The Houseman: Hustlers, Con Men, and Thieves How Did I Get Here?

The Houseman: Hustlers, Con Men, and Thieves How Did I Get Here?

A pool hall full of hustlers. A father shaped by war. A son searching for who he really is. The Houseman is the true story of Rick DiMedio, the man behind the counter at Kings Row—a gritty South Jersey pool room where gamblers, hustlers, pimps, and wanderers crossed paths every night. What began as a family business became a life-defining journey through loyalty, survival, betrayal, and the unexpected lessons found in the shadows of a neon-lit room. Raised in a proud Italian American family, Rick’s earliest influences came from a grandfather who built a legacy from nothing and a father forever changed by the trauma of World War II. Their triumphs, flaws, and contradictions shaped Rick long before he stepped into the pool hall that would become his world. For more than thirty years, Kings Row was his classroom in human nature. He saw lives rise and fall across green felt tables, broke up fights, spotted hustlers before they made a move, and learned who to trust—and who to stay far away from. In the chaos, he discovered who he was, and who he wasn’t. Raw, honest, and unforgettable, The Houseman is a memoir about family, survival, street wisdom, and the powerful lessons earned from a lifetime around the characters most people only hear stories about. If you’ve ever wondered what really happens behind the counter of a pool hall, step inside Kings Row. The truth is wilder than fiction.