Best Pool Player you saw alive, regardless.

[Freddyfast9]

Watched Larry Nevel, thank you Bob, do shit I never seen at an under 18 hall in Madison, Wi. Never seen anything 30 years later to compare. He ain’t That guy, but Second in my Book, first character Randy Lamar, sp. He told me about bringing TVs back fro MN in his Vette in the early eighties. Think him and Hurricane matched up.

Watched jack hines from Toledo play in the later 80s and Mighty Mouse same time period both great players

Jack stayed in Monroe for a year or so took him to Detroit he told Ronnie wiseman “ you got the 6 ball snooker face” lol Ronnie didn’t play

 

[Double-Dave]

In 9-Ball I had the privilige of watching Efren and Alex play live in a WPM tournament and Filler and Niels several times since they're local. Tough to not choose the goat there but arguably Filler is the best.

In snooker I saw Ronnie live so doesn't matter who else I saw.

In 14.1 I saw Hohmann at the Euro's he won back in (pretty sure) 2005 and that was the best straight pool I have ever seen, live or on a screen.

 

[Cornerman]

You think Jason was better than Gary Spaeth? (you had to have seen Gary play when you were in Dayton area)

I was putting down best (short rack) I saw live. Jason Miller’s performance at the DCC was the (short rack) was one of the two best bank performances I’ve seen live. Filler’s this year was right there.

I saw Gary banking balls for practice a lot (Airway Billiards), and I saw him bank 1-9 in rotation during those practices. I think I only saw him play one bank match at Derby live (2000?) before people had figured out how to bank on those tables, and he had his share of hanging up balls. Unfortunately, Gary passed before before the Derby really got going.

 

[StevenA24]

Good story, never happened, Stephen King and Anne Rice will concur.

Definitely happened Denver Colorado 3 months ago no need to lie to you your not gonna give me any pleasure

 

[Baby Huey]

Wow what a tough call on the best. I think two years ago I'd take Alex Pagualyan as the best player all around. He dominates at One Pocket and can win against any player in the other pool games.

 

[maha]

i saw most all the greats from the far past. and none of those from the present play.

but those that were the most consistent won the most often and stayed in the money most times.
some were better at times than anyone but not consistent enough to win overall.
guys like cole, keith, louie, richie, cornbread, shorty, when on, would beat anyone in the world. but they were only on their game a smaller % of the time so
could not stay in money playing their equals.

 

[jay helfert]

i saw most all the greats from the far past. and none of those from the present play.

but those that were the most consistent won the most often and stayed in the money most times.
some were better at times than anyone but not consistent enough to win overall.
guys like cole, keith, louie, richie, cornbread, shorty, when on, would beat anyone in the world. but they were only on their game a smaller % of the time so
could not stay in money playing their equals.

All of them had their demons, but they also had long periods of dominance. Cole and Keith at a very early age (teenagers) took on the pool world and took down all comers. Richie Florence had his decade in the Sun. As for Cornbread and Shorty they both had long and lucrative careers, Cornbread primarily as a gambler and Shorty as a gambler and a tournament pro. I never saw Shorty ever have a let down in his game until he got old (like 60). And Red killed for the cash until he was in his late 50's. I watched him take down a young Johnny Archer at Bank Pool when he was over 50!

 

[lucky1974]

Best I saw play would be Efren. Best I played myself would probably be Cornbread or Ricky Gracek. Got to see lots of action in the pool room I grew up hanging out in.

 

[dspaboss]

In 9-Ball I had the privilige of watching Efren and Alex play live in a WPM tournament and Filler and Niels several times since they're local. Tough to not choose the goat there but arguably Filler is the best.

In snooker I saw Ronnie live so doesn't matter who else I saw.

In 14.1 I saw Hohmann at the Euro's he won back in (pretty sure) 2005 and that was the best straight pool I have ever seen, live or on a screen.

That might have been the year Toastie won 3 straight matches with 125 - 0 runouts. Yeah, that's pretty sporty...

 

[smiling_Hans]

I'm assuming who we have seen in person and not on television. Well I've met and hanged out:

Nick Varner
Alex Pagulayan
Santos
Bustamante
Iceman
Oscar


Had the chance to see Efren and hangout too but missed the chance. All those guys I mentioned came here locally so I was watching them play. I'm just going to roll with anyone of them as the best I've seen.

When I first met Alex someone walked me up to him and introduced us because I was upset that some small Asian guy was playing at "my table" where I normally play. I didn't know who he was at the time since I didn't follow professional pool. We shook hands and I didn't know what to say except "You play pool a lot?" It was very awkward. I didn't know man and he didn't know why I walked up to shake his hand.

I wasn't a fanboy or fangirl like people were about pro players. Couldn't spot them out if I had to.

Wish I can do it all over again. Especially with Varner. Our encounter was at the bar and nobody was there. Could have picked his brain.

 

[bdaumueller]

Watched Willie Mosconi in the early 60's while in college. Played Jimmy Caras in an exhibition match at the University of Wisconsin Memorial Union Great Hall. Played Bill Cress a few times and Richard Helmstetter all the time in school. Bought my Gold Crown III from Jerry Briesath. It would be fun to see how the old timers would do in today's world given all the advantages of growing up in the 2000's.

 

[R2PQZ]

Glenn Atwell

 

[Dave714]

Carlo Biado has a very powerful stroke. To be such a great player he gets very little mention. I would like to see Kaci vs Biado 10ball that would be fun. He is the current 10 ball World Champion

Biado wants to gamble with all of them.

 

[straightline]

Biado wants to gamble with all of them.

This is probably his strong suit. One guy at a time with no distractions.

 

[jason]

Eddie Taylor, if I understand the rules of this question correctly.

Haven't heard that name in a while.

 

[kez]

I watched Glenn Atwell miss one ball in 3 bar table tournaments in Reno. His cueball at the time made Parica ask me 20 questions about him. I did see Dennis beat Shane in Oklahoma. That comeback was mind boggling.

 

[usakr]

Might be an actual player. The name sounded legit. Pool is cut and dried enough. Lotta unknowns (to me) can play super.

He's been talked about on the forum before. He beat Buddy Hall race to 100 on bar table and beat Mike Siegel in the early 90's. He was a machine.

 

[straightline]

Thanks. Those threads are about the only trace besides that vaguely familiar name.

Sammy Soto ?

Does anybody here know or heard of Sammy Soto? I met him in 89-90. A friend of mine brought him down and till this day I don't think I have ever seen anybody quite that good. He played a local player 9-ball giving him the 7 out on a barbox with a...

forums.azbilliards.com

Sammy Soto

Does anyone know anything about this player from the 70s and early 80s? Ive heard that he was a hell of a player that lived around so. illinois for years that would frequently travel and hustle pool with big stakehorses. Every older player in the...

forums.azbilliards.com

 

[metallicane]

I had the fortune of playing in one of Sigel's rooms in Maryland during the 80's. Mike would come in to practice and I would be mesmerized.

Met Nick Varner quite a few times and always enjoyed watching him play 14.1. A master.

 

[BayGene]

I saw Mosconi after his competitive career. The best I saw in person: Irving Crane and Cicero Murphy.