Comparing Blomdahl With Hoppe/Cochran

mnorwood said:
Are the differences in equipment too great to compare Blomdahl with Hoppe and/or Cochran?
Click to expand...
Besides the differences in equipment, which I think are very important for the increase in averages, there is the change in style. In the old days, intentional safeties were allowed. I think that the UMB rules were recently changed to allow them again, but I have not seen one played in 40 years. I believe that Hoppe's record average (1.33) was set in a long match that allowed choice of cue ball on the first shot of each inning.
 
I don't think either would have a chance today. The game's progressed alot since their day.

Did they really bring back intentional safeties? There's this old NY Times article I came across awhile back from 1915:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E00E0DD1631E733A05750C1A9609C946496D6CF

Talks about changing the game to allow you to play from either cueball - similar to what you mentioned - because intentional safeties were making the games agonizingly long. Games would take an entire afternoon. I love this part: "The man best able to place the balls so that his opponent cannot count from their position, and keep on doing it, sliding in a point now and then, is the ultimate winner."
 
Equipment counts for improved play

The new equipment, which allows for significantly further roll and lighter touch, is the reason today's players score higher. With the old cloth and slow rails, the player oftentimes had to muscle the ball around the table. There are whole classes of shots that were simply unavailable to players who had to use the old style equipment. A three cushion draw shot would have been unthinkable in the 1950's and earlier.:eek:

Doc
 
I know equipment is key to the game, but do you really think that if Willie Hoppe rose from the grave and played at something like the Agipi tourney today, he'd be averaging over 2 and making runs of 20, etc.? I mean, forget comparing to Hoppe, compare to Ceulemans - even he isn't competitive at the very top these days, and you can't blame equipment for that. Each generation has built on and improved what came before.

When exactly did the switch to heated tables and good cloth happen, anyway?
 
mnorwood said:
Are the differences in equipment too great to compare Blomdahl with Hoppe and/or Cochran?
Click to expand...

I do not think it is necessary or even possible to make a comparison between players from different times in history. The only time I think a truly unbiased comparison can be made is players at the tops of their game compete equally a number of times.

So many times in this sport, and all others people attempt to say well this player or that would have done this or that, but this is nothing but conjecture.

Blomdahl, is certainly one of the greatest players of our time, and he is a gentleman and a very fierce competitor who most likely wishes himself that he could have played them.

Oh and by the way, Mr. Blomdahl also plays Pocket Billiards very well.
I had the pleasure of playing 9 ball with him a few years back at the Tacoma Elks Lodge, during a International 3-Cushion Tournament.

1.jpg
 
manwon said:
I do not think it is necessary or even possible to make a comparison between players from different times in history. The only time I think a truly unbiased comparison can be made is players at the tops of their game compete equally a number of times.

So many times in this sport, and all others people attempt to say well this player or that would have done this or that, but this is nothing but conjecture.

Blomdahl, is certainly one of the greatest players of our time, and he is a gentleman and a very fierce competitor who most likely wishes himself that he could have played them.

Oh and by the way, Mr. Blomdahl also plays Pocket Billiards very well.
I had the pleasure of playing 9 ball with him a few years back at the Tacoma Elks Lodge, during a International 3-Cushion Tournament.

View attachment 61499
Click to expand...

Yeah he played this guy named efren and won. What was it like playing him? Did you win any games? Just curious he is one my favorite all around players.
 
RunoutalloverU said:
Yeah he played this guy named efren and won. What was it like playing him? Did you win any games? Just curious he is one my favorite all around players.
Click to expand...

He is a great player, and he kicked my butt at both 3-Cushion and 9 Ball!!:D
When we played he was getting ready to Play Efren an exhibition match in Japan. He had already played a match with Efren playing 3-Cushion and beat him, no surprise really. However, Efren is a really good 3-Cushion player that would beat all but the best.
Now I never did find out how the 9 Ball match went between Efren and Torbjorn but either way, I am certain he put his heart into it.

Oh and by the way, Torbjorn is one of the nicest people any one could meet. He is very down to Earth, and a complete gentleman.

Have a great day!!!!!
 
Is this it?

Exhibition between Reyes and Blomdahl...

9 ball:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh3r1_DIyTg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnBls_F81JU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEGYPzc3ywg&feature=related

Carom:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm2vSjJkypY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80ZFFGZDn0I&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BHZ5wjrxv0&feature=related

Seems to me like Blomdahl can play pretty decent 9ball. Reyes is also pretty good at 3 cushion, but really has about 0% chance of beating any of the top pros.
 
Last edited:
for the love of God, why don't any of these top 3c guys hop on a train and take a shot at some of those huge snooker payouts?

When you consider that people from Asia, Australia, and North America have all made the trek it amazes me that these guys don't take a shot
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top