Schmidty back at it, this time in CA

4

4pointer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
nice article , thanks
straight pool records are only allowed in the 50th and 60th and in tournament play .
well done bca...
 
DynoDan

DynoDan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not taking anything from John’s amazing accomplishment, but do you realize what kind of luck is involved in running that many racks where you always come up with a makable shot (that then also allows possible shape on another ball) after hitting the pack off a break shot?
It’s usually never a miss that stops MY runs, but merely being left with absolutely nothing to shoot at after a good hard break that scatters the balls and leaves the CB in the middle of the table! All loose balls tied up together with no possible combo or carom, nothing dead in the pack, every bank shot option at a kiss-out angle, or just hooked by that last loose OB that rolls up and freezes to the CB (or knocks it into a pocket for a scratch). Maybe I’m just unlucky?
If I made 626 shots without getting a single bad roll.....I would run right out and buy a PowerBall ticket!
 
mikemosconi

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
DynoDan said:
Not taking anything from John’s amazing accomplishment, but do you realize what kind of luck is involved in running that many racks where you always come up with a makable shot (that then also allows possible shape on another ball) after hitting the pack off a break shot?
It’s usually never a miss that stops MY runs, but merely being left with absolutely nothing to shoot at after a good hard break that scatters the balls and leaves the CB in the middle of the table! All loose balls tied up together with no possible combo or carom, nothing dead in the pack, every bank shot option at a kiss-out angle, or just hooked by that last loose OB that rolls up and freezes to the CB (or knocks it into a pocket for a scratch). Maybe I’m just unlucky?
If I made 626 shots without getting a single bad roll.....I would run right out and buy a PowerBall ticket!
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Everything you say is very true, Dan; but if you have the skill level in 14.1 that John has; AND you try to do this run for thousands and thousands of times over- sooner or later Luck becomes a Lady! I would venture to guess, from many years of observing and playing 14.1 that for Very skilled 14.1 players- close to 50% of runs are ended AT the break shot- either the break shot that was left fails to break out a ball, or the cue ball gets "stuck" somewhere where there is no shot after the break, or a cue ball scratch occurs on the break, the object balls are ALL tied up after the break, or the break shot is missed! So many things can happen on the break shot and NOT ALL of it can ever be controlled- esp. for 30 or 40 racks, let alone 5 to 30 racks! So yes luck is a factor in very high 14.1 runs; no matter what the skill level.
 
sjm

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
mikemosconi said:
Everything you say is very true, Dan; but if you have the skill level in 14.1 that John has; AND you try to do this run for thousands and thousands of times over- sooner or later Luck becomes a Lady! I would venture to guess, from many years of observing and playing 14.1 that for Very skilled 14.1 players- close to 50% of runs are ended AT the break shot- either the break shot that was left fails to break out a ball, or the cue ball gets "stuck" somewhere where there is no shot after the break, or a cue ball scratch occurs on the break, the object balls are ALL tied up after the break, or the break shot is missed! So many things can happen on the break shot and NOT ALL of it can ever be controlled- esp. for 30 or 40 racks, let alone 5 to 30 racks! So yes luck is a factor in very high 14.1 runs; no matter what the skill level.
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Well said. While it's undeniable that there are certain times when not everything on the table can be controlled or taken in to account, I don't think luck has much to do with this run. The guys who make long runs have learned, to a great extent, to play shape off of break shots and other shots than break out clusters.
 
1pocket

1pocket

Steve Booth
Gold Member
Silver Member
mikemosconi said:
He is the only one I know of who made this his sole pool goal as a professional for months at a time - that is my only point - I give him his due for the achievement, they didn't cause they didn't make it a priority in their professional careers- he did make it a priority - no problem telling it like it is- why the beef? Nobody denies he did it.
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I see you user name is mikemosconi -- are you a relative?? You say you give John his due, but you sure seem to have to add a lot of comments that are not so consistent with giving the man his due respect for blowing by a record that has stood for 60 something years.

First of all, John Schmidt is far from the only talented player to focus on running as many balls as they could at straight pool for days at a time. In fact Mike Eufemia was a great straight pool player (not so great in competition), who did exactly that for quite a few years. He claimed to have run over 600 balls once in practice, but it was not fully witnessed, nor was it recorded so it could be checked, so it has understandably not been accepted as a record. Back when straight pool was more popular it seemed like there were plenty of players that obsessed with practice runs. I can think of one locally in fact who might be still at it -- Dick Leternou (sp?) from the Haverhill MA area. I believe even "getting lucky" once in a while his high run is only somewhere in the 200's or so I believe.

If it is so easy to run 626 by trying repeatedly (lol) then I would guess we would see other players try it now -- especially seeing the publicity this is getting for John Schmidt. That would be great for straight pool, but put me in the camp that thinks players won't be able to match that as easily as you seem to think. Although if I was betting, I don't think I would bet against about 2-3 of the top Euro players because they might just do it :)

I notice below someone mentioned how much luck was involved. Of course there is good luck and bad luck, but high runs are hardly the result of luck lol.If you look at John's tally of daily high runs, you can see he has been consistent with high runs on a daily basis. That is not luck, that is a consistent high level skill. From what I watched with John, I occasionally saw (say every 200 balls or so) a roll I might consider lucky or unlucky. Now if you or I or any of us mere mortals tried to run hundreds, we would NEVER get near 200 with the best or worst of luck. In otherwords John was playing so good in what I saw that he was really minimizing the luck factor. I think he himself commented that the 626 run was pretty "clean" -- meaning to me that there was not much luck involved -- except the good fortune of avoiding an unlucky bad roll now and then lol :D:D

I really look forward to the video being available, and yes I plan to buy it :)
 
DynoDan

DynoDan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1pocket said:
I think he himself commented that the 626 run was pretty "clean" -- meaning to me that there was not much luck involved -- except the good fortune of avoiding an unlucky bad roll now and then lol :D:D
I really look forward to the video being available, and yes I plan to buy it :)
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I plan to buy it also (especially if he narrates it). Can’t wait to see if he DID come up with an open shot (allowing position) after every breakout? (would seem rather mind-boggling to me considering the astounding number of racks involved....whatever).
Many long 14.1 runs were doubtless continued because longtime straight pool players learn over time how to find to those hidden dead balls in the pack (something 9-ballers are often clueless about).
 
mikemosconi

mikemosconi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
1pocket said:
I see you user name is mikemosconi -- are you a relative?? You say you give John his due, but you sure seem to have to add a lot of comments that are not so consistent with giving the man his due respect for blowing by a record that has stood for 60 something years.

First of all, John Schmidt is far from the only talented player to focus on running as many balls as they could at straight pool for days at a time. In fact Mike Eufemia was a great straight pool player (not so great in competition), who did exactly that for quite a few years. He claimed to have run over 600 balls once in practice, but it was not fully witnessed, nor was it recorded so it could be checked, so it has understandably not been accepted as a record. Back when straight pool was more popular it seemed like there were plenty of players that obsessed with practice runs. I can think of one locally in fact who might be still at it -- Dick Leternou (sp?) from the Haverhill MA area. I believe even "getting lucky" once in a while his high run is only somewhere in the 200's or so I believe.

If it is so easy to run 626 by trying repeatedly (lol) then I would guess we would see other players try it now -- especially seeing the publicity this is getting for John Schmidt. That would be great for straight pool, but put me in the camp that thinks players won't be able to match that as easily as you seem to think. Although if I was betting, I don't think I would bet against about 2-3 of the top Euro players because they might just do it :)

I notice below someone mentioned how much luck was involved. Of course there is good luck and bad luck, but high runs are hardly the result of luck lol.If you look at John's tally of daily high runs, you can see he has been consistent with high runs on a daily basis. That is not luck, that is a consistent high level skill. From what I watched with John, I occasionally saw (say every 200 balls or so) a roll I might consider lucky or unlucky. Now if you or I or any of us mere mortals tried to run hundreds, we would NEVER get near 200 with the best or worst of luck. In otherwords John was playing so good in what I saw that he was really minimizing the luck factor. I think he himself commented that the 626 run was pretty "clean" -- meaning to me that there was not much luck involved -- except the good fortune of avoiding an unlucky bad roll now and then lol :D:D

I really look forward to the video being available, and yes I plan to buy it :)
Click to expand...

I never made even ONE comment about John's ability, skill, or this achievement. His achievement should be entirely respected by all in this sport for what he accomplished. Nobody is saying that he was lucky to do this- of course it is skill based; I have played straights for 50 years and anyone who is fairly proficient at this game knows that ALOT can happen to end ANY long run in 14.1. Willie Mosconi's status had much less to do with his running 526 as his legend is really based on his incredible COMPETITIVE success for many many years over the very best 14.1 players over that entire span- he was completely dominant. So NO ONE needs to defend Willie OR downplay John's achievement. What gives with you?
 
1pocket

1pocket

Steve Booth
Gold Member
Silver Member
mikemosconi said:
I never made even ONE comment about John's ability, skill, or this achievement. His achievement should be entirely respected by all in this sport for what he accomplished. Nobody is saying that he was lucky to do this- of course it is skill based; I have played straights for 50 years and anyone who is fairly proficient at this game knows that ALOT can happen to end ANY long run in 14.1. Willie Mosconi's status had much less to do with his running 526 as his legend is really based on his incredible COMPETITIVE success for many many years over the very best 14.1 players over that entire span- he was completely dominant. So NO ONE needs to defend Willie OR downplay John's achievement. What gives with you?
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Well if this thread was about tournament championships, Mosconi hands down, and John is hardly a blip in history lol. But it isn't. Just scrolling through your last handful of posts, like I said, you seem to be pretty grudging in your acknowledgement of John's accomplishment. I love you "woulda should coulda" guys who have your long lists of players that you think woulda should coulda run more than John (including Mosconi of course) :D:D

With John the great thing is, he friggin DID IT -- it was not a "woulda should coulda" -- it was a didda -- that's a real actual accomplishment, not a conjectural fantasy :D:D
 
John Biddle

John Biddle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Congratulations John Schmidt

I add my congratulations to John Schmidt on his record breaking 626 ball run. Great skill, great effort, great accomplishment.
 
CarlB

CarlB

Formerly AfghanBilliards
Silver Member
Have they released or said if they will be producing a DVD for purchase? Possibly with John commentating over it as it goes?
 
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