Broadway Billiards, Santa Ana

Anonymous writes in reference to a comment posted on my earlier article on the Saddleback Inn, regarding old pool halls...

I saw a reference in one comment about Broadway Billiards. Originally this "joint" was further north on Broadway nearer to the Broadway theatre. It's complete name was "Adam the Hat's Broadway Billiards". I used to hang out there when I was in high school (between 1964-1966. Adam wouldn't let me play the tables because he felt I was too young. But I spent a small fortune playing pinball! This was truly an old school billiard parlor; very colorful. We also hung out at the drum shop which was nest to the Broadway theatre. West Coast Drum shop still exists today but is located at South Coast Village.

During my college years, my friend Greg and I would ride our motorcycles to Linbrook Family Billiards in Anaheim, on the corner of Brookhurst and Lincoln. Read my earlier article about it, "Linbrook Family Billiards"

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Linbrook Family Billiards

Back in the mid-1980s, during my college days, my best friend Greg and I would ride our motorcycles to Linbrook Family Billiards.

It was located in Anaheim, just off the corner of Brookhurst and Lincoln (I think, or maybe Ball). Anyways, it was billed as "family billiards" but it was no place where you'd want to take a family to.

We'd go there on weekend nights and shoot pool. You used to be able to get a table for $3.00 an hour. There'd be groups of folks from all walks of life. Punk rockers, vietnamese, bikers, folks wearing suits, everyone. You'd even see a prostitute hanging around. The patronage was diverse enough that anyone could go there and not feel out of place. I think that's why we went there.

We never saw any rough stuff there, however. For the most part everyone was cordial, and often times other folks would challenge us to a few games. Greg and I were both slightly-above-average pool players, and we'd win half the games when we played others. It was never for money though.

I don't know if Linbrook Family Billiards is still there.

These days I either play on the pool table I have at home, or some friends and I will go down to the High Society Billiards in Temecula. Still, I'll never forget playing at Linbrook.

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