All time greats- who do you play?

[tomatoshooter]

Rafael Martinez

I know he doesn't have the titles of a lot of the guys mentioned but he seems to deliver more highlight reel shots per rack than anyone else. I wouldn't even try to make shots, just position the cue ball where he has to do something mind blowing.

If we are talking about previous generations, Grady Matthews, Billy Incardona, and Danny DiLiberto are fun ones. I primarily know them from the announcing but they seem to represent that historical era of American pool very well.

 

[couldnthinkof01]

I was fortunate. When we played, it was on a carom table. A very shitty one at that. 9' AMF with shag carpet.
He obviously loved the game since he'd walk back to that table to play when his game hadn't arrived yet.
Maybe to just let his stroke out?
Who knows.
Our games Always Ended before done. His game just arrived was the excuse.
Never Beat Fats.... LOL Of course, in those early days, there's no way I could have.
Maybe not now or ever.

Jealous

 

[jay helfert]

He’s my hero

Only met him once, we spoke for just a couple minutes waiting for an elevator and in it. He took 2nd to Ed Kelly in Reno at the 1P tourney in January 93

That was an epic match that went down to the last ball. They both had flashbacks to their best form. I wrote a story about that match for Billiards Digest. Wish I still had a copy.

 

[ChrisinNC]

If you could match up with a pool legend of the past for a long gambling session, who would it be?

I am thinking Ronnie Allen or Louie Roberts. It would be fun losing!

Wimpy - best player ever from my home state. No disrespect to Earl.

 

[Fatboy]

That was an epic match that went down to the last ball. They both had flashbacks to their best form. I wrote a story about that match for Billiards Digest. Wish I still had a copy.

It was, I was there for the whole match. Possibly the greatest final in a a 1P tourney for a list of reasons. Sadly only exists in a few peoples memory. Shame it wasn’t filmed. Cornbread jawed the winning ball once too. Ticked all the boxes as a great match. A Hagler Hearns type of battle

Best
Fatboy-been around a few years now.

 

[Rusty in Montana]

Not being as well traveled as some the match I enjoyed watching was Frank McGown vs Grady Mathews in 14.1 at the Broadwater Corner Pocket the flagship of Corner Pockets back then .
Frank had a definite advantage over Grady because as he admitted he's really not one to play straight pool but 1 pocket .
I wish I had a way to of recorded it also . As I sat in awe watching these two great pool player's square off against one another .

 

[Fatboy]

If you played with Cornbread you had a tiger by the tail! He would beat you and eat you afterward. He devoured his opponents! Of course, you would have loved him for sure! He's your kind of guy.

Here’s something very special, Cornbreads powder.

 

[Nick8400]

Here’s something very special, Cornbreads powder. View attachment 670987

Seriously? That’s amazing!!

 

[Fatboy]

Seriously? That’s amazing!!

A AZB member gave that to me about 10 years ago. It’s part of the permanent Fatboy collection. I don’t post pics of my stuff often. But I did today. That’s in the top 5 pool “things” I have ever owned, including cues, tables, balls, pics etc. I have the tip tapper as well.

Cornbread was the only pic of a player I had on the wall in my room until Jay gave me an original pic of Mosconi in a burl frame. So there was 2 players on the wall.

Best
Fatboy<——-been very lucky

 

[maha]

onofrio lauri, i played with a bunch of the greats long ago. yet he was the one most outstanding to play with, although not known by most.

and the only one i didnt gamble with. except for mosconi in an exhibition. and all the others left something in my pocket when done. most all they had.

 

[stevelomako]

A AZB member gave that to me about 10 years ago. It’s part of the permanent Fatboy collection. I don’t post pics of my stuff often. But I did today. That’s in the top 5 pool “things” I have ever owned, including cues, tables, balls, pics etc. I have the tip tapper as well.

Cornbread was the only pic of a player I had on the wall in my room until Jay gave me an original pic of Mosconi in a burl frame. So there was 2 players on the wall.

Best
Fatboy<——-been very lucky

I miss him.

He would shake a handful of powder sometimes and smack his hands together and boom! A big old cloud of smoke. Lol

I actually gave him the little powder bottles and would fill them pretty dam often. He wasn’t shy about using powder.

Him and Bugs were probably the two worst ones. They would have the balls, the rails and the table just covered in white.


I couldn’t remember if I gave you the Willard’s already.

He would take that thing after a miscue and scrape his tip like holy shit! I don’t even know how to describe it, brutal is one way I guess.

Those two items are probably more personal than most things if you think about it.

I’m glad you have them.

 

[Sealegs50]

I played Willie Mosconi in an exhibition match of 9-ball once. I have video tape but the winning shot wasn’t captured.

 

[eastcoast_chris]

McCready ... just to hear him chirp.

 

[Texas Carom Club]

If you could match up with a pool legend of the past for a long gambling session, who would it be?

I am thinking Ronnie Allen or Louie Roberts. It would be fun losing!

id rather pay for a lesson from a great one .
raymond ceulemans to teach me small games

 

[measureman]

I played Mosconi an exhibition game back in "64 in Toms River N.J. he did most of the playing and it really wasn't much fun.
I beat Grady a game of straight pool once ,Grady was the better player but not that day.
I think Greenleaf would be my choice to play any legend.

 

[measureman]

onofrio lauri, i played with a bunch of the greats long ago. yet he was the one most outstanding to play with, although not known by most.

and the only one i didnt gamble with. except for mosconi in an exhibition. and all the others left something in my pocket when done. most all they had.

Lauri taught Mizerak straight pool.
Little bald headed old guy when I saw him play at the 1964 straight pool championship at the Commodore hotel in New York city.
Still played real good.

 

[gypsy_soul]

I wanna fire an air-barrel at Earl just to watch him go off.

I’ll go in HALVES with ya ! Lol

 

[WobblyStroke]

It's amazing what you see up close compared to any video. It's also amazing how Earl can put so much energy into the cue ball without much effort. It's like all the energy from his arm goes into the cue and into the ball. Only about 35% of my energy seems to get there. He can be intense and has a big stroke, it's easy to miss how much finesse he has.

He started his own youtube channel. Only a few vids up now but watching him walk around and run 45 balls in 10min while commenting on each shot, just one-stroking everything is something I snap subscribed to. A live look at Earl would be a treat. If I could get a few easy breaks and get up on him maybe I'd even get to see the fire in his eye.

 

[Fatboy]

I miss him.

He would shake a handful of powder sometimes and smack his hands together and boom! A big old cloud of smoke. Lol

I actually gave him the little powder bottles and would fill them pretty dam often. He wasn’t shy about using powder.

Him and Bugs were probably the two worst ones. They would have the balls, the rails and the table just covered in white.


I couldn’t remember if I gave you the Willard’s already.

He would take that thing after a miscue and scrape his tip like holy shit! I don’t even know how to describe it, brutal is one way I guess.

Those two items are probably more personal than most things if you think about it.

I’m glad you have them.

I real life I couldn’t carry cornbreads chalk.

But one thing I have always done is that powder move. Pour a pound of it in hands and smack them together making a big cloud. And shitting up the table with talc all over the rails and cloth. I love that move.

Thanks again Steve

That was beyond kind of you. And something I’ll never forget. Ever.

My very best
Fatboy

 

[pt109]

Freddy Salem, Cornbread Red…knew them before I could grow sideburns….both terrific pressure players.
Red, like Richie Florence, looked like he was practising, no matter the price.
One Eyed Jesse, owned a room downtown, was about the only local who had beat Freddy at snooker, but in his own room on a 9-footer.
….he was good to me as a kid also, even though I’d won some cash at $600 a game with three reds on that 9-foot.