Was Ralph Greenleaf the GOAT?

garczar said:
Her's a lil taste: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86ADMkiNOh4
Click to expand...

I'm not going to comment on wether he was the GOAT, because it's pointless to argue about such things. There is hardly any footage, and even if more existed, people would still argue about it.

However, I do want to comment on the footage. I love how the table seems to be playing fast and nice like a modern table. I like his stroke and his position play. If more footage existed, I'd watch it.
 
Straightpool_99 said:
I'm not going to comment on wether he was the GOAT, because it's pointless to argue about such things. There is hardly any footage, and even if more existed, people would still argue about it.

However, I do want to comment on the footage. I love how the table seems to be playing fast and nice like a modern table. I like his stroke and his position play. If more footage existed, I'd watch it.
Click to expand...
Simonis existed back then. It went away during WW2 and didn't really show back up til late 80's. A lot of people refer to post-WW2 pool as "the slow years" when the nappy, slow Stevens/Mali cloth was common.
 
I saw videos of both Crane and Mosconi giving interviews - might have been at the hall of fame ceremony.

Mosconi was asked who his best competitor was but I forgot what he said and I can't find the video now. I thought he said Ponzi - might have been Greenleaf.
 
I was in philly with cornbread red at a one pocket tournament in the early 90s and willie stopped in there one of the days. I remember red saying he couldn't believe that willie just told him he couldn't beat greenleaf
 
Straightpool_99 said:
I'm not going to comment on wether he was the GOAT, because it's pointless to argue about such things. There is hardly any footage, and even if more existed, people would still argue about it.

However, I do want to comment on the footage. I love how the table seems to be playing fast and nice like a modern table. I like his stroke and his position play. If more footage existed, I'd watch it.
Click to expand...

My Dad saw Greenleaf in NYC on the Broadway stage!
I'm not sure what theater it was, but here's how it was viewed: Greenleaf was shooting pool on stage and the audience was able to see every shot because a huge mirror was placed above the table at a 45° angle facing the audience. This was during the Great Depression. Greenleaf also toured with a pool table on a the back of a flatbed truck, and I read somewhere that he gave exhibitions to wealthy patrons on a cruiseship.
I hope Mike Shamos reads this post and can verify/respond.
 
kkdanamatt said:
My Dad saw Greenleaf in NYC on the Broadway stage!
I'm not sure what theater it was, but here's how it was viewed: Greenleaf was shooting pool on stage and the audience was able to see every shot because a huge mirror was placed above the table at a 45° angle facing the audience. This was during the Great Depression. Greenleaf also toured with a pool table on a the back of a flatbed truck, and I read somewhere that he gave exhibitions to wealthy patrons on a cruiseship.
I hope Mike Shamos reads this post and can verify/respond.
Click to expand...

Somewhere I saw a photo of Greenleaf and his wife (Princess Nai Tai) or something like that) on stage with the giant mirror overhead. That is definitely true. They may have been the highest paid stage entertainers of that era, earning a $1,000 (or more) a night.
 
jay helfert said:
Somewhere I saw a photo of Greenleaf and his wife (Princess Nai Tai) or something like that) on stage with the giant mirror overhead. That is definitely true. They may have been the highest paid stage entertainers of that era, earning a $1,000 (or more) a night.
Click to expand...

I've heard Greenleaf made more than Babe Ruth.
 
PoolBum said:
I've heard Greenleaf made more than Babe Ruth.
Click to expand...
I heard a different story about the Broadway gig. Something about Ralph not showing up enough. I hope someone does the hard research needed.

It's unfortunate that Hal Houle didn't write anything about his time with Ralph. I think Ralph was dying at the time but I'm sure he shared war stories.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I heard a different story about the Broadway gig. Something about Ralph not showing up enough. I hope someone does the hard research needed.

It's unfortunate that Hal Houle didn't write anything about his time with Ralph. I think Ralph was dying at the time but I'm sure he shared war stories.
Click to expand...

I think Ralph died at the "old" age of 50 in 1950. He was a lifetime alcoholic and it won in the end.
 
jay helfert said:
I think Ralph died at the "old" age of 50 in 1950. He was a lifetime alcoholic and it won in the end.
Click to expand...
You remember correctly. From Wikipedia:
born Nov. 3, 1899, Monmouth, Ill., U.S.—died March 15, 1950, Philadelphia, Pa.

Cue Ball Kelly said Ralph had trouble with other "stuff" too. Like a lot of other situations, we are left wondering what would have happened if he hadn't done X, Y or Z.
 
Is it possible that Ralph needed alcohol or other help to play at a high level?
Did he have a problem with nerves?
 
I thought Billiards Digest ran an article a while back saying NO ONE could beat Taberski in 14.1 including Greenleaf until they instituted the Shot Clock?
 
Ralph Greenleaf was the face of Brunswick Billiards for many years. There was a reason for this and maybe his good looks had something to do with it and just maybe his skills did too. Like today with Nike, Hertz and other large corporations, the sports figures they hire must possess great skills and looks and lastly be user friendly. We will never know just how good a player RG was and as time goes by memories will fade. But, RG lived during the beginning or our greatest sports era which included the likes of Babe Ruth, Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, Willie Hoppe and countless others who were front page news across the country. If you could go back in time and ask people of that era who the best pool and billiard players were they'ed likely be able to answer and if you asked the same questions today, I don't think anyone would know who Efren Reyes or Shane Van Boening are. So suffice it to say given the time these immortals were in their prime, they certainly would be very well known to the public and their feats as well. Best player, who knows but best recognized player in their time, hands down RG.
 
my great aunt is 105 and in good health so i guess it's possible, btw her diet is horrible lots of greasy foods and fries and candy LOL
 
Baby Huey said:
Ralph Greenleaf was the face of Brunswick Billiards for many years. There was a reason for this and maybe his good looks had something to do with it and just maybe his skills did too. Like today with Nike, Hertz and other large corporations, the sports figures they hire must possess great skills and looks and lastly be user friendly. We will never know just how good a player RG was and as time goes by memories will fade. But, RG lived during the beginning or our greatest sports era which included the likes of Babe Ruth, Red Grange, Jim Thorpe, Willie Hoppe and countless others who were front page news across the country. If you could go back in time and ask people of that era who the best pool and billiard players were they'ed likely be able to answer and if you asked the same questions today, I don't think anyone would know who Efren Reyes or Shane Van Boening are. So suffice it to say given the time these immortals were in their prime, they certainly would be very well known to the public and their feats as well. Best player, who knows but best recognized player in their time, hands down RG.
Click to expand...


Also Hoppe and Mosconi had name recognition.

Lou Figueroa
 

Attachments

  • b0dd0a1f1b554a7c8e015c076e2bffbc.jpg
    b0dd0a1f1b554a7c8e015c076e2bffbc.jpg
    54.7 KB · Views: 183
  • s-l300.jpg
    s-l300.jpg
    17.1 KB · Views: 179
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top