language involved, we had to beat it”.

Doc claims, (drugs and a little known ice cream torture were used to extract this info from him), he met Freddy in the late 80’s when he pulled a small hustle by getting a 4-point spot, “On The Wire” in a Race to 10 at 3 cushions. Freddy, a quick learner broke that action down to. “The next time you get any spot from me it will be a tattoo on your forehead. Doc admitted that currently Freddy beats him about 3 to one at three cushions, so Doc doesn’t need that action either. Freddy got even a few months later during one lazy afternoon, in a game of, “Whatchu-wan-do”, 9-ball, race to 5; Doc was running away at 4 to zip when he tripped and Freddy got out. With the score at 4 to 1 Freddy made the 9-ball, “On-The-Break” and also on the next four breaks in a row leaving Doc standing there trying to think up new names bad enough to call him. Later in the 90’s Doc and Freddy along with three others formed a gang called “Doc’s Dawgs”, an 8-ball team. The other three were “Mick” Ramola, Denny “The Dog” Amundson, Wayne “The Rosedale Flash”, (Who Plays For Cash) Miller, and Shawn “Double Jump” Oglesbee. A side member of that team, just for fun, was called “the Coach”; He played in the NFL, for the New Orleans Saints as Wayne Beske, (Yeah, Right). We were all in Eveleth, Minnesota playing in the VNEA State 8-Ball Championship. During the course of play, Denny “The Dog” ran out to win a match game and “The Coach”, in front of the whole tournament crowd, held out his hands, as if grasping Denny’s shoulders and thrusting his pelvis sexually, Loudly Proclaimed, “That is My Roomy”. Denny’s face still gets red when reminded of this, unforgettable vigorous display of sports (or sex) ardor.

It was about in this same era that an unemployed Freddy was making all his expenses, for about a year, by winning weekly 8 and 9-ball tournaments all over the Twin Cities. His pocket billiard speed, at that time, was such that a few promoters would not accept his entries as he was, “Too Good” or had won, “Too Often”. Freddy saw the proverbial “Hand Writing On The Wall” And since coincidentally he got tricked into a real job, Freddy gave up a promising career as a “Professional” Pool Player and has been trapped in that working gig ever since. Some thought he was smarter than that, but he eats better now.

The old poolroom joke is, “How does a medium pizza compare to a professional pool Player? Neither one can feed a family of four”.

The gang slowly broke up. Denny and wife Irene semi retired to a Golf resort in western Kentucky where Denny plays golf as much as he can stand, but he doesn’t play pool, (There is only one commercial pool table in town and it is at the American Legion) and he doesn’t drink either as he is in one of Kentucky’s DRY Counties. Doc swears that Irene makes the best damn Biscuits and Sausage Gravy he has ever eaten. Never argue with a Fat guy about food. Okay, Denny actually isn’t retired, but you know how Doc lies, and since he doesn’t work very hard. Well you know, just enough to keep up with his Wal-Mart Credit Card, and a bookie or two. Mick Ramola just disappeared. Rumors that his wife left him buried under an interstate or maybe a building foundation are just rumors, we think. Shawn Oglesbee married a cutie pie named Candice and they are raising babies wholesale. The “Rosedale Flash” is still floating around the 8-Ball world. He is often quoted, “All I ask for is a fair spot”. When questioned, he always claimed he was in the automotive business, but the infamous Denny Hecker says, I never heard of him, and he can sue me for those bonuses.  Mister Kline of Kline Auto World said, “Wayne Who”? Doc, his self, is one of those mythical characters who is part Ghost, part Legend (in his own mind), you decide. Just like “The Shadow”, you never know for sure. He is rumored to be somewhere out around a town called, (wait till you hear this) Coon Rapids!!! The Coach disappeared somewhere up into middle Minnesota. Some says that he is hiding out from an organized crime “Contract”. Good Luck with that Coach.

With the exception of the Coach, who is out of touch, and Mr. Oglesbee, who seems to have drifted into a more legitimate life style, the other four continue to be involved in spurious unidentified random activities at various locations, Las Vegas, Louisville, Spring Lake Park, Minneapolis, Iowa (different cities). There seems to be a strange bond at work Amongst Freddy, Doc, Wayne and Denny. Even though they have drifted away from organized weekly activity, and claim not to know each other, there seems to be random unscheduled actions involving two or more of them, through out any given year that is hard to pin down. When discussing any past, or future events and/or escapades, there is a hard to identify aura that creeps in to that discussion. We are trying to determine, what are they up to? If questioned directly, the investigator is met with the infamous “Thousand Yard Stare” and a small smile. A common denial is, “ I haven’t seen them guys for years”

Freddy always said, “Doc is the biggest damn (liar) pool story teller I know”. Doc says, “Think about it, why tell a story if it isn’t true, unless your telling jokes”, which is a whole new category. Doc, when pressed, Said, “I can spot most guys the 7 and the break when it comes to pool stories, But Freddy is a scratch player in that story telling game, and it’s “6 to 5 and Pick-em” when he and I match up”. Doc was also heard to mumble, “He is so full of poop, his eyes are brown”. When they get together, and square off, it’s stand back and listen, what you hear is fact & history, except for maybe a lie or two!!!

Freddy’s wife, Stacy, poor girl, she has at least as bad an aptitude at picking men as Doc’s wife, and we all know what Martie got stuck with. Stacy is not only a decent pool player, and damn good looking, but she and Freddy are also playing “Let’s Make Babies” and they seem to be good at it. Doc’s attractive wife has to put up with puzzled looks and has had to explain, “No he is not my dad”. Some times she just says, “How about those Vikings”.

The Minneapolis Billiard Club has risen above the so-called owners reputations to a respectable place in our Billiard Society. It has to be experienced to be appreciated. What have these three guys put together? It is more than Carom & Pocket Billiards. It is life, camaraderie, ambiance, atmosphere and a sense of, “Damn, do I feel at home here”, with all our part time friends. When you walk in, (don’t forget your bread crumbs to get back to the car), You are greeted by, the classic, “Hi, How you Do’ in”, or Doc’s favorite, “Whatchu know good”. The correct answer to Doc is “All the time, just the same, not much”.

Would you believe these guys sell pop and candy on the Honor System?? I was beating them pretty good on that game when they put the arm on me to help pay for the Pizza. Since I had two pieces in my hand, one in my vest pocket and was chewing on a fourth, I graciously kicked in five bucks. They gave a pointed stare at the empty pop cans and opened candy wrappers under my chair, but I think I skated, as I gave back an innocent gaze, and mumbled, “recycling is a must”.

During the course of this investigation, when I had to actually go into the club, I felt a warm welcome and satisfied when leaving. I did get hustled out of thirteen dollars & sixty five cents playing something called 3 ball and my wallet is missing and it took three hours to find my car, but damn did I have fun!

I will provide a short list of known associates that the casual customer should avoid; Rich, John, Eric, Dennis, Matt, Mike, Donny, Sam, Andy, Troy, and unnamed others. At least one of the members on the previous list is working undercover for the DEA, one for the CIA and another for the FBI. CR Billiards and The Two Stooges, were also represented. At least one of them is also a female, but when you line them all up it is impossible to pick her out. You will realize that in that group, she would be a real “Bow Wow”. Since they all Woofed a little, I could not use looks as criteria.

One very attractive young lady, (Just call me “Honey”), insisted that I play 8-ball with her and since I was winning, she racked the balls. She kept insisting that I check her rack to see if it was okay. My opinion, it was okay, Wink, Wink. I think there was a clothing malfunction, as while casually glancing at the triangle full of pool balls I couldn’t help but observe, above her low cut sagging blouse, a beautiful valley between two gentle sloping hills leading to what was probably a navel installation (damn my military background), area further down that valley. I was so overcome by the landscape topography that I got dizzy. The young lady was very nice, helped me sit down and gave me gentle massage as I tried to compose myself. Damn did she smell good. She also seemed to feel good, all over, better than anywhere else. Analytical reflection later made me realize that as she walked me out to the door, still giving various light massage, this is probably when my wallet disappeared.

Further reports will be generated as info trickles in.

This report has been prepared by,
Lamont Cranston,
AKA The Shadow, AKA the Doctor

“Remember, thank those people who bring food or bring something yourself so you can thank yourself. There is parking on Stinson if the alley is full and a door also just north of the big tree. The wise ones show up early and don’t need to park on the street. I’ll be there by 5pm.”
~ “Fast Freddy” Lamers

“You are not doing anything more fun that night anyway so go down to the club and hit some balls, play some cards, have some food and win some money.”

~ “Fast Freddy” Lamers

Click Here to Check Them Out

For anyone that calls at 7:45p.m., the answer is “yes we started but show up anyway.”

“The usual set-up and mix of players and clowns will be there, the pot-luck is always great but the cards are not! I’ll be there for easy action as always before and after, see ya at the club.”  Freddy L.