Top 10 Influential People in the Pool World, let's say last 50 years

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Desmondp

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Who would you put down as the Top 10 influential people who had done the most for the game of pool say in the last 50 years

In no particular order, my list includes

Willie Mosconi
Barry Hearn
Paul Newman
Jeanette Lee
Efren Reyes
Mike Sigel
Earl Strickland
Steve Davis (seriously, he was a focal marketing point for pool in Uk and europe)


I'm sure there are some behind the scenes names i am not familar with
 
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Solid list.

I think Mike Howerton is a no brainer on that list. In fifty years you will be able to look back at pool in the US almost as "Pre-AZ" and "Post-AZ". The ability for players and fans from all over the world to come together and discuss things is a very powerful thing.

IMO Pat Fleming is probably the most important person in pool in this country in the last 30 years. Think of all the amazing matches and players that would be lost to history if he would not have been around. EVERY young champion I know today says they watched Pat's videos when they were starting out. That is strong. Accu-Stats is such a strong connecting force for the entire pool world that I can not imagine what it would be like with out them.

As far as players I think Corey Deuel has a spot because he simply changed the game. Corey is the reason we are playing 10 ball today instead of 9 Ball.

One person who IMO has to be on the list is Ernie Gutierrez of Gina Cue. IMO Ernie basically created the modern high end cue market. The man is a true genius and legend.
 
Minnesota Fats did more for the game than any other ten people in the industry.
 
jcin said:
imo pat fleming is probably the most important person in pool in this country in the last 30 years. Think of all the amazing matches and players that would be lost to history if he would not have been around. Every young champion i know today says they watched pat's videos when they were starting out. That is strong. Accu-stats is such a strong connecting force for the entire pool world that i can not imagine what it would be like with out them.
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enuf said !!!!!
 
50 years goes back a long time....all the way back to guys like the Jansco Bros starting the Johnson city events!

how bout the movie the "Hustler", and "TCOM" ? those 2 movies did more for the sports then ANYTHING!

Willie Mosconi brought running 100's to countless tiny towns while working for Brunswick...

THE DERBY as of late is keeping the dream alive for all of us still devoted!!!

Barry Berman!!!! enough said right there!

The crew at Diamond Tables......those guys LOVE pool, and prove it every day!!!


PAT FRIGGIN FLEMING!...accustats taught us all how to play!, not to mention we got to see our heros anytime we wanted!!!

ALL the billiards mags....BD, on the snap, pool n billiard, etc kept us going BEFORE the net!

ALL the streaming crew...TAR, Lenny, Accustats, Big Truck etc.....the new school of getting pool into our homes!

last and not least AZBILLIARDS....what can I say....it is the life blood of pool!

cool thread!

G.
 
I think Justin is dead on. The first people I thought of were:

Deuel
Howerton
Fleming
Sullivan
Reyes
TAR
Griffin
 
Willie Mosconi
Fats
Martin Scorsesi
Paul Newman
Pat Flemming
TAR
Mark Griffin
Barry Behrman
Allen Hopkins
 
Walter Tevis

For kids of my generation,The Hustler made us want to be the best.

Think Barry Hearn and Steve Davis should be one entry....
..they're like Elvis and the Colonel

Howerton and Fleming for sure.

The founders of TAR also get my vote..they deal excitement
 
The Miz

Steve Mizerak gave pool a lot of exposure with the Miller Lite commercials. He was a great ambassador for the game.
 
All above worthy but others for consideration:
Nick Varner (always forgotten)
Buddy Hall (always feared)
Jim Rempe (the king)
Keith Mc (no brainer)
Jose Parica (first here and brought the rest)
Jeanette Lee (stunning marketer)
Alison Fisher (brought game up to real level)
Jean Balukas (too good to play with the girls)

others

Cornbread, The Beard, Ronnie Allen and counting
 
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Pat Fleming
Hearn
Behrman
Steve Tipton
Reyes
Strickland
Allie Fischer
FATS
Trudough...ya, i know. But, you have to admit that some banked big and we LEARNED
Mosconi
 
RiverCity said:
I was thinking Trudeax and Mackey should be on the list, because they are the 2 who did the most damage.
Chuck
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Trudeau and Mackey definitely need to be on that list, and so should Charlie Williams.

Love him or hate him, Trudeau came up with by far the best and most extravagant venues, and paid the players what they were worth, especially the Hall of Famers. He had big plans and big money, but he just didn't think the whole thing through. If KT would have taken his time and gradually increased the prize funds over a 5 year period, the IPT would still be around today.

Say what you want about Don Mackey, he always worked his ass off to for the betterment of the tour. He took some big risks, and most of them paid off. He brought big money into pool, and in the end it all fell apart because of the unexpected, not incompetence.

Charlie Williams is a doer. He goes out there and gets things done. If we had 20 people working half as hard as Charlie with 25% of his determination, we'd definitely get somewhere.
 
JCIN said:
Solid list.

I think Mike Howerton is a no brainer on that list. In fifty years you will be able to look back at pool in the US almost as "Pre-AZ" and "Post-AZ". The ability for players and fans from all over the world to come together and discuss things is a very powerful thing.

IMO Pat Fleming is probably the most important person in pool in this country in the last 30 years. Think of all the amazing matches and players that would be lost to history if he would not have been around. EVERY young champion I know today says they watched Pat's videos when they were starting out. That is strong. Accu-Stats is such a strong connecting force for the entire pool world that I can not imagine what it would be like with out them.

As far as players I think Corey Deuel has a spot because he simply changed the game. Corey is the reason we are playing 10 ball today instead of 9 Ball.

One person who IMO has to be on the list is Ernie Gutierrez of Gina Cue. IMO Ernie basically created the modern high end cue market. The man is a true genius and legend.
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i never watched an accu stats tape.
i was on the road playing.

i would like to thank cory cause i like 10 ball much better.
 
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