It’s almost like the universe wanted Dave Walker to play pool. “When I was young, maybe 10 or 12, I used to clean out my dad’s bar. And when I was done, I could play pool. Just a kid playing. My brother helped me, he’s won a couple state championships. That’s how I got started.”
The Walker family bar, The Pastime Lounge, was a part of Eagle Grove’s notorious past. Known for scantily clad go-go dancers and delicious meals, the Pastime was also a mecca for pool players – and hustlers. Dave and his brother Bob considered the hustlers a learning opportunity.
“There used to be a lot of hustlers that would come through here, and they’d take you for some money. But we’d always learn something,” Walker explained. “If you’re losing money you should learn something. If you don’t, you’re not paying attention.”
When he’d learned enough, Walker turned hustler himself. “I started playing for money in my early twenties,” he admitted with a chuckle, “I used to do a lot of gambling up at the Pastime.”
“We used to have a trucking company here in town called Ellsworth, and when they had a new hire they’d sit ’em down for a half hour talking to, and tell them not to go to the Pastime Lounge looking for a pool game, ‘because they have hustlers there and they’ll take you for every dime you’ve got.’ So the first thing they would do is go to the Pastime looking for a pool game.”
Walker was more than happy to take a chunk of a trucker’s paycheck off his hands. But these days, Walker says, he plays, “just for the satisfaction of doing it good.” And, now playing in the senior league, he’s still honing his craft, playing “fifty to eighty games a day”, practicing 9 Ball. “You have to if you want to win,” Walker advised. “If you wanna be good, practice. Practice! Practice! Practice! Whatever you do. I practice so much I get sick of it sometimes.”
And it has paid off, taking Walker to the State Tournament “quite a few times,” he recalled, “maybe ten?” And he’s taken home second, third and fourth place a few times as well. Just recently, at the IOMA (Iowa Operators of Music & Amusement) State Pool Tournament of 2024 Walker took 2nd place in Senior 9 Ball, singles. He was sponsored by Redhead Tribe Logos and Nine and Dine restaurant, both of Eagle Grove.
Speaking of the tournament, Walker gets a wondrous look in his eyes. “There’s like 145 pool tables. Lots of people playing pool. And most of them are good!” And, he noted with excitement, Dave Pearson (the professional pool player from Britain better known as “The Ginger Wizard”, and best known for his trick shots) was there doing trick shots, and teaching people. There was loud rock & roll music playing. To Walker, it felt like coming home.
And he’ll be back. He’s still chasing his first First Place at the State tournament. But he’s not worried, he’s confident he’ll win it one day – maybe even this year. “There’s still two more tournaments coming up,” he noted, “so, there’s still time.”
