Everything's Coming Up Kosher for Pool Shark 'Kid Delicious'

In the world of billiards, betting big money on games played in smoky pool halls can be risky business -- unless you happen to be a jovial, fun-loving Jewish guy from Brooklyn with precise control over the cue ball.

"I'm a happy hustler. I've never been in a fight," said Danny Basavich, 29, who traveled across the country from age 17 to 24, winning roughly $500,000 playing head-to-head games against anyone who would take him on.

While some hustlers tell wild tales of sticky situations, incessant brawling or getting stiffed by the competition, Basavich insisted that his personality shined through most of all.

"I beat several guys for $10,000, then they had me over [to their homes] to meet their wives and kids," he said.

Refuge in the Hall
Visiting the area's Drexeline Billiards Club on April 9, Basavich -- who's since retired from hustling and has turned professional -- shared stories and performed a slew of trick shots for about 40 people gathered at the Drexel Hill pool hall.

Danny Basavich

His journey began when he was a 12-year-old in Marlboro, N.J.; his family had moved there from Brooklyn, N.Y. Deeply unhappy about the change of locale, Basavich found refuge in the local pool hall. Just a bike ride away from home, he said he honed his skills by playing between eight and 10 hours per day.

A turning point in his career came years later, during a game against Eddie "Kid Vicious" Hubler at Chelsea Billiards in Manhattan for a total of $4,200. Although Hubler was heavily favored by the local crowd, it was Basavich who won the race to 11 games. After the match, a person in the crowd looked over at the heavyset Basavich and said, "Kid Vicious just got hustled by Kid Delicious."

The nickname stuck.

When he went on the road to hustle his way across the country, one of Basavich's favorite moves was to wear a hat from a regional sports team, so that he would appear -- at least at a glance -- like a local.

How could someone in Oregon think that the guy wearing an Oregon Ducks hat is a professional from out of town?

After retiring from that kind of lifestyle and joining the United States Professional Poolplayers Association, Basavich's life on the road was documented in the book Running the Table: The Legend of Kid Delicious, the Last Great American Pool Hustler. He is now currently ranked 30th by the UPA, though he did spend a brief period at No. 1.

His story could also be coming to the big screen, as he signed a deal with Lions Gate Films, according to news reports, to make a film loosely based on his life.

During his visit to Drexeline, Basavich took on all comers in games of 9-ball -- not for money, just to let the local pool sharks play against a pro.

Harry McClay got a shot at Kid Delicious, who allowed all opponents the chance to break and then take ball-in-hand -- meaning they could place it at any point on the table to allow for the easiest shot. He even offered encouragement to his opponents and congratulated them on good shots. Despite the fact that McClay plays four times a week in various leagues, however, he just couldn't compete with Kid Delicious.

"He can put that cue ball wherever he wants to put it," attested McClay, who noted that Basavich is such a nice guy that "you don't mind losing to him."

Basavich's visit to the Philadelphia area was not only a promotional tour for the book and his various lessons on DVD; it was also a chance for the pro to get back to the sport he loves after suffering a mild heart attack more than a year ago. He also spends time performing trick-shot demonstrations, and giving lessons to youngsters at Bar and Bat Mitzvahs in Manhattan.

He is slowly working his way back to life as a professional. Although the money doesn't compare with life on the road, it suits him just fine.

Said Basavich: "I'm going to get back to No. 1."