There was a post yesterday that got me wondering....does anyone know what Fats` high run was in straight pool? I know he didn`t play that game much but he must have played it some.
Fats
- Thread starter sammylane12
- Start date
Good question.
Just enough to get him over on you, not enough to make you think you're getting robbed.
If anyone knows, it would be Jay. I saw Fatty play many times in the 60's and 70's, but, never
straight pool. Banks and one hole.
straight pool. Banks and one hole.
I wondered if "Lunch Money Walt" was still alive. I forgot to ask in March.
Fat said there was no action on straight pool, the only gambling he saw was two east coast road men playing 100 points to see who did the laundry.
Rod.
I heard it was 200 points for a cup of soup, but I think I like your version better...GF
I'm not sure what his highest run was but I do know that he played the game very well I was very lucky to have seen Fats in a video playing 14.1. He was in his 30's looked to me and a huge crowd was standing around watching him run out. He played a few racks very fast and he looked like a guy that could run over a hundred very easily.
I have also seen some very old pictures of Willie and Fats playing the game together in exhibitions. I can't imagine Fats winning...However I can not imagine him playing the game without having a chance of winning? They both looked 40's to me.
I have also seen some very old pictures of Willie and Fats playing the game together in exhibitions. I can't imagine Fats winning...However I can not imagine him playing the game without having a chance of winning? They both looked 40's to me.
Fats was ALL about the money, and there wasn't any of it in Straight Pool. He had no interest in playing a three week long tournament against all the greatest players to try to win a thousand or two.
He had one game that I remember him talking about with George Kelly, an uncle of Grace Kelly and a very good player. George had money and would gamble. He tried to give Fats 50 to 150 and that ended as expected. Fats said they played one game for a dollar ($100) and Kelly quit. Never heard of him showing any interest in 14.1 other that that. I'm sure he would have played Greenleaf if the game was right though.
Fats played One Pocket and 9-Ball almost exclusively. Those were the money games of his era too. He also banked well and could play good Three Cushions.
He had one game that I remember him talking about with George Kelly, an uncle of Grace Kelly and a very good player. George had money and would gamble. He tried to give Fats 50 to 150 and that ended as expected. Fats said they played one game for a dollar ($100) and Kelly quit. Never heard of him showing any interest in 14.1 other that that. I'm sure he would have played Greenleaf if the game was right though.
Fats played One Pocket and 9-Ball almost exclusively. Those were the money games of his era too. He also banked well and could play good Three Cushions.
Last edited:
Jamison...Fats and Mosconi were the same age, so "40's" would put the time frame as the 1950's, which was Mosconi's best era. Fats was not even a well known player, let alone someone of Mosconi's skill. He didn't become well known until after The Hustler became popular in the early 60's. Fats was a hustler, and was despised by Mosconi even back then. Doubtful that they would have played together much (if at all), before the TV matches of the 70's, when both were being paid big money by Bill Cayton.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
I saw an exhibition many years ago between Fats (previously known as New York Fats) and Mosconi, and they were bickering all during the match. At one point Fats claimed the Minnesota Fats character in The Hustler movie was about him,,,,,,with Mosconi coming back with something like,,,,,,no way, I doubt you ever even had enough money to GET to Minnesota,,,,,,pretty funny!
Those are the matches I'm talking about. Howard Cosell was the announcer, and literally almost had to break up a fight between Fatty and Mosconi. LOL
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
yep, a pretty young Cosell too as I recall,,,,,,
Jay You're corrrect that he was all about the cash. I was told by those who should know that his best game was "the 3 cushions". No money there so he didn't play. I'm the only one I ever saw him play 3C and get this - for free!!Fats was ALL about the money, and there wasn't any of it in Straight Pool. He had no interest in playing a three week long tournament against all the greatest players to try to win a thousand or two.
He had one game that I remember him talking about with George Kelly, an uncle of Grace Kelly and a very good player. George had money and would gamble. He tried to give Fats 50 to 150 and that ended as expected. Fats said they played one game for a dollar ($100) and Kelly quit. Never heard of him showing any interest in 14.1 other that that. I'm sure he would have played Greenleaf if the game was right though.
Fats played One Pocket and 9-Ball almost exclusively. Those were the money games of his era too. He also banked well and could play good Three Cushions.
I never saw him play a single game of 9Ball in the 8 years I lived in his neighborhood only banks and 1 pocket. I'm confident he could but never saw it. It was probably the cash thing again, thinking there's only so much I can get from this guy and 9 ball will take too long to get it. The bet seems higher in full rack banks and particularly 1P vs 9 ball.
I think its time for Island Drive to chime in here and correct me if I'm wrong.
3kushn,
Thank you so much for the link in your sig. That last time shot was quite possibly the sickest time shot I have ever seen in 3 cushion, and I have watched Jaspers, Sanginer, and Cuelemans on DVD.
Incredible!
Russ
I saw a vid Blamdahl - Jaspers? where the rule was no score without a kiss.
Brought their averages way down.Now back to the regularly scheduled program.