When reading through the records on Charles Ursitti's site and watching the Mort Luby Jr. interviews with Irving Crane, Joe Balsis, Jimmy Caras, and Willie Mosconi I get the feeling that there were periodic conflicts between the players and some large industry player ( cough, Brunswick, cough) but that people seem to avoid talking about it ( The Crane interview ).
In particular I'm thinking of the "unoffical world title" match held in March of 1954 at Allinger's Billiard Academy. The field included Luther Lassiter and Jimmy Moore and only Irving Crane and Erwin Rudolph were there from the regular group of competitors. It's the presence of two hardened road players and the absence of Mosconi and Caras that makes me wonder about the circumstances surrounding the event.
In particular I'm thinking of the "unoffical world title" match held in March of 1954 at Allinger's Billiard Academy. The field included Luther Lassiter and Jimmy Moore and only Irving Crane and Erwin Rudolph were there from the regular group of competitors. It's the presence of two hardened road players and the absence of Mosconi and Caras that makes me wonder about the circumstances surrounding the event.