Best player ever for the cash?

[measureman]

Strange justification. You've gone from a general question to a specific situation that resembles in no way the original question.

Maybe the thread could have had a better title considering all the reply's.
I just wanted to know who was thought to hold up the best under big pressure not who was the best or won the most cash.
Who had the best nerves of steel
It requires an answer of just a name.
It's not very complicated.

 

[measureman]

I'd take Buddy.

Thank you thats the type of answer I was looking for.
Pretty good choice.

 

[garczar]

Maybe the thread could have had a better title considering all the reply's.
I just wanted to know who was thought to hold up the best under big pressure not who was the best or won the most cash.
Who had the best nerves of steel
It requires an answer of just a name.
It's not very complicated.

Those who held up under pressure the best also did the most winning. You're right, its not very complicated.

 

[jay helfert]

Maybe the thread could have had a better title considering all the reply's.
I just wanted to know who was thought to hold up the best under big pressure not who was the best or won the most cash.
Who had the best nerves of steel
It requires an answer of just a name.
It's not very complicated.

Cornbread Red! Harold Worst too for the few years he was active. NO ONE wanted to gamble with him, not even Red. Not even Lassiter!

 

[measureman]

Cornbread Red! Harold Worst too for the few years he was active. NO ONE wanted to gamble with him, not even Red. Not even Lassiter!

thank you for the simple answer.
no need to write a book of what if's.

 

[gregcantrall]

Seeing the name Ed Kelly reminds me of a story.
In '85 or '86 when Efren played at the Sands in Reno, I had manuvered a seat behind the Philippines pair with a briefcase. They were approached by Cole as Efren was preparing to play Ed Kelly. The only bets they could get was how many games. So Cole opens with, "I will bet $1000 that Ed gets to 7." They huddled and returned with, "for $1000 Ed must get to 8, bet $2000 and Ed gets to 7." Cole left and returned minutes later with, "ok $2000 Ed gets to 7." As I remember it, Ed was the only player to get to 7 against Efren in the tournament.

He was ultra cocky as well. Cole could out talk and out hustle the best of the East Coast hustlers, whose style was all high pressure and intimidation. Cole would get right in their face and say, "Come on! Get up there and play!" He had no fear of anyone and let you know it. Cole won matches before he ever hit a ball. In Cole's prime (18 to maybe 27 or 28) he thought nothing of getting on a plane by himself and flying across the country to take on some guy who was beating up on everyone. He earned his reputation as a world beater. Only the very best of that era (guys like Billy Incardona, Cornbread, Ed Kelly, Richie Florence, Wade Crane, Buddy, Toby Sweet and Bernie Schwartz) could hang with him. Cole cut his teeth gambling with Denny Searcy in the Bay area, when Denny was pretty much unbeatable. Throw in Greg Stevens and there you have the very best money players of that era. Johnny Ervolino was the best Straight Pool player for the cash, not Mizerak. And Ronnie was the best at One Pocket of course. Most of the big money games back then were all contested at 9-Ball or Ten Ball.

 

[arnaldo]

Maybe the thread could have had a better title considering all the reply's.
I just wanted to know who was thought to hold up the best under big pressure not who was the best or won the most cash.
Who had the best nerves of steel
It requires an answer of just a name.
It's not very complicated.

No . . . not very complicated at all, but logically and beyond doubt, completely antithetical to the core purpose of productive, invigorating and enlightening Internet discussion forums, which is to allow stimulating, free expression of opinions and information sharing that relates to a mutually admired and worthwhile sport (or any other positive subject matter).

Seems bewildering to be indignant or moderately perturbed about responses that exceed an OP's arbitrarily-imposed required limit wherein only the two words of an individual's name will be (as it turns out) acceptable -- and any amount of words after that are termed a "complication" of some sort.

Almost a dire scenario where a whole book full of words could really tax a person's patience and sense of propriety.

Arnaldo ~ Helpfully intended realistic perspective, because for years I've greatly enjoyed virtually every one of the OP's invariably informative -- and multi-worded, experience-based comments and provocative threads.

 

[maha]

having seen most of them if i had to bet my bankroll on an even game where the bet was so high one of the two would choke my money would go on
lassiter or bernie swartz. of the top type players

amarillo slim and puggy pearson as the A players.

not because of their playing ability but their ability to play the same for whatever the bet was.

that is four of them measureman to answer your question.

 

[8intheside]

Lets try this and have some fun.
There is a mystery player coming to town.
You have to put up $100,000 of your own money to back your horse.
You don't know what game is to be played.
You can pick any player from any era with no more information,no questions just pick.

My pick would be Wimpy.

Efren

 

[Baby Huey]

I think people forget how well Toby Sweet and Richie Florence played nine ball in the 60's and early 70's. And, for big stakes when thousand dollar sets were like ten thousand today. Who could beat them at that time?

 

[sjm]

I think people forget how well Toby Sweet and Richie Florence played nine ball in the 60's and early 70's. And, for big stakes when thousand dollar sets were like ten thousand today. Who could beat them at that time?

That's the Johnston City era, and the guy to beat at nine ball was Luther Lassiter, who won five of the eight Johnston City nine ball events played in the 1960s.

 

[jay helfert]

I think people forget how well Toby Sweet and Richie Florence played nine ball in the 60's and early 70's. And, for big stakes when thousand dollar sets were like ten thousand today. Who could beat them at that time?

Probably only Bernie Schwartz. Toby cut the balls thinner and more accurately than anyone I've ever seen, and consistently too. It seemed like he never missed a super thin cut down the rail. The best I've seen in this era is Lee Van Corteza. Richie didn't always play perfect position but it didn't matter. If he could see it he could make it. And he never got tired either. Richie would play all day and night until he wore you down. He was a bull dog! Richie never dogged it for a bet either. He liked to bet high, the higher the better. Likewise for Toby.

 

[jay helfert]

That's the Johnston City era, and the guy to beat at nine ball was Luther Lassiter, who won five of the eight Johnston City nine ball events played in the 1960s.

No question Lassiter was the best of his era. He was The Man before Buddy came along. Both guys had long reigns on top. The difference may have been that Lassiter was also the best Straight Pool player. And Buddy was the best on the bar box (along with Matlock). Buddy played high level One Pocket and Banks and Lassiter did not. Once again these two would play as high as anyone wanted, which is the basis of this thread.

 

[jay helfert]

One other guy who I never saw dog it for the cash was Jack Cooney. Granted most of the time he was spotting suckers in big money games, but if he got hooked up with a real player he could up his game if necessary. No one really knew how good he was, but as for me he was not only the smartest pool player on the planet, but also one of the best. I got a glimpse of his top speed and he may have been right there with Ronnie and Bugs at One Pocket. James Walden was one more guy who could play real high and had no dog in him.

 

[Fatboy]

thank you for the simple answer.
no need to write a book of what if's.

Read post #2 in this thread!!

 

[measureman]

Read post #2 in this thread!!

That's what I wanted.
thanks,

 

[Sometimes]

Bill Lawson could play with anyone.

 

[JB Cases]

Lots of threads and talk about who was the GOAT.
But who was the best for the cash?
Action not tournament playing.

Wimpy said Don Willis was but that was a long time ago.
I always heard that Hopkins didn't wilt for the cash no matter the amount.
What say you?

Maybe it was Harold Worst.

But I think it would have to be someone more like Don Willis who didn't do it for the thrill but really did it to put food on the table. I know a few players who live in decent homes and put their kids through college by never ever playing anyone that could beat them. That takes a lot of discipline imo.

 

[JB Cases]

Lets try this and have some fun.
There is a mystery player coming to town.
You have to put up $100,000 of your own money to back your horse.
You don't know what game is to be played.
You can pick any player from any era with no more information,no questions just pick.

My pick would be Wimpy.

If that's the criteria then I pick Don Willis because that is who wimpy picked.

 

[straightline]

Those two claimed they went to Hawaii and ran into a Chinese guy they couldn't beat. No elaboration. Anybody got an idea what that was about?