An Amiable Bear
Eddie Taylor
Eddie Taylor defeats Lassiter in TV playoff for all-around crown
The 1964 World All-Around Pool title finally dropped into the paws of the Knoxville Bear, a smile-crinkled bachelor of 46 whose real name is Eddie Taylor. Taylor, the affable, placid Southerner defeated two-time champion Wimpy Lassiter in a three-division playoff which can be seen on ABC Television’s Wide World of Sports late this month.
Taylor won nine straight matches in one-pocket, his specialty to earn the right to avenge his loss to Lassiter in the 1963 playoff.
The bear jumped off to an early lead when he defeated Wimpy, 11 to 6, in the nine ball division. He thus became the first player in Jansco annals to defeat Lassiter in a playoff match. Lassiter whipped Marshall “The Squirrel” Carpenter three straight matches in 1963 and swept his playoff matches again in 1964 with Taylor.
The defending champion predictably bounced back in the straight pool match, burying Taylor 125 to 14. The drawling courtly hypochondriac from Elizabeth City, N.J., – forever complaining about his traditional gall bladder, sinus and stomach maladies – ran 74 balls, 18 and 33 and out. Taylor had two brief runs of seven each.
Lassiter backers suddenly became scarce as the playoff moved into the one-pocket division. The first game lasted an hour as Lassiter and the Bear battled frenetically for an opening. The score was 5-5 when Wimpy scratched and opened the gate for Taylor’s first playoff victory.
The champion rebounded and eventually tied Taylor at three games each. But Wimpy was finally done in by the Bear’s obvious superiority in the deciding game. After a desultory beginning, in which both players frittered away opportunities, Taylor ran nine balls to win the one-pocket division – and the title.
“It’s just a game,” said Lassiter, the philosophical loser, “It’s not a matter of life and death.”
The Bear got his nickname something no self respecting hustler would be without – some years ago in Hot Springs. Utley Puckett, a former pug from Texas who turned hustler, told some Taylor admirers, “I’d sooner tangle with one of those Smokey Mountain Bears as Eddie,” The tag stuck.
Eddie first picked up a cue when he was seven years old.
“My father was a pretty good player and he used to bring me along. When he’d go to the rest room, I’d just crawl up on the edge of the table and take a couple of shots.”
By the time he was ten, Taylor was spending most of his time in pool rooms.
“I’d keep one eye open for my mom and the other for the cops. If either one showed up, I’d just pack up my stick and head for the next room.”
After a “week long celebration”, Taylor said he was heading back to Washington, D.C., where he presides in smiling respectability over the Golden Cue Lounge.
Although he forfeited his crown of two years, ex-champion Lassiter was consoled by $3,900 in prizes–$1,400 more than the new “all around” titlist.
Lassiter won the $1,500 straight pool division in a playoff with Eddie Kelly, a young dancing instructor from Baltimore, Md. Both players were tied with 6-1 records, but Lassiter crushed Kelly 125-62 in the go for broke match.
Lassiter also picked up $1,500 for winning the nine-ball division and $600 for his third place finish in one pocket.
Taylor’s $2,500 total included $1,500 from the one pocket title and $1,000 for winning the championship playoff.
Although off his game, Wimpy’s wit was as sharp as ever.
Studying a difficult shot during a nine-ball game, he said: “Just wait ’till I find my spot–it takes time.”
He then missed the shot. “Well I kept looking and looking–no spot.”
During a match with Weenie Beenie (Bill Staton of Washington, D.C.) Wimpy cracked: “My kidney is killing me–I should massacre this guy.”
A character who calls himself International Nickel made perhaps the choicest remark of the entire Jansco extravaganza. He was engaged in a match for $40 in that special back room reserved by the Janscos for “action.”
“Please don’t ever mention this,” he implored. “Think of my reputation.”
TOP PRIZE WINNERS
L. Lassiter, Elizabeth City, N.C. $3,900.00
Eddie Taylor, Knoxville, Tenn. $2,500.00
Eddie Kelly, Baltimore, Md. $1,700.00
Bill Staton, Washington, D.C. $1,600.00
Harold Worst, Grand Rapids, Mich. $1,500.00
Cicero Murphy, Brooklyn, N.Y. $900.00
Danny Jones, Atlanta, Ga. $800.00
Jack Breit, Houston, Texas $800.00