Best One-Pocket Player in the History of The World?

Who's the Best One-Pocket Player in the History of the World??

  • Efren Reyes

    Votes: 185 73.7%

  • Rich Ford

    Votes: 4 1.6%

  • Jersey Red

    Votes: 8 3.2%

  • Grady Mathews

    Votes: 5 2.0%

  • Weenie Beanie

    Votes: 2 0.8%

  • Eddie Taylor

    Votes: 10 4.0%

  • Cliff Joyner

    Votes: 3 1.2%

  • Shannon Daulton

    Votes: 1 0.4%

  • Ronnie Allen

    Votes: 19 7.6%

  • Other

    Votes: 14 5.6%
  • Total voters
    251
Is Reyes peaking right now?

A couple of the responses to this thread have offered opinions along the lines of, "back in 19xx when Reyes and Allen were at their peak."

In those days his execution was strong, plus he knew a few moves, but he was still learning. I think his strategic game has improved a lot since then, making him more dangerous than ever.

Ken
 
1pocket said:
I missed this -- in that case you really might as well start looking forward to the days when you love One Pocket -- why wait? :)

Im curious if you happen to know about where Efren would be rated in Chess? I know he enjoys the game, but don't really know how well he plays...
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my friend who is a chess/pool player said he is a Master, not a Grand master, I dont know how that ties into ELO rating. I have seen Efren play gin and he plays pretty strong there as well, some guys just find a way to win no matter what the game is and Efren is like that. He would figure out a way to win flipping coins.
 
Bobby said:
Jay, how did Eddie Taylor match up with the top one pocket players? A few years ago I asked Johnny Ervolino to list in his estimation the best one pocket players he'd ever seen, and this is how he ranked them if I remember correctly:

1- Hayden Lingo
2- Rags Fitzpatrick
3- Eugene "Clem" Metz
4- Ronnie Allen
5- Jersey Red

I know he had Eddie Taylor on the list but I can't remember where exactly. He also said that he (Johnny) at his best needed one ball from Ronnie Allen, he also said he would probably need a ball from Reyes (both playing at their best), so I surmise that he considered Reyes and Ronnie roughly equal.

Bobby
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pardon this question but how is Mr. Ervolino doing? i fear the worst asking.
 
Slider said:
But do you think it was an intentional shark? I get the impression that players in some other countries tend to stand close to the table to watch each other play, and they think nothing of it.

....Ken
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Most filipinos tend to do this. It's not sharking, just that they are used to doing this. To them, it gives them a look, if there was a foul or not and also learn from the shot. I always tell them before the start of the game that I don't like my opponent standing in my line of sight. :D

I'm filipino too, but I know not to do that.
 
Slider said:
A couple of the responses to this thread have offered opinions along the lines of, "back in 19xx when Reyes and Allen were at their peak."

In those days his execution was strong, plus he knew a few moves, but he was still learning. I think his strategic game has improved a lot since then, making him more dangerous than ever.

Ken
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I felt his best game was a few years ago, but after seeing him play at Derby City, he is still playing near his peak speed. He does some things better than ever (his creativity especially), but he misses a few balls he wouldn't have missed before. All in all, he is still the KING!
 
SpiderWebComm said:
I have to say, I enjoy reading your posts the most.... very entertaining. I hope you guys keep posting some more stories on here. I'm at the end of the thread and I'm going through withdrawal.
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Thanks, Freddies main claim to fame is teaching Efren. It's like he's pool's Dr. Frankenstein and he created a monster. My claim to fame is carrying Ronnie's cue for ten years, and giving him a pat on the back when he ran ten and out from nowhere. Oh, I also kept track of all the side bets. Ronnie was prone to make bets with half the people in the room.

I watched Ronnie make bad game after bad game (in my opinion) and win. He used to play good players even One Pocket, his one hand to their two, Ronnie got the break. Seemed like a bad game, but Ronnie beat them ALL that way. One day Ronnie said something I never forgot. "When you give up the nuts, is when you make the best scores". It worked for him.

Trust me when I tell you, Ronnie could run eight and out one handed better (and more often) than most players can two handed.
 
Fatboy said:
Gotta give Ed Kelly his props he won in Reno in 92, he beat Corn bread Red etc, in some close matches. but Efrin will still crush him, and no dis-respect to Ed as he would crush me.
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I don't know if Efren played in that tournament put on by Grady. I do know that it was a super strong field of over 100 players, and the two old schoolers played great. Kelly hadn't played in a tournament in years and came up there and shined.

The final match was a thing of beauty. I wrote about it for Billiards Digest. Kelly was so graceful and fluid. It almost looked like ballet when he was shooting. And Red was this grizzled old warrior, who wouldn't give an inch. He fought down to the last ball. It was as good a match as I ever saw. Too bad it wasn't taped. Where is Fleming when you need him?

It would have been one of the best selling tapes of all time.
 
Bobby said:
Jay, how did Eddie Taylor match up with the top one pocket players? A few years ago I asked Johnny Ervolino to list in his estimation the best one pocket players he'd ever seen, and this is how he ranked them if I remember correctly:

1- Hayden Lingo
2- Rags Fitzpatrick
3- Eugene "Clem" Metz
4- Ronnie Allen
5- Jersey Red

I know he had Eddie Taylor on the list but I can't remember where exactly. He also said that he (Johnny) at his best needed one ball from Ronnie Allen, he also said he would probably need a ball from Reyes (both playing at their best), so I surmise that he considered Reyes and Ronnie roughly equal.

Bobby
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Taylor's peak years were in the 60's and early 70's. He overlapped Ronnie and the other greats of that era, like Kelly and Jersey Red. He wasn't gambling much by then and no one (except maybe Bugs) could or would play him Banks.

But his One Pocket game was right there with the best players. He was probably the equal of Red and Shorty, just a hair below Ronnie. I doubt Ronnie could give him any more than 9-8. He just banked too good.
 
I asked my friend to call Danny Diliberto yesterday to ask him who he thought was the best, whom btw should be HIGH on the list as well. HE mentioned a couple names not on the poll including Marshall Carpenter, Marcel Camp and the man who invented One Pocket...Abe Lingo.
 
Voodoo Daddy said:
I asked my friend to call Danny Diliberto yesterday to ask him who he thought was the best, whom btw should be HIGH on the list as well. HE mentioned a couple names not on the poll including Marshall Carpenter, Marcel Camp and the man who invented One Pocket...Abe Lingo.
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That would be Hayden Lingo, the early player from Oklahoma. He died in the 70's. He is also in the One Pocket Hall of Fame as of this January. He should have been in sooner, but it gets harder and harder to know players from those way earlier generations...

Lingo's brief HOF page is here:
http://onepocket.org/HaydenLingoHOF.htm
 
1pocket said:
That would be Hayden Lingo, the early player from Oklahoma. He died in the 70's. He is also in the One Pocket Hall of Fame as of this January. He should have been in sooner, but it gets harder and harder to know players from those way earlier generations...

Lingo's brief HOF page is here:
http://onepocket.org/HaydenLingoHOF.htm
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I guess when two guys past the age of 55 talk on he phone, some words are lost in the conversation...Hayden Lingo it is. I stand corrected
 
1pocket said:
That would be Hayden Lingo, the early player from Oklahoma. He died in the 70's. He is also in the One Pocket Hall of Fame as of this January. He should have been in sooner, but it gets harder and harder to know players from those way earlier generations...

Lingo's brief HOF page is here:
http://onepocket.org/HaydenLingoHOF.htm
Click to expand...

Some old timers from my youth said Lingo was the best pool player ever. He and Ralph Greenleaf were the most admired by the old timers of the 60's. Not Mosconi.

Supposedly Lingo invented One Pocket. And Efren perfected it.
 
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How much I love to see the one-pocket greats being cherished, However, we are faced with a certain upcoming dilemma. After Reyes, who's next? :confused: :( :( :(
 
branpureza said:
why would that get ronnie more votes?
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If he's willing to make that move playing himself, just imagine what he might do against an opponent for the cash.
 
jay helfert said:
Some old timers from my youth said Lingo was the best pool player ever. He and Ralph Greenleaf were the most admired by the old timers of the 60's. Not Mosconi.

Supposedly Lingo invented One Pocket. And Efren perfected it.
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I read that Jack Hill from Oklahoma invented one pocket.
 
belmicah said:
I read that Jack Hill from Oklahoma invented one pocket.
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You know I think I remember his name too. Maybe Hayden Lingo just popularized it. Haven't heard much about Jack Hill. Probably a fascinating character.
 
Gotta love the 1hole shoptalk threads...I was hoping Jay and Freddy chimed in. Even though I already knew from other threads what Freddy was going to say. Too bad I'll never get to see these guys play.

Freddy, how about Harold Worst? I know he died before reaching his peak at 1P, but Grady's said he was learning the game a little too quick.
 
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