Harold Worst

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
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For anyone who saw him play, how would you describe his stroke? Smooth? Pause? I’m curious

Worst had a rather short punch stroke (ala Hopkins), probably derived from his Three Cushion days. He was a powerfully built man so he could produce all the power necessary with that stroke. More importantly he could repeat that same stroke over and over flawlessly. Nothing really flashy or spectacular about the way he played, only that he never seemed to hit an errant shot, everything going as planned shot after shot. Balls kept going in and cue ball went where he directed it. Harold didn't waste a lot of time. He would make a decision and get down and shoot. Not a lot of walking around the table. He seemed to have a good read on the table at all times. He had those balls well trained!

No accident that Weenie Beenie teamed up with Harold early on. Beenie was no dummy and he saw a good thing with Harold. Beenie helped negotiate the games and handled the money while Harold took down the score. Beenie was the smartest guy in the poolroom until Larry Hubbart and Billy Cardone came along to succeed him.
 

grindz

AzB Silver Member
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Worst had a rather short punch stroke (ala Hopkins), probably derived from his Three Cushion days. He was a powerfully built man so he could produce all the power necessary with that stroke. More importantly he could repeat that same stroke over and over flawlessly. Nothing really flashy or spectacular about the way he played, only that he never seemed to hit an errant shot, everything going as planned shot after shot. Balls kept going in and cue ball went where he directed it. Harold didn't waste a lot of time. He would make a decision and get down and shoot. Not a lot of walking around the table. He seemed to have a good read on the table at all times. He had those balls well trained!

No accident that Weenie Beenie teamed up with Harold early on. Beenie was no dummy and he saw a good thing with Harold. Beenie helped negotiate the games and handled the money while Harold took down the score. Beenie was the smartest guy in the poolroom until Larry Hubbart and Billy Cardone came along to succeed him.

Thanks for the stories and details Jay....

Reminds me of what little my Dad told me of Harold... when they were kids (I'm not sure of ages) they were friends and Harold would go to play some, while my Dad would handle the money ( presumably so he could keep his amateur status, but could be some other reason) .... afterward they would go get some ice cream.. (so must have been early on..). Just part of the history of the man. I still remember waiting outside the funeral home while my Dad went inside to pay his respects... I can't seem to recall the nickname he had for him, I've read it on here before (from you Jay, I believe)... it was long ago, and I wish I had your memory! Thanks again.

Td
 

jay helfert

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Thanks for the stories and details Jay....

Reminds me of what little my Dad told me of Harold... when they were kids (I'm not sure of ages) they were friends and Harold would go to play some, while my Dad would handle the money ( presumably so he could keep his amateur status, but could be some other reason) .... afterward they would go get some ice cream.. (so must have been early on..). Just part of the history of the man. I still remember waiting outside the funeral home while my Dad went inside to pay his respects... I can't seem to recall the nickname he had for him, I've read it on here before (from you Jay, I believe)... it was long ago, and I wish I had your memory! Thanks again.

Td

Harold Worst didn't need a nickname! I heard Fats call him "that Bald Eagle" one time but not in front of him. Fats was in the backroom trying to make a game and someone told him Worst would be here soon and maybe Fats could play him. Fat's says, "Where is that Bald Eagle. I'll play him too." But the only times I saw Fats and Worst in the same room Fats was respectful of him and never directed his conversation toward him. Fats was no dummy and he didn't really want any part of Harold. There were a lot easier pickings for him.
 

grindz

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Thanks...

It wasn't a pool nickname.... something like buula???
I just can't seem to recall.

Td
 

Mr. Bond

Orbis Non Sufficit
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George was also the first man to run a 150 in the World Straight Pool Championship...
...on Irving Crane....to be fair...matches used to be to 125.

I think this was the record at the time for tournament play. There were also Championship challenge matches through the 1950s (or so). In a 1954 challenge match between Mosconi and tournament runner-up Joe Procita, they played to 2400 points in blocks of 150 points. If I decipher Charlie Ursitti's info correctly, Mosconi had two runs of 150 (unfinished) in that match. They were not continuing runs across blocks in that match, apparently. Those were the first WC runs of 150 I could find looking through Ursitti's records.

The first tournament I could find with matches to 150 was the 1949 WC that was a double round robin with Mosconi, Caras, Crane and Ponzi. Crane had the high run of 82.


I'm looking at an article from Jan 8th 1926 that says Andrew St. Jean ran 161 in a challenge match against Rudolph.

It was a 1500 point match over several days. He started the run ( 13 balls) during a Wed night session, ran 125 and out during Thursday morning session, and that evening ran 23 more until he missed.

Apparently it was considered "competitive play" and stood as the record for a while.

Taberski and Greenleaf had already recorded runs of 230 and 210 respectively but those were done during exhibition play.
 

medallio

AzB Silver Member
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Jay, would Harold have played someone who is playing like Shaw and lose, and then play him over and over until he was the better of the 2?
 

bbb

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Jay, would Harold have played someone who is playing like Shaw and lose, and then play him over and over until he was the better of the 2?

i dont think harold would lose the first match up
 

medallio

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BBB, I kind of meant IF he lost and wasn’t used to that fire power. Then again someone wrote that Worst didn’t know he was supposed to miss every once in awhile!
 

Bob Jewett

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Here are some other threads about Worst...




 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
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I remember in the mid 80’s listening to the old guys talk about him on the rail pretty often. They all echoed what Jay said “best ever”. These guys were much older than Jay, seems to me there must be truth to it.

Jay has always got the story right-for the things I’ve seen and he’s recounted-Jays spot on.

So with what Jay seen and I heard consistently almost 40 years ago I’d imagine it’s not some myth or nonsense that has changed with time. Like Bugs being a great banker. It’s true.

Cool stuff.

Best
Fatboy 😃
 

jay helfert

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Hi Jay, do you know anything about Harold Worst winning a snooker tournament in England?
According to Ronnie Allen, shortly before Harold Worst died played in a professional English snooker tournament, on a 6 x 12 table, between 1965-1966.

I haven't found anything about an American player winning in England, in the Snooker archives or the National Billiards News achieves.
Never heard that, but it wouldn't surprise me. I saw him play Snooker with Cornbread and it was pretty close to an even game, although I think Worst won that match.
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
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The MIchigan State Championship is where I saw him play Cornbread. They played in the finals in 9-Ball and Snooker (Red won the 9-Ball). 1963!
so DannyD was about 72 back then? 😉😉

That’s pretty cool Jay. I’d have loved to have been there. Sadly I didn’t show up until 66. Lol

Fatboy
 
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