Bugs' Fact, Legend and Lore

When Bugs played Minnesota Fats in Johnston City in the early 60s, Joey "The Cincinnati Kid" Spaeth was staking him. A great player himself, Joey did not often back other players. However, Spaeth had just come from Chicago where he had the misfortune to have played Rucker. While there, Joey instantly became a convert to the Bugs Rucker fan club, when in a game of Onepocket with Spaeth only needing one ball to win, and everything seemingly out of play, Bugs banked all of the remaining balls into his pocket to win the game. He banked eight and out into one pocket! Joey had never seen anything like it before, and I personally have never seen or heard anything like it since.


Also in Johnston City, Illinois, Bugs spotted Hall of Famer, Buddy Hall two balls playing banks, 10 to 8 — and won the money. Perhaps you think maybe Buddy played badly — he didn't. Buddy made every makeable ball he shot at, played dead-nuts safeties, never dogged anything, and still lost every game. That was the kind of bank speed the mighty Bugs had.


During the filming of The Color Of Money, Leonard "Bugs" Rucker, was originally slated to play the black guy that hustles and beats Paul Newman. Bugs was absolutely helpless as an actor, and couldn't do a single line. They finally gave up on him and installed Forest Whitaker to do the part. The rest is history. Whitaker is an oscar winning actor today.