Fats vs Mosconi today wed.
- Thread starter cuejoey
- Start date
Awesome, my father is off today and I am stuck at work, so I will get him to tape it for me. Thanks for the heads up!!!!
cuejoey said:
They played several times during that period of time.
Mosconi killed him every time but the last time when
Mosconi had lost his eyesight. Fats then said that he
let Mosconi win those other times and this time he
was serious. Rather than laughing this off, Mosconi
looked like he was going to cry. Serious guy.
What was ludicrous was that anybody thought
Fats had ANY kind of chance against the great
Mosconi.
it was awesome as always to see these two greats play.. BUT does anyone know what year that was ???????? i watched and listened i thought thouroughly thruout the show but did not hear anyone or see anything posted about the year...thanks..........i am going to write an e-mail to ESPN to put the year on these classics more.......
I was very impressed with Fats' ability to turn the match into a total mind game, since he knew he had no chance to beat Mosconi unless he somehow put him off his game. He dogged shots at the beginning of the match that I'd be surprised to see an APA 2 miss, and it didn't pay off for him at all at first, because Mosconi was just running out from everywhere. Besides dogging shots, when he did make them, he just banged them in, making any position play look like nothng but luck. The overall effect was that he was losing, but he was also playing grossly below his level (and grossly below even MY level, for that matter) and I think there was a method to his madness.
After a while, even the great Willie Mosconi succumbed a little to whatever it is that makes us all tend to play down to our opponents' level. It seemed that Fatty was doing such an amazing job of convincing Willie, even on a subconscious level, that Mosconi was going to win the match no matter WHAT, that Willie couldn't stay sharp. He started handing Fats bigger and bigger opportunities, and Fats started turning on a little bit of true playing ability at just the right times to capitalize on his opportunities. He won the second set (the 7-ball part), and got to hill-hill in the tie-breaking 8-ball set by doing nothing more than turning on some basic ball-running ability when presented with the run-outs he somehow manipulated the best player in the world into leaving him.
I find it easier to believe, after watching this, that a man who never had enough playing skill even to stand a chance to win any sort of professional tournament, could be one of the most successful gamblers of his time. I still think Mosconi is the best pocket-billiards player ever to pick up a cue, but I was very impressed by Fatty's own unique abilities.
-Andrew
After a while, even the great Willie Mosconi succumbed a little to whatever it is that makes us all tend to play down to our opponents' level. It seemed that Fatty was doing such an amazing job of convincing Willie, even on a subconscious level, that Mosconi was going to win the match no matter WHAT, that Willie couldn't stay sharp. He started handing Fats bigger and bigger opportunities, and Fats started turning on a little bit of true playing ability at just the right times to capitalize on his opportunities. He won the second set (the 7-ball part), and got to hill-hill in the tie-breaking 8-ball set by doing nothing more than turning on some basic ball-running ability when presented with the run-outs he somehow manipulated the best player in the world into leaving him.
I find it easier to believe, after watching this, that a man who never had enough playing skill even to stand a chance to win any sort of professional tournament, could be one of the most successful gamblers of his time. I still think Mosconi is the best pocket-billiards player ever to pick up a cue, but I was very impressed by Fatty's own unique abilities.
-Andrew
i was privilaged and lucky to see Fats in person at an exhibition approx.in 1963 when i was teenager..it always amazed me how he would approach the ball and with no practice stroke and standing almost UPRIGHT pocket some amazing shots....i am glad you could see the talent in this showman..he was so funny to listen to..always talking ..he never shut up..that's why the racker in the show today kept telling him to be quite and sit down...he was playing back at Fats.....Fats didn't care about trophys from tournaments ..he loved to gamble ...........Andrew Manning said:
Fats is an entainer first, pool player second. Fats was having fun out their and the audience loved it. Those other players may be better pool players, however, if Fats wasn't there, there would be no audience, it would just be Mosconi's serious sour look on his face. Pool needs another Minnesota Fats.
New Billiards Digest
Funny thing about this thread coming out these last 2 days. The newest Billiard's Digest has an article about this writer who went to Fats' old home town and dug up what he could on the greatest liar of all times. Quite interesting.
No he was not able to come up with an age yet, but there may be a follow up article in the future.
Funny thing about this thread coming out these last 2 days. The newest Billiard's Digest has an article about this writer who went to Fats' old home town and dug up what he could on the greatest liar of all times. Quite interesting.
No he was not able to come up with an age yet, but there may be a follow up article in the future.
i agree ..haven't seen or heard about "The Kid" lately.........he's probably making a bundle on the road..it's fun to watch him fidget around and then finally shoot........it' like watching the 3 Stooges or the Honeymooners and then some one gets pissed and yells Come on !!!!Snapshot9 said: