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Thanks to my friend Frank P. for sharing this link via Here’s Park Slope blog.
Some sad news from the old-school bar front: Timboo’s, the ancient, classic dive bar on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 11th Street, has been leased, and will be closing at the end of the month. A tipster overheard an owner discussing the December 31st closure date, and longtime bartender Betty Collins confirmed that the bar indeed will soon have a new owner.
During the 1970’s I spent a lot of time in Timboo’s as a kid…yes I said, “as a kid”.
My father hung out there and my mother worked there.
On Saturday and sometimes Sunday mornings, ‘The Gooch’ (my father’s nickname) would take me down to the popular establishment on 5th avenue and 11th street while he conducted business and drank all day long. It was my weekend daycare.
I remember the pool table in the back where the Gooch would feed me quarters non-stop to keep me busy; I was hitting combo’s at the age of 9. I’d often play alone but when I got bored, I’d practice trick shots. After shooting pool he would always make me clean my hands. I’d chalk up my cue so much that the blue powder would get all over my hands.
“You don’t wanna get that shit in your eyes,” he would remind me.
Shuffleboard and pinball were 2 other games available in the bar. I became the pinball wizard at the age of 10.
Thanks to Jimmy R. for sharing this link about Timboo’s from a blog called, ‘Park Slope Patch’.
Timboo’s has been a neighborhood standby to grab a cheap drink, play pool and catch a football game in a neighborhood increasingly obsessed with handcrafted cocktails. It was also one of the few places that opened at 8 a.m. on the weekdays!
The leather booth’s against the wood-paneled walls where my father would make me sit and watch the college football game on the TV high above the entrance to the men’s rest room while I nursed a coke with a ham and cheese sandwich from the local deli.
There was a cool jukebox in the front of the bar next to the cigarette machine. My favorite selections were “King Fu Fighting”, “Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown”, “Shake Your Booty”, “Brandy” and “Rock the Boat”.
If there was a big-time game on the tube, someone would pull the plug on the jukebox so everyone could hear the announcers.
The women’s bathroom was in the back next to the kitchen. The Gooch had me use it whenever I had to drop a deuce. “Put toilet paper around the bowl before you sit down.” He would tell me.
The banter amongst the patrons whether it was over sports, work or women were legendary.
Some of the regulars I recall who made the bar special were Miles and Phil McNiff, Roger, Stevie, Artie Miller, Snooper Davis, Artie Rice, Dee-Dee O’Brien, Big Red, Noona, Ray Grillo and one of my all-time favorites, Fat Tom.
Football sheets, the numbers, teasers, betting on the ponies…there was so much gambling going on down there it was a like a mini-Vegas.
One thing I miss from those days is filling out football sheets. The Gooch would allow me to pick 4 teams and he’d put a dollar down for me. If I hit 4 out of 4 I’d win $11. You’d tear the bottom piece off with your picks, name and dollar amount. You never wrote down your real name though. It was for amusement only. (Wink-Wink)
Fat Tom would buy handicap sheets from the newsstand on 9th street and study all the games. On occasion he’d ask me, ‘Stevie, who ya like today’?
While sitting comfortably in the booth I slugged unlimited glasses of coke while munching on a ham sandwich on Rye with mustard from the deli a few doors down.
Answering the phone was fun; It would ring and ring, no one would move. I’d look at the Gooch and he’d nod, giving me the OK to answer it. I’d run over and pick it up, “TIMBOO’S,” I’d say. Then the caller would ask for someone and I’d put my hand over the receiver and scream the name out.
If you hear anything about Timboo’s closing, please let me know. The bar and it’s characters will always have a special place in my heart.
Reespectfully,
Steve
Hoops135@hotmail.com
Dan Mahoney said:
Coach,
Wow that’s too bad !
It would be right about 9 on a Sunday morning when the Giants were playing home that Charlie Worsdale, George Brossard ,Joe Farrell and yours truly would be heading down to Timboo’s. A legendary group of friends that hung out in Timboo’s and another legendary bar from “down the hill “ called Ryan’s had 14 -16 season tickets to the Giants games. Everybody met at Timboo’s before the games. Jack Murphy Sr had all the tickets sent to him and they were distributed on a yearly basis to an evolving group of season ticket holders. But that original group of season ticket holders rings like a “Hall of Fame “ from Brooklyn to me! Guys like Noona Taylor, Tommy, Jack Murphy (sr) Big Jake Kelly, Iggy, Artie Rice(sr), Snooper Davis , “clean” Gene Masowicki and many of the guys you mentioned earlier would be going to those games. At first the younger guys like me, Joe and George along with the Mcniff’s and Artie Rice(jr) would effectively be “shaping up” down at Timboos for a ticket on game day. We went to a lot of the games that way until the Giants moved to the Meadowlands in 1976 when the younger guys then “moved” up to season ticket holders. Noona, Artie , Tommy and few of the other guys refused to make the trip to NJ to see the Giants. But Those guys watched every game from Timboo’s and I loved seeing them before and after those Giant games !
The “original” group of friends from started going to the Giant games back in the 1950’s when the Giants played at Yankee Stadium. The tradition of distributing the tickets to the group ran unabated for over 55 years ! Jackie Murphy jr continued to distribute the tickets until last year when the Giants decided to charge a “Seat Licensing” fee for the privilege of going to Giants games. I gave up my three season tickets last season after going to the games for 35 years, figuring that laying out $15,000 dollars with three boys in college would not be in the cards ! Jackie kept some of the seats and I believe that John Davis might have purchased some too .
One last thing, Big Jake Kelly ,one of the original season ticket holders from the group from Timboo’s, kept his ticket for over 50 years .He went to every single Giant home game during that time !
Well I going to pop a cold one or two this afternoon before the Giants game and toast Timboo’s along with the legends who graced it’s rails !
hoopscoach said:
Danny,
Great stuff as usual.
How could I leave off Snooper Davis?
Or,
Artie Rice?
Damn it.
Diane C. said:
Unfortunatley Timboos Last day will be Dec 31, 2011 It another neighborhood staple that has gone to gentrification. So sad
http://parkslope.patch.com/articles/dive-bar-timboo-s-to-close#comments_list
Stephen Whelan said:
When Pete Hamill’s “The Gift” was being filmed, abunch of neighborhood guys were hired to make sure that the scenery (used to cover the modern fire hydrants, etc.) and props that added a 30’s feel were not stolen. we were told to stay outside near them but out of shooting site. It was fine during the day but as day turned into night it became way below freezing and there was a whipping wind. Even with gloves, a pull over cap, and thick sox and boots. I was frozen inside out. I walked into Timboo’s to get relief from the cold and to have a few shots. Apparently, the regulars had seen me thruout the day and night and refused to leone of thet me go out telling me, “Don’t worry bout it, we’ll alibi ya”. I didn’t have to pay for a drink from that point and was placed near the warmest area of the bar. When we were picked up at the end of the night to be driven up to Farrell’s, lied that i had been out side all the time. I knew I had my alibi’s to back me up!
hoopscoach said:
Stephen,
Great story. I saw a lot in Timboo’s.
Mudge said:
I have just finished reading through the blogs on the closing of TIMBOS I would like to thank you for jogging some fond memoires in mymind. fat tom who I would bullshit for hours with I can still picture Snooper doing the cha cha Gene Masowicki who was a fellow officer in the K of C and would shoot the bull with for hours Noona and Bobby polock whom I may mention the two toughfest guys I ever knew. I also strain my mind trying to picture you we had to be there at the same times at least once butthen again who pays attention to kids. I remember your mom although I did not know her well I use to like her singing. Thanks again for jogging the memoires .
hoopscoach said:
Saturday’s was my time at Timboo’s…
Loved it when the Gooch would pick me up.
Billy you have awesome stories.
Stay warm.