I think it would be interesting if someone like TAR put up a prize fund for anyone who could break Mosconi's high run record. Any one who wanted a shot at the cash, would come to the TAR studio and practice for a while, then give Justin a set amount of money for a shot at the cash and record, they would be given a certain amount of tries to beat the record, if they fail, then Justin would then add the money to the prize fund. I would think the prize fund would grow quite rapidly. Winning the prize fund would be nice, but beating Willie's record would be priceless. Can you imagine being lucky enough to catch the record being broken, live on a stream. The DVDs of the record being broken would definitely be in demand. I think something like this would draw out all the big dogs. I think it would only be fitting and fair, if it was being played on the same kind of equipment and cloth that Willie set the record on. I think then we might get a better comparison of the great players of today to the great players of the past.
A Shot At Willie's Record
- Thread starter irock
- Start date
I think the point of the record was that it was done in an actual match, not just practice. The only way you could legitimately break this record would be to have a very long straight pool TAR match between 2 players and have a significant bonus for breaking the record.
I maybe wrong, but I thought it was an exhibition. I also think Willie stopped on his own.
None the less, this is a great idea and should be pursued. What should the entry be? I will try for $5! haha (lol)
Exhibition, yes, but he still had an opponent so it was in an actual match, he didn't just start off with an ideal break shot like you would in a high run competition. His run has been broken several times just practicing.
And he missed, he didn't just stop.
Ya got any info on who did it and when?
I believe Mosconi himself had runs over 600 in practice. Other than him, Mike Eufemia, Babe Cranfield, and Min Wai Chin. No idea when, but its not such a big deal considering its only practice. Mike Eufemia's run was apparently in a match, but without witnesses.
Willie's record
I was at the 2000 us open 14.1 in NYC.
Min Wai Chin played there and he was awesome.
No one knew who he was and he could have won it.
I think ralf soquet won?
Mark Griffin
I was at the 2000 us open 14.1 in NYC.
Min Wai Chin played there and he was awesome.
No one knew who he was and he could have won it.
I think ralf soquet won?
Mark Griffin
Yes, Ralf defeated Chin in the finals 150-95.
It is a great idea and you can thank Bob Jewett. Go check out the 14.1 forum on this as a 14.1 high run competition at professional events has been ongoing for a coupla years now. The prize fund last time for breaking the record was $20,000 posted by Bob. This is in addition to the prize money for top finishers in the high run competition.
Yes, an exhibition match. But I imagine the match was to a fixed number of points. Many nights, Willie would stop when he got to "game." For some reason he continued that night. But after he reached "game" points, it was no longer a match -- just a high-run attempt.
Although technically, it was a match, it was part of an exhibition. In those days,
Willie and a few of the other 14.1 pros traveled the country giving
exhibitions to promote the game. Though he worked through a 'promoter',
it was Brunswick that funded and controlled the touring pros, as they did the 14.1
championship tournaments. Willie's standard program was to play the best
player from the hosting room a game of 14.1 to 100, then do a few trick shots
and give some pointers on playing the game. You more or less
expected him to run out from his first open shot.
The real reason Willie's record still stands, even though others have
indeed pocketed more balls-in-a-row, including Willie himself, is they all
did it in practice.
Willie did one or two, on rare occasion 3, ehibitions a day. Which means
he got maybe 2 chances a day to run balls, from where he was left.
That's a whole bunch different than trying as many times as you can
stand up for. Add in the logistics of dragging yourself around the highways
and byways of America, often for months at a time, and it becomes pretty
obvious that other high runs, impressive as they may be in their own
right, don't really compare.
Dale
Willie and a few of the other 14.1 pros traveled the country giving
exhibitions to promote the game. Though he worked through a 'promoter',
it was Brunswick that funded and controlled the touring pros, as they did the 14.1
championship tournaments. Willie's standard program was to play the best
player from the hosting room a game of 14.1 to 100, then do a few trick shots
and give some pointers on playing the game. You more or less
expected him to run out from his first open shot.
The real reason Willie's record still stands, even though others have
indeed pocketed more balls-in-a-row, including Willie himself, is they all
did it in practice.
Willie did one or two, on rare occasion 3, ehibitions a day. Which means
he got maybe 2 chances a day to run balls, from where he was left.
That's a whole bunch different than trying as many times as you can
stand up for. Add in the logistics of dragging yourself around the highways
and byways of America, often for months at a time, and it becomes pretty
obvious that other high runs, impressive as they may be in their own
right, don't really compare.
Dale
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I think he generally played the town champ or something, but back then there weren't a whole lot of world class players to choose from like there are now and even then, among world beaters, not many had a realistic shot at beating Mosconi anyways.
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Oh sure!
Willie ran the 526 but they were laying perfect.
"If you were to go out to Dinner or play golf with Willie Mosconi, you couldn't want to be with a nicer gentleman. But, if things didn't go just his way in the pool room, he could be a little hard to get along with."
Eddie "The Knoxville Bear" Taylor
But, really guys. Think about it. Those kind of numbers don't come around because guys "put up some money and take shots at it...not ever. It takes skill beyond imagination and luck plays a tremendous part. Tell you what: If this contest happens and you let me hold the pot, I'll kick in a thou.
I was sitting with Buddy Hall at a tournament in Albuquerque. A prize of a car was put up if anyone ran ten racks in the tournament. I said to Buddy" "Steve Shaw ran six last night", to which Buddy said "Alfie, do you know how far six racks is from ten?"
I was told Jimmy Moore walked into a bowling alley in Albuquerque one morning, put together 1,100 and quit. I don't know if it's true or not but, with pool stories and pool players, it doesn't matter. It's something to talk about. But, look who's talking. I get up at three thirty or four to start gabbing with you guys. Lordy, how I love it.
Keep it nice. Alfie
Willie ran the 526 but they were laying perfect.
"If you were to go out to Dinner or play golf with Willie Mosconi, you couldn't want to be with a nicer gentleman. But, if things didn't go just his way in the pool room, he could be a little hard to get along with."
Eddie "The Knoxville Bear" Taylor
But, really guys. Think about it. Those kind of numbers don't come around because guys "put up some money and take shots at it...not ever. It takes skill beyond imagination and luck plays a tremendous part. Tell you what: If this contest happens and you let me hold the pot, I'll kick in a thou.
I was sitting with Buddy Hall at a tournament in Albuquerque. A prize of a car was put up if anyone ran ten racks in the tournament. I said to Buddy" "Steve Shaw ran six last night", to which Buddy said "Alfie, do you know how far six racks is from ten?"
I was told Jimmy Moore walked into a bowling alley in Albuquerque one morning, put together 1,100 and quit. I don't know if it's true or not but, with pool stories and pool players, it doesn't matter. It's something to talk about. But, look who's talking. I get up at three thirty or four to start gabbing with you guys. Lordy, how I love it.
Keep it nice. Alfie
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I dont think the TAR table is setup to have a player run 527+ balls. That table is double tough from what I have heard and read.
Monconi's high run table, not so much...
Monconi's high run table, not so much...
Why should TAR put up the money? Don't get me wrong, I don't think this is a bad idea.
I Think it would be great if TAR was involved in the recording of it, however, I think this should be a player funded proposition.
Here's how I think it should work.
Players, pay an attempt fee to TAR, this would cover their time with the remaining money going into a fund. Players would then book recording time with TAR, get 1 attempt with a re-buy option.
This way the fund will build over time and there should be some pretty good attempts recorded.
I Think it would be great if TAR was involved in the recording of it, however, I think this should be a player funded proposition.
Here's how I think it should work.
Players, pay an attempt fee to TAR, this would cover their time with the remaining money going into a fund. Players would then book recording time with TAR, get 1 attempt with a re-buy option.
This way the fund will build over time and there should be some pretty good attempts recorded.