Balsis vs. Lassiter 1967
- Thread starter PoolBum
- Start date
I thought I'd seen all videos with Lassiter and Balsis. This is incredible. I've also never seen Lassiter lose in an earlier, 1960's match.
Great post, and I wish someone would come up with those Wild World of Sports tapes with Lassiter and Knoxville Bear Eddie Taylor. This really takes me back.
All the best,
WW
Great post, and I wish someone would come up with those Wild World of Sports tapes with Lassiter and Knoxville Bear Eddie Taylor. This really takes me back.
All the best,
WW
thanks for the link
entertaining
you know when i first got into pool a long time ago
i was always fascinated by the force follow shots the really good players do where the cue ball was like a running back breaking thru the line
i didnt have stroke that could do that so i was very impressed
this shot brought back some old memories
entertaining
you know when i first got into pool a long time ago
i was always fascinated by the force follow shots the really good players do where the cue ball was like a running back breaking thru the line
i didnt have stroke that could do that so i was very impressed
this shot brought back some old memories
Both Balsis and Lassitter were a little sloppy with cue ball control.
Amazing how serious they looked,not a smile in the bunch.
Amazing how serious they looked,not a smile in the bunch.
Hopefully someday these studios will publish their full collections on Youtube (or Paramount+, or whatever) instead of letting film rot to nothing in storage. There are untold numbers of historic matches sitting unviewed in warehouses somewhere. There are a few Greenleaf films in storage at Warner, but the studios are so fearful of unauthorized reproductions they would rather the film be destroyed than viewed.
I've always loved watching Cisero's stroke--or more specifically his cadence and pause.
I've always loved watching Cisero's stroke--or more specifically his cadence and pause.
a few interesting things. One the pockets weren't buckets. Judging by the pocket irons the table was set up as intended or a little tighter than intended. The other thing I noticed was the lack of respect calling the pool players "boys" over and over. Seems like there isn't much that has changed. I did run the video back to the beginning, very nice quality for video of the time which has usually passed through a generation or two of VHS before we get to see it.
Due to the acids used in processing not being completely removed or neutralized much of the old footage is no more than dust in the tins, other footage needs far more restoration than will seem justified for a pool match. Then there have been several warehouses destroyed and miles of footage of all kinds lost. Stinks, but I believe these are the realities.
Hu
Due to the acids used in processing not being completely removed or neutralized much of the old footage is no more than dust in the tins, other footage needs far more restoration than will seem justified for a pool match. Then there have been several warehouses destroyed and miles of footage of all kinds lost. Stinks, but I believe these are the realities.
Hu
U
Nitrate film burns at a higher temperature than even gasoline. Chemically, nitrate film is very similar to gunpowder. Once ignited a nitrate fire cannot be extinguished, because the combustion process generates its own oxygen. A nitrate fire also generates nitric acid fumes.
Cellulose nitrate based films were produced in the early 20th century until 1952. They were developed to replace glass plate negatives, and used for black and white motion pictures. Nitrate based films are inherently unstable and will deteriorate in temperatures around 70°F and humidity greater than 50%.
Until about 1952 the film used was nitrate that was highly flammable.
Nitrate film burns at a higher temperature than even gasoline. Chemically, nitrate film is very similar to gunpowder. Once ignited a nitrate fire cannot be extinguished, because the combustion process generates its own oxygen. A nitrate fire also generates nitric acid fumes.
Cellulose nitrate based films were produced in the early 20th century until 1952. They were developed to replace glass plate negatives, and used for black and white motion pictures. Nitrate based films are inherently unstable and will deteriorate in temperatures around 70°F and humidity greater than 50%.
That was the first thing I noticed.
That seems so foreign today that it's jarring to hear.
The first thing that stood out to me was the tiny cue cases. Then there was Balsis removing his chalk from his coat pocket, chalking, then replacing it back into his coat pocket. That would drive me crazy watching that. I can see and understand using the pants pocket, but....manipulating that coat pocket flap EVERY shot.....geez!
Maniac (not easy being OCD)
Thanks for the post. I hope new 14.1 players note that the rack outline, long string and head string were all marked.
Even boxers black, brown or white were called boys back in the day.
Just the way it was.
This raises a matter that is time-sensitive in the important interest of the AZB site owners (and a few other very concerned collectors) of compiling a continually building, vital collections of all documents and footage relating to the history of pool.
It's significant that a descendant of one of the top old time masters in the last year or two (I believe it was a one of Irving's relatives) began a Youtube channel or online links to some footage she inherited and had digitized. My point is that this highlights an overlooked and possibly rich lode worth mining. Bobby C has built -- in the course of doing event-related interviews about great old 14.1 players -- a figurative "Rolodex" of contact info for reaching a variety of informed relatives and friends of the interview subjects.
Before these relatives and friends ultimately pass away, it would be worthwhile to methodically and systematically seize all opportunities to find out "who owns what footage" that's sitting tucked away in their home, and which could be borrowed for digitizing or pay them for the cost of them safely delivering the footage to their choice of professional digitizing expert.
My two cents in the interest of any volunteers who might be centrally archiving precious pool history facts, reminiscences, and most important -- undiscovered footage of notable players
Arnaldo
I have a few observations, that I've also seen in the other older videos:
1) The table and balls to me seem to play just like a new GC. Both the speed of the roll on the bed, and the reaction of the balls off of the rails. I don't see the "slow cloth needing a huge stroke" l keep reading about on here.
2) Every main break they showed, and secondary break, was at a high speed, just like today's players. I didn't see any "chip off one corner of the rack at a time".
So either this was already the "modern era" of straight pool, or people's memories are fading
1) The table and balls to me seem to play just like a new GC. Both the speed of the roll on the bed, and the reaction of the balls off of the rails. I don't see the "slow cloth needing a huge stroke" l keep reading about on here.
2) Every main break they showed, and secondary break, was at a high speed, just like today's players. I didn't see any "chip off one corner of the rack at a time".
So either this was already the "modern era" of straight pool, or people's memories are fading
Not sure exactly what you are saying but I suspect heat from the lights caused the table to play faster than normal. I noticed Lassiter wearing dark sunglasses while in the chair. Lights must have been pretty intense.I have a few observations, that I've also seen in the other older videos:
1) The table and balls to me seem to play just like a new GC. Both the speed of the roll on the bed, and the reaction of the balls off of the rails. I don't see the "slow cloth needing a huge stroke" l keep reading about on here.
2) Every main break they showed, and secondary break, was at a high speed, just like today's players. I didn't see any "chip off one corner of the rack at a time".
So either this was already the "modern era" of straight pool, or people's memories are fading
I'm saying every post I read on here the past 20 years says straight pool in the "classical era" was played completely differently than today. Both the style of play, and the equipment. Yet when I watch the oldest matches available, they both seem to be the same as today, to my eyes.