Cisero Murphy and Brooklyn, NY

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I can't tell you how many times I have come to this website to look for name spellings, data, factoids, photos, et cetera. For my job, I'm a professional Googler, and I depend on Google a lot. It is imperative that I get the correct spellings when I am producing a transcript from audio recordings, for example.

Right now, I am working for a New York Times journalist who is writing a book about a prominent New Yorker. It's kind of interesting, actually. In fact, there's a whole chapter about the Philippines. Too bad it wasn't about Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, or Alex Pagulayan. I can spell those names by heart! :thumbup:

So I'm trying to find a name spelling pertaining to a New York borough, and I come across a Brooklyn writer's site. He refers his readers to AzBilliards to learn more about Cisero Murphy. Apparently, there's a mural memorializing "Sisero Murphy" in Brooklyn. Too bad the painter couldn't spell his name right. :embarrassed2:

Here's the AzBilliards post on this forum that the writer referenced:

From AZBillards.com: (I highly recommend checking out the entire article at the link.)

Cisero Murphy was undoubtedly the most courageous pool player in history. He had played better than anybody for years, and was denied entry into the World 14.1 Championships because of his race. Many would have been intimidated by the situation and sat down quietly, avoiding confrontation. Not Murphy. Cisero continued to play his best despite this set of circumstances, winning the Eastern States 14.1 Championship several years in a row amidst the toughest straight pool competition in the world. In 1965, Cisero was finally granted an opportunity to play in the World Championships. Cisero blasted through the field, posting victories over such names as "Cowboy" Jimmy Moore, Joe Balsis, and eventually Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter in the finals. Not bad for the tournament rookie. Cisero had sent a message out to the pool world. Good shooting mattered not on the color of your skin. Murphy earned the respect of his competition and maintained his intense playing style for the next few years.


Okay, which one of you wrote that?! It's kind of a compliment, I'd say! :smile:

The Brooklyn article was written in September 2006, entitled "Learning from Observation":

So today on the Daily Walk, I went north on Flatbush, veering onto Washington and stopped when I realized I had never actually had a close look at the Mural painted on the northwest corner of of Washington and Lincoln. I believe the theme is simply famous sports figures and it is nicely done, though unfortunately marred by grafitti (evident in the image below).

Below is the image of one person I had never heard of, Sisero [sic] Murphy, a billiards champ. Murphy, who I am only able to find references to under the name "Cisero Murphy" was evidently born in Brooklyn in 1937 ? not sure what part of Brooklyn, I guess that goes on the "to-do" list when the 1940 Federal Census is released.


Article source: http://mylifeinbrooklyn.com/category/daily-walk/page/3/

Picture of the mural with Cisero Murphy below! :p
 

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JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's a picture of the full mural with Cisero Murphy, along with fellow New Yorkers, Joe DiMaggio and Mike Piazza. :p

The mural is in a place called "Crown Heights." :cool:
 

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JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
From AtlanticTrickshots.com website, there's a tribute to Cisero Murphy: "Tribute to Cicero Murphy, the First and Only Afro American to be
inducted into the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame."
 

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Ed Wiggins

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What we really need

What we really need is an autograph by Mr. (James) Murphy to see how he spelled his name.

Several times I have seen "Cicero", as in post #4.

There is some suspicion that that the nickname was pinned on him, but he didn't know how to spell it.

In any case, he was a hell of a straight pool player.
I remember a game when Luther Lassiter missed when a ball skidded, and Murphy ran 141 and out.
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ed Wiggins said:
What we really need is an autograph by Mr. (James) Murphy to see how he spelled his name.

Several times I have seen "Cicero", as in post #4.

There is some suspicion that that the nickname was pinned on him, but he didn't know how to spell it.

In any case, he was a hell of a straight pool player.
I remember a game when Luther Lassiter missed when a ball skidded, and Murphy ran 141 and out.

Hey, thanks for that. I will definitely have to change the spelling in Wikipedia if I have it spelled wrong.
 

victhestick

Registered
Luther & Murphy were in Greensboro NC playing a match for 10 days. I believe it was 1969. A 14.1 game t0 1500, 9-ball, and as I remember One-Pocket. The two days I attended Murphy made 286 consecutive shots (the cue got knocked into a pocket twicw during the three runs). I did not think anything of it the time, but I suppose it might have been the first time such a match occured in North Carolina. The matches were well attended.
 
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jimmyg

Mook! What's a Mook?
Silver Member
If I recall correctly, Cisero's nephew used to post here quite often....can't recall his screen name though.

Jim
 
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watchez

What time is it?
Silver Member
JAM said:
Here's another GREAT photo, courtesy of Blackjack! Hey, I wonder if Blackjack wrote that above-referenced article about Cisero! :wink:

Here is the original complete article written by Blackjack -
http://www.azbilliards.com/blackjack/blackjack4.php

The First Lesson I ever recieved was from a man named Cisero Murphy. Cisero Murphy was undoubtedly the most courageous pool player in history. He had played better than anybody for years, and was denied entry into the World 14.1 Championships because of his race. Many would have been intimidated by the situation and sat down quietly, avoiding confrontation. Not Murphy. Cisero continued to play his best despite this set of circumstances, winning the Eastern States 14.1 Championship several years in a row amidst the toughest straight pool competition in the world. In 1965, Cisero was finally granted an opportunity to play in the World Championships. Cisero blasted through the field, posting victories over such names as "Cowboy" Jimmy Moore, Joe Balsis, and eventually Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter in the finals. Not bad for the tournament rookie. Cisero had sent a message out to the pool world. Good shooting mattered not on the color of your skin. Murphy earned the respect of his competition and maintained his intense playing style for the next few years.

When I met Murphy, I was a snot nosed 13 year old kid that would sneak into the room to watch him shoot. I would skip school, and go down there every tuesday afternoon, hiding in a corner until they threw me out. One day, as I was being shown the door, Murphy said, "Let the kid stay. He ain't bothering nobody." I then watched him run 50-60 balls. When he was done, he came over and asked me why I wasn't in school. I lied and told him I was from out west and in NYC visiting relatives. He didn't believe me. He snaggled the truth out of me and I was then sent back to New Jersey. The next day Murphy made sure I was in school. At the time I hated him for it, but it was the start of a beautiful realtionship between teacher and student.

In the late 1970's and early 1980's I was not the nicest of character's in the pool world. I was an infamous road player, scooting from town to town with some of the most infamous of people and doing very dishonest things. It went against everything that Cisero had taught me. I was addicted to amphetamines and alcohol. One of my moments in the pits of despair came in 1986 at Amsterdam Billiard Club where I was hustling a guy. I was flying high on speed talking a line of BS when out of the corner of my eyes I saw him standing in the same corner I stood as a kid. As I peered over to meet his eyes, I saw a look of complete disgust and disappointment. He shook his head and walked away. That look of disgust shattered me. Within a year I would clean up my act. When I got off of the drugs and alcohol, Cisero was one of the most supportive people in my life. When you go as far down the ladder as I went, you make skeptics out of people, and believe me, Cisero was skeptical. He stood beside me every step of the way offering encouragement and sound advice on life. I can never repay him for his kindness, his strength and his honesty (whether I wanted to hear it or not). When I was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 1993, Cisero was there with encouragement, letting me know that giving up was not an option. He encouraged me to compete on the pro tour during my illness. I believe that was what kept me alive.

The proudest moment I had in my pool career was not winning a major tournament or achieving my status as a professional. My proudest moment came in 1995 when I was present at Cisero Murphy's Hall of Fame Induction. When Cisero Murphy passed away the next year, I made the decision to pass along what he taught me to others. I was able to be there for the family, and I was able to be the person that Cisero had tought me how to be. Cisero Murphy didn't just teach me about pool, he taught me about not giving up. He taught me how to help others. He also taught me that anything is possible if there is enough positive energy behind it.

I was reminded of Cisero this past year at the World Championships. My close friend Francisco Bustamante had showed up within hours of the passing of his infant daughter. Francisco and I would travel together to tournaments while we were in Germany in the early 1990's. In 1992, my six year old daughter had passed away from diabetes complications. One of the first people to call me was Francisco Bustamante. I was silently skeptical and confused at Francisco's decision to compete that week. He amazed us all by making his way through the tournament and into the finals. Though he did not win the title and give us the storybook ending, Francisco showed us all that he had the heart and determination of a true champion. To play as consistently and perfectly as he played while overcome with grief and loss is a testament to his inner strength.

We're not just pool players. We are in a way a family, bonded by our love for this game. With all of the legends and lore of how this sport is infested with low lifes and gamblers and heartless people, I feel compelled to show the other side. Within all of us exists the heart of a champion, and sometimes the thing that exposes this trait is not pleasant. Whether it is Vivian Villareal fighting through the loss of an adopted child, or Maureen Seto fighting and clawing her way back from a devastating car accident that left her without the use of her legs, or me competing on the pro tour while undergoing chemotherapy, we all have obstacles that build our character. The thing that separates the champions is whether or not we fight through it. Sometimes character building is lost in our rush for comfort. It is the hard times that make us who we are. The hard times make us stronger, and they make us useful to others when they are placed in similar situations. Good luck and God Bless.
My name is David Sapolis and I currently live in El Paso, Texas. I began playing pool as a child, and as a teenager was schooled by the late BCA Hall of Famer, Cisero Murphy. At age 17 I left home and pursued a career on the road, shuffling from town to town winning and losing money. I played sporadically on the professional tour throughout the 1980's and 1990's, leaving behind professional pool in 1995. I began writing about pool in 1991, with my first book, "Stroke of Genius", followed by "The Growling Point". The proceeds of my books go to the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation as well as the Jimmy V Foundation. I have recently written two more books, "Lessons in 9 Ball" and "Building the Perfect Game". I enjoy teaching the game of pool to layers of all skill levels and passing along my experience and knowledge to those that can benefit from it.
 

watchez

What time is it?
Silver Member
JAM said:
Here's a picture of the full mural with Cisero Murphy, along with fellow New Yorkers, Joe DiMaggio and Mike Piazza. :p

The mural is in a place called "Crown Heights." :cool:

Crown Heights is basically in the center of Brooklyn.
 

jimmyg

Mook! What's a Mook?
Silver Member
Mr. Lucky

MrLucky
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Well now that you asked...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:
Originally Posted by berlowmj
Can anyone name some? Why are there not more?

My Uncle Cisero was one of the best in his time in straight pool and most money games ! He is in the Pool Hall of Fame (BCA) I have seen him play many of the supposed greats and whip them and know of many supposed pool greats like the man who called himself "Minnesota Fats" (claiming that Jackie Gleasons character in "The Hustler" was patterned after him! ) Mr Wanderone who would not play Cis' One night in Basil's (Basil was a European, i believe he was Hungarian, 3 time straight champion who was a buddy of Cisero's)

I might add that as a young up and coming player in the 50's when he came into being recognized as a Black Man / Afro American he could not even go into some of the venues that tournaments and Championships were held ! Just a little history for some of you young players that do not understand what Black People had to go through not really that long ago!
__________________
age 58
Pool is my love and my way of relaxing! My cues!...I Love McDermotts for every day play!, Just ordered a new Samsara , I have 2 Jacobys, a 42 year old custom given to me on my 16th birthday by my uncle Cisero is my treasured cue!

Pretty Woman and cues are my weakness!

"Never argue with an idiot, they'll drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience!"
 

Travis Bickle

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Appropriately enough, that Cisero Murphy mural is not far from the sporting home of another man who paid a price for the color of his skin, Jackie Robinson.

Here's a little thing on that:


Strangely, the Brooklyn Dodgers are remembered as residents of Flatbush. Indeed, one of the club's top stars, Duke Snider, was known as "The Duke of Flatbush" and even the recent HBO series on the team is titled "Brooklyn Dodgers - The Ghosts of Flatbush." But Ebbets Field was actually located in Crown Heights. The borders of the bandbox ballpark were Sullivan, McKeever, Bedford and Montgomery Streets - the southwest corner of Crown Heights.
 

JAM

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Thanks to all who contributed to this thread.

I hope Mr. Lucky can chime in and, hopefully, provide the correct spelling of his name, whether it is "Cisero" or "Cicero."

That picture of him from 1995 in the BCA Hall of Fame is really nice. He looks like such a kind man. I'm glad he got to see himself inducted and honored by the BCA while he was alive. Poor man passed away in 1996. He was only 59 years of age. :sorry:

Keep the Cisero Murphy stories coming. I'm going to try to really do him justice on Wikipedia, if I can get enough linked resources that I can use as references. On Wikipedia, everything has to be referenced. I can't insert "word of mouth" stuff.
 

watchez

What time is it?
Silver Member
Travis Bickle said:
Appropriately enough, that Cisero Murphy mural is not far from the sporting home of another man who paid a price for the color of his skin, Jackie Robinson.

Here's a little thing on that:


Strangely, the Brooklyn Dodgers are remembered as residents of Flatbush. Indeed, one of the club's top stars, Duke Snider, was known as "The Duke of Flatbush" and even the recent HBO series on the team is titled "Brooklyn Dodgers - The Ghosts of Flatbush." But Ebbets Field was actually located in Crown Heights. The borders of the bandbox ballpark were Sullivan, McKeever, Bedford and Montgomery Streets - the southwest corner of Crown Heights.

A great field and all is left is the outfield wall with the name Ebbets Field still there. You can drive by and see it - with an apartment housing complex built on top of it.

Crown Heights became infamous for something else is 1991 but I don't want to change the subject of this thread.

I can imagine that it took Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in baseball to make it open for someone like Cisero Murphy get noticed in the pool world for his tremendous play.

Unless I am just missing it, it looks like Cisero Murphy is the only black man in the BCA Hall of Fame?
 

mosconiac

Job+Wife+Child=No Stroke
Silver Member
Here are a few pics that I've tucked away from the 'net that you haven't shown yet.

Check out that bridge...very "modern" huh? It looks like the crossover bridge that is attributed to the Filipino's, but I'm finding evidence of it being used long before the Filipino's came over here.

Cisero was obviously opposite-eye dominant based on his unusual stance.

As to the spelling of his name, I must believe the BCA would have gotten it right when the inducted him in 1995. They spelled it Cisero. If they were wrong, wouldn't he have said something?

BCA HOF reference: http://home.bca-pool.com/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=35

Here's the 1966 World Championship with Luther:
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxobcdPCYwE
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqXx-SnZ36w


cicero_murphy.jpg


You can buy this collage for $1500 here:
http://www.billiardmemorabilia.com/publications1.html

m128.jpg


You can buy a print of this painting by Leroy Neiman for $70 shipped on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Leroy-Neiman-Ci...370016603807QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_SM_Fan_Shop

df2b_1.jpg
 
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