Where is the 626?

PoolBum said:

Well, that's not at all the story I heard.

I heard the ball teetered at the pocket.

Click to expand...

Bob Jewett said:

The following exists as an attachment somewhere on AZB but I couldn't track it down, so here is a copy. I don't have a date on the publication in NBN. I don't know who provided the spelling correction for Rood's name. Also, it was exactly 37 signatures on the affidavit.

From an article in National Billiard News

by Dick Hatfield

Willie Mosconi, in Springfield, Ohio, March 1954, ran 526 balls in a row for a world record that still stands today. His challenger was Earl "Jake" Bruney, an accomplished hometown pool shark.

The site of the action was East High Billiards, 111 ½ East High in the heart of downtown Springfield, on the second floor above Reco Sporting Goods. "East High" was a first class pool hall run by a first class gentleman named Bob Haas. The only criticizable thing Bob ever did was allow underage guys like me into his establishment. I was 16 - you were supposed to be 18 or older.

The first time I saw Mosconi, I thought he looked like a movie star: impeccably dressed in a tailor-made suit, blue cashmere topcoat, black fedora, and polished black shoes. He was a big hit with everybody, very personable, made small talk with the regulars, and occasionally fed a handful of nickels in the pinball machines. He was a regular guy.

Bruney safe-broke the balls at 8:00pm that March 18th, Mosconi shot second. They safe-shot back and forth a few times, and then Jake found his way clear to pocket the only three balls he'd make that night. After that, Willie took command of that 4X8 Brunswick for the next four and a half hours. At 12:50am, he missed the 527th shot - a six-ball in the corner. It tottered at the pocket, but wouldn't fall.

A number of Springfielders witnessed this record-breaking performance, including A.Y. "Lefty" Thomas, who made a sketch of the missed shot. Lefty will also authenticate this narrative. About fifty of the witnesses signed an affidavit verifying the high run.
Although at least three claim to have bought the legendary table that Willie and Jake shot on that night, it's actually owned by George Rude? (Rood), who subsequently part-owned the East High. Later in the 1950s, George played Willie several times in exhibition matches at East High. On a couple of those occasions I took tickets and sold Mosconi's books.
​

Click to expand...

AtLarge said:

Hmmm. Willie's autobiography says the run took about 2 hours and 10 minutes, which is 4.0 balls per minute. The above article would have it at 4 hours and 50 minutes, or 1.8 balls per minute. Anyone ever see Willie shoot that slowly on a good run?

Click to expand...

AtLarge said:

Hmmm. Willie's autobiography says the run took about 2 hours and 10 minutes, which is 4.0 balls per minute. The above article would have it at 4 hours and 50 minutes, or 1.8 balls per minute. Anyone ever see Willie shoot that slowly on a good run?

Click to expand...

CreeDo said:

seems to me that if someone went to the trouble of buying it and we know the name of
the guy... how did the table not end up in a museum or at least some known location
as being the famous record table? Could it be sitting in storage (or in use!)
somewhere today?

Click to expand...

pt109 said:

That table didn’t seem to be that big of a deal years ago....only in retrospect from our
modern age does it seem valuable.
Kinda like the old cars in my home town...they’d be worth a fortune now.

I played a little on Willie’s table at the urging of Russ Maddox, who was part owner of
the room with George Rood....but I was a kid then...my sense of history was a far second
to my thirst for action.....and it was not a top of the line Brunswick.[/QUOTE

Russ spent quite a bit of time in the room here in Clearwater where I grew up playing. He was a pretty good straight pool player too, especially for his age. And he rarely waited for the balls to stop rolling before he took his next shot.

Click to expand...

Z-Nole said:

pt109 said:

That table didn’t seem to be that big of a deal years ago....only in retrospect from our
modern age does it seem valuable.
Kinda like the old cars in my home town...they’d be worth a fortune now.

I played a little on Willie’s table at the urging of Russ Maddox, who was part owner of
the room with George Rood....but I was a kid then...my sense of history was a far second
to my thirst for action.....and it was not a top of the line Brunswick.[/QUOTE

Russ spent quite a bit of time in the room here in Clearwater where I grew up playing. He was a pretty good straight pool player too, especially for his age. And he rarely waited for the balls to stop rolling before he took his next shot.

Click to expand...

I used to go to Russ’ room in Dayton....the Pickwick...which became Airway eventually.
...we used to gamble...but he also liked me and gave me valuable advice which I still use.

His manager, Everett, was a good 3-cushion player.
One day they were getting the 3-cushion table recovered...guy took the rails off...
...then had to go home...forgot the cloth.
Some guys walked in, saw the rails lying on the floor...asked..”What the hell happened?”
Everett said “I don't know who he was...but he had the most powerful stroke I ever seen.”

Click to expand...

Bob Jewett said:

The following exists as an attachment somewhere on AZB but I couldn't track it down, so here is a copy. I don't have a date on the publication in NBN. I don't know who provided the spelling correction for Rood's name. Also, it was exactly 37 signatures on the affidavit.

From an article in National Billiard News

by Dick Hatfield

Willie Mosconi, in Springfield, Ohio, March 1954, ran 526 balls in a row for a world record that still stands today. His challenger was Earl "Jake" Bruney, an accomplished hometown pool shark.

The site of the action was East High Billiards, 111 ½ East High in the heart of downtown Springfield, on the second floor above Reco Sporting Goods. "East High" was a first class pool hall run by a first class gentleman named Bob Haas. The only criticizable thing Bob ever did was allow underage guys like me into his establishment. I was 16 - you were supposed to be 18 or older.

The first time I saw Mosconi, I thought he looked like a movie star: impeccably dressed in a tailor-made suit, blue cashmere topcoat, black fedora, and polished black shoes. He was a big hit with everybody, very personable, made small talk with the regulars, and occasionally fed a handful of nickels in the pinball machines. He was a regular guy.

Bruney safe-broke the balls at 8:00pm that March 18th, Mosconi shot second. They safe-shot back and forth a few times, and then Jake found his way clear to pocket the only three balls he'd make that night. After that, Willie took command of that 4X8 Brunswick for the next four and a half hours. At 12:50am, he missed the 527th shot - a six-ball in the corner. It tottered at the pocket, but wouldn't fall.

A number of Springfielders witnessed this record-breaking performance, including A.Y. "Lefty" Thomas, who made a sketch of the missed shot. Lefty will also authenticate this narrative. About fifty of the witnesses signed an affidavit verifying the high run.
Although at least three claim to have bought the legendary table that Willie and Jake shot on that night, it's actually owned by George Rude? (Rood), who subsequently part-owned the East High. Later in the 1950s, George played Willie several times in exhibition matches at East High. On a couple of those occasions I took tickets and sold Mosconi's books.
​

Click to expand...

1pocket said:

This is the same guy that has a video on youtube, relating this same story. In the video he goes on to say, when the 6-ball didn't fall, a couple of big guys went over to that corner and tried to wiggle the floor to induce the ball to fall, but it would not. LOL, what did they think, the run would legitimately continue if they managed to wiggle it into the pocket a couple of minutes later?? Who knows but sure makes you wonder about what else was let pass along the way to 526. The thing is, nobody really knows... at least with John Schmidt's run, it was caught on video.

Click to expand...

1pocket said:

This is the same guy that has a video on youtube, relating this same story. In the video he goes on to say, when the 6-ball didn't fall, a couple of big guys went over to that corner and tried to wiggle the floor to induce the ball to fall, but it would not. LOL, what did they think, the run would legitimately continue if they managed to wiggle it into the pocket a couple of minutes later?? Who knows but sure makes you wonder about what else was let pass along the way to 526. The thing is, nobody really knows... at least with John Schmidt's run, it was caught on video.

Click to expand...

jay helfert said:

Jeff, like Lou I was there during Mosconi's era of exhibitions (even played him one). He was a living icon in sports, his name well known to the masses (not just pool fans!) and people would come to see him play because of that fame. Typically there was no charge to watch one of his exhibitions, but it was still a good promotion for any poolroom in which he made an appearance. They would sell drinks and food and perhaps gain some new clientele. Willie would pack the place wherever he appeared, plain and simple. People would come to see HIM, not just to see someone run 100 balls.

I hope this helps set the record straight. Thanks

Click to expand...

lfigueroa said:

Really?

Mosconi didn’t set up camp to attempt a high run — it just happened.

JS set up camp for a months long attempt to break a decades old record.

Lou Figueroa
duh

Click to expand...