Who is the best pool player ever, when it comes to all games?

dwalding

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This question has come up before in the past.

Many people say Efren or Shane are the Best pool players ever, and we can all agree they are not far off in their assumption.

I am inclined to say HAROLD WORST is the best pool player ever!!!!!!!

Notice my opinion is based on all around and multiple disciplines. Ask Ronnie Allen, he put the answer on audio. I'll send the link upon request.

Bottom line, who do you think is the BEST POOL PLAYER EVER ?

Yes, I expect KEITH to be named as a likely suspect. (Shout out to JAM)
 

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
To really find out who is truly the best all around ever is impossible to say when comparing players from different decades. Even to find out who is the better player from the top players that are at the top of their game now is hard to do unless you take like the top 6 players and have them play a lot of round robin races to see who has the highest average counting points from 1st, 2nd, and third finishes. Just my opinion. Johnnyt
 

wambamcam

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Gotta consider Nick Varner too, as he won championships in virtually all disciplines in his days, including 9 ball, 8 ball, one pocket, banks, etc...
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Worst, tragically, didn't do it for long enough to be in the conversation, but at his best, he was as good as almost anyone, a legend of great standing. Let's stay on course, though, this thread is about pool, so Worst's 3-cushion credentials are irrelelvant.

Reyes stands alone as the best all-around. He's the best 8-ball player ever, and possibly the best one-pocket player ever. He is a top ten ever at nine ball and has shined on multiple occasions at straight pool. He has five Derby City all around titles. Enough said. There may never be another Efren.

The best all-around player in US history is Varner, who won the world championship in each of banks, one pocket, 14.1, 8-ball and 9-ball. Wonder whether anyone else will ever match that.

Lassiter, who won two of the three disciplines in three straight Johnston City events, is in the conversation and isn't far behind Varner. It is not often discussed, but it's one of the greatest feats in the history of American pool.

Mike Sigel is in the conversation, too. The best 14.1 player of the past generation, he was also a giant in nine ball and played all games well.

Honorable mention to John Schmidt, winner of the US Open 9-ball, winner of the Derby City one pocket event, and a 400+ ball runner at 14.1 who won the title at the World 14.1 event in 2012. Honorable mention to another American who played all the games at the highest level named Eddie Kelly.

Alex Pagulayan and Shane Van Boening may end up in the conversation, but they aren't there yet. Both are young enough that they can aspire to being the best ever.
 
Last edited:

bbb

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
when i saw the title my first thought went to harold worst
 

Rico

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
all around

Many great all around players . Dallas West, Allen Hopkins,Mike Sigel,Nick Varner and the great Harold Worst.On a given day?
 

Chip Roberson

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
When , Harold Worst won those last tourny's towards the end of his life,,,and ,,Knowing that He was about to die,,,Sick with Cancer,,,,and still pulled off-- What He DID--best player of all time in my way of thinking
 

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
My pick too....

Gotta consider Nick Varner too, as he won championships in virtually all disciplines in his days, including 9 ball, 8 ball, one pocket, banks, etc...

Nicky....he's the only player that I know of, that went to play Efren in his prime in his home country and definitely beat em. Only weakness in his game is age, and maybe billiards. He never lets up.
 

prewarhero

guess my avatar
Silver Member
Worst, tragically, didn't do it for long enough to be in the conversation, but at his best, he was as good as almost anyone, a legend of great standing. Let's stay on course, though, this thread is about pool, so Worst's 3-cushion credentials are irrelelvant.

Reyes stands alone as the best all-around. He's the best 8-ball player ever, and possibly the best one-pocket player ever. He is a top ten ever at nine ball and has shined on multiple occasions at straight pool. He has five Derby City all around titles. Enough said. There may never be another Efren.

The best all-around player in US history is Varner, who won the world championship in each of banks, one pocket, 14.1, 8-ball and 9-ball. Wonder whether anyone else will ever match that.

Lassiter, who won two of the three disciplines in three straight Johnston City events, is in the conversation and isn't far behind Varner. It is not often discussed, but it's one of the greatest feats in the history of American pool.

Mike Sigel is in the conversation, too. The best 14.1 player of the past generation, he was also a giant in nine ball and played all games well.

Honorable mention to John Schmidt, winner of the US Open 9-ball, winner of the Derby City one pocket event, and a 400+ ball runner at 14.1 who won the title at the World 14.1 event in 2013. Honorable mention to another American who played all the games at the highest level named Eddie Kelly.

Alex Pagulayan and Shane Van Boening may end up in the conversation, but they aren't there yet. Both are young enough that they can aspire to being the best ever.

I would have to agree. I am surprised that Mizerak isn't in the conversation though.
 

Island Drive

Otto/Dads College Roommate/Cleveland Browns
Silver Member
Worst, tragically, didn't do it for long enough to be in the conversation, but at his best, he was as good as almost anyone, a legend of great standing. Let's stay on course, though, this thread is about pool, so Worst's 3-cushion credentials are irrelelvant.

Reyes stands alone as the best all-around. He's the best 8-ball player ever, and possibly the best one-pocket player ever. He is a top ten ever at nine ball and has shined on multiple occasions at straight pool. He has five Derby City all around titles. Enough said. There may never be another Efren.

The best all-around player in US history is Varner, who won the world championship in each of banks, one pocket, 14.1, 8-ball and 9-ball. Wonder whether anyone else will ever match that.

Lassiter, who won two of the three disciplines in three straight Johnston City events, is in the conversation and isn't far behind Varner. It is not often discussed, but it's one of the greatest feats in the history of American pool.

Mike Sigel is in the conversation, too. The best 14.1 player of the past generation, he was also a giant in nine ball and played all games well.

Honorable mention to John Schmidt, winner of the US Open 9-ball, winner of the Derby City one pocket event, and a 400+ ball runner at 14.1 who won the title at the World 14.1 event in 2013. Honorable mention to another American who played all the games at the highest level named Eddie Kelly.

Alex Pagulayan and Shane Van Boening may end up in the conversation, but they aren't there yet. Both are young enough that they can aspire to being the best ever.

Nicky also was the ACU-I 14.1 champion in 1969 & 70. And in 69 he had to beat Mike Carella to win, so back then 14.1 collegiate players played Waaaaaaay better than those of today.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Nicky also was the ACU-I 14.1 champion in 1969 & 70. And in 69 he had to beat Mike Carella to win, so back then 14.1 collegiate players played Waaaaaaay better than those of today.

I think I'm somewhat dismissive of collegiate competitive feats as in the 1979 ACUI event the Eastern regional runner-up was .................... me!
 

George Fels

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Harold Worst

He was quite easily one of the greatest natural TALENTS to hold a cue, but I'd have to say he was relatively unproven beyond 14.1 and 8- and 9-ball (he didn't really care for 1-P or banks). Had he lived longer, no doubt he'd have proved his versatility further. GF
 

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
Gold Member
Silver Member
He was quite easily one of the greatest natural TALENTS to hold a cue, but I'd have to say he was relatively unproven beyond 14.1 and 8- and 9-ball (he didn't really care for 1-P or banks). Had he lived longer, no doubt he'd have proved his versatility further. GF

Something similar could be said about DeOro; he was a master of many games, but probably not enough (games) to give him the all around title.
 

Chip Roberson

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I thought that Mr Worst won the Three Cushion and Snooker tourny's overseas and then the straight Pool and 9 ball tournys over here in the same year--Like the grand slam of Bobby Jones fame...just in a different sport
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
I thought that Mr Worst won the Three Cushion and Snooker tourny's overseas and then the straight Pool and 9 ball tournys over here in the same year--Like the grand slam of Bobby Jones fame...just in a different sport

No doubt, Harold Worst gets more consideration if the best ever in cuesports were the subjet of the thread, but the thread makes it clear that we're talking about playing pool, not all cuesports.
 

Chip Roberson

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
But ,,he played so strong that one of his opponents had a heart attack just watching him...I get the cue sports thing--but so many different titles that he won and had to master those disiplines--hard to Fathom anyone being that strong and doing it all.
 
Top