Best all around player ever?

RCnotcola said:
Harold Worst, Efren, Lassiter in that order.
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That would be my list as well, although I would love to see a battle royale between Worst and Efren!

I mean, Efren has won DCC all around 5 times
Lassiter won Johnston City all around 15 times
And Worst was by ALL accounts better than Lassiter.........Wow
 
JohnnyOzone said:
That would be my list as well, although I would love to see a battle royale between Worst and Efren!

I mean, Efren has won DCC all around 5 times
Lassiter won Johnston City all around 15 times
And Worst was by ALL accounts better than Lassiter.........Wow
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I don't think the Johnston City tournament lasted for 15 years. Lassiter did win a bunch of times though.
 
JohnnyOzone said:
That would be my list as well, although I would love to see a battle royale between Worst and Efren!

I mean, Efren has won DCC all around 5 times
Lassiter won Johnston City all around 15 times
And Worst was by ALL accounts better than Lassiter.........Wow
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Lassiter won the Johnston City all-around title 5 times.
 
JohnnyOzone said:
... Lassiter won Johnston City all around 15 times ...
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Lassiter was ALL-Around Champion 5 times in the 12 years of the Johnston City event (plus 11 wins in the individual disciplines).

[Edit -- whoops, I see I'm a bit late with this.]
 
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westcoast said:
I'm no expert. I'm in my early-40s and didn't get a chance to see guys from before the '90s or so. However, I find it hard to believe that Dennis wouldn't have a good chance in any type of pool match because he has to be one of the most accurate shooters of all-time. Maybe there were guys that could shoot as straight as him in the past, but I doubt most could keep up with his ball pocketing abilities. It seems like he can get out from anywhere.
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Luther Lassiter is legendary for his accuracy. Dennis, im guessing it's orcollo, is a great money player and doesn't crack under pressure, but Luther Lassiter in his prime could cut a ball 90 degrees full length of the table regularly from what I've read and heard. I'm in school of thought that things get better as time goes on, a side effect of technology I guess, but certain things that have gone virtually unchanged like pool, where the old folk had no distractions, it was pool 24/7/365, no cells, nothing. Back than the players I think were significantly better overall than the ones Today. I'm earls biggest fan, he's a little throw back to that erA, but everyone else although great in their own right, I doubt they had the same environment that breeded a certain level of player. Just my opinion and a thought. Don't rip me a new one.


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While your statements abot the superflous areas of concern our human history did not have may be true, i dont think they have the meaning you you have landed upon.

Arguement could be made that those things make playrs of today better.

Dennis lives pool. No doubt about that.

Back in the day, the better players knew things about pool that others didnt, shots, moves strategies...maybe all of which can now be bought in a pretty book by damn near anyone that wants it.

I contend that application specific knowledge is a far greater influence than a cell phone or internet availability on the skill levels of players.

But as said...this discussion can only be discussion. Like OJ...we will neve know.:eek:
trinacria said:
Luther Lassiter is legendary for his accuracy. Dennis, im guessing it's orcollo, is a great money player and doesn't crack under pressure, but Luther Lassiter in his prime could cut a ball 90 degrees full length of the table regularly from what I've read and heard. I'm in school of thought that things get better as time goes on, a side effect of technology I guess, but certain things that have gone virtually unchanged like pool, where the old folk had no distractions, it was pool 24/7/365, no cells, nothing. Back than the players I think were significantly better overall than the ones Today. I'm earls biggest fan, he's a little throw back to that erA, but everyone else although great in their own right, I doubt they had the same environment that breeded a certain level of player. Just my opinion and a thought. Don't rip me a new one.


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Lol. I'm just trying to figure out when Dennis became the best ever??? He beat Scott Frost at 1 pckt - so what.

Shane has owned him for years at 9/10ball, Shaw(player of the year) will drill his nuts in, Chang JL leaves Dennis crying in the corner. So, other than him beating Frost what has changed?
Jason
 
jasonlaus said:
Lol. I'm just trying to figure out when Dennis became the best ever??? He beat Scott Frost at 1 pckt - so what.

Shane has owned him for years at 9/10ball, Shaw(player of the year) will drill his nuts in, Chang JL leaves Dennis crying in the corner. So, other than him beating Frost what has changed?
Jason
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He added a new bumper sticker to his car:
"One pocket CHAMPION Bet i'm not"
 
Black-Balled said:
While your statements abot the superflous areas of concern our human history did not have may be true, i dont think they have the meaning you you have landed upon.



Arguement could be made that those things make playrs of today better.



Dennis lives pool. No doubt about that.



Back in the day, the better players knew things about pool that others didnt, shots, moves strategies...maybe all of which can now be bought in a pretty book by damn near anyone that wants it.



I contend that application specific knowledge is a far greater influence than a cell phone or internet availability on the skill levels of players.



But as said...this discussion can only be discussion. Like OJ...we will neve know.:eek:
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Well, while your statement may have ground due to a wider knowledge available by a click of a button, the statement of like oj we'll never know proves that you're living a lie. Lol. That guy is guiltier than my dog shitting on the carpet. Hahahahahah


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Brick.Top said:
I would humbly add Allen Hopkins to the ring. World-class at every game. Also plays jam-up snooker.
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Oh yea .. funny he was skipped since he's front and center due to SBE.

Also .. not sure anyone mentioned Irving "The Deacon" Crane, definitely one of the top players from years gone by.
 
King T said:
Efren does have a 14.1 title. Luther and Harold were great period players, played great during their time, but there was little to no international competition. Efren has played EVERYBODY WHI IS ANYBODY and Won and he's still winning 30 years later!

Its not even close, Efren is King!
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I have watched all the greats since about 1980 in all disciplines.for me,no one is even close to the talent of efren reyes. I 100 percent believe he could have focused on ANY discipline and simply been the best in it.The most talented player ever to me.
 
the question of the best all around player will never be agreed on.
take 20 of the best all around players in history.
gather them up each in their prime and let them play it out.
it most likely have a different winner each time or a handful will dominate.
but from almost 60 years of watching most of the great ones i have to go with Efren.
Hes not human when it comes to pool.
 
measureman said:
the question of the best all around player will never be agreed on.
...
but from almost 60 years of watching most of the great ones i have to go with Efren.
Hes not human when it comes to pool.
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LOL - I've seen a few shots that made me think the same thing.
Also agree on the first statement too.
 
Efren revolutionized how pool should be played. That alone should rank him number one in my book. He has the most impact worldwide. Greatest one pocket, 8 ball and rotation player in history. Besides his kicking prowess and ingenuity at the table, he has a very strong mental game and also shown tremendous longevity. Won all the big money tournaments and consistently dominating. Even at his weakest game of 9-ball, he managed to beat imo, the best 9 ball player ever in Strickland for 100k, race to 120. Truly the greatest ever.
 
monsterdog said:
Efren revolutionized how pool should be played. That alone should rank him number one in my book. He has the most impact worldwide. Greatest one pocket, 8 ball and rotation player in history. Besides his kicking prowess and ingenuity at the table, he has a very strong mental game and also shown tremendous longevity. Won all the big money tournaments and consistently dominating. Even at his weakest game of 9-ball, he managed to beat imo, the best 9 ball player ever in Strickland for 100k, race to 120. Truly the greatest ever.
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Efren only beat Strickland because Earl lost. Earl outplayed Efren using an ultra high hear that Efren could not muster himself. Earl only lost because Earl beat Earl.

Having said that, yes, absolutely Efren is maybe the greatest all around player that the world has seen this far and only the handful of names that have already been mentioned can be considered his equal or better.
 
jalapus logan said:
Efren only beat Strickland because Earl lost. Earl outplayed Efren using an ultra high hear that Efren could not muster himself. Earl only lost because Earl beat Earl.

Having said that, yes, absolutely Efren is maybe the greatest all around player that the world has seen this far and only the handful of names that have already been mentioned can be considered his equal or better.
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Ear lost that one when Efren started making balls on the break consistently.
And Efren put him in jail many times on the last night of the match.
Efren was down 87-104. Then started a huge rally.
They were actually tied at 117 when Earl just about lost it. His cue ball flew off on the break and he could see the writing on the wall.

During that time, I would have taken Efren against anyone on tight pockets.
He offered the pros the 7-ball at Hard Times if Bustamante broke for him.
Nobody took the offer.
 
JoeyInCali said:
Ear lost that one when Efren started making balls on the break consistently.
And Efren put him in jail many times on the last night of the match.
Efren was down 87-104. Then started a huge rally.
They were actually tied at 117 when Earl just about lost it. His cue ball flew off on the break and he could see the writing on the wall.

During that time, I would have taken Efren against anyone on tight pockets.
He offered the pros the 7-ball at Hard Times if Bustamante broke for him.
Nobody took the offer.
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Yep, that pretty much explained what happened. Efren retained his composure whilst Earl lost his. Efren is by far my favorite player, period.
 
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