best player ever?
- Thread starter jimmyquinella
- Start date
LastTwo said:Grady Mathews and Billy Cress both said and I quote: "The players of today are much better all-around players than the players of the past." They then elaborated on how the players of today have much stronger breaks, they have much more powerful strokes, and are much better at kicking at balls when they are hooked. I guess I still don't have a clue, right?
I have heard Billy Cress talk about a guy named Mario from LA area, SanJose Dick, Ed kelly and Lassiter and Keith McCready as great players, depending on the tables they played on...... Bar table, 10 ft, 9ft 8ball, one pocket tournament VS gambling etc..
How about we group the players depending on what era they played? Like, who was dominant in the 20's, 30's, ....90s, etc? I think this would be more informative. Also, who has won the most tournaments? Who had the most string of victories? I think Nick Varner at one time held almost all of the titles he played in that year. Can anyone pls. enlighten us..... (Also, how come the money winnnings in the players list this year is still not updated? just wonderin'....)
Renegade said:
Well, I'll take a shot at best player by decade, but this is very much a matter of opinion:
1900's Alfredo DeOro
1910's Frank Taberski
1920's Ralph Greenleaf
1930's Ralph Greenleaf
1940's Willie Mosconi
1950's Willie Mosconi
1960's tie, Luther Lassiter and Eddie Taylor
1970's Steve Mizerak
1980's Mike Sigel
1990's tie, Efren Reyes, Earl Strickland, Johnny Archer
2000's well, we'll see about that one
Just one man's opinion.
Thanks sjm. Where do you think does Nick Varner belong in this list? The 80s or 90s? To tell you honestly, I don't know much about Mike Sigel except for what I read in books. Steve Mizerak writes highly of him. Would you know his record compared to Varner's?
Renegade said:
I'd say that, although he had plenty of accomplishments in the 90's, Nick's best decade of pool was the 80's. Varner beat Sigel many times, perhaps most notably in the 1981 World Open Straight Pool Championships where Sigel was heavily favored to defend the title he'd won by beating Balsis in 1980. Sigel won far more titles, though, and Nick, who surely ranks among the greatest that ever played pool, was overshadowed by Sigel. When nine ball replaced straight pool as the main competitive discipline in pro pool, Sigel dind't lose a beat, continuing to win titles at a rate that was downright scary. FYI, Earl Strickland has often been quoted as saying that the best nine ball player he's ever seen is Mike Sigel. Few question that Sigel was the greatest straight pooler since Mosconi. Mike, who was Irving Crane's protege, may well be the greatest player of the last fifty years.
FYI, Mike always had enormous respect for Nick as both a player and a man.
Giving Sigel His Due
Just to chime in here with one more accolade for Mike Sigel's game--I think the previous poster mentioned how Strickland notes that Sigel is the best nine ball player he's ever seen (I'm sure Mr. Strickland means the best he's ever seen not counting himself)--Efren Reyes is someone who has also said that Mike Sigel is the toughest player he's ever faced.
If you think about it, Sigel is really the only player who is at the absolute top of the list in both straights and nine ball--in terms of actually demonstrating this in the professional arena. Of course, from the Johnston City days we could mention Lassiter and Worst and a short list of others, but Sigel is the only player I can think of whom one can make a legitimate case for as the greatest player ever in either game. No doubt the talent of Greenleaf and Mosconi would make them tremendous nine ball players also, and Efren is someone else whom I think you might make an argument for, especially if there was a regular professional arena for straight pool these days, but Sigel has actually proven it.
As hard as it is to believe, I think Sigel might actually be underrated overall. It's just a shame that the sport doesn't have enough going for it financially and otherwise to keep someone of Sigel's immense talent from calling it quits early (which I don't blame him for one bit), just to make crappy cues. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Do you think he'll be the first to make the Hall of Fame as both a player and cuemaker?
Just to chime in here with one more accolade for Mike Sigel's game--I think the previous poster mentioned how Strickland notes that Sigel is the best nine ball player he's ever seen (I'm sure Mr. Strickland means the best he's ever seen not counting himself)--Efren Reyes is someone who has also said that Mike Sigel is the toughest player he's ever faced.
If you think about it, Sigel is really the only player who is at the absolute top of the list in both straights and nine ball--in terms of actually demonstrating this in the professional arena. Of course, from the Johnston City days we could mention Lassiter and Worst and a short list of others, but Sigel is the only player I can think of whom one can make a legitimate case for as the greatest player ever in either game. No doubt the talent of Greenleaf and Mosconi would make them tremendous nine ball players also, and Efren is someone else whom I think you might make an argument for, especially if there was a regular professional arena for straight pool these days, but Sigel has actually proven it.
As hard as it is to believe, I think Sigel might actually be underrated overall. It's just a shame that the sport doesn't have enough going for it financially and otherwise to keep someone of Sigel's immense talent from calling it quits early (which I don't blame him for one bit), just to make crappy cues. I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Do you think he'll be the first to make the Hall of Fame as both a player and cuemaker?
Rickw said:
It's funny when people say things like this. I understand completely what you're saying, and no doubt Earl and Efren are both among the greatest nine ball players of all time, but when you look at their major titles there's no comparison. I think Earl's won five U.S. Opens and three world titles, while Efren has (I believe--correct me if I'm wrong) won one of each.
..........Sargo said:
LOL i miss this flaming thread.
In my pool world, which is mostly Straight Pool, it would be Willie Mosconi. He was the greatest 14.1 player of all time. He hated 9 ball, although he kicked butt on the rare occasion he played it. (Albeit never in a tournament).
He was a great mentor and a great friend, and I miss him very much.
He was a great mentor and a great friend, and I miss him very much.
fast larry said:
Are you saying that Byron Nelson was your golf coach? As for efren choking for the spotlight well i have only 1 question for you. Who would you put your money on against him today?
Poz said:
WOW!! 1-handed? I was wondering do you know where to find some mosconi videos? I haven't ever seen him shoot.