"...asked what he remembers as his most difficult tournament shot, [Mosconi] replied, " Against Andrew Ponzi in the 1948 World Billiards Tournament at Navy Pier in Chicago, I needed one ball and Ponzi needed three to win a crucial game and move into the next round.
Ponzi left me a blocked shot situation and I could not risk another scratch. My two previous shots had been scratches and a third in succession means a 15 point penalty. My only alternative was to attempt to score so I planned out a five-cushion shot - and made it to win the match, and ultimately the world title."
source
How could Willie need only one if his last 2 shots were scratches?
EW
Do we suppose that Mr. Ursitti's records are incorrect, or did the writer of the PM article choose to make something up, or did Mosconi himself do a little "glory days" creative story telling?
The movie recreation---
http://pool.bz/pool-tv-films/990-ol...h-willie-mosconi-vs-andrew-ponzi-its-boy.html
repeats the same story of the final shot (without the previous scratches).
I have always felt that the whole thing was fiction.
I can't imagine Mosconi---or any other champion player---going for such a shot.
My opinion would be that Mr. ursittis information is as correct as he could make it , the error was most likely in the information he copied from
EW
It happened ,it was well documented in the media he had a fairly easy out to begin with.Do we suppose that Mr. Ursitti's records are incorrect, or did the writer of the PM article choose to make something up, or did Mosconi himself do a little "glory days" creative story telling?
The movie recreation---
http://pool.bz/pool-tv-films/990-ol...h-willie-mosconi-vs-andrew-ponzi-its-boy.html
repeats the same story of the final shot (without the previous scratches).
I have always felt that the whole thing was fiction.
I can't imagine Mosconi---or any other champion player---going for such a shot.
EW
This is kind of an old thread, but.... Ponzi's daughter had the book reprinted and is selling them on Ebay. They have been up for a while, and she has three left.I'm interested in the Ponzi book - please email me at poolplayer@gmail.com
This is kind of an old thread, but.... Ponzi's daughter had the book reprinted and is selling them on Ebay. They have been up for a while, and she has three left.
The Fabulous Mr Ponzi 3X World Champion Pocket Billiard Player NEW | eBay
The Fabulous Mr. Ponzi. By Andrew Ponzi & Sam Edwards Levy. A 126 page autobiography with illustrations that include instructions on a 3-cushion system, trick shots and photos.www.ebay.com