Morton Goldberg? Was this Boston Shortys real name?

Boston Shorty's name was Larry Johnson, but it's not outside the realm of possibility that more than one player was known as "Boston Shorty."

Larry's BCA Hall of Fame writeup below does not mention any other name.

Larry Johnson studied the techniques and shots of Boston's best. By age 20, he could beat the players he studied. Unfortunately, his skill prospered during lean times for pool (the 40's and 50's), and so, the record books don't fully credit the skills of many of the players of that era. But, Boston Shorty was simply one of the very best. Johnson was not only a top 9-Baller, but among the cream of the crop at Rotation, 1-Pocket, Straight Pool, 3-Cushion Billiards, 8-Ball, Cribbage, Cowboy and more. During the famed Johnson City and Las Vegas events of the early 1960's, Johnson captured World All-Around Champion in the last staging of both events, and later collected many other titles. Johnson mastered all games early in his career and played at that speed for four decades.

Good question...it has been discussed here before but never answered as far as I know.

Wikipedia shows two pool players "Boston Shorty." It's not that rare that this happens. For example, both Billy Lanna and Billy Aguero were known as Billy the Kid.

Morton Goldberg, born 12/17/16 and died 2/22/96

Contrastingly, Larry Johnson didn't die until 2000.

I vaguely remember this Goldberg guy. He was a pretty good player who thought he was a lot better than he was, and he had money. He beat some of the local players and then he challenged anyone to come and play him. Pretty soon all the top players started heading his way. After he got beat on about a dozen times he gave up. Never heard anything about him again after that. This was back in the late 60's as I recall.

I think it was the New York crowd that cured him (Jersey Red, Richie Ambrose, New York Blackie, Johnny Ervolino etc.).

I remember one other New York guy who could really play named Barry Greenberg. He was one of the best Straight Pool players around back in the 60's, but gave up pool to become a lawyer. Smart guy!

Frank "Skip" DePrisco 1954 - 2014

middleofnowhere said:

Thanks I think that puts it to bed. How I happened to come across it I was looking up a player I knew years ago called "Fat Skippy from Boston" and I found the Morton thing. I never did find anything on Skippy

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https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/wickedlocal-acton/obituary.aspx?pid=170474779