I said it in another thread yesterday but I suppose it bears saying once again today in this thread. Circa 1977 or so ( memory fails on specific dates from 40+ yrs ago ), Russ Maddox, who was a regular, daily, in our room, for at least 15 years, told me, personally, face to face, the table Mosconi ran those balls on was, quoting Russ, "An 'oversized' 8 foot table." I do not recall him ever saying it was a Brunswick or any other brand table, though he might have and I simply don't remember. But I am one THOUSAND percent certain he said it was 8' and "oversized". Now, that said, whether it really WAS an oversized 8'? Anyone's guess is as good as mine. But that is what Russ told me.
Best record on there, 5x full racks of rotation by Efren.
Although Ralph’s 27 racks of 8 ball is amazing and hard to believe...
The affidavit was signed by 37 (if I counted correctly) people who "witnessed" the run. It doesn't say they all saw every shot. In his autobiography, Willie said the run took only 2 hours and 10 minutes, so I imagine many of the witnesses were able to watch it all.
I believe Jay helfert said he was there and they was tight pockets but I find it hard to believe myself..
Rob.M
I believe Jay helfert said he was there and they was tight pockets but I find it hard to believe myself..
Rob.M
Some unscrupulous person, over the years , sold several 4x8s and even a couple of 41/2 x 9s as the table the record was set on.
Which helped muddy up the facts.
Almost all of the people I talked to, said it was a 4x8 Brunswick with big pockets. Whatever that means.
Was this the same jay helfert...?
Rob.M
I didn't say anything about the pocket size. It was an over-sized 8' table though (46" x 92"). That was the most common size table in Midwestern poolrooms during that era. I knew Russ Maddox and George Rood quite well, growing up in Dayton. Russ was one of the premier hustlers I ever met. He could run 50 or 60 balls at Straight Pool and played equally good 9-Ball and One Pocket, at all times claiming himself to be an "amateur." He was pretty good with a deck of cards too, teaching me the ins and outs of cheating at Gin Rummy. Russ had that gift of gab and could sell ice cream to the Eskimos.
On the other hand George was a straight arrow, working as a dog breeder and judge in dog shows. He never hustled anybody as far as I know. He just took on all comers and played for the stakes they asked for. Once you started he wouldn't raise the bet either. If he got you stuck, he kept you stuck until you quit. I watched him beat more than one road man for over twenty games of 9-Ball at 20 a game. He would have them steaming too. He didn't say much, just kept running out and letting you rack the balls. He turned everyone into a rack boy! '
P.S. I visited East High Billiards in Springfield twice in the early 60's, long after Mosconi had made his run.
I was lucky enough to meet George at the Executive West and speak with him for a while. I had no idea who he was before that day but he was quite personable and i could tell he was not the average pool gambler. In the following years i read a few articles about him. From what i understand, he never went on the road but as you said, he played all comers in his own room. He is in my top 10 list of the coolest people i have ever met-topped by Jack Dempsey and John Kennedy.
I was lucky enough to meet George at the Executive West and speak with him for a while. I had no idea who he was before that day but he was quite personable and i could tell he was not the average pool gambler. In the following years i read a few articles about him. From what i understand, he never went on the road but as you said, he played all comers in his own room. He is in my top 10 list of the coolest people i have ever met-topped by Jack Dempsey and John Kennedy.
I met George at Airway Billiards in Dayton.
Gail's mother was going through the slow horrible late stages of Alzheimers and we were traveling there often. I spent time with George and Steve "Cookie Monster" Cook at Airways. George was an interesting guy to talk to, though my first time at Airway, when I was looking for a game, he steered be to a guy I could "spar with" called Jason Miller.
Lou Figueroa
I spent about 12 years playing pool in Springfield Ohio in the late 80s and all the 90s where the record was set.
My best friend George Rood was partners in the room with a guy named Russ Maddox.{East High Billiards} where he had the exhibition.
I met the guy who was the referee, his name was Byrd I believe .
I also met about 10 or 15 of the original signers of the affidavit saying that he set the record there.
Some unscrupulous person, over the years , sold several 4x8s and even a couple of 41/2 x 9s as the table the record was set on.
Which helped muddy up the facts.
Almost all of the people I talked to, said it was a 4x8 Brunswick with big pockets. Whatever that means.
Most of them are long gone now, a couple were young boys with their dads, but who knows if they are reliable qualified witnesses, from what they explained to me I think so , but?
I have some other information about the event, that I don't believe anyone else alive has , I am saving it for now.
Ahahaha-Did Jason put on the lemon or play all out from the beginning?
Sounds pretty good to me.
First hand witnessing is about the best one could ask for.
:thumbup2: