Johnston City and Minnesota Fats: A Chat with Karen Fox

Johnston City and Minnesota Fats: A Chat with Karen Fox

Karen Fox, widow of Sports Illustrated writer Tom Fox, was there during the ’61 Johnston City tournament. Karen Fox Karen Fox, the widow of Sports Illustrated writer Tom Fox, recounts just below how her late husband came to author what would become one of the most important articles in the history of 20th Century pool. Tom Fox’s “A Hustler’s Holiday in the Lion’s...
Marshall “Tuscaloosa Squirrel” Carpenter dead at 92

Marshall “Tuscaloosa Squirrel” Carpenter dead at 92

Legendary OnePocket player Helped Organize First Johnston City Tournament. Legendary one-pocket player Marshall Carpenter, better known to the pool world as The Tuscaloosa Squirrel, passed away April 5 in his namesake hometown. He was 92. Marshall “The Tuscaloosa Squirrel” Carpenter, right, with Wimpy Lassiter in Johnston City, Illinois, 1963. Born Feb. 9, 1928, Carpenter was the...
Rare Photo of Ralph Greenleaf’s widow, the Princess Nai Tai Tai

Rare Photo of Ralph Greenleaf’s widow, the Princess Nai Tai Tai

The Bank Shot and Other Great Robberies, by Tom Fox. My long-time friend Karen Fox recently sent me this lovely photo, above, of Amelia Greenleaf, the then-widow of billiard champion Ralph Greenleaf, chatting with Karen’s late husband, Tom Fox. Greenleaf is remembered now as one of the very best pool players in American history. Tom was a successful newspaper columnist and the co-author of...
BCA Hall of Fame: Janscos Inducted Posthumously

BCA Hall of Fame: Janscos Inducted Posthumously

The legendary promoters were posthumously honored with 2019 BCA Hall of Fame induction. By R.A. Dyer It was in a nothing poolroom 300 miles from nowhere, a nothing poolroom with concrete walls, bleachers and overshot with the mingled odors of beer, cigarettes and desperation. For respectable pool players, the 1961 tournament at Johnston City’s too-hopefully named “Show Bar”...

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Hustler & the Champ on Kindle

R.A. Dyer's critically acclaimed biography of Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats available in hardback or Kindle.

Expanded edition of Hustler Days

Biography of Lassiter, Fats and Jersey Red, released originally in 2003, now updated with expanded content.

Pool History in Billiards Digest

R.A. Dyer writes about a startling new Minnesota Fats discovery in the November edition of Billiards Digest.

Dyer featured in documentary

R.A. Dyer appears in Swimming with Sharks documentary, included in the 50th anniversary edition of The Hustler.

Janscos Inducted into Hall of Fame

Pool promoters George and Paulie Jansco receive posthumous induction. Read R.A. Dyer's story.