I disagree. The bar on this has moved from previous generations thanks to YouTube, Vimeo, all the guys doing streaming, all the 14.1 Challenge videos, John's DVDs (which you can't watch on a Mac, all the other videos posted here, AND the ready availability of low cost quality video equipment. Anyone can go out and buy a cheap video camera and tripod and record. It is not rocket science.
And so, if someone is going to claim big runs nowadays, there is no good reason on God's good green Simonis covered Earth that they can't provide video to back it up.
Lou Figueroa
I hear you Lou. I do not think there is anything to be gained by the high runs other than I did this ### run or whatever it does not seem to come with a valuable reward to claim a high run of any number. However we as pool fans accept Mosoni claim of the 526 because there is some sort of affidavit or some such legal looking document. This document we accept makes no mention of if Mosconi was playing with no fouls or if he did foul just move the ball back. There is not even agreement in this run of why the run stopped, was it a miss or did Mosconi get bored and stop. Mosconi has made both claim about the run long ago he said he missed to end the run,later on he said he stopped. I guess what I am saying is there no official (whatever official is) group overseeing high runs. There is nothing of value to be gained by running a big number at Bobby's private table with no video or with John running 300+ at Marops on video. John might sell a few videos but there is no Million Dollar prize. I see you want to raise the bar with visual proof, that is cool maybe we should put something together come up with a rules group, talk about rules and what is proof of run and also of course put together a prize found. True Rack will donate $1,000 to a run that surpasses Mosconis run whether it is done at home or at one of these large events like DCC, SBE or CSI vegas whatever that is ifif we decide to create a high run prize fund.
My suggestion is touch fouls are OK but no more than a single ball per rack. I have heard Mosconi was pretty much capable of fouling a ball during his daily high runs so I have to believe he fouled at least a ball during his big run. Video has to be 30 fps and 640x480 or better full color. Table has to be 4x8, 4 1/2x9 or 5x10. Pocket size to be no larger than 5 1/2" which is what I heard Mosconi had on that 4x8. Cleaning of the balls will also need to be addressed, I think we would allow cleaning of pocketed balls every rack, cleaning cue ball or break ball would be allowed but a ball marker would have to be used not 2 pieces of chalk. I know Bob J would want no fouls at all but I am open to whatever is decided.
So if we could get all pool fans who have a business pool related or not to make a donation then we could put together a prize fund. As I said True Rack will donate $1000 with the goal being some 6/7digit prize fund number, I think $1 million plus could be raised. I think we could raise enough funds that it would get the attention of the people who are capable of a 527. I for one think John could run 527 or more in 2 years on a loose Diamond 4x8 with 5 inch pockets Simonis cloth and Aramith ball and an awesome light if he had a reason to try for 6-8 hours a day. He goes for periods of time without hitting a ball. Bobby might be able to put that type of run together to if there was a reward. Same for Danny H and quite a few Europeans. Should we put something together. What I would like if we want to do this would be for players to sign up ahead of time that you are going to be trying and then at least a run a month on video so we can see the progress. Let them submit a sample of video so we can be sure the quality is acceptable. We would want to be sure there was no Sascha run submitted for the prize fund. We could put together a high run site and all the donators could get ad space for their donations. I would love to see some Ustream live streams of various players working to a high run. I think we could develop a following of more than the normal visitors we get to this AZ 14.1 sub forum.
So what I am saying is if we want to have rules for high run claims then there has to be a reason to make a high run claim and pay attention to your runs. I bet we could raise some decent funds and try to get some mainstream media attention and perhaps some mainstream cash. Would love to see Coke supporting 14.1 or Chevy or Nike. I think it could happen. Notice I am talking about a 527 the goal of this would be to surpass Mosconi's high run and get attention on 14.1 and pool in general.
What do you all think.
Last edited: