Who is the most well known Pool Player in the history of the USA??

manwon

manwon

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I have been thinking about this since I read another thread recently on this forum by a well respected forum member and instructor Roger Long. His main question in that thread asked if pool was poorly promoted or if league players and the general public just do not care who the professional players.

So who do you think is the most well known Pool Player in the History of the USA and why do you think they are so well remembered?

Thanks for everyones time and opinions in advance.
 
Minnesota Fats without a doubt is the best known in recent history. The reason is that he tireless promoted himself and was very entertaining.
Next would be Willie Mosconi. His record spoke for him and still speaks for him.
 
Craig, while I feel it SHOULD be Earl...I'd wager that Fats would be a fairly safe bet. Due to his well honed self promotion back in the day...his name is still a fairly well known to the casual type player that maybe can't actually name a current pro. The Miz would be wise choice as well...the memory of his beer commercials still lingers today. Whats your thought Craig?
Edited to add: That dang Hightower is quick with the "send" button...LOL!
 
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Fats, no question.

Even people who know absolutely nothing about pool know the name "Minnesota Fats" and assume he must have been the Babe Ruth of pool.
 
I can think of two

Willie Mosconi and Minnesota Fats. I watched Willie and fats on the Ed Sullivan show . I rember Willie as a well dressed good mannered pool player
with a very high level of skill. Fats looked to be going fishing was loud
and boisterous and like the attention of the crowd and was good at working the crowd. had a lot of showmanship and a great entertainer fun to watch. Aswell a high level of skill. I will always remember Willie and Fats.
just my thought on this subject. take care, john
After I posted I thought about this. I may stand to be corrected. I know Willie was on Ed Sullivan but was Fats?
It has been a while. I think I remember Willie and Fats playing on the wide world of sports. I do know there was no espn at that time. I remember the catch phrase of the wide world of sports," the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" john
 
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I would think that Fats's name would probably come up the most IF you polled all ages of Americans. If you just polled the ones under thirty years old, the "Black Widow" would probably be the answer.

Maniac
 
manwon said:
I have been thinking about this since I read another thread recently on this forum by a well respected forum member and instructor Roger Long. His main question in that thread asked if pool was poorly promoted or if league players and the general public just do not care who the professional players.

So who do you think is the most well known Pool Player in the History of the USA and why do you think they are so well remembered?

Thanks for everyones time and opinions in advance.
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I've been around quite a while, so I hope my answers aren't biased by my age.

I'd say best known amongst all would be Minnesota Fats.

I'd say best known amongst all players as a "player" would be Mosconi.

I'd say best known amongst the young people of today would be Jeanette Lee.
 
HawaiianEye said:
... I'd say best known amongst the young people of today would be Jeanette Lee.
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Exactly. A 20-something co-worker was beaming when I got him a Black Widow poster autographed to him. She was pretty much the only pool player he could name. Well maybe the "blond woman" too. The top men did not make his radar. A cousin (about 20) named Jeanette Lee and Mike Massey.
 
Fats, absolutely no doubt. He's been mentioned to me by non players. His legend goes on even among the uninitiated.
 
I doubt it would be anyone with any real particular SKILL in pool....

Michael Jordan shoot pool?
former/current President?
as mentioned, Samuel Clemens?

as for a REAL player - Mosconi is likely the answer, and then there's Fats....does he rank among the World Champions? No, but everyone who knows who he is knows he played pool.

The next question is who WILL be known in the future....?
 
Depends on the time, Greenleaf in the 20-40s, then Mosconi took over, then Fats came along, Miz was pretty popular because of the Bud Light commercials, now I would say Jeanette Lee is the most well known in the USA, Earl Strickland is well known also. Just ask a stranger to name a pool player and see what they say. :smile:
 
Fast Lenny said:
Depends on the time, Greenleaf in the 20-40s, then Mosconi took over, then Fats came along, Miz was pretty popular because of the Bud Light commercials, now I would say Jeanette Lee is the most well known in the USA, Earl Strickland is well known also. Just ask a stranger to name a pool player and see what they say. :smile:
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they'll say, "that Fast Lenny guy from Kolby's in AZ". :p

I'll ask at league next week....name 3 poolplayers that come to mind and see what the results are.
 
cueman said:
Minnesota Fats without a doubt is the best known in recent history. The reason is that he tireless promoted himself and was very entertaining.
Next would be Willie Mosconi. His record spoke for him and still speaks for him.
Click to expand...

No doubt on #1. Ppl who aren't even fans of the sport have heard the moniker Minnesota Fats
 
By far it would be Fats, EVERY time I talk to someone who isn't an avid player and they find out your good they always say something along the lines of..."you think your some kind of minnessota fats or something?" I kinda disagree with the Miz though, maybe I'm the exception and you all thing im retarded or something but I never heard of the Miz until I actually started getting good at pool and getting realy into it. I have a couple other ones though if they dont have to be the real names...Paul Newman as Fast Eddie and Tom Cruise as Vincent.
 
Although I agree MN Fats I would also have to state alot of people are going to say Fast Eddie Felson. I think the majority of pool exposure came from the movie the Color of Money. So even though it was a movie people will relate to that character. Does anyone else agree?
 
I think that most believe the Fat Man is the most well know player in the USA. It's easy to prove walk into any bar and openly ask the question and before the night is through some one will come over and tell you a story or mention his name.

I also agree that there is a difference in how different age group's will answer the question and that the Black Widow is very well know along with others mentioned.

But, the reason that any of these people are remembered is because they were either self promoted or promoted by an organization. In my opinion the main reason that Pool is not where it could be today is a complete lack of player promotion and a good strong front man of women. Yes I am certain that a well made movie would help but combining pool with gambling also will not hurt.

I think the days are gone or should be gone where people are trying to promote pool as anything other than another form of gambling. I kinda think gambling is here to stay so maybe it is time to present pool from the Hustling stand point of view that it has been hiding and trying to change since the movie the Hustler hit the Golden Screen. I also think with that said and the right front person pool could be brought back in the main stream enough to bring it out it's current slump.

JIMO
 
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