Fats wanderone

[dogassokie]

I was reading some post replys and saw the musconi quote about fats. I know for sure that all of the top echelon players back in the day thought fats was a hacker, which he truly was. Back in the days of johnson city, i lived in herrin, il which is five miles from jansco's. Wanderone was from dowell, not to much farther. But he never entered the tourney, because his " legend" would take a huge hit when the world would see him smoked by anyone from the tour, even the hanger ons. Fats was smart because he claimed to be minnesota fats from "the hustler", and people believed him because the vast majority of pool players are idiot 5 dollar bar players who know nothing about pool. He called himself new york fats before the movie, but was know as dowell fats by the players. I played a lot around fats at the cue and carom in carbondale,il. He always played by himself, making trick shots to impress the nerds. I will admit that he could make a lot of shots, although he played always on the same table so there were probably ridges. No one else was allowed on that table. Anyway. Jansco had a pool room behind the bar with, i think(1965 or so was a long time ago) four tables and there was a lot of action. Taylor, lassiter, kelly, worst, crane ad infinitum. Great, great players. So fats was playing sammy blumenthal one pocket, race to four, for 1500.00. Fats played better one pocket than anything else, but jackson sammy wasn't among the top players by a long shot. Enter luther lassiter who sat down on a sweaters bench. So, from here on out, i'll dot out a lot of language, because wimpy used pretty foul language. After he watched fats take off sammy, he stood up and said,loudly, that he would play minnestota fats, new york fats, dowell fats, fats wanderone or any fat f..k in the building for any amount that the fat f..k wanted to play for. Fats broke down his cue and slinked out without responding. Legendary!

 

[SLIM]

What is the point?

okay, so back in the day the best pool players in the world could beat 'fats & he would not admit to that fact.

It is great to hear stories from guys who were around that crowd but, it seems like your mad at him for some reason.

Hope you're enjoying retirement,

slim

 

[trob]

Fats was a great hustler! His greatest hustle of all was convincing the average Joe public he was the greatest player of all time. Mosconi destroyed him on every occasion with only one exception. A 7 ball match when mosconi was well past his prime. I love watching his matches on YouTube. He is absolutely hysterical.

 

[Island Drive]

More like jealousy. Fats made allot of money gambling. Evelyn said Fatty was in his prime in the 40's and here it is almost 1970 and he's still matchin' up correctly and taking home the cash. During this time he sneaked up and picked Richie Florences pocket (Richie was in his prime then) for I heard $20,000, if I remember correctly, it was on the first table to the right as you enter the back room. There was allot more jealousy of this man and his dough from other players much like Jeanette Lee and her cohorts in the early days. Fatty always used to come down to Crazy Horse and show his stuff to us college kids. If you ran into him at at tourney he would always offer you a ride back to the room. He never drank or smoked or did drugs a day in his life said Evelyn. Too me he's no different than Rodney Dangerfield or Johnathan Winters, a product of their enviornment, can't be anything else but what they are.

 

[Tramp Steamer]

You've obviously not read the write-up Freddy Bentivegna did on "Fats", that tells an entirely different story. I don't know where your information came from, but in my opinion Sir, you don't know your ass from a hole in the ground. On top of that you slander Mr. Lassiter, which is tantamount to heresy. Shame on you.

 

[alstl]

I was reading some post replys and saw the musconi quote about fats. I know for sure that all of the top echelon players back in the day thought fats was a hacker, which he truly was. Back in the days of johnson city, i lived in herrin, il which is five miles from jansco's. Wanderone was from dowell, not to much farther. But he never entered the tourney, because his " legend" would take a huge hit when the world would see him smoked by anyone from the tour, even the hanger ons. Fats was smart because he claimed to be minnesota fats from "the hustler", and people believed him because the vast majority of pool players are idiot 5 dollar bar players who know nothing about pool. He called himself new york fats before the movie, but was know as dowell fats by the players. I played a lot around fats at the cue and carom in carbondale,il. He always played by himself, making trick shots to impress the nerds. I will admit that he could make a lot of shots, although he played always on the same table so there were probably ridges. No one else was allowed on that table. Anyway. Jansco had a pool room behind the bar with, i think(1965 or so was a long time ago) four tables and there was a lot of action. Taylor, lassiter, kelly, worst, crane ad infinitum. Great, great players. So fats was playing sammy blumenthal one pocket, race to four, for 1500.00. Fats played better one pocket than anything else, but jackson sammy wasn't among the top players by a long shot. Enter luther lassiter who sat down on a sweaters bench. So, from here on out, i'll dot out a lot of language, because wimpy used pretty foul language. After he watched fats take off sammy, he stood up and said,loudly, that he would play minnestota fats, new york fats, dowell fats, fats wanderone or any fat f..k in the building for any amount that the fat f..k wanted to play for. Fats broke down his cue and slinked out without responding. Legendary!

How much did Fats hustle you out of and what are ridges?

 

[hunger strike]

Why players may not like Fats

More like jealousy. Fats made allot of money gambling. Evelyn said Fatty was in his prime in the 40's and here it is almost 1970 and he's still matchin' up correctly and taking home the cash. During this time he sneaked up and picked Richie Florences pocket (Richie was in his prime then) for I heard $20,000, if I remember correctly, it was on the first table to the right as you enter the back room. There was allot more jealousy of this man and his dough from other players much like Jeanette Lee and her cohorts in the early days. Fatty always used to come down to Crazy Horse and show his stuff to us college kids. If you ran into him at at tourney he would always offer you a ride back to the room. He never drank or smoked or did drugs a day in his life said Evelyn. Too me he's no different than Rodney Dangerfield or Johnathan Winters, a product of their enviornment, can't be anything else but what they are.

Besides the fact that obese people are the final class of people who can be publicly picked on with impunity, the antics of Fats makes pool players feel like he turned their game into kind of a joke. The joke was good for him and bad for them. That has less to do with his playing ability than it does his behavior at the table. And his behavior at the table or on tv has little to do with his behavior away from pool. People have their egos wrapped up in their interests. They want their interests, hobbies, and pastimes to be respected so they will be respected. If Rodney Dangerfield had been seen as some kind of true life representation of a real golfer, it would have made a lot of golfers very, very unhappy. You make a great point, I am just exploring where the dislike of Fats comes from. Admiration and dislike of Fats can both be legitimate.
~By the way, would YOU have played Lassiter for the cash, any of you out there? Doubt it. I would have played him for anything up to the value of the lesson he would have put on me, and Fats probably had learned that lesson in the 1920's, from Jack Hill, whose game he brought to us.

 

[Black-Balled]

I don't think there is any shame in being someone who Lassiter could beat, I mean, no shit! Wimpy is arguably the best player ever and one would be rich if they bet his side every time he played.

I also don't think folks who know pool ever thought Wanderone was a champion level player, but he knew how to get the cash.

I believe cash is the measure of winning, as the belt just hold up yo' pants.

 

[RackemBilliards]

Fats

Fats may not have been the greatest player in history-though he was a very good player-but he found his niche and sure seemed to have the most fun. That doesn't seem the case for many of the other guys. Whose life would you rather have had, Mosconi or Fats?

 

[jay helfert]

I was there too! "Snooker Sammy" Blumenthal was a good player and gambler, the best snooker player in the USA. Only George Chenier from Canada could beat him back in the 60's. Lassiter was more than a little jealous of Fat's recognition by that time, knowing that he was the better player. Fats knew that too and naturally avoided falling into the trap of being goaded into playing.

There was a reason why he was called "Triple Smart" Fats around New York. Was he the best player? No. Was he good? Yes! Could he outsmart and win money from good players? YES! YES! YES! And that is the name of this tune. :wink:

P.S. There were five tables in the back room/converted garage at Jansco's Show Bar. Three in the front room and two in the back. The bleacher seating was all along the left side as you entered the front room. There were two sets of bleachers in the back room, one on the far right wall and one to the far left. I can even tell you the diagram of the layout, that's how well I remember it. The Ring Game always went on in the back room, usually twenty a man (this was the 60's) and sometimes as high as fifty a man. Fats always played in the front room, never in back. And always on the front table next to the bleachers! How am I doing so far?

 

[Tramp Steamer]

I don't think there is any shame in being someone who Lassiter could beat, I mean, no shit! Wimpy is arguably the best player ever and one would be rich if they bet his side every time he played.

I also don't think folks who know pool ever thought Wanderone was a champion level player, but he knew how to get the cash.

I believe cash is the measure of winning, as the belt just hold up yo' pants.

Black-Balled, it goads me to admit it but I agree with you one hundred percent.

 

[Island Drive]

Fatty was so smart that if you beat him he'd sell you a tee shirt saying that "I beat Minnesota Fats'', he was an extremely creative person, animal lover and giver to those in need, sounds like Ginky had some of Fattys great qualites also, must be the NY way.

 

[putt-putt44]

''Fats''

Well maybe not the best player, but most certainly the greatest ''entertainer'' pool to this day ever had,,,,,,,,!!

 

[hunger strike]

Entertainment....

Well maybe not the best player, but most certainly the greatest ''entertainer'' pool to this day ever had,,,,,,,,!!

Fats may well have been the best entertainer to ever have entertained using a pool table is a prop. However, I like to be entertained by comedians on tv, and creativity on the table. I vote for Efren or Sayginer as best entertainer with the cue at work. No words needed.

 

[Pushout]

Somebody who supposedly knows all you know would know it was Johnston City, not Johnson City.

 

[macguy]

I was reading some post replys and saw the musconi quote about fats. I know for sure that all of the top echelon players back in the day thought fats was a hacker, which he truly was. Back in the days of johnson city, i lived in herrin, il which is five miles from jansco's. Wanderone was from dowell, not to much farther. But he never entered the tourney, because his " legend" would take a huge hit when the world would see him smoked by anyone from the tour, even the hanger ons. Fats was smart because he claimed to be minnesota fats from "the hustler", and people believed him because the vast majority of pool players are idiot 5 dollar bar players who know nothing about pool. He called himself new york fats before the movie, but was know as dowell fats by the players. I played a lot around fats at the cue and carom in carbondale,il. He always played by himself, making trick shots to impress the nerds. I will admit that he could make a lot of shots, although he played always on the same table so there were probably ridges. No one else was allowed on that table. Anyway. Jansco had a pool room behind the bar with, i think(1965 or so was a long time ago) four tables and there was a lot of action. Taylor, lassiter, kelly, worst, crane ad infinitum. Great, great players. So fats was playing sammy blumenthal one pocket, race to four, for 1500.00. Fats played better one pocket than anything else, but jackson sammy wasn't among the top players by a long shot. Enter luther lassiter who sat down on a sweaters bench. So, from here on out, i'll dot out a lot of language, because wimpy used pretty foul language. After he watched fats take off sammy, he stood up and said,loudly, that he would play minnestota fats, new york fats, dowell fats, fats wanderone or any fat f..k in the building for any amount that the fat f..k wanted to play for. Fats broke down his cue and slinked out without responding. Legendary!

I have to disagree with you a bit. Fats did play in the tournaments in fact he was the one who organized the whole thing in the first place and got the players there. Could he play? That would be a matter of how you judge. I never knew fats although I met him a number of times in his later years. I was however one degree away from him in that I knew many players who knew and played him and he could play very well. Maybe not the worlds best but certainly a top play never the less. Every player that knocks him whether they like it or not owe him a debt as does the entire pool community. Pro players love to knock fats but truth is, what did they ever do for the sport that wasn't self serving.

I was putting on a benefit and wanted to have an exhibition match. This was for charity to help pay for a kids medical bills. I contacted Steve Mizerak and he wanted to be paid $3000.00 plus expenses. Fats said he would be happy to come for nothing and at his own expense. I should add, for Miz it would have been an hours drive. The thing fell through because we could not get the hall to put it on so we had a small tournament instead at the pool room and did collect quit a bit of money. Even though it was called off Fats by the way sent a nice check for $500.

Trust me we need people in pool like Fats. In the 60's and 70's if you stopped anyone in the country on the street that was not living under a rock and said complete this phrase, "Minnesota--fill in- the blank, they would say "Fats". I can't honestly think of anyone other then maybe Mosconi who made pool a part of the public consciousness more then Fats. His contribution is immeasurable.

 

[Highmiles]

First of all, I'm not really a "Fats" fan. There are some facts being left out, however. When Wimpy first started burning up the road to Norfolk, he was beating everyone ..... except Fats. The first time Fats played Wimpy, he mopped the floor with him and sent him home broke. During Fats early years as New York Fats, he was actually a formidable opponent and could hold his own or better against most everyone. Later on, Wimpy, of course, became more than a match for Fats. Wimpy and Fats were actually pretty close a couple of years after Wimpy got out of the Coast Guard, and they hung out together in Norfolk. Fats' wife used to try and get Wimpy matched up with a future wife.
You may not like Fats, but he did more to promote pool and bring fans to the sport, than most anyone else you can name.

 

[mosconiac]

Somebody who supposedly knows all you know would know it was Johnston City, not Johnson City.

Good point...kind of an odd typo for someone that claims to have lived nearby and saw it all! Me thinks this guy is just stirring the pot.

 

[pt109]

Rudolph

The Fat Man could play.
He got some weight from Richie Florence...small..but there were a lot
of good players at that time that needed more.
And he could bet his cash...
...many of his detractors needed 3 stake horses,a valet, and a sports
psychologist to be in the action Fats created.

And if you had Fats,Cornbread Red, and UJ Pucket in the same room...
...you could die laughing...I'm sure a few did....
..and Fats would have paid for the funeral..he was like that

 

[jay helfert]

I have to disagree with you a bit. Fats did play in the tournaments in fact he was the one who organized the whole thing in the first place and got the players there. Could he play? That would be a matter of how you judge. I never knew fats although I met him a number of times in his later years. I was however one degree away from him in that I knew many players who knew and played him and he could play very well. Maybe not the worlds best but certainly a top play never the less. Every player that knocks him whether they like it or not owe him a debt as does the entire pool community. Pro players love to knock fats but truth is, what did they ever do for the sport that wasn't self serving.

I was putting on a benefit and wanted to have an exhibition match. This was for charity to help pay for a kids medical bills. I contacted Steve Mizerak and he wanted to be paid $3000.00 plus expenses. Fats said he would be happy to come for nothing and at his own expense. I should add, for Miz it would have been an hours drive. The thing fell through because we could not get the hall to put it on so we had a small tournament instead at the pool room and did collect quit a bit of money. Even though it was called off Fats by the way sent a nice check for $500.

Trust me we need people in pool like Fats. In the 60's and 70's if you stopped anyone in the country on the street that was not living under a rock and said complete this phrase, "Minnesota--fill in- the blank, they would say "Fats". I can't honestly think of anyone other then maybe Mosconi who made pool a part of the public consciousness more then Fats. His contribution is immeasurable.

P.S. In the first Johnston City tourney the only game they played was One Pocket. Connecticut Johnny Vevis finished first and Fats was second. There were sixteen of the best in that event!