Fatty and Mosconi on ESPN

[Terry Ardeno]

I don't think they hated each other as much as advertised. After the match if you look closely you can see Mosconi wink at Fats before they shake hands. They hated each other the way pro wrestlers hate each other. If people think it's a grudge match there is more interest.

Even though he was full of it most of the time it's hard not to like Fats. In this video at the 15 minute mark you can see Mosconi telling some kids in the audience to stop distracting him. You would never see Fats do that.

http://talk.cuetable.com/showthread.php?t=1070

Mosconi was a perfectionist who had a temper. He swore a lot during his matches. And he resented that in many places, Fats was more well known than he was. Fats was more playful and funny, knowing that the crowd ate that up AND that it got under Willie's thin skin.

Willie was a 15 time World 14.1 champion and he considered Fatty a wanna-be who's claim to fame was self-promotion.

If you're interested in a real in depth look at their relationship, get R.A. Dyer's book "The Hustler and the Champ". Anything he puts out is top quality material, and this book is no exception.

Here's a link with some good reading....http://www.billiardsdigest.com/new_untold_stories/

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Could anyone make out what cue Willie was using? I couldn't tell but thought it may have been as Shazam. Fats looked like he was playing with a Rambow Titleist, but again I'm not sure.

Also, I never did hear the year of this event though I'm guessing about '81. At least that's about when Crane would have been 68 years old and they did mention that in his match with Willie. They also mentioned he was 5th in the world and that is really amazing at that age! Given that, I'm surprised they said Willie was favored to win the tournament.

 

[Terry Ardeno]

Could anyone make out what cue Willie was using? I couldn't tell but thought it may have been as Shazam. Fats looked like he was playing with a Rambow Titleist, but again I'm not sure.

Also, I never did hear the year of this event though I'm guessing about '81. At least that's about when Crane would have been 68 years old and they did mention that in his match with Willie. They also mentioned he was 5th in the world and that is really amazing at that age! Given that, I'm surprised they said Willie was favored to win the tournament.

Willie played with a George Balabushka cue for many years.

Also, there were two Legends tournaments, one in 1982 won by Mosconi and the other in 1983, which was won by Lassiter. In 1983, Jimmy Caras took the place of Arthur "Babe" Cranfield.

 

[DogsPlayingPool]

Willie played with a George Balabushka cue for many years.

Also, there were two Legends tournaments, one in 1982 won by Mosconi and the other in 1983, which was won by Lassiter. In 1983, Jimmy Caras took the place of Arthur "Babe" Cranfield.

Thanks Terry. I guess the ones that were on TV over the weekend were from both events because both Caras and Cranfield were listed as participants. I'd have to go back and see if they were both listed on any one telecast.

I thought Willie's cue might also have been a Balabushka.

I was still amazed when Hopkins mentioned that Crane was ranked 5th in the world at the age of 68.