In the early- to mid-90s, I was an active amateur and semi-pro pool player in the New England area. I was fortunate enough to play with, learn from, and get to know a number of true legends of the game. One of those players was Larry Johnson, better known as "Boston Shorty."

I found out today that Shorty has died. Here's what Billiard Digest wrote in their news flash:

Larry "Boston Shorty" Johnson Dies at 71

Larry "Boston Shorty" Johnson, Somerville, Mass., died Dec. 10 in Cambridge, Mass. after a fight with cancer. Johnson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1999.

Johnson's last competition was at the One-Pocket tournament staged by Grady Mathews in Portland, Maine, Nov. 1-5.

During the infamous Johnson City and Las Vegas events of the early 1960's, Johnson captured World All-Around Champion in the last staging of both events, and later collected many other titles. Johnson mastered all games early in his career and played at that speed for four decades.

Johnson was born in 1929 in Cambridge, Mass. and moved to Somerville in 1971.

A jargon note for non-players: a player's "speed" means his level of play, or how good a player he is.

I never played with Shorty, but I spent more hours than I can remember hanging around with him, listening to him talk and petting his dog. He had a beautiful golden retriever he called his wife and brought everywhere with him. She would wait patiently by his chair during tournaments. I rarely saw him without her at his side.

When I was learning to play three-cushion billiards, a very difficult game, he was playing three-cushion on the next table over with another legendary player. They were playing in such a way as to make the already difficult game even harder. (If you're a player familiar with three-rail and you're curious about what they were doing, leave a comment.) He and the other player would take breaks occasionally to instruct me. That's just how Shorty was.

And that's how I choose to remember him: with a cue in his hand, his dog by his side, and a smile on his face. Rest in peace, Shorty, and thank you.