best player ever?
- Thread starter jimmyquinella
- Start date
Slasher said:
I believe Hendry has recently passed 600 career
centuries, almost double the amount of any snooker
player in history. I just wish that O'Sullivan would
get his mental game in order, when he's playing his
game I don't think anyone comes close.
Bob
Okay, here we go.
From 1964, the World title was decided on a challenge basis which meant that, sometimes, there was more than one event each year. The World Championship reverted to a knock-out competition in 1969.
*
1927
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
20-11
1928
Joe Davis (England) bt Fred Lawrence (England)
16-13
1929
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
19-14
1930
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
25-12
1931
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
25-21
1932
Joe Davis (England) bt Clark McConachy (N.Z.)
30-19
1933
Joe Davis (England) bt Willie Smith (England)
25-18
1934
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Newman (England)
25-23
1935
Joe Davis (England) bt Willie Smith (England)
25-20
1936
Joe Davis (England) bt Horace Lindrum (Australia)
34-27
1937
Joe Davis (England) bt Horace Lindrum (Australia)
32-29
1938
Joe Davis (England) bt Sidney Smith (England)
37-24
1939
Joe Davis (England) bt Sidney Smith (England)
43-30
1940
Joe Davis (England) bt Fred Davis (England)
37-36
1941-1945
No Tournament held
1946
Joe Davis (England) bt Horace Lindrum (Australia)
Past Master
First Name:
Joe
Last Name:
Davis
Town / Country:
Whitwell, England
DoB:
1901
Club:
--
High Break:
Match 147
Biography:
Joe Davis was, without doubt, the father of modern snooker. Although he did not possess all the skills of the modern players, it must be remembered that the balls were different, the cloth was different and many of the shots made today were just not possible with the old equipment. You can only be the best of your time and Joe was certainly that. He was never beaten in the world championship winning, it 15 times in succession. He was a great billiards player but taught himself to play snooker before most people even knew of the game and brought the game to the attention of the masses.
Born in Whitwell, Derbyshire in 1901, Joe was the local amateur billiards champion by the time he was 13 and turned professional at 18. In 1922 at the age of 21 he played in his first world championship, at billiards, and lost to the great Tom Newman.
He began to take an interest in snooker and helped to organise the first world championship in 1927, This was staged in Birmingham and he beat Tom Dennis in the final to win £6.50. He then won every world title until 1946 when he decided to retire from that event. The nearest he came to defeat was in the 1940 final, when he beat his brother, Fred by just the odd frame 37-36.
Joe's classic cue action is still the basis of that used by most of today's players and it was also he who developed modern break-building methods using the black as the key.
He made his first snooker century in 1928 and by 1953 had made 500 of them. He set new record breaks five times, 137 in 1937, 138 (1938), 140 (1947), 146 (1950) and finally, in 1955, he achieved the first officially recognised 147 against Willie Smith at London's Leicester Square Hall. He also made the first century in the world championship in 1935.
His exhibitions drew large crowds and he was one of the most popular sportsmen of his day. He turned his exhibitions into show business occasions and played at theatres like the Palladium with a large mirror set up over the table so that the audience could see what was going on.
Joe eventually retired from all play in 1964 with 687 snooker centuries to his name and 83 billiard breaks of over 1000. Only one person ever beat him on level terms and that was his younger brother, Fred. Some would cynically say that this was due to the fact that he rarely played anyone, outside of championships, without giving them a few blacks start and that this was to ensure that, if he lost, his record was still intact.
He continued to follow the game as it developed through the late 1960s and in the 1970s and it was while watching Fred in the 1978 world semi-final at the Crucible that he collapsed and he died some two months later on 10 July 1978. He was awarded the OBE in 1963.
Achievements:
These must be viewed with the understanding that there were very few tournaments played during his time.
World Professional Snooker Champion - 15 times1927-1946
*1927 1928* 1929 1930 1931
World Professional Billiards Champion - 4 times 1928, 1929. 1930, 1932
News of the World Champion - 3 times 1950, 1953, 1956
News of the World runner-up - 3 times 1954, 1955, 1959
Official Maximum Breaks - Once - 1955
Career Centuries - 687
From 1964, the World title was decided on a challenge basis which meant that, sometimes, there was more than one event each year. The World Championship reverted to a knock-out competition in 1969.
*
1927
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
20-11
1928
Joe Davis (England) bt Fred Lawrence (England)
16-13
1929
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
19-14
1930
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
25-12
1931
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Dennis (England)
25-21
1932
Joe Davis (England) bt Clark McConachy (N.Z.)
30-19
1933
Joe Davis (England) bt Willie Smith (England)
25-18
1934
Joe Davis (England) bt Tom Newman (England)
25-23
1935
Joe Davis (England) bt Willie Smith (England)
25-20
1936
Joe Davis (England) bt Horace Lindrum (Australia)
34-27
1937
Joe Davis (England) bt Horace Lindrum (Australia)
32-29
1938
Joe Davis (England) bt Sidney Smith (England)
37-24
1939
Joe Davis (England) bt Sidney Smith (England)
43-30
1940
Joe Davis (England) bt Fred Davis (England)
37-36
1941-1945
No Tournament held
1946
Joe Davis (England) bt Horace Lindrum (Australia)
Past Master
First Name:
Joe
Last Name:
Davis
Town / Country:
Whitwell, England
DoB:
1901
Club:
--
High Break:
Match 147
Biography:
Joe Davis was, without doubt, the father of modern snooker. Although he did not possess all the skills of the modern players, it must be remembered that the balls were different, the cloth was different and many of the shots made today were just not possible with the old equipment. You can only be the best of your time and Joe was certainly that. He was never beaten in the world championship winning, it 15 times in succession. He was a great billiards player but taught himself to play snooker before most people even knew of the game and brought the game to the attention of the masses.
Born in Whitwell, Derbyshire in 1901, Joe was the local amateur billiards champion by the time he was 13 and turned professional at 18. In 1922 at the age of 21 he played in his first world championship, at billiards, and lost to the great Tom Newman.
He began to take an interest in snooker and helped to organise the first world championship in 1927, This was staged in Birmingham and he beat Tom Dennis in the final to win £6.50. He then won every world title until 1946 when he decided to retire from that event. The nearest he came to defeat was in the 1940 final, when he beat his brother, Fred by just the odd frame 37-36.
Joe's classic cue action is still the basis of that used by most of today's players and it was also he who developed modern break-building methods using the black as the key.
He made his first snooker century in 1928 and by 1953 had made 500 of them. He set new record breaks five times, 137 in 1937, 138 (1938), 140 (1947), 146 (1950) and finally, in 1955, he achieved the first officially recognised 147 against Willie Smith at London's Leicester Square Hall. He also made the first century in the world championship in 1935.
His exhibitions drew large crowds and he was one of the most popular sportsmen of his day. He turned his exhibitions into show business occasions and played at theatres like the Palladium with a large mirror set up over the table so that the audience could see what was going on.
Joe eventually retired from all play in 1964 with 687 snooker centuries to his name and 83 billiard breaks of over 1000. Only one person ever beat him on level terms and that was his younger brother, Fred. Some would cynically say that this was due to the fact that he rarely played anyone, outside of championships, without giving them a few blacks start and that this was to ensure that, if he lost, his record was still intact.
He continued to follow the game as it developed through the late 1960s and in the 1970s and it was while watching Fred in the 1978 world semi-final at the Crucible that he collapsed and he died some two months later on 10 July 1978. He was awarded the OBE in 1963.
Achievements:
These must be viewed with the understanding that there were very few tournaments played during his time.
World Professional Snooker Champion - 15 times1927-1946
*1927 1928* 1929 1930 1931
World Professional Billiards Champion - 4 times 1928, 1929. 1930, 1932
News of the World Champion - 3 times 1950, 1953, 1956
News of the World runner-up - 3 times 1954, 1955, 1959
Official Maximum Breaks - Once - 1955
Career Centuries - 687
Seriously i don't think you can even compete with yesterdays hall of famer and todays...sure it was probably hard to win before cause of the equipment etc...now that it has improve look at what you have to face to day not like before...yesterday who did you have...today there's like over top 10 players competing for the same thing, young and old. I'm not old heck i haven't even seen the old timers play but if you compair the players today and yesterdays you have more world calls players today not to mention the hustlers lurking around. Let's say when mosconi won a major event or greenleaf or maybe hoppe, who did they have to compete with? today there's sooo much competition it's hardly anyone that can dominate. Put in yesterdays players and everyone from today and lets see how they do. That's alot of competition. It's gonna be a tossup between alot of players.
also if one says that the equipment from the old timers were more difficult...i say give the todays playres a few months or even years and i'm sure they'll get used to it/compensate from the differences in todays 'technology'
fast larry
Banned
Cardinal_Syn said:
Sir, nobody can dominate because of the stupid game they play, 9 ball, it’s a game of luck. Go back and play straight and make them play 500 points a day and 1500 points for the event and one person will dominate, skill will rise to the top. This can never occur with 9 ball.
Sir, the competition back then was much tougher than it is today. Who did Mosconi have to play, all no bodies, Bennie Allen, Andrew Ponzi, Irving Crane, Ralph Greenleaf, Erwin Rudolph, Jimmy Caras, Joe Procita, Michael Eufemia, Ray Kilgore, Welker Cochran, Joe Camacho, Jake Schaefer Jr., Aggie Kitchener, Arthur Thurnblad, John Layton, Tiff Denton, Gus Copulos, Chas Morin, Charlie Peterson and George Chanier. Willie Mosconi played both Pockets and 3-cushion. There is not a single young guy around today who can and will believe that the guys he see's on TV are not as good as the dead old timers from a half century ago. I have seen both play, trust me, it is true. As the tables got smaller, the pockets got bigger, the game got easier, and the level of play went down. Then the field to win just plays up to it's current bar and if that bar has dropped nobody realizes this or that no longer matters.
You must see pool in eras, pool began in the 1880's and not a lot happened until 14.1 were invented in 1912.
The golden age began in 1920 with Greenleaf taking over from Taberski and it ran up to 1955. It was a 35 year run, pool's golden age. In 55 the game collapsed. The BCA collapsed with it; they tossed everything in the dumpster and walked off. All world championships ceased in 55 and no saction play occurred after that because there was nobody left to sanction any thing. Mosconi, Caras and a few of the boys had one in 56, but Willie threw in the towel and retired in 57. The world event began again in 63 with Lassiter winning. It had been suspended for 8 years. The first US Open was played in 66 with Crane winning.
That was the era I came of age in, no tour, no championships, just match up and gamble. Mosconi retired, Hoppe died and the game died when the main stars went away. 90% off all rooms in the country closed. It was pool's dark time.
In 1961 the Jansco brothers began the Hustlers tournament and the gamblers officially took over the game. The new world's championship became the hustler’s championship. That era ran the entire 60's. It was the all around championships, the best player of 9 ball, one pocket and straight. The hustler movie created new interest in the game and the rooms opened back up slowly. By the mid 60's the game was back on a new roll.
The Hustler era was 56 to 70.
The 70's are the Vegas ball room straight pool era.
The 80's on are the rise and take over of 9 ball and it's up and downs.
You are looking at different eras and totally different games these people played and a strong argument could be made that the two now cannot be compared. Personally I think if you could take Efren Johnny and Earl back in time and put them up against Willie and Luther at 9 ball I would have to bet on Willie or Luther coming out on top. If they played straight, it would be a massacre on the current guys, they would have no chance. Same on one pocket or banks. Well that's just my private opinion; every body has one, what's yours on this issue? You just got mine.
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fast larry
Banned
Cardinal_Syn said:
Oh Yeah, just get on a 5x10' table with 4 l/2" pockets like I came up on and try and break and play run out pool. You will begin to pee down your pants leg in fear this is so tough. Try and find one is the problem, they are now very rare. In KCMO, there is one in NKCMO and one at the Raytown Rec Room still standing.
Don't take this wrong please, but if you have not seen and observed close up the players from both eras, the 50's and the 90's, if you have not played straight and 9 ball both at a strong level, If you have not played extensively on 5x10's, your not in a very good position to compare here like I am. I have done and experienced this. ah, we can argue this till the cows come home and you young guys will never buy this one from me.
fast larry
Banned
The New Revised List
Here is my new revised list from your opinions I removed Minnesota Fats and added on Stephen Hendry. Look this one over and comment please.
Fast Larrys top 10 picks of the greatest cueists of all time any game.
(1) Willie Hoppe, Cromwell, NY, USA.
Probably the greatest player who ever lived. His records and his victories are so Hugh they are hard to believe. Virtually unknown in this country. He was from Oz, down under. No worries mate, this bloke has a serious claim even to take the top #1 spot.
(2) Walter Lindgrum Australia
The greatest pool player of his time, his record is almost equal with Mosoni's but hard drink cut his career 10 yrs short. He was the greatest star pool has ever had. He also in his time in his game, Pool, was equal in star status to Hoppe or Babe Ruth. Hall of famer
(3) Ralph Greenleaf NYC, USA.
The greatest ball runner of all time and holder of the most world championships in pool. Hall of famer
(4) Willie Mosconi Philadelphia, Pa, USA
The current snooker super star and 7 time world champion.
(5) Stephen Hendry UK
The greatest Snooker player of his time. He has won more money than any body else on this list. The greatest ball potter of his time. Simply a world wide super star.
(6) Steve Davis. UK.
The greatest 3-cushion billiard player of his time, Mr. 100, winning 100 world wide victories. Hall of famer
(7) Raymound Cuelemans Belgium
The greatest Balkline player of all time. The man had the touch of a Hong Kong subway pickpocket. Hall of famer.
(8) Jake Schaefer Jr USA.
A 5 time world champion, hall of famer. A 3 time world champion before Mosconi broke through and began his dominance. He was also one of my teachers. Of the golden age ball runners he put on the best over all show and shot the best trick shots.
(9) Jimmy Caras Jacksonville, Fla, USA.
A real class guy. He was the only player to win pool world championships in 4 separate decades. The first player to run over 300 balls on a 5x10' table with 4 l/2" pockets in 1939. His 150 and out on national TV in the 1966 US open against Joe Balsis, the meatman sealed his fame and preserved his game on film for future generations to study. The teacher of Mike Sigel. Hall of famer.
(10) Irving Crane New York, USA
Here is my new revised list from your opinions I removed Minnesota Fats and added on Stephen Hendry. Look this one over and comment please.
Fast Larrys top 10 picks of the greatest cueists of all time any game.
(1) Willie Hoppe, Cromwell, NY, USA.
Probably the greatest player who ever lived. His records and his victories are so Hugh they are hard to believe. Virtually unknown in this country. He was from Oz, down under. No worries mate, this bloke has a serious claim even to take the top #1 spot.
(2) Walter Lindgrum Australia
The greatest pool player of his time, his record is almost equal with Mosoni's but hard drink cut his career 10 yrs short. He was the greatest star pool has ever had. He also in his time in his game, Pool, was equal in star status to Hoppe or Babe Ruth. Hall of famer
(3) Ralph Greenleaf NYC, USA.
The greatest ball runner of all time and holder of the most world championships in pool. Hall of famer
(4) Willie Mosconi Philadelphia, Pa, USA
The current snooker super star and 7 time world champion.
(5) Stephen Hendry UK
The greatest Snooker player of his time. He has won more money than any body else on this list. The greatest ball potter of his time. Simply a world wide super star.
(6) Steve Davis. UK.
The greatest 3-cushion billiard player of his time, Mr. 100, winning 100 world wide victories. Hall of famer
(7) Raymound Cuelemans Belgium
The greatest Balkline player of all time. The man had the touch of a Hong Kong subway pickpocket. Hall of famer.
(8) Jake Schaefer Jr USA.
A 5 time world champion, hall of famer. A 3 time world champion before Mosconi broke through and began his dominance. He was also one of my teachers. Of the golden age ball runners he put on the best over all show and shot the best trick shots.
(9) Jimmy Caras Jacksonville, Fla, USA.
A real class guy. He was the only player to win pool world championships in 4 separate decades. The first player to run over 300 balls on a 5x10' table with 4 l/2" pockets in 1939. His 150 and out on national TV in the 1966 US open against Joe Balsis, the meatman sealed his fame and preserved his game on film for future generations to study. The teacher of Mike Sigel. Hall of famer.
(10) Irving Crane New York, USA
fast larry
Banned
the story of Hoppe
If you would like to read the story of Willie Hoppe, be warned it's long, about 10 pages. Go to page 6 to the bottom and then at the top of page 7. It is one hell of a tale so don't miss it if you have the time to read it.
I must now depart and leave you for a while as I said I would. I'll be lurking, I'll always be around for you, for I am like you, I am a pool player and damn proud of it.
May God bless and peace be with you. May the wind be always on your back and all 9 balls fall. VENI VIDI VICI, OMNIA VINCIT AMOR. Latin for “I came, I saw, I conquered, love conquerors all.
“Fast Larry” Guninger
If you would like to read the story of Willie Hoppe, be warned it's long, about 10 pages. Go to page 6 to the bottom and then at the top of page 7. It is one hell of a tale so don't miss it if you have the time to read it.
I must now depart and leave you for a while as I said I would. I'll be lurking, I'll always be around for you, for I am like you, I am a pool player and damn proud of it.
May God bless and peace be with you. May the wind be always on your back and all 9 balls fall. VENI VIDI VICI, OMNIA VINCIT AMOR. Latin for “I came, I saw, I conquered, love conquerors all.
“Fast Larry” Guninger
Julez,
Nothing is as bad as the equipment Efren and Parica grew up on.
Freakin' cement bed, not slate, and slow cloth. 5 by 10 tables?
Parica and Efren nail spot shots at the big 6 by 12 snooker table at the Hard Times.
Slow table? Child's play for Efren. He played balkline and 3-cushion on open air pool halls in the Philippines for ages. How did they heat the slates? Charcoal on large cooking oil cans. If you watch old tapes of Parica and Efren, they had the roller-coaster stroke b/c in the Philippines, you had to wrist the ball most of the time.
Now, most pros who grew up in Simonis cloth would be clueless to play on these conditions. Not Jose or Efren.
How good was Efren at Balkline? He averaged 40 points per inning.
3 cushion? Last time I saw him play 3-c was at the Hollywood Billiards when they had a billiards table upstairs. Efren played with his Meucci POOL cue and beat one decent player.
Nothing is as bad as the equipment Efren and Parica grew up on.
Freakin' cement bed, not slate, and slow cloth. 5 by 10 tables?
Parica and Efren nail spot shots at the big 6 by 12 snooker table at the Hard Times.
Slow table? Child's play for Efren. He played balkline and 3-cushion on open air pool halls in the Philippines for ages. How did they heat the slates? Charcoal on large cooking oil cans. If you watch old tapes of Parica and Efren, they had the roller-coaster stroke b/c in the Philippines, you had to wrist the ball most of the time.
Now, most pros who grew up in Simonis cloth would be clueless to play on these conditions. Not Jose or Efren.
How good was Efren at Balkline? He averaged 40 points per inning.
3 cushion? Last time I saw him play 3-c was at the Hollywood Billiards when they had a billiards table upstairs. Efren played with his Meucci POOL cue and beat one decent player.
I'll just leave this discussion to them old timers.....jsut thought i'd give my 2 cents....which is worth nothing lol.
lol.
Ah , 2 Canadian cents is worth nothing.Cardinal_Syn said:I'll just leave this discussion to them old timers.....jsut thought i'd give my 2 cents....which is worth nothing
T
THE SILENCER
Guest
i've had many, many pool pros who influenced me, and my style, however there was one pool player in particular, that god tapped on the shoulder while he was still in his mother's womb, and god said onto him, "son, your going to be the greatest pool player that ever lived. i am designing you right now, to be the greatest pool player ever. you will see patterens like no other human, has seen patterens, you will play position, so tghat you never use any english, only soft speed and small angles to move the white around. you will play 3 balls ahead, but you will have the ability to see 16 balls ahead! you will destroy anyone who challenges you, and will be king of pocket billiards forever. the name of the fetus that god was talking to was----------------------------- Willie Mosconi.
You might be right, but IMHO you left out one significant word, which I have inserted here:THE SILENCER said:
"the greatest Straight pool player that ever lived"
Can anyone please post a list of tournaments that Willie won that were in any game other than Straight Pool? IIRC he did enter a 3C tournament at one point and did okay -- but didn't win.
One of the things you have to acknowledge about Efren is that he has actually won events (against top level specialists) in 8-Ball, 9-ball, One Pocket, Rotation -- and even won the one Straight Pool event he entered (that I know of, anyway). And he has done this all over the world, against the best the world has to offer at one time or another (not every time, as fast larry has so kindly pointed out -- throw in quite a few 2nd place finishes as well
). That is why he appears to me to be the best all around "player" ever.To a certain degree, if you want to compare Mosconi's dominance of Straight Pool to Efren's career, then you would have to do it based on their respective primary games. Obviously for Mosconi, that would be Straight Pool -- but for Efren, that would be Rotation. Can any of you Efren experts or Philipine posters provide background on Efren's record at Rotation? Just a month ago, when he was warming up before his matches at the DCC, he warmed up by running racks of Rotation -- not 9-ball, One Pocket or Bank Pool -- even though that's what he was going to be competing in. I don't know, but I suspect, that Efren has been just as dominant at Rotation as Mosconi was at Straight Pool...
E
elanobeone
Guest
1pocket said:
Last edited:
Quote 
In Mosconi's era, straight pool was the championship game. You had to win at it to be considered the real and true champion of pool. There was one and only one true world champion of pocket billiards. That was the one who won the 14.1 continuous pocket billiards crown.
Willie won 15 of them.
I know why Americans always say Mosconi, because nowadays no american can dominate pool, so you all go for the dead guy. He is great, but not the best nor the greatest. If Americans can remember, 14.1, rotation, 8 ball, 9 ball and one pocket where all invented in America, (now they call rotation stupid), but only in 14.1 where they got 15 wolrd championship, by Mosconi. And since no Americans dominate the next genareation games, they say he is the greatest. Gives us a break. Records are meant to be broken.
In Mosconi's era, straight pool was the championship game. You had to win at it to be considered the real and true champion of pool. There was one and only one true world champion of pocket billiards. That was the one who won the 14.1 continuous pocket billiards crown. Willie won 15 of them.
I know why Americans always say Mosconi, because nowadays no american can dominate pool, so you all go for the dead guy. He is great, but not the best nor the greatest. If Americans can remember, 14.1, rotation, 8 ball, 9 ball and one pocket where all invented in America, (now they call rotation stupid), but only in 14.1 where they got 15 wolrd championship, by Mosconi. And since no Americans dominate the next genareation games, they say he is the greatest. Gives us a break. Records are meant to be broken.
[Thanks, Larry. Haven't had time to read it all yet.
Will print it out.
QUOTE=fast larry]Another one of Hoppes backers and supporters was Mark Twain. He was ready to leave on a 6-month trip to Egypt and Brunswick gave him a new billiard table to play on. He was so over joyed, he cancelled the trip to stay home and play.
His letter back to them saying thanks, said the Billiard table is better than doctors. Have a billiardist on the premises and walk not less than ten miles every day with my cue in hand. And the walking is not the whole of the exercise, nor the most health-giving part of it. I think through the multitude of positions and attitudes it brings into play every muscle in the body and exercises them all. S.L.C.
Napoleon and Josephine made billiards their chief recreation at Versailles as it was also for the entire French court. Many of our great presidents played and enjoyed the game like Teddy Roosevelt. You should always be proud of being a billiards player; you come from a long line of players, which have included the crown heads of Europe to the most important people in the world.
Hoppe passes on to you his secrets of winning, here they are. He avoided any other sport that stressed his hands or arms. He felt the two best and safest to do was walking and swimming. He protected his eyes, days before an event; he would not go to a movie or read a newspaper. He rests his eyes. That would mean no TV or computer screens today.
He felt sleep restores strong nerves. He went to bed early, got up early and got plenty of sleep. He would nap 2 hrs between 4 and 6. Rest was very important to him. No smoking, no booze, no drugs, a clean and healthy body. He felt just a touch of nicotine or alcohol could trigger his nervous system to miss a vital point, which could affect his career.
He practiced 5 hrs a day. Prior to a championship he cut it down to 4 hrs a day. 4 days before the match he would taper off to 1 hr a day. The day before he does not play, he just walks and rests. He always repeated his game day preparations on how he won his first world event in 1906; he never deviated from that routine.
Hoppe maintained that the Japanese had the best attitude and temperament to play billiards. He said they are more agile, dexterous, quick to learn. He wrote they maintain a calm exterior in the face of adversity and their face never betrays emotion. All the time they are still learning inside. Hoppe obviously admired many of the traits of the Zen player.
Hoppe concluded this 252 page book with 36 lessons. His lesson number 1 was concentrate. This was the one he listed first as the most important to learn. He said mastery of the game of billiards is largely a state of mine. The mental attitude can be summed up simply in these 3 things. Knowing what you can do, knowing what you want to do, concentrating on the immediate shot.
Concentrate; keep your mind focused on the ivory that lies before you. Harness your brain and don’t let it wander off and begin to jump fences just as you are about to shoot. Keep your facilities keenly alert on the immediate problem and don’t relax until your cue tip has gone through and finished it’s job. Concentrate!
It’s the greatest mental exercise in the world, in billiards or anything else. You have now heard from the greatest player of all time and read the story of his great victory. You have the blueprint on how to train for a match. You can now clearly see Hoppe’s greatest skills and weapons was his knowledge he put to use on how to play using Zen skills and making high runs deep in the zone.
If you are wondering if this Zen thing is for real and if it can work for you, It made Hoppe the greatest player of all time 72 years ago. The techniques he used, still work today.
END OF STORY 1 OF 7[/QUOTE]
Will print it out.
QUOTE=fast larry]Another one of Hoppes backers and supporters was Mark Twain. He was ready to leave on a 6-month trip to Egypt and Brunswick gave him a new billiard table to play on. He was so over joyed, he cancelled the trip to stay home and play.
His letter back to them saying thanks, said the Billiard table is better than doctors. Have a billiardist on the premises and walk not less than ten miles every day with my cue in hand. And the walking is not the whole of the exercise, nor the most health-giving part of it. I think through the multitude of positions and attitudes it brings into play every muscle in the body and exercises them all. S.L.C.
Napoleon and Josephine made billiards their chief recreation at Versailles as it was also for the entire French court. Many of our great presidents played and enjoyed the game like Teddy Roosevelt. You should always be proud of being a billiards player; you come from a long line of players, which have included the crown heads of Europe to the most important people in the world.
Hoppe passes on to you his secrets of winning, here they are. He avoided any other sport that stressed his hands or arms. He felt the two best and safest to do was walking and swimming. He protected his eyes, days before an event; he would not go to a movie or read a newspaper. He rests his eyes. That would mean no TV or computer screens today.
He felt sleep restores strong nerves. He went to bed early, got up early and got plenty of sleep. He would nap 2 hrs between 4 and 6. Rest was very important to him. No smoking, no booze, no drugs, a clean and healthy body. He felt just a touch of nicotine or alcohol could trigger his nervous system to miss a vital point, which could affect his career.
He practiced 5 hrs a day. Prior to a championship he cut it down to 4 hrs a day. 4 days before the match he would taper off to 1 hr a day. The day before he does not play, he just walks and rests. He always repeated his game day preparations on how he won his first world event in 1906; he never deviated from that routine.
Hoppe maintained that the Japanese had the best attitude and temperament to play billiards. He said they are more agile, dexterous, quick to learn. He wrote they maintain a calm exterior in the face of adversity and their face never betrays emotion. All the time they are still learning inside. Hoppe obviously admired many of the traits of the Zen player.
Hoppe concluded this 252 page book with 36 lessons. His lesson number 1 was concentrate. This was the one he listed first as the most important to learn. He said mastery of the game of billiards is largely a state of mine. The mental attitude can be summed up simply in these 3 things. Knowing what you can do, knowing what you want to do, concentrating on the immediate shot.
Concentrate; keep your mind focused on the ivory that lies before you. Harness your brain and don’t let it wander off and begin to jump fences just as you are about to shoot. Keep your facilities keenly alert on the immediate problem and don’t relax until your cue tip has gone through and finished it’s job. Concentrate!
It’s the greatest mental exercise in the world, in billiards or anything else. You have now heard from the greatest player of all time and read the story of his great victory. You have the blueprint on how to train for a match. You can now clearly see Hoppe’s greatest skills and weapons was his knowledge he put to use on how to play using Zen skills and making high runs deep in the zone.
If you are wondering if this Zen thing is for real and if it can work for you, It made Hoppe the greatest player of all time 72 years ago. The techniques he used, still work today.
END OF STORY 1 OF 7[/QUOTE]
11 picks, 11 great players, I will definitely grant you that -- still conspicuous in absence Efren Reyes, however. And wasn't Cisero Murphy's talent right up there with Caras' -- just that Murphy was denied access to many of those 'world championship' tournaments that you put such stock in? Not to mention James Evans -- supposedly stronger still, yet totally shut out of major tournament play courtesy of Brunswick & the like...fast larry said:
Hard to leave pocket & pocketless champion ALFREDO DeORO off a list of 11, too -- but then again, you didn't play him, right ?
Might have to make room for Semih Sayginer sooner or later, too huh?
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