Harold Worst VS John "Rags" Fitzpatrick

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bountybuddy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Two of the greatest pocket billiard players to ever play in America were Harold Worst and John "Rags" Fitzpatrick. Sadly they both died young. My questions are did they ever play? If they did play who won? If they did not ever play, in your opinion, if they would have played, who would have won?

The only person I know here that can answer these questions is The Beard. I'm quite sure he knew both of these great players.
 
Well, according to Ronnie Allen at Johnston City, no one wanted any part of Harold, including Luther.
 
Rags was dead long before Worst came into prominence. However, I couldnt bet against Harold Worst playing anything.

Beard
 
I have never heard anybody suggest that Lassiter was scared of Harold before. Lassiter was the favorite at both nine ball and straight pool, and won two of the three disciplines at Johnston City three years running in the early 1960's. Harold was, however, tough action for Lassiter, and Lassiter was looking for an easier game than that at Johnston City. He always found it, too, from what I've been told. Steering clear of Worst and being scared of him are two different matters.

As for Rags Fitzpatrick, he died in 1960 and was, according to Eddie Taylor, the best one pocket player he ever watched. It's not impossible that Rags played Worst, but it would have to have been in the 1950's, at which time Worst played chiefly three cushion billiards.
 
Worst beat the fabled Don Willis (Lassiter's semi-idol) on the latter's table. Once Lassiter heard that, he wanted no part of Worst.
 
Rags gave Taylor 9-8 in one pocket, took 9-8 in banks; both were even games. If that tells you anything. He also took trips out to California every year, and stopped in Oklahoma to relieve Lingo of his money. Born in 1918, just like Taylor and Lassiter, he was known to be the best all around player between 1945-1960. He had won 3 cushion & Snooker tournaments. He may have won a session with Willis, but that wouldn't last long.
It would have been interesting to see him play Worst an all-around session over a week running, all six games. (1p-14:1-banks-3 cush-snook-9 ball)
 
It would be interesting to hear wha Jay has to say about this. If I remember correctly Jay considered Worst to possibly be the best all around player of all time or something to that effect.
 
L.S. Dennis said:
It would be interesting to hear wha Jay has to say about this. If I remember correctly Jay considered Worst to possibly be the best all around player of all time or something to that effect.
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I know what Jay has to say. Worst was the best!
 
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