FreddytheBeard

World Champion Alex Lely and "The Dutch Voice" Pepijn de Wit share their Freddy the Beard Derby City inspired poem that they read at the Hague 5 Netherland's anniversary party. One thing's for certain, the Dutch love pool and Freddy the Beard!

Never before seen interview of Freddy the Beard at Derby City in January, 2014

Never before seen interview of Freddy the Beard at Derby City Classic in January, 2014

"I learn gaffes, avoid traps, and never act like a lamb. I learn gaffes, avoid traps, and never act like a lamb because of my father." - Cat Bentivegna Adami, The Pool Hustler's Daughter

From left to right - Frank Bentivegna, Theresa Bentivegna and Freddy "The Beard" Bentivegna

Pool  Hustler's Daughter flashback of Christmas Eve's Feast of The Seven Fishes dinner at Freddy the Beard's house on the south side of Chicago.

John Brown was an old time Chicago "sweater" loved by The Beard.

World level player, snooker champion and Beard student, Lee Brett, relaunches his brand, American Hustler, after beating Hustler Magazine and nightclub owner Larry Flynt in court over the trademark. Lee stayed with the Beard in Chicago to receive lessons and his pool name!

The Beard always paid his respects to the greats before him and his basement training facility in Chicago doubled as a memorial and museum.

"I want to make note that Red's was a very, very large place. It contained a large disco, snack bar, many tables, etc. It would have taken a platoon of Navy SEALs to stick the joint up. There were hundreds of people in there 24 hours a day. Plus, probably 20% of everyone in there also had a gun." - Freddy the Beard, The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers

National Three-cushion champion in ’72 and ‘79 - Author of the two most famous One-pocket books. Eddie lived with Brooklyn Pancho in Florida to write his first three-cushion book while The Beard was there and hung out with Pancho's ex who hustled with the same style that Pancho did. The Beard served as a contributor to the one-pocket books. These books are priceless!

My Dad won a lot of money at the Racetrack. He cursed a lot there.  Racetrack people are similarly esoteric subterranean dwellers and sometimes overlap with pool room denizens. They’re just a group of people who’ve decided not to live life “not on the square.”

Minnesota Fats and Willie Mosconi, the trouble with hustlers and hangers, Freddy the Beard and finding my calling.

Romantic and Black and White Images of Pool Hustling by: Pepijn de Wit

One of Freddy the Beard's oldest friends, "Peaches"(here in Helaine Garren's photo) passed away just after his 88th birthday. Artie Bodendorfer, Onepocket.org Hall of Fame member called him, "One of the last Dinosaurs from Bensinger's, "A true bar room scuff! His views on life were Shakespearean." - Mr. Cue Bill Smith; "I knew Peaches and he was a rounder for sure and a stand up guy. R.I.P." - HOF Bill Incardona. George Fels captures Peaches in the attached article,"The Lamb Killers." Peaches was famous for bar tables and was known as a "non-hustler." You can find more on "Peaches" in "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers."

Catherine Bentivegna Adami, otherwise known as The Pool Hustler's Daughter will be attending The Writers Hotel Program in NYC this June to complete and shop her manuscript on her late father, Freddy 'the Beard' Bentivegna. This adventure of an American Folk Hero includes chapter titles, "Freddy in Hollywood," "Freddy on Love," and "Freddy and the Mob." Keep posted for publisher and release dates!

Thank you to Jerry Scott, who shared with us photos of his personalized Herman Rambow cues which he bought for $47 dollars 50 years ago. Herman Rambow can be found in "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers."

The Pool Hustler's Daughter meets Pulitzer prize winning Bensinger's Pool Hall denizen David Mamet!

Emmy Award Winner David Simon's "The Duece" is a story about the burgeoning porn industry in 1970 in NYC, but it's really a step back in time to old-school city living. When James Franco walks up the stairs and has to knock on the door of a pool hall to get let in by the "Houseman" to lay down a beating, the wide shot and camera following him throughout the dark, cavernous, smoky pool hall reminded me of my childhood. Just a gorgeous scene styled perfectly!!! Grateful for David Simon for alsso having his eyes and ears on the pulse of #subterranean America!

We all know the Sylvester Stallone photo of Vietnam Vet Rambo in sweaty bandanna and military green. Did you know about the famous Chicago Cuemaker named Rambow???

Hall of Fame Bank Player Truman Hogue by: Freddy the Beard Bentivegna

In honor of Keith McCready's well deserved induction into the Onepocket.org Hall of Fame 2018!

Keith is also one of the STARS of The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers!

Freddy the Beard teaches Banks in 2012 article from Crazy About Pool

15 minutes in, Efren credits Freddy the Beard for teaching him how to play one-pocket, "He taught me how to play one-pocket and every time he teach me, it cost me."

Fels explains how Freddy got Martin Scorsese to give him a part in "The Color of Money."

The first thing he ever said to me was, “Play some banks?,” and I knew at once this was no ordinary mortal. After all, no white man had ever asked me that before.

Enigmatic southern charmer who wrote "Confessions of a Pool Hustler" and inspired the film "Pool Hall Junkies."

George Fels was the popular, award winning columnist for Billiards Digest and best-selling author. George and the Beard were friends for over 50 years and had an intimacy over their love and understanding of pool and billiards.

Freddy 'the Beard' Bentivegna thought that "sanitizing" pool in the 1970's and 80's was the worst decision pool ever made. The authenticity of the characters of pool-American Folk Heroes-is what everybody loves.

USA in The Netherlands

A look at the influence of Freddy the Beard's Book, "Banking with the Beard" on Dutch pool players.

Grateful for the many reminders, like this one, of all of the people Freddy the Beard touched and taught in his lifetime. His memory lives on in players like these every day!

Freddy the Beard would like to congratulate our wonderful columnist, Pepijn de Wit on being crowned "The King of Banks" last week!

Dutch One-pocket promoter Pepijn de Wit new column, "King of Banks"

Pool-head blogger and One-pocket promoter Pepijn de Wit introduces us to the young Russians making a hit at Derby City!

Freddy the Beard Magazine sends our deepest condolences to the friends and family of American Billiard Radio Producer and Chicago Billiard Museum Curator, David Bond. From comforting me after the loss of my father, to raising money to buy a headstone for one of the greatest cue makers in Chicago, David was a "good egg" who loved pool and pool history like no one else. This is a tragic loss to the pool world. Hope you're having fun in heaven with all of your pool heroes, Mr. Bond. RIP

Hear about Pepijn's journey to Las Vegas from The Netherlands to play pool at Griff's and watch the Mosconi Cup!

"Staaf" by pool-head.com Blogger, Pepijn de Wit

Pool Hustler's Daughter reminisces about the bounty of two wonderful women who spoiled her as a child - including Barbra Reid(here with Jack Cooney) - the most famous woman in pool who doesn't play pool.

Learn about some of the history of the Dutch love of pool by it's champion, Pepijn de Wit

Kings and Queens of the pool world of pool ate at Freddy's.

Column of One-pocket aficionado and European promoter of the game, Poolhead blogger Pepijn de Wit

Freddy the Beard's Daughter, Cat Adami beside "Frisco" Jack Cooney-perhaps the greatest pool hustler of the late 20th century. He looked like Clark Kent and played like Superman.

South Florida was the "it" place to be in the early 1960s. Freddy hung at famous Ft. Lauderdale beach bar "The Sugarshack" with pool hustler "Sugarshack"  Johnny, famed jewel thief of the Hope Diamond - Murph "the Surf," Tennis Hustler Bobby Riggs. Pool star Danny Dilliberto and Freddy sang Frank Sinatra karaoke. Here's a photo of Freddy at famed James Bond set Fountainbleu Hotel in Miami.

One of The Beard's favorite "Road" albums was The Allman Brothers' "Eat a Peach."

If it weren't for entry into the pool rooms on what was known as Chicago's "Black" south side by famed Leonard "Bugs" Rucker and friends, Freddy would have never learned or fell in love with bank pool. 

A song made for pool hustlers

Like a scene out of HBO's "The Duece" only set in Chicago and true!

One of the last great big money pool hustles of the 20th century(before cellphone cameras and the internet) brought Freddy the Beard out of retirement to play Vegas gambling superstar Archie Karras. When he was done winning the cash, he asked his backers, "When can we go again?" Excerpt from Diana Hoppe's(pictured with Freddy) excellent video "Road Scholars" available on freddythebeard.com!

From February 20, 2014 interview, "The Beard, The Angel and The Toaster."

Murphy was the Jackie Robinson of pool. "Cisero was also one of the funnier players I knew. When an earthquake hit a Fred Whalen tournament in LA, all the pool players were staying at The Elks Club. Cisero and I were staying on the top floor, the 9th. In the midst of all the chaos - like running down the stairs to get out of the building because the elevators were not working --Cisero quipped, "I'm never going on the road without my parachute again." - Freddy 'the Beard, The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers

During the World Nine-Ball Championship, the Beard got knocked out early and this writer ended up hanging beside and studying him the whole time. Great quotes from Jack Breit "Jersey Red" and The Beard in this article.

"I was the first male pro whom she ever played in a tournament; she beat me 11 to 2 playing Nine ball in a big tournament in St. Charles, IL...Maybe the best woman player of all time...She was such a nice kid that she even apologized for beating me so badly." - Freddy the Beard, The Encyclopedia of PoolHustlers

Freddy and pals (from right) Artie Bodendorfer, George "The Polish Prince" Pawleski and John Abruzzo win the team 8-ball tournament.

Bob Cozzolino vs. Lou Figueroa Commentary(and history) by the late George Fels (a straight pool pool bug) and Freddy the Beard. Be entertained by two "triple smart" old pals and walking pool encyclopedias and miss them as much as we do. Did you know the Beard played Willie Mosconi? Hear about Minnesota Fats's exhibition at Chicago Chinatown's famous Dragon Cue. Photo by pool documentarian Angel Levine of "Raising the Hustler" at Wrigley Field, George Fels, Jimmy Mataya and Freddy and Racetrack Phil.

Delight in the stories told by the legends of the game! Available on freddythebeard.com!

Hall of Fame pool player Pete Margo has reemerged in the pool world with a pool league venture with fellow HOF Mike Siegel. Here's a vintage article on young Pete Margo in the NYT. Profiles on both Pete and Mike can be found in  "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers."

See what the NYT had to say about the world's most famous pool hustler!

The Saturday Profile from The New York Times by: Seth Mydans 02/16/2001

We would like to thank The AnitoKid in The Philippines on his warm tribute to Freddy the Beard on his Facebook page and blog, "The AnitoKid on Billiards."

The School of the Art Institute of Chicago on Bensinger's Pool Room Series Photographer, Helaine Garren.

Efren 'Bata' Reyes feature in The Atlantic Monthly from March 2005 written by: Pat Jordan

Congratulations, Danny!

11/24/2007 New York Times Editorial by Sports Illustrated Senior Writer L. Jon Wertheim and fan of Freddy 'the Beard' on the end of pool hustling from the author of "“Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last American Pool Hustler.”

02/18/2014 Granta article on the Derby City Classic showdown between World  Champions Earl Strickland and Efren Reyes by Hot Springs, Arkansas native and Freddy 'the Beard' fan David Hill in the critically acclaimed Granta magazine. Hill said he was astonished his editor let his article run as long as it. Obviously, pool battles are captivating!

From 06/27/2014 - Author of "The Hustler and the Champ" and "Hustler Days" R.A. "Jake" Dyer is one of the pool hustling world's greatest historians. Here's his post from his blog after the passing of Freddy 'the Beard' and Jake's rave Billiards Digest review of "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers."

"In the 1980s, Earl (Strickland), came up to my place, North Shore Billiards, on what was probably his first real road trip. He was dead broke, without any backers, no car, and no place to stay. On top of that, he could only play Nine ball, the least favorite pool game in Chicago. He seemed like a good kid, so we let him sleep in the pool room." - Freddy 'the Beard from The "Encyclopedia" of Pool Hustlers"

The Beard visited Steinway Billiards in 2014 and knew it was special and a "real" pool hall  the moment he saw ornery old guys playing Backgammon by the front door...

Excellent interview with World Champion Earl "The Pearl" Strickland - "I play for the love of the game"  from 2014. Earl came out to The Beard's book party for "The Encyclopedia" in NYC that same year. Thank you, Earl!

From prolific pool writer, Matt Sherman of Thoughtco.com

Aimee Levitt, The Chicago Reader August 5, 2015

By: Ben Joravsky, the Chicago Reader, "Bleader". April 30, 2014

Snooker player from the UK came to stay in Freddy's basement to learn about pool and life and eat home cooked meals. Here's a great profile on the very best of the best, Ronnie O'Sullivan!

Comedy Central's The Daily Show host Trevor Noah shoots and hustles pool with US Senator Lindsey Graham. I wonder if he ever played pool with Grady "The Professor Matthews" in South Carolina?

Published in Sneaky Pete Mafia, July 29, 2015