Who is the greatest straight pool player alive?
- Thread starter Earl Strickland
- Start date
8ball
If, as some of the posters here claim, being a good 8ball player is a good preparation for straight pool, then I'd throw Efren in there because he has more world 8ball titles than any of the active top pros today.
If, as some of the posters here claim, being a good 8ball player is a good preparation for straight pool, then I'd throw Efren in there because he has more world 8ball titles than any of the active top pros today.
Wow! It just occurred to me that one of the top American straight poolers has been overlooked in this thread, and that would be Danny Barouty, winner of the NJ Straight pool championship over an elite field that included Tony Robles and Santos Sambajon. Not only is Danny a threat to run 200 on any given day, but those of us who live in NYC know that Danny has had the upper hand in his many head-to-head straight pool battles against Mika Immonen over the years.
Danny is not just a great player, but he is one of America's greatest ambassadors for straight pool, and has had a lot to do with the fact that straight pool remains incredibly popular here in NYC.
Danny is not just a great player, but he is one of America's greatest ambassadors for straight pool, and has had a lot to do with the fact that straight pool remains incredibly popular here in NYC.
It's not absolutely clear to me why some have obviously interpreted this thread as "What living player played the best straight pool in their prime?" After all, Earl noted that what he had in mind was a 250 point all-offesne matchup today, so he clearly is interested in who plays great straight pool today. Speaking for myself, I'd pay plenty to watch Earl match up with Tony Robles, John Schmidt or Thorsten Hohmann, and I'm guessing Earl would love to match up with any of the three.
I can see why some enjoyed taking note of the fact that some of the old time legends of straight pool are still among us.. Reminiscing is always fun. So, for those who prefer to reflect, let me add four names not yet mentioned in this thread: Dallas West, Danny DiLiberto, Pete Margo, Jimmy Fusco.
I can see why some enjoyed taking note of the fact that some of the old time legends of straight pool are still among us.. Reminiscing is always fun. So, for those who prefer to reflect, let me add four names not yet mentioned in this thread: Dallas West, Danny DiLiberto, Pete Margo, Jimmy Fusco.
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Earl Strickland said:
I might as well chime in, too. It's hard to know because you don't see it played much other than in Europe. Of the European players, you have to go with Hohmann, Engert, Souquet, Feijen. In the states, Schmidt and Robles come to mind as players that are known to play it so they'd have to be considered. Old timers like West, Matthews, Diliberto,Zuglan,Sigel, Rempe and then all the great nine ball players like Earl and Johnny Archer that have played in at least a few tournaments. Reyes, Pagualayan, probably other Taiwanese and Philippine players.
Someone ought to take Mike Janis up on his offer to do a straight pool tournament. Earl?
Earl Strickland said:
Earl-
My favorites for classic 14.1 played in the old style are Varner, Rempe, Sigel and Soquet. Most modern players play more of a combination 9 ball and straight pool which is great as well, but I grew up on 14.1 instead of 9 ball. Anything that could be done on your part to bring the game back would be fabulous. Varner once suggested they do away with the 3-foul/intentional foul rules and play just like 9 ball, if you fail to make a legal safe, your opponent gets ball in hand anywhere on the table. That would pick up the pace a bit.
DJKeys said:
Assume you mean the younger pros of today. Robles, for example, studied straight pool under confirmed old timers Ray Martin and Harvey Mason (father of women's US open champion Joanne), and plays straight in the classic style.
Still, I think you're basically right. Then again, I suspect the old timers would have played differently if they played on Simonis 860 and with loose pockets, the typical pro conditions of today.
In the good old days, pros playing on slow cloth and tight pockets understood the criticality of getting tight to the break shot, which had to be hit harder to spread the balls on the slow cloth. This sensitized them to the crticality of accurate pattern play, the only sure method of getting tight to the break shot, and forced them to play with great attention to detail. Today's players can play more sloppily and get away with it on fast cloth and loose pockets.
I attended many world straight pool championships in the 1970's. All those events were on slower cloth and tighter equipment. I also attended the 1999 National Straight Pool Championships and the 2000 US Open Straight pool event. both of them played on looser equipment and on Simonis 860. The biggest difference between the old events and the new ones was the number of missed break shots.
Earl is sooooooo right, unless straight is played on tight equipment, it isn't a good enough test of a player's skills.
Thank you Earl for taking the time to post on this board. Pat Fleming of Accustats has been trying to get together a straight pool challenge match with about 8 players for a couple of years. Similar to what he did with 8 ball. Pat a keen player of straight pool himself would make sure of the quality of the equipment. He would film it as well. Some people have been willing to put some money in it. I as one. But he must get the sponsors from the industry to cooperate. Maybe you have some ideas.
yobagua said:
Ok, here's my lineup for the Accu-Stats 14.1 Invitational (limited to eight players):
Mike Sigel (nuff said)
Efren Reyes (I hear he's a magician)
Ralf Souquet (won 2000 U.S. Open 14.1)
Min-Wai Chin (2nd at 2000 U.S. Open 14.1)
Thorsten Hohmann (current European 14.1 champion)
Thomas Engert (492 balls!)
Ronnie O'Sullivan (what the hey, should be interesting)
The top remaining player from the far east (Fong Pang Chao? or, as Allen Hopkins once referred to him during a match on ESPN, "Fang Pie")
Very tough to limit it to eight players, but that's the format so there ya' go.
Who's your eight?
PoolBum said:
that's a well balanced field. pretty much every part of the game is represented. but you need a traditional 9baller, no slight or misrepresentation intended.....so howz about the guy who started this thread
or maybe a 3 cushion player like blomdahl
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PoolBum said:
Well, Poolbum I'd definitely attend your event, but that's not my field:
1) Thorsten Hohmann (scary good at 14.1)
2) Ralf Souquet (winner 2000 US Open)
3) John Schmidt (has run over 400)
4) Tony Robles (high run of 148 vs archer in 2000 US Open)
5) Allen Hopkins (still very dangerous)
6) Nick Varner (second best straight pooler in last twenty five years)
7) Mike Sigel (best straight pooler in last twenty five years)
8) Jim Rempe (runs balls in his sleep)
When the smoke clears, I suspect Hohmann would be the one carrying the trophy. When he won the NJ Straight Pool Championship in 2003, topping Tony Robles in the final, several of the competitors said he had played some of the best straight pool they had ever seen....and that field included about eight players who had top ten finshes ina least one world straight pool championship. If that wasn't enough, Hohmann's recent performance in the straight pool division of the European championship, in which he outscored his six opponets by about 750 to 60 ranks as one of the greatest-ever performances in the history of straight pool.
I think if there was going to be a tournament we'd have to include Mr. Strickland. He is hands down one of the greatest players of all time, has an unreal high run and with such a killer instinct I wouldn't count him out of any tournament. Also, he's one of my all-time faves
Earl, I was wondering how you feel Larry Liscotti (in his prime) ranked over all? I new Larry for about the last 7 years of his life and saw him play some great pool but would have loved to see him at the top of his game.
Thanks
Thanks
boradriver said:
Well, like you, I look forward to hearing from Earl on this, but I was in attendance at the 1976 World Open Staight Pool Championships in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The winner over a very elite field was a very young Larry Lisciotti......and if you had to write the perfect script for winning your first World title, surely you'd want to come from the losers brakcet and beat Mizerak twice in the finals. Come to think of it, that's exactly what Larry did.
At his best, Larry was really something special, and he's greatly missed.
Hi Earl. I wish you had asked this before last Holloween and the answer would have been easy for me. Babe Cranfield would have been my choice because of his knowledge, style of play, and his many high runs. 40+ runs of 400+ including a 768. As far as today my guess would be Efren, especially if he took some lessons from Dallas West who IMO is currently the smartest 14.1 player. I could also see Allison making some high runs if she too took some lessons from Dallas.
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fast eddie
You mean Eddie Taylor He is 86 still playin, he plays!BrianK74 said:Is "Fast Eddie" Fellson still alive?.