Best One-Pocket Players

Fork Boy said:
Big difference between the "best" and "favorite." Plus, more than any other game you have a match up in styles. The Chicago squeeze versus the more wide open west coast style. I've spent more time in the east, therefore I'm somewhat bias toward East Coast players, because I've seen them more.

But here is as short list of my FAVORITES:

Billy Burge a.ka. Cornbread Red - Nobody bet higher and it would be easier to shove hot butter up a wildcats ass than beat him even for big money.

Jack Breit - Steady at the tide. Had some crappy luck at times in tournament play, but nevertheless he was a helluva player and fun to watch.

Artie Bodendorfer - The ultimate squeezer and one tough SOB to beat over a long set. He'd rather loose a pinky toe than allow his opponet to make a ball.

Jack Cooney - A West Coast guy than was damn good at matching up. Real hard to get him in a bad game from what I saw.

Ronnie Allen - Has had more 8-and-outs than anybody before or since.

Bugs Rucker - Could bank his way out of the Grand Canyon. He is probably known more for bank pool, but he could match up with damn near anybody in one pocket.


Now, I didn't list the best, just my favorite players. I watched all of those guys play and enjoyed every minute.
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Is Artie on tape anywhere? I keep hearing his name. I've heard that after playing him your feet are aching from standing on tiptoes around the rack all night.
There's a deceased player I used to watch in Vegas whenever our paths crossed--Preacher Red, or Lowdown Dirty Red. His moniker gives away his rep. Anyway his moves were as good as nearly anyone I've seen.
 
fan-tum said:
Is Artie on tape anywhere? I keep hearing his name. I've heard that after playing him your feet are aching from standing on tiptoes around the rack all night.
There's a deceased player I used to watch in Vegas whenever our paths crossed--Preacher Red, or Lowdown Dirty Red. His moniker gives away his rep. Anyway his moves were as good as nearly anyone I've seen.
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no video, i've asked pat at accustats (knew it was a long shot) and even our own freddy, he says there's nothing too.
 
Silly silly

There are only 2.

Ronnie Allen
Efren Reyes

The rest are fighting for third.

Ken
 
Ones I seen play or played;

Steve Cook
Danny Diliberto
Ronnie Allen
Bugs Rucker
Efren Reyes
Johnny Ervolino..my favorite :grin:
Allan Hopkins
Nick Varner
Steve Mizerak
Cliff Joyner
Grady Mathews...the reason I love One Pocket

Pick one, every one a World Beater.
 
Your all to young to know. Before Ronnie Allen, John "Rags" Fitzpatrick was the GOAT at one pocket He gave Taylor 9-8 and it was an even game, took 9-8 playing banks, also an even game HE DIED IN 1960 AGE 41. Lingo gave anyone 9-7 sight unseen, beat Squirrel that way. Squirrel waited until Lingo got drunk next time. Rags traveled to CA every year from Wash DC, and would stop in Oklahoma and beat Lingo EVERY YEAR! Ronnie Allen would offer anyone 10-8 in Johnson City... No takers including Taylor or Squirrel. FOR BIG MONEY RONNIE WOULD KEEP EFERN BROKE IN HIS PRIME! pre 1961 Rags was the goat period, then Lingo... from 1965-1975+ Ronnie was the GOAT. Supposedly Grady Mathews, took over after Allen, I had him on the road, and never had him in Ronnie's class at all.

I got away from the pool scene in 1983, and paid no attention for over35 years... All i see on the internet, is everybody slobbering over Efern Reyes, and his elementary three cushion, diamond system shots. They seemed like they were more than what they were, BECAUSE THE AVERAGE ILLITERATE AMERICAN POOL PLAYER NEVER TOOK THE TIME TO STUDY THE DIAMOND SYSTEM, in conjunction with the effect of the different english, and old or new cloth, and humidity. ITS BASIC STUDY FOR PLAYERS IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD.
 
Surprised Alex is not getting more love here. He has pretty much been the worlds best for the last decade or so... I'd say Dennis is close, but, we all know Alex won't play a fellow country man for real, that's why he and Efren never really battled it out. Respect.
All jokes aside, it's gotta be Efren and Alex on top
 
Dimeball said:
Surprised Alex is not getting more love here. He has pretty much been the worlds best for the last decade or so... I'd say Dennis is close, but, we all know Alex won't play a fellow country man for real, that's why he and Efren never really battled it out. Respect.
All jokes aside, it's gotta be Efren and Alex on top
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It's a 14 year old thread. The Lion wasn't the King of the jungle then was he? These days, there's no doubt he is the King of the 1pkt jungle.
 
Pensacola said:
Your all to young to know. Before Ronnie Allen, John "Rags" Fitzpatrick was the GOAT at one pocket He gave Taylor 9-8 and it was an even game, took 9-8 playing banks, also an even game HE DIED IN 1960 AGE 41. Lingo gave anyone 9-7 sight unseen, beat Squirrel that way. Squirrel waited until Lingo got drunk next time. Rags traveled to CA every year from Wash DC, and would stop in Oklahoma and beat Lingo EVERY YEAR! Ronnie Allen would offer anyone 10-8 in Johnson City... No takers including Taylor or Squirrel. FOR BIG MONEY RONNIE WOULD KEEP EFERN BROKE IN HIS PRIME! pre 1961 Rags was the goat period, then Lingo... from 1965-1975+ Ronnie was the GOAT. Supposedly Grady Mathews, took over after Allen, I had him on the road, and never had him in Ronnie's class at all.

I got away from the pool scene in 1983, and paid no attention for over35 years... All i see on the internet, is everybody slobbering over Efern Reyes, and his elementary three cushion, diamond system shots. They seemed like they were more than what they were, BECAUSE THE AVERAGE ILLITERATE AMERICAN POOL PLAYER NEVER TOOK THE TIME TO STUDY THE DIAMOND SYSTEM, in conjunction with the effect of the different english, and old or new cloth, and humidity. ITS BASIC STUDY FOR PLAYERS IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD.
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Since you have been not following pool for 35 years, and you answered to a 14-yr old thread, you might have wanted to ask if people knew of Rags or Hayden. It is also clear you have no idea how good Efren played one pocket.

There is also a site dedicated to one pocket that’s been around now for a loooooooong time. There’s a One Pocket Hall of Fame. One pocket has enjoyed more mainstream pool following than ever before and has been like this for at least fifteen years.

So, welcome back to pool. Lots has changed. I promise
 
8cree said:
It's a 14 year old thread. The Lion wasn't the King of the jungle then was he? These days, there's no doubt he is the King of the 1pkt jungle.
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Good point, I did miss that. But, he actually was even back then, I mean I remember he was just a kid when he won WC9 and he was winning 1pkt tourney's all over the place. In the last several years 1pkt has gained viewers with the streamed races and woofing. The time he kicked the snot out of Frost for talking smack was great, pops up on my youtube from time to time, "you can't beat me"! awesomeness...
anyway.. have a nice day.
 
Pensacola said:
Your all to young to know. Before Ronnie Allen, John "Rags" Fitzpatrick was the GOAT at one pocket He gave Taylor 9-8 and it was an even game, took 9-8 playing banks, also an even game HE DIED IN 1960 AGE 41. Lingo gave anyone 9-7 sight unseen, beat Squirrel that way. Squirrel waited until Lingo got drunk next time. Rags traveled to CA every year from Wash DC, and would stop in Oklahoma and beat Lingo EVERY YEAR! Ronnie Allen would offer anyone 10-8 in Johnson City... No takers including Taylor or Squirrel. FOR BIG MONEY RONNIE WOULD KEEP EFERN BROKE IN HIS PRIME! pre 1961 Rags was the goat period, then Lingo... from 1965-1975+ Ronnie was the GOAT. Supposedly Grady Mathews, took over after Allen, I had him on the road, and never had him in Ronnie's class at all.

I got away from the pool scene in 1983, and paid no attention for over35 years... All i see on the internet, is everybody slobbering over Efern Reyes, and his elementary three cushion, diamond system shots. They seemed like they were more than what they were, BECAUSE THE AVERAGE ILLITERATE AMERICAN POOL PLAYER NEVER TOOK THE TIME TO STUDY THE DIAMOND SYSTEM, in conjunction with the effect of the different english, and old or new cloth, and humidity. ITS BASIC STUDY FOR PLAYERS IN SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD.
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You sir are fkng clueless. Efren's cueball and kicking/banking ability would have made him a pick'em or maybe a tad the favorite playing Allen.
 
Dimeball said:
Good point, I did miss that. But, he actually was even back then, I mean I remember he was just a kid when he won WC9 and he was winning 1pkt tourney's all over the place. In the last several years 1pkt has gained viewers with the streamed races and woofing. The time he kicked the snot out of Frost for talking smack was great, pops up on my youtube from time to time, "you can't beat me"! awesomeness...
anyway.. have a nice day.
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Could you link that match? I'd like to see it too.

You have a nice day as well!(y)(y)
 
fan-tum said:
Is Artie on tape anywhere? I keep hearing his name. I've heard that after playing him your feet are aching from standing on tiptoes around the rack all night.
There's a deceased player I used to watch in Vegas whenever our paths crossed--Preacher Red, or Lowdown Dirty Red. His moniker gives away his rep. Anyway his moves were as good as nearly anyone I've seen.
Click to expand...

:)
 
These lists seem to really weight a blend of nostalgia and reputation.

My opinion will be fairly unpopular but the truth hurts. The truth is that since the internet age and YouTube made the best one pocket moves public the learning curve on the moving game became much shorter. All top players have quickly picked up the basics and the game is now dominated by the top strikers, not the top movers. We can see that with players like SVB, Filler and Fedor consistently getting there with Tony and Scott.

So my list of all time great one pocket players would probably ONLY include players that were at the highest level of the game in terms of striking offense and who also had a great moving game. Efren Reyes. Alex Pagulayan. Filler. Fedor. SVB. Dennis Orcullo.

Maybe a Nick Varner or an Allen Hopkins could have put up a fight, but today's players have simply developed a higher level of striking accuracy and the knowledge edge just isn't there anymore to make up for a deficit in this area.
 
Tin Man said:
These lists seem to really weight a blend of nostalgia and reputation.

My opinion will be fairly unpopular but the truth hurts. The truth is that since the internet age and YouTube made the best one pocket moves public the learning curve on the moving game became much shorter. All top players have quickly picked up the basics and the game is now dominated by the top strikers, not the top movers. We can see that with players like SVB, Filler and Fedor consistently getting there with Tony and Scott.

So my list of all time great one pocket players would probably ONLY include players that were at the highest level of the game in terms of striking offense and who also had a great moving game. Efren Reyes. Alex Pagulayan. Filler. Fedor. SVB. Dennis Orcullo.

Maybe a Nick Varner or an Allen Hopkins could have put up a fight, but today's players have simply developed a higher level of striking accuracy and the knowledge edge just isn't there anymore to make up for a deficit in this area.
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This is generally well reasoned, but I don't feel we've arrived at the moment where striking accuracy has taken over quite yet. No doubt, Filler and Gorst have redefined what constitutes a safety and the trend is, just as you suggest, toward a world in which a superior moves game will not be enough to compensate for anything short of elite cueing skills.

Nonetheless, moves-oriented one pocket players like Tony Chohan, John Pinegar, Billy Thorpe, Evan Lunda, Josh Roberts, Justin Hall and others are still holding their own against virtually everybody.
 
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fan-tum said:
Best all-time:
1 Efren
2.Ronnie Allen
3.Steve Cook
4.Allen Hopkins
5.Ed Kelly
6.Jack Breit
7.S.Daulton,Parica, Joiner, Buddy Hall, Squirrel, Beanie, Frost, Eddie Taylor, Clem.... all tied
8. Minnesota fats

Favorites:
1.Efren
2.Ronnie Allen
3.Buddy Hall
4.Hopkins
5.Cook
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Lest we not forget Nick Varner on this list
 
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