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Dancing with Fatty Written by: Mary Kenniston

It was early 1979 and I was living in New Jersey.
I had a great job selling Yellow Pages, had a company car
& had just moved into my first apartment. I’d been playing
pool for a few years, had played and placed high in a few
WPBA events and had just discovered the action world.
Life was good!

One day, I received an invitation to play in the ‘1979 World
Pro-Am. There were to be two events - eight ball and
nine ball - single elimination with a men’s and women’s
division. The entry fee was high - $600 - a lot of money for
those days. However, the entry fee also included a room at
the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas. LAS VEGAS!!! Well,
since I was the best female nine ball player in New Jersey,
I figured I’d be stealing! I desperately wanted to go and
it took me several months of five, ten and twenty dollar
nine ball to get my entry fee, plane fare and other expenses
together.

The day arrived and I was on my way to Vegas. I couldn’t
wait to get there! Finally, the plane landed and I hopped
onto the shuttle. Tropicana Hotel - here I come! I checked
into my room, grabbed my cue and headed on down to the Minnesota Fats
tournament room.
“Allen,” I said, pointing to the tables, “What the hell are
The tournament was being held in the Tennis Pavilion - these?”
a huge room filled with these little tiny pool tables and
bleachers to the ceiling. I had never seen such small tables “Bar tables. Haven’t you ever seen a bar table before?”
before! Disappointed, I spotted Allen Hopkins across the “No,” I answered, “What kind of phony tournament is this?
room and made my way over to him. How come we’re not playing on real pool tables?”

Allen explained that in most other
parts of the country, bar tables were
very popular and there was plenty
of action on them. He told me not to
worry - he said I’d play a ball or two
better on them because since they
were smaller, they were much easier.
Well, that sounded good to me!

I was having a ball. I had hooked
up with one of my best friends from
home, Tommy Halliday (“Staten
Island” or “Doc”). He was introducing
me to all the West Coast players I had
heard so much about - Richie Florence
- the promoter of the event, Ronnie
Allen, Bucktooth, Keith McCready
and then, we heard a shout...

Mary Kenniston at the table

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