Onofrio Lauri was the old man I followed around in the early Sixties. Funny to think that I’m older now than he was then.
Born on June 27, 1896, he competed across six decades. He received the Billiard Room Proprietors Association of America (BRPAA) “Lifetime Achievement Award” in March 1966, partly in compensation for his having broken his left arm tripping of a Wide World of Sports TV cable. Chris Schenkel made the presentation. This was particularly ironic given the “break” which put him in his first national tournament in 1928.
Variously known during his long, long career as the Lion-killer and the Dean of Pocket Billiards, Lauri died at Golden Cue in Queens on April 11, 1971.
As always, thanks to Charles Ursitti for the great info. By the way, tournaments “back in the day” usually had 7-19 players, not the latter day 32- and 64-player fields.
National Pocket Billiard Tournament
Recital Hall
Chicago. Illinois
March 5-19, 1928
Finished 7th with a record of 3-6; Ralph Greenleaf won.
(As New York State pocket billiard champion, Lauri was appointed to replace O.L. Harris of Denver, the Rocky Mountain champion, who slipped and injured his stroke arm while cranking his car.)
World Championship Tournament
Recreation Building
Shelby & Lafayette Streets
Detroit, Michigan
December 9-19, 1929
Finished 4th with a record of 4-3; Ralph Greenleaf won.
World Championship Tournament
Dwyer’s Broadway Academy
1608 Broadway
New York, NY
December 8-18, 1930
Finished 4th with a record of 4-3; Erwin Rudolph won.
World Championship Tournament
Allinger’s Academy
1307 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 30-December 23, 1931
Finished 7th with a record of 6-5; Ralph Greenleaf won.
World Championship Tournament
Ponzi’s Billiard Academy
163 West 46th Street
New York, NY
March 29th-April 21, 1937
Finished 7th with a record of 6-5; Ralph Greenleaf won.
World Championship Tournament
Capital Bowling & Billiard Academy
1680 Broadway
New York, NY
February 28th-March 24th, 1938
Finished 9th with a record of 5-6; James Caras won.
World Championship League Play
4 city tour (New York, Philadelphia, Newark, Baltimore)
February 12th-April 30th, 1940
Finished 7th with a record of 26-54 record; Andrew Ponzi won.
World Championship League Play
4 city tour (New York, Philadelphia, Newark, Baltimore)
November 26th-May 2nd, 1941
Finished 5th with a record of 109-115 record; Willie Mosconi won.
World Championship Tournament
Town Hall
Broad & Race Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 20th-November 7th, 1941
Finished 9th with a record of 4-7; Erwin Rudolph won.
World Championship Tournament
Town Hall
Broad & Race Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 2-12, 1946
Finished 6th with a record of 4-3; Irving Crane won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 27-March 4, 1948
Finished 5th with a record of 6-5 record; Andrew Ponzi won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 4-10, 1949
Finished 6th with a record of 7-4 record; James Caras won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 10-6, 1950
Finished 5th with a record of 6-5 record; Irvine Crane won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 16-22, 1951
Finished 10th with a record of 3-7 record; Joseph Canton won.
United States Pocket Biliard Tournament
Judice’s Billiard Academy
Brooklyn, NY
Finished 5th with a record of 9-7 record; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
April 8-14, 1963
Finished 8th with a record of 4-3; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
March 2-8, 1964
Finished 5th with a record of 7-6; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
American Billiard Parlor
Burbank, California
January 29-March 6, 1965
Finished 9th with a record of 13-7; Cisero Murphy won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
March 21-8, 1965
Finished 11th with a record of 5-9; Joe Balsis won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
March 19-27, 1966
Finished 8th with a record of 7-7; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
House of Champions
Burbank, California
April 1-24, 1966
Finished 16th with a record of 5-12; Joe Balsis won.
World Championship Tournament
Terrace Ballroom
Statler Hilton Hotel
New York, NY
March 23-31, 1967
Finished 11th with a record of 5-9; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
Terrace Ballroom
Statler Hilton Hotel
New York, NY
April 14-9, 1968
Finished 14th with a record of 3-11; Irving Crane won.
1st Annual Empire Billiard Association International Pocket Billiard Championship
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
September 20-October 1, 1968
Finished 11th with a record of 6-9; Irving Crane won.
Born on June 27, 1896, he competed across six decades. He received the Billiard Room Proprietors Association of America (BRPAA) “Lifetime Achievement Award” in March 1966, partly in compensation for his having broken his left arm tripping of a Wide World of Sports TV cable. Chris Schenkel made the presentation. This was particularly ironic given the “break” which put him in his first national tournament in 1928.
Variously known during his long, long career as the Lion-killer and the Dean of Pocket Billiards, Lauri died at Golden Cue in Queens on April 11, 1971.
As always, thanks to Charles Ursitti for the great info. By the way, tournaments “back in the day” usually had 7-19 players, not the latter day 32- and 64-player fields.
National Pocket Billiard Tournament
Recital Hall
Chicago. Illinois
March 5-19, 1928
Finished 7th with a record of 3-6; Ralph Greenleaf won.
(As New York State pocket billiard champion, Lauri was appointed to replace O.L. Harris of Denver, the Rocky Mountain champion, who slipped and injured his stroke arm while cranking his car.)
World Championship Tournament
Recreation Building
Shelby & Lafayette Streets
Detroit, Michigan
December 9-19, 1929
Finished 4th with a record of 4-3; Ralph Greenleaf won.
World Championship Tournament
Dwyer’s Broadway Academy
1608 Broadway
New York, NY
December 8-18, 1930
Finished 4th with a record of 4-3; Erwin Rudolph won.
World Championship Tournament
Allinger’s Academy
1307 Market Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
November 30-December 23, 1931
Finished 7th with a record of 6-5; Ralph Greenleaf won.
World Championship Tournament
Ponzi’s Billiard Academy
163 West 46th Street
New York, NY
March 29th-April 21, 1937
Finished 7th with a record of 6-5; Ralph Greenleaf won.
World Championship Tournament
Capital Bowling & Billiard Academy
1680 Broadway
New York, NY
February 28th-March 24th, 1938
Finished 9th with a record of 5-6; James Caras won.
World Championship League Play
4 city tour (New York, Philadelphia, Newark, Baltimore)
February 12th-April 30th, 1940
Finished 7th with a record of 26-54 record; Andrew Ponzi won.
World Championship League Play
4 city tour (New York, Philadelphia, Newark, Baltimore)
November 26th-May 2nd, 1941
Finished 5th with a record of 109-115 record; Willie Mosconi won.
World Championship Tournament
Town Hall
Broad & Race Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
October 20th-November 7th, 1941
Finished 9th with a record of 4-7; Erwin Rudolph won.
World Championship Tournament
Town Hall
Broad & Race Streets
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
December 2-12, 1946
Finished 6th with a record of 4-3; Irving Crane won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 27-March 4, 1948
Finished 5th with a record of 6-5 record; Andrew Ponzi won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 4-10, 1949
Finished 6th with a record of 7-4 record; James Caras won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 10-6, 1950
Finished 5th with a record of 6-5 record; Irvine Crane won.
National Championship Tournament
Navy Pier
Chicago, Illinois
February 16-22, 1951
Finished 10th with a record of 3-7 record; Joseph Canton won.
United States Pocket Biliard Tournament
Judice’s Billiard Academy
Brooklyn, NY
Finished 5th with a record of 9-7 record; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
April 8-14, 1963
Finished 8th with a record of 4-3; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
March 2-8, 1964
Finished 5th with a record of 7-6; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
American Billiard Parlor
Burbank, California
January 29-March 6, 1965
Finished 9th with a record of 13-7; Cisero Murphy won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
March 21-8, 1965
Finished 11th with a record of 5-9; Joe Balsis won.
World Championship Tournament
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
March 19-27, 1966
Finished 8th with a record of 7-7; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
House of Champions
Burbank, California
April 1-24, 1966
Finished 16th with a record of 5-12; Joe Balsis won.
World Championship Tournament
Terrace Ballroom
Statler Hilton Hotel
New York, NY
March 23-31, 1967
Finished 11th with a record of 5-9; Luther Lassiter won.
World Championship Tournament
Terrace Ballroom
Statler Hilton Hotel
New York, NY
April 14-9, 1968
Finished 14th with a record of 3-11; Irving Crane won.
1st Annual Empire Billiard Association International Pocket Billiard Championship
Windsor Ballroom
Hotel Commodore
New York, NY
September 20-October 1, 1968
Finished 11th with a record of 6-9; Irving Crane won.