Scratching the eight

From the outside, the bar scene in Portland may appear to be laid-back. We have good beer, indoor smoking and decent jukeboxes in more local establishments than one can name, but what really sets Portland apart from a lot of other cities is our appreciation for the pool table.

Our pool halls are not only littered with tables, but almost every other Portland bar comes standard with at least one. And unless you put your quarters up early, you might not get to shoot.

Ryan Manolis, a 26 year-old bartender and former student at PSU, is a regular at many of the city’s pool-table-yielding establishments. “I play five or six nights a week,” Manolis said.

“For legal tables I go to Back Stage and Sam’s Billiards,” he said. “I go to Henry’s and Uptown to play with gentlemen.”

Manolis also likes to shoot at Joe’s Cellar, Belmont Inn, Touch퀌�, Rialto, The Goodfoot and anyplace else with competition and someone willing to put some money up.

“I play for the shear prize of cash games,” Manolis said.

Although gambling on pool games is illegal, it does not keep Manolis and many others from doing it on a regular basis. As long as the money is out there, these pool sharks are eager to take it.

“I once won five large at a Todd bar,” Manolis said.

When asked what a “Todd bar” was, Manolis had this to say: “A college dive bar with a bunch of squares with money to spare.”

Manolis, who said he enjoys taking money away from people who do not really need it, then recalled a night that he really cleaned up.

“I let this kid go up $500 thinkin’ he was special, and then we broke even,” Manolis said. “After that we went $1,000 a game.”

Although some players play to make money, others are in it just to have a good time.

Jess Winters, a 24-year-old student and pool enthusiast, began playing about two years ago. Winters, new to Portland at the time, had never played the game. Since then, she has improved a great deal, and even likes to compete in local tournaments.

“In California there aren’t nearly as many bars with tables,” Winters said. “I just kind of fell in love with it.”

Winters said that a friend gave her pointers when she started to play at Touch퀌�, near her Northwest Portland apartment, and vastly helped her strengthen her game. She said that it was hard not to want to get better when there were so many great players in Portland.

Another popular Portland pool hall is Sam’s Billiards, located in the heart of the Hollywood district. Sam’s is place where you are more likely to find locals than college students and out-of-towners. One such player goes by the name “Pearl.”

Pearl, who declined to give his age, describes himself as someone from the old school. He said he gets a kick out of beating the younger players who come around talking a big game.

“Whenever I step into the bar I immediately think to myself, ‘I’m going to take these kids to bitch school,'” Pearl said. “And have fun doing it.”

By the end of the evening Pearl ended up looking like the big-time talker, as he finished the night on a three-game losing streak.

“At least I wasn’t betting against my paycheck,” Pearl said. “That’s not what it’s about for me.”