526 consecutive balls

"Will anyone ever top Willie again?"

No, never.

Run more balls? Been done.
Win more championships? Been done.

Mention their name to anybody on the planet and have it recognized for both of the above? Not likely, that would be nothing short of magic.
Win more championships, been done? Willie won 15 world titles in 20 years to the best of my knowledge only Ralph Greenleaf came close to that with 14. And those world titles weren’t like today 9 or 10 ball matches that are done in less than a week, the world matches those guys played were grueling round robin matches played in different cities that took months to finish.
 
And I'm sure Simonis has never upgrade their cloth over the last three centuries. Same cloth, they never found a better production standard.
Who are you arguing with? Yes, it is not 1954. We all know everything is different. It's obvious who you are...you know that right?

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Absolutely true, and your mention of Mosconi & pressure, reminded me that the pressure cut both ways, as beautifully exemplified when I read -- years ago -- one my favorite, widely publicized anecdotes about Willie. His unwittingly amusing (and more than a little arrogant) response that our mutually-beloved and always supremely confident Mosconi gave to a popular sports reporter during a Straight Pool final's pre-match interview.

Willie was asked whether he felt some pressure at the moment. Mosconi replied:

"Pressure? Oh no, never! I leave that feeling for the other guy . . .

. . . I only have to play pool -- he has to play Mosconi."

Arnaldo ~ True story

Arnaldo, there is a similar story out there.

It was from Mosconi's perspective and someone asked him about his exhibition match opponent(s) and he said something like: They're often quite good and have practiced up to play me. But they're playing Mosconi and on their best day couldn't dream of beating me.

Lou Figueroa
 
Win more championships, been done? Willie won 15 world titles in 20 years to the best of my knowledge only Ralph Greenleaf came close to that with 14. And those world titles weren’t like today 9 or 10 ball matches that are done in less than a week, the world matches those guys played were grueling round robin matches played in different cities that took months to finish.
Everybody knows what Mosconi accomplished.
 
Arnaldo, there is a similar story out there.

. . . But they're playing Mosconi and on their best day couldn't dream of beating me.
I trained heavily, semi-pro, in Joe Gold's original gym in Venice Beach in the early 70s when Schwarzenegger had relocated from Europe to the US. Like Willie, he was inhumanly self-confident, in world-class shape, and like Willie he routinely unloaded that exact saber -- always within the hearing or instant knowledge of the same fellows who were shortly about to challenge him for one National or World bodybuilding title or another each year. (The competitors loved to travel in from everywhere for the Gold Gym energy, and to ensure a good California pre-contest tan.)
Arnold thereby enfeebled the strongest of them with his remarks -- beat them even before the contest would begin a week or two later. Did it to Ferrigno right in front of the guy and with Ferrigno's dad/coach standing right there.

Cassius Clay (Ali) would also speak that way before major fights, and for the same reason..

All three above champions knew more about mind games than Phd-degreed shrinks. The most important thing for Willie, Arnold, and Cassius was they absolutely did believe the truth of the words they were saying. The results speak for themselves.

Arnaldo
 
Who are you arguing with? Yes, it is not 1954. We all know everything is different. It's obvious who you are...you know that right?

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I'm not arguing with anybody I'm just stating the facts. Willie's table, cue, tip and chalk were old school, compared to product offerings of today. You can likin it to golf clubs of the past and today's clubs.
 
Hell even the new systems of leveling a table that are out there. I guess I'm the only person in this thread, that someone posted I have not clue what I'm talking about..

Who knows, maybe he would have hit 726... never know.
 
Everybody wants to talk about the different pocket size but just think about the different Felton different rail systems of years ago compared today.

Today's rails on a table play a hell of a lot more consistent that it did 60 years ago.

But then again that's previously stated I might not have any clue what I'm talking about.
 
Hell even the new systems of leveling a table that are out there. I guess I'm the only person in this thread, that someone posted I have not clue what I'm talking about..

Who knows, maybe he would have hit 726... never know.

Yes you don’t know what your talking about for the most part. Leveling systems today just make it easier to level. The same machinists levels that exist today for doing proper work existed at that time.

But the Harold worst model 8’ was not a high quality table.

Rubber was also better back when, it lasted longer. Monarch rails are a huge example. As far as rails go your talking about T-nut. What’s funny about that is olhausen still uses that as far as I know. “The best tables on earth” .

Willie also cheated because he learned to play pool with potatoes.


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There were world class tables back in Willie's day that are still in use today: Brunswick Anniversary Centennial, Sport King, Gold Crown. Some still have their original rubber that plays great after all these years. The cloth may have been different but the tables are the same tables many of us play on today. IMO, no advantage or disadvantage either way. If they are still great tables today, imagine what they were like when brand new.
 
Even in the 30 years I have mean playing pool I can tell the difference in production standards. Which IMHO makes the 526 record a phenomenal feet of records.
 
I trained heavily, semi-pro, in Joe Gold's original gym in Venice Beach in the early 70s when Schwarzenegger had relocated from Europe to the US. Like Willie, he was inhumanly self-confident, in world-class shape, and like Willie he routinely unloaded that exact saber -- always within the hearing or instant knowledge of the same fellows who were shortly about to challenge him for one National or World bodybuilding title or another each year. (The competitors loved to travel in from everywhere for the Gold Gym energy, and to ensure a good California pre-contest tan.)
Arnold thereby enfeebled the strongest of them with his remarks -- beat them even before the contest would begin a week or two later. Did it to Ferrigno right in front of the guy and with Ferrigno's dad/coach standing right there.

Cassius Clay (Ali) would also speak that way before major fights, and for the same reason..

All three above champions knew more about mind games than Phd-degreed shrinks. The most important thing for Willie, Arnold, and Cassius was they absolutely did believe the truth of the words they were saying. The results speak for themselves.

Arnaldo

Arnaldo, yes, I remember reading or maybe it was from "Staying Hungry" about AS's level of confidence and how he'd sometimes mock an opponent with some comment about their skinny legs or other muscle group to freak them out.

Lou Figueroa
 
Even in the 30 years I have mean playing pool I can tell the difference in production standards. Which IMHO makes the 526 record a phenomenal feet of records.

You keep talking production standards when mosconi and other top players all used custom cues . What did you start with some Asian Minnesota fats junk cue back in 1980?


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That's like trying to convince me the Belgium Browning's of the years ago are the same quality as a Benelli guns they build today....
Sure 🙄🙄🙄
BB's were/are(some models are still made there) exquistely made firearms. Benelli's are very nice guns made using modern machines. I've sold and owned both. The Brownings have a fit-n-finish that very few, if any, modern guns can match. My Sweet-16 A5 will outlast me and probably 4-5 more generations. Built like a tank. I sold my O/U Browning Superposed's 'cause the price i was offered was waaaay to good to turn down. In pool terms the BB's would be a Szamboti and Benelli's would be a Predator. Both accomplish the same task. One is a hand-crafted heirloom-grade piece, the other is a mass-produced(very well i add) tool.
 
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Win more championships, been done? Willie won 15 world titles in 20 years to the best of my knowledge only Ralph Greenleaf came close to that with 14. And those world titles weren’t like today 9 or 10 ball matches that are done in less than a week, the world matches those guys played were grueling round robin matches played in different cities that took months to finish.

World titles or major tournaments? The events put on then and how they were played was very different. It's like comparing Model T racing champions to current NASCAR drivers.
 
And I'm sure Simonis has never upgrade their cloth over the last three centuries. Same cloth, they never found a better production standard.
🙄🙄🙄

Show me one world record that is invalidated because of modern equipment. The high run, is the high run, no record keeping body is nitpicking over the chalk used, how many people were watching, if the guy was in a suit or sneakers, if there were birds chirping and annoying the player. The only people I have ever seen keep harping on this are Mosconi fans and a few mentally imbalanced people.
 
Hell even the new systems of leveling a table that are out there. I guess I'm the only person in this thread, that someone posted I have not clue what I'm talking about..

Who knows, maybe he would have hit 726... never know.
You compared a bar stick to a Rambo and said today’s bar stick is better. That proves you’re clueless. Or a troll. Most likely both.
 
Yes you don’t know what your talking about for the most part. Leveling systems today just make it easier to level. The same machinists levels that exist today for doing proper work existed at that time.

But the Harold worst model 8’ was not a high quality table.

Rubber was also better back when, it lasted longer. Monarch rails are a huge example. As far as rails go your talking about T-nut. What’s funny about that is olhausen still uses that as far as I know. “The best tables on earth”
emoji23.png
.

Willie also cheated because he learned to play pool with potatoes.


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Actually I think I was the one that commented on the t-rail tables. I have an old Brunswick made in 1920s with t-rails and by today's standards they're pretty terrible. The rails appear to be milled out of one solid piece of wood with a 90° groove and they sit on the slate and bolt through from the sides.

There are inserts actually mounted in the side of the slate similar to like a shaft insert with a 5/16 bolt. There's only three per rail on the six rails. While the precision is good probably for the time when this was built, when the rails are mounted on the table you actually have to shim each rail a little in order to get the point of the cushions at exactly the right height.

You mention the Olhousin table using a t-rail system. I'm sure that's true because I've seen Verhoven billiard tables with t-rails. These tables though had many bolts holding the rails and the precision, probably CNC, I have no doubt as light years beyond the finest Craftsman 100 years ago could achieve.

I have a neighbor who has a pool table that's called a Suser & Gramaldi (sp?) It was built in the 1920s I believe but that table compared to my table is like a Rolls-Royce. It's a 9-ft table but has six legs and 2 inch thick slate I know cuz I covered it once. I only mentioned this because it's the same vintage as my table and while my table was probably a great table back then there were tables that were built better to a higher standard.
 
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Show me one world record that is invalidated because of modern equipment. The high run, is the high run, no record keeping body is nitpicking over the chalk used, how many people were watching, if the guy was in a suit or sneakers, if there were birds chirping and annoying the player. The only people I have ever seen keep harping on this are Mosconi fans and a few mentally imbalanced people.
Now that's a funny post.
Regardless of table model,size,cloth or pocket size anybody that can run 300+ balls is a helluva player.
 
It




ah, no.

Lou Figueroa
You included *my* post in the "ah, no" response??? Other posters have quoted exactly what Shamos (and Willie) reported. How can anyone dispute that he didn't just go for a high run "once" as you said.

You said:
"By all accounts, he just stopped cold when he got to 100 except for that one night when the crowd urged him on and he ran the 526."

I think the response to me should have been, "oh, yeah. You're right. My bad."
 
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