The Mount Rushmore of Pool - who would you put on?

[CJ Wiley]

Buddy's spent some time down in Texas recently playing with us.

You're right, and none of today's players would want any part of him either.

Buddy Hall was the best of them all.......and his game was their teacher.

Buddy's spent some time down in Texas recently and I had the privilege to play him a few times and talk about pool with the master himself. He shared a couple things I already knew and a couple that I didn't.....he's certainly a "warehouse" of knowledge.

Buddy Hall would go years without anyone stepping up to play him some. He was also the only one to beat Efren when he beat all the other American players when he made his arrival here.. Buddy is one of the best players to ever play the game! In their prime, Allen. Mike, Earl, Varner, Wiley, Howard, Rempe, wanted no part of gambling against Buddy!

 

[the Professor]

You're right, and none of today's players would want any part of him either.

Buddy Hall was the best of them all.......and his game was their teacher.

Buddy's spent some time down in Texas recently and I had the privilege to play him a few times and talk about pool with the master himself. He shared a couple things I already knew and a couple that I didn't.....he's certainly a "warehouse" of knowledge.

I'm betting getting to hang out and play with Buddy Hall is pretty awesome… So I have a question.. you are great about sharing information..

Tell us something that Buddy taught you that you didn't already know????

Much Appreciated!

 

[NitPicker]

I agree ...don't want to see any living player on the Mount.

Michael Phelan....the father of American billiards....and a billiard polymath...look him up.

Frank Taberski....he won ten titles in a row and was given permanent possession of the
trophy....slow, Irving Crane- like game, but they couldn't beat him.

Willie Mosconi.....all I'll say is 526

Willie Hoppe.....yeah, I know it's pool we're talking, but this man had an enormous influence
on the whole American billiard scene.....a great ambassador and billiard's first millionaire.

I got some bookends......

Harold Worst.....died before his time.....but beat everybody at every thing.

Cicero Murphy.....won a world title at his first attempt, breaking the color bar forever.

The Industry mountain would feature Michael Phelan, Thomas Foley, John Brunswick and John Wesley Hyatt.

The player mountain would feature Jacob Schaefer, Willie Hoppe, Ralph Greenleaf and Alfredo De'Oro.

The ladies mountain would feature Katherine Haywood, May Kaarlus, Dorothy Wise and Jean Balukas.


Everyone else hasn't been dead long enough, and Mosconi gets his own mountain:grin:

It'll be parked right next to Jeanette Mountains.

It's hard to pick just 4, but these two responses are pretty close to my line of thought.

 

[cueaddicts]

hard to pick just 4

Willie, Fatty, Efren, and Shane

Don't all have to be "the best", but these 4 represent all aspects of pocket billards rather well.

 

[snake-eyes612]

Want some cheese with that whine ONB?

 

[KRJ]

I agree ...don't want to see any living player on the Mount.

Michael Phelan....the father of American billiards....and a billiard polymath...look him up.

Frank Taberski....he won ten titles in a row and was given permanent possession of the
trophy....slow, Irving Crane- like game, but they couldn't beat him.

Willie Mosconi.....all I'll say is 526

Willie Hoppe.....yeah, I know it's pool we're talking, but this man had an enormous influence
on the whole American billiard scene.....a great ambassador and billiard's first millionaire.

That's a real good,list PT. Anyone that does not include mosconi needs to start their list over or read a billiard history book :wink:

 

[Old Nine Baller]

Want some cheese with that whine ONB?

Want some cheese with that whine ONB?

Mark Davis

Playing cue: Fancy sneaky, Tom Kjos/TNT Billiards
Break cue: Fancy sneaky, Tom Kjos/TNT Billiards
Jumper: Cherry Popper, Ken Kirchner/ TNT Billiards

Other cues: Ken Kirchner, Jacoby, McDermott, Andy Gilbert j/b.

Oh no, definitely not. I could never take cheese from a person with all those cues. You must play really good.

Thanks for wasting your 22nd post in 5 years on little ole moi.

ONB

 

[Old Nine Baller]

I agree ...don't want to see any living player on the Mount.

Michael Phelan....the father of American billiards....and a billiard polymath...look him up.

Frank Taberski....he won ten titles in a row and was given permanent possession of the
trophy....slow, Irving Crane- like game, but they couldn't beat him.

Willie Mosconi.....all I'll say is 526

Willie Hoppe.....yeah, I know it's pool we're talking, but this man had an enormous influence
on the whole American billiard scene.....a great ambassador and billiard's first millionaire.

I got some bookends......

Harold Worst.....died before his time.....but beat everybody at every thing.

Cicero Murphy.....won a world title at his first attempt, breaking the color bar forever.

Mosconi was and is still the greatest 14.1 player ever but he ran the 526 on a 4'x8' during an exhibition negating it's inclusion as a valid reason for his inclusion on the Mount. He does belong though, for his world titles, particularly on 5'x10's.

ONB

 

[Cardigan Kid]

Worst has to be on there period....no one has ever replicated his dominance in all forms of the game.

I'm aware of Harold worst and his dominance, but wasn't his life cut short by cancer in thirties? So, on that unfortunate aspect of his career, wouldn't someone who was dominant for decade(s) trump worst?

 

[Shannon.spronk]

Mosconi was and is still the greatest 14.1 player ever but he ran the 526 on a 4'x8' during an exhibition negating it's inclusion as a valid reason for his inclusion on the Mount. He does belong though, for his world titles, particularly on 5'x10's.

ONB

I believe a person can use any criteria treat they want to. They do not have to use your criteria

Also just for you here is my mountain:

Shane
Earl
Efren
Mosconi

 

[Cornerman]

Greenleaf, Mosconi, Crane, Lassiter


But if they made a second one in 30 years for the modern players, and I'm assuming it's an American Mt Rushmore Jr.:

Sigel, Mizerak, Strickland, Varner


If it were a female Mt Rushmora:

Dorothy, Jean, Loree Jon, Jeanette


Freddie <~~~ not on the sculptor's list

 

[sjm]

Mosconi was and is still the greatest 14.1 player ever but he ran the 526 on a 4'x8' during an exhibition negating it's inclusion as a valid reason for his inclusion on the Mount. He does belong though, for his world titles, particularly on 5'x10's.

ONB

I disagree with your contention that his wins on 5 x 10 mean more than his wins on 4 1/2 x 9. In fact, his game on a 9-footer was much stronger. Tall guys like Irving Crane were a much bigger threat to Willie on the 5 x 10, and Willie's dominance was greater on the 4 1/2 x 9 tables.

I agree that his 526 is no more than a footnote to a career defined by his competitive dominance over peers like Irving Crane, Jimmy Caras, Jimmy Moore, Luther Lassiter, Babe Cranfield and others.

 

[Celtic]

Efren has said the same thing, that the toughest player he ever faced was Mike Sigel.

Busty has also stated Sigel was one of the best ever.

Azbilliards is full of people who have no idea how good Sigel was.

 

[sjm]

Busty has also stated Sigel was one of the best ever.

Azbilliards is full of people who have no idea how good Sigel was.

That's so true. In 2000, Billiards Digest put a list together of the best players of the 20th century, and Sigel was #3, behind only Greenleaf and Mosconi.

Efren and Earl though Sigel was the toughest they ever faced. Enough said.

 

[Old Nine Baller]

I disagree with your contention that his wins on 5 x 10 mean more than his wins on 4 1/2 x 9. In fact, his game on a 9-footer was much stronger. Tall guys like Irving Crane were a much bigger threat to Willie on the 5 x 10, and Willie's dominance was greater on the 4 1/2 x 9 tables.

I agree that his 526 is no more than a footnote to a career defined by his competitive dominance over peers like Irving Crane, Jimmy Caras, Jimmy Moore, Luther Lassiter, Babe Cranfield and others.

This is kind of the point.

ONB

 

[the Professor]

That's so true. In 2000, Billiards Digest put a list together of the best players of the 20th century, and Sigel was #3, behind only Greenleaf and Mosconi.

Efren and Earl though Sigel was the toughest they ever faced. Enough said.

I gotta say that having Efren and Earl as your references makes for a pretty strong resume!

 

[Old Nine Baller]

Mosconi was and is still the greatest 14.1 player ever but he ran the 526 on a 4'x8' during an exhibition negating it's inclusion as a valid reason for his inclusion on the Mount. He does belong though, for his world titles, particularly on 5'x10's.

ONB

I believe a person can use any criteria treat they want to. They do not have to use your criteria

Also just for you here is my mountain:

Shane
Earl
Efren
Mosconi


Custom Set: Jim Baxter
Playing Cue: Redwood Burl and Maple Burl with OB1 (Kamui Black Hard)
Extra Shaft OB1 (Everest Medium)
Break Cue: Maple Burl and Redwood Burl with OB Break (Samsara)
Jump Cue: Predator Air II
Extension: Redwood Burl
Case: Whitten 3x6

You waited 10 days and 49 posts just to write this to me? You must really be bored.

P.S. Nice collection of cues. Do you know how to use them?

ONB

 

[number13cfan]

Mosconi wouldn't be there. He played one game and one game only.

Reyes had no 9 Ball break and could not play BankPool to save his life. He is the best all-around player in history though and belongs on the mount.

Earl has embarrassed himself and his country so many times that he should be banned from any consideration for any kudos ever.

Shane Van Boening could not be on it if integrity, honesty and decency were requisite.

ONB

YOU think that Harold Worst wasn't the BEST all around player, ever! The only game Reyes may have had chance in is, One Pocket! IMO Harold, especially for the MONEY!

I've seen both play up close!

Number13cfan

 

[sjm]

This is kind of the point.

ONB

Yes, I think we're pretty much on the same page here, ONB.

 

[Old Nine Baller]

Mosconi wouldn't be there. He played one game and one game only.

Reyes had no 9 Ball break and could not play BankPool to save his life. He is the best all-around player in history though and belongs on the mount.

Earl has embarrassed himself and his country so many times that he should be banned from any consideration for any kudos ever.

Shane Van Boening could not be on it if integrity, honesty and decency were requisite.

ONB

YOU think that Harold Worst wasn't the BEST all around player, ever! The only game Reyes may have had chance in is, One Pocket! IMO Harold, especially for the MONEY!

I've seen both play up close!

Number13cfan

I did not mention Harold Worst at all and did not tell what I thought of him. I simply mentioned three who shouldn't belong.

ONB