here we go
526 consecutive balls
- Thread starter Gear101
- Start date
If I had the option of an 8' table with 5 1/4" pockets or a 9' table with 4 1/2" pockets I'm taking the small table with buckets any day to try and set a high run.
I don't think anyone will top Mosconi's exact record simply because those tables don't really exist anymore.
No, actually they really do exist in abundance. There are hundreds of them -- even thousands -- to be readily found in long-established social/fraternal organizations throughout the country . . . Elks, Moose, American Legion, VFWs (Veterans of Foreign Wars). I happily belonged all of them when I lived in the northeast. Much safer and more congenial than beer bars for my tastes, and not least, less than 50 cents a week annualized-basis in dues money for all the pool you wanted to play especially in the less-busy mornings and afternoons. Great for continuous 9-ball and 14.1 experimenting/practicing, and congenial challenge matches. Between us members in any of the fraternal and military organizations we knew every one of the old time pros and shared endless, pool related match stories and personality discussions.
I played in those lodges a couple days a week, gave pool lessons, ran regional and local tournaments in them. Great fun, great folks and plenty of older-model, easy 8-, and 9-footers exactly as referenced above, and always with the "rug" fabrics of bygone days. Solidly USA-constructed brands that are still in regular daily use. Some, but not many, now have Simonis on them and plenty of them of course, still have the wide, easy bucket pockets coupled with quite 14.1-friendly shallow shelves.
Arnaldo
This guy is correct- those 8 footers were and still are found in senior centers all over the U.S. - some senior centers have entire billiard rooms with 4 to 6 tables like the one Mosconi played on for the record. I doubt anyone is running 400+ balls on true Diamond 9 foot with pro cut pockets - if they are I would pay to see it! I watched a lot of the JS high practice runs- he hit the cushions many times way before the pocket- true pro- cuts would not accept those hits. I have no problem in someone using larger pockets when going for high 14.1 runs - those larger pockets were where the game was meant to be played -IMO.
Probably.
I thought we were waiting for Guinness or Ripley to weigh in?
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Gear101
Well-known member
I just played this game tonight just for fun, it's a cool game to play every now and then. I was no worry close to 100.
Willie was a many times World Champion . His resume is unsurpassed . He was so admired and well known that he traveled the country doing well attended exhibitions and challenge matches. He set the 526 mark during a challenge match .
To any ones knowledge did he ever specifically set out to break that mark . If he did set out to break the 526 , playing break shots and running as many as he could , who knows what that number would have been . The reason could be he was too busy earning a living traveling the country doing appearances .
Breaking sports records should be apples to apples not , apples to oranges .
IMHO , Willie running 526 is the standard . If someone is doing an appearance, that includes a challenge match, and get on a roll and surpass 526 then they deserve the accolades .
To any ones knowledge did he ever specifically set out to break that mark . If he did set out to break the 526 , playing break shots and running as many as he could , who knows what that number would have been . The reason could be he was too busy earning a living traveling the country doing appearances .
Breaking sports records should be apples to apples not , apples to oranges .
IMHO , Willie running 526 is the standard . If someone is doing an appearance, that includes a challenge match, and get on a roll and surpass 526 then they deserve the accolades .
Willie tried for the record nearly every night for 30 years. To say his exhibitions were true challenge Matches is beyond a joke. John has the record regardless of Guinness or ripleys.
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We've been over this numerous times and what you are saying is totally incorrect.
Yes, he put on exhibitions for years and would run 100 virtually every time. Or, if he got out with a lesser number, he'd turn to the crowd and ask, "Would you like to see a 100 ball run?" do it, and then launch into his trick shots. 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.
Then it was off to the next room or town for the next exhibition, sometimes the same day. He was there to play a match, put on a show, collect a paycheck, and move on. Willie did not care about high runs. Charlie Ursitti reported that he racked for Mosconi before he played Fats and when he got past 600, with a perfect break shot at hand, Mosconi unscrewed and reputedly said: See, running over 600 is no big deal.
Lou Figueroa
FWIW, I attended a local John Schmidt 14.1 clinic put on by a local billiard supply store. The clinic was held on a Gold Crown I with 4' pockets. John ran 100 on that table with ease; all the while talking to the students explaining his thought process and pattern. He was barely concentrating and he ran 100 on an extremely tight table he had only played on for about an hour beforehand. He also had a tip on his cue he had never played with before: a fresh Tiger Sniper. It was pretty amazing if you ask me.
False. Mosconi ran the 526 with a Rambow and also played with Balabushka's. Hardly house cues. I had the good fortune to hold the cue he ran 526 with as well as many other personal cues of his.
middleofnowhere
Registered
I never heard that.
According to Mike Shamos, Willie went for high runs at some point. In 1953 he had a 322 (Platteville, Wisconsin) and then a 365 (Wilmington, North Carolina). In 1954 was his 526. So it definitely wasn’t just one night in Springfield, OH.
middleofnowhere
Registered
You know, even if Mosconi signed something attesting to something you can't nessasaraly believe it. He was not totally honest from my personal experience.False. Mosconi ran the 526 with a Rambow and also played with Balabushka's. Hardly house cues. I had the good fortune to hold the cue he ran 526 with as well as many other personal cues of his.