Harold Worst vs Boston Shorty

WildWing · Sep 17, 2018

Honestly, I thought I had seen all the youtube videos of the old matches, few as they are. Then, this one popped up. Not much play, but Worst vs Boston Shorty. Hadn't seen it, lot of editing, guess Worst got the best of him. Looks like tight pockets, and guys smoking all over the place. Enjoy.

All the best,
WW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgAmdlfbh1Q

Cuebuddy · Sep 17, 2018

Great video! I had not seen it before either. It looks like at about 4:06 Boston shortstuff shoots a crazy hard cut shot "off handed" and drills it! Then just past the five minute mark a headless man steps in to rack the balls(scary stuff).

I love the old videos, thanks for the link.

Cuebuddy · Sep 17, 2018

Some good info here on Worst.
https://carombil.wordpress.com/2015/04/02/harold-worst/

axejunkie · Sep 17, 2018

Thanks for sharing. Worst's break looked pretty strong for the early days of 9 ball.

hotelyorba · Sep 17, 2018

what year is this?

Black-Balled · Sep 18, 2018

hotelyorba said:
what year is this?

2018. Are you on drugs, wtf?!!!!!!!!!!

bbb · Sep 18, 2018

WildWing said:
Honestly, I thought I had seen all the youtube videos of the old matches, few as they are. Then, this one popped up. Not much play, but Worst vs Boston Shorty. Hadn't seen it, lot of editing, guess Worst got the best of him. Looks like tight pockets, and guys smoking all over the place. Enjoy.

All the best,
WW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgAmdlfbh1Q

thanks for the link
wish there was more video of worst
many think he was the greatest pool/billiards player ever

JohnnyP · Sep 18, 2018

When was the "era of slow cloth"? The table looks pretty fast here.

FranCrimi · Sep 18, 2018

Johnny Ervolino told me that he felt Harold Worst was the best pool player he ever saw. That's a pretty strong statement coming from someone who was also a great player and played against the best players.

alstl · Sep 18, 2018

I noticed in the video Boston Shorty formed his closed bridge similar to Earl. Not many people do it that way.

WildWing · Sep 18, 2018

hotelyorba said:
what year is this?

Going by the look, I would say mid 60s.

All the best,
WW

Kickin' Chicken · Sep 18, 2018

WildWing said:
Honestly, I thought I had seen all the youtube videos of the old matches, few as they are. Then, this one popped up. Not much play, but Worst vs Boston Shorty. Hadn't seen it, lot of editing, guess Worst got the best of him. Looks like tight pockets, and guys smoking all over the place. Enjoy.

All the best,
WW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgAmdlfbh1Q

Thanks for posting this. Great stuff!!!

Michael Webb · Sep 18, 2018

Thanks for the memory of Shorty. He either liked you or didn't. He was pretty cool.

philly · Sep 19, 2018

Harold played anybody and everybody and always bet using his own money. From what I have read some of the best simply ducked him.

More on Worst:

http://www.thehypertexts.com/Harold Worst Pool Billiards the Best.htm

Explore this site a little further and you will get your fill of pool stories about the old timers. Go to the bottom of the page for links.

http://www.thehypertexts.com/History of Billiards Pool Chronology.htm

WildWing · Sep 19, 2018

There are a few best all around players:

Harold Worst. This is one of the pieces of evidence.
Luther Lassiter. Played all the games, beat everybody.
Mike Sigel. Played all the games, beat everybody.

All the best,
WW

WildWing · Sep 19, 2018

JohnnyP said:
When was the "era of slow cloth"? The table looks pretty fast here.

That table looks pretty fast, because it is very worn cloth. It probably started out as Brunsco or Stevens cloth, all wool, and in mid-life, was probably slow. But old pool rooms kept the cloth clean, let it wear, and even the old cloth turned pretty fast if you kept it long enough.

One of the many myths is that the old cloth was slower. It was slower in mid life, but not if it was old, and clean.

All the best,
WW

alstl · Sep 20, 2018

WildWing said:
There are a few best all around players:

Harold Worst. This is one of the pieces of evidence.
Luther Lassiter. Played all the games, beat everybody.
Mike Sigel. Played all the games, beat everybody.

All the best,
WW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSlaY9nMzGI

Speaking of Sigel I just discovered that video from the 2011 14.1 championships. I believe if there was any money in pool these days Mike could get his game to a place where he would be a threat to win any tournament he entered in rotation games or 14.1 - assuming he is in good health.

One of the best ever to joint a cue.

Bob Jewett · Apr 20, 2019

Here is a picture of Shorty that I just found in a moving box. It is labeled as from the 1966 Stardust tournament. The colorization is by Ray DeSell.

PoolBum · Apr 20, 2019

Bob Jewett said:
Here is a picture of Shorty that I just found in a moving box.

Nice pic. If you wait until the box stops moving it's easier to get the picture out.

mr3cushion · Apr 20, 2019

In 1971 Shorty came to Chicago at Bensingers to play, Artie Bodendorfer a race to 30 playing one pocket for $5K. Al Fuss a mediocre 3C player staked Shorty. At that time, Artie owned Besingers, they decided to play in the exhibition room on the only GC1 that was there. Artie beat Shorty 30-5!

I'll try and find the newspaper article by the 'Tribune' about the match. I know it was entitled, "The Hustler plays the Champ!".

Harold Worst vs Boston Shorty

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