Terrific achievement. That’s one tournament I’d love to see Accu-stats remaster. World championships or not, there are some great matches in that event.
Straight Pool High Run
- Thread starter leehayes
- Start date
I googled it... It's actually closer to $60k
Actually I think it's almost the exact same thing. 98 and out (because you have no choice) .vs. 700 are completed with flat out aggression.
If Lassiter was in the right frame of mind then the $5k wasn't the focus, but merely rather the next ball. No different than someone going for their personal best.
I know, easier said than done, but we're talking high runs not most impressive feats.
I'd wager I was more terrified of my first 100th ball for funsies, then Lassiter was on that 98th for 5k...lol
Ortmann's player review with Pat Fleming is interesting. He discussed how he sees groups of balls.
If Lassiter ran 98 balls, I'd bet that at least two of them were banks. He didn't shoot Willie's style of straight pool.
I was 10 feet away and watched Irving Crane run 139 with one easy cross side bank.
Although you have a point that Luther may have not been the best position player, Luther could do things with the cue ball that nobody but a modern trick shot artist could. Watched two exhibitions back to back in 1967 with Lassiter playing Eddie Taylor in straight pool. Taylor was no match for Lassiter in either match, and many think Taylor is one of the greatest all round players, which I wouldn't disagree with. Just a couple of years prior, Lassiter won one of the few televised Wide World of Sports Billiard events. Believe it may have been in Vegas. I still remember the table had drop pockets, and girls moved the balls around to make space. I think his opponent in the finals may have been Taylor as well. Luther didn't bank any balls in those events.
You had to see Lassiter to know how good he was.
All the best,
WW
There was a video just recently posted of Lassiter winning a 14.1 (US Open) event in Vegas. He was playing Jack Breit (Jersey Red) in the finals.
Yes, I posted the video of Lassiter vs Breit. The one I'm thinking of I'm pretty sure he was playing Taylor in the finals. There are some old Wide World of Sports clips available on TouTube, such as Lassiter and Boston Shorty. It's a shame they all aren't available, hard to know what's happened to all the old tapes.
All the best,
WW
If they exist, Disney owns them. I have no idea how to ask them about what's in their archive. It would be nice if someone knew an insider.
It could have been either 1963 or 1964 Johnston City All-Around. Per the NBN and Chalk Up articles (attached), both were televised. Luther prevailed in 1963 and Eddie won in 1964. I believe the snippets of the 1964 All-Around were on one of Bert Kinister tapes but I could be wrong. I have never seen the 1963 video.
Ursitti's "Pocket Billiard in America" does not list any tournaments where Lassiter and Taylor played in the finals in the '60s
It was not 1963 or 1964. In 1963, I was an 8 year old, living in Afghanistan with the foreign service family. No television. It was not 1964, our first year in America. We had a little black and white television, which was not how I watched this. We finally had a big color tv in either 1966 or 1967, which this aired on Wide World of Sports.
It was also not Johnston City. In Johnston City, they used Gold Crowns, return rails, with white pockets. What I saw were drop pockets, with girls rearranging the balls, as I said. Long time ago, but I believe Vegas. I could be mistaken about playing the Knoxville Bear, but I don't think so; my memory is pretty solid. Charlie Ursitti's records may not be 100%. Still remember the exhibition rematch between Lassiter and Taylor in 1967 in my future high school, Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Maybe a little more research. It would be nice if all the older tapes were available. Were you alive in the early to mid 60s? And you're from England? Did you ever see Luther Lassiter, or Eddie Taylor, for that matter?
All the best,
WW
The thing that impresses me Was Willie Mosconi was only o0n that 4 by 8 table because they were the only Brunswick tables in that pool hall. His contract said he had to play on Brunswick tables only. Screw these johhny come latelys playing on home table, no referree and sleeping in their own beds the night before. Willie did this on the road on a table he most likely never played on before.
In 1958 05 1959 I was rack boy for an exhibition Willie gave in Henry Gordon's pool room above the Read's drug store at Liberty Heighjts and Gwyn Oak Avenues. I remember a spectator saying " He ain't that good , all he shoots is duckers " Never were true words spoken, sort of. HaHa I was no great shakes but on my best days could hand with Joe Cataldi. Anyway I could have run 200 easy if all I had to do was make the shots from the position Willie had every time. Ans speaking of 100 ball runs I lost several matches to Richie Riggie for time and a coke. On at least 3 nights one summer he ran 100 and out of me. ONE HANDED.
In 1958 05 1959 I was rack boy for an exhibition Willie gave in Henry Gordon's pool room above the Read's drug store at Liberty Heighjts and Gwyn Oak Avenues. I remember a spectator saying " He ain't that good , all he shoots is duckers " Never were true words spoken, sort of. HaHa I was no great shakes but on my best days could hand with Joe Cataldi. Anyway I could have run 200 easy if all I had to do was make the shots from the position Willie had every time. Ans speaking of 100 ball runs I lost several matches to Richie Riggie for time and a coke. On at least 3 nights one summer he ran 100 and out of me. ONE HANDED.
2/5MR2
amateur
I did some research last year about "Ohio's Tom Parker with 642". I was unable to find someone who knew him and that could confirm that he claimed to have run 642. On the contrary, I found 1 player that knew him well that has no memory of Parker claiming to have run anything close to 642. On the web, you often see this 642 together with the words (... as told to Dick Leonard). I have the feeling this 642 claim is a rumor that spread on the web -after- Tom passed away, not something coming from him.
Anyone here knew Tom and remember him claiming to have run 642?