HIGHEST RUN you've witnessed by a pro

BCA Hall of Famer Luther Lassiter, certainly the best 9ball player of the 1950s, reputedly ran a 21-pack at 9ball, but Jay Helfert thinks it was only 19, so I'll meet him halfway and call it a 20-pack. Undocumented, but both Jay and I had heard about it. Nick Varner has suggested that Lassiter may have been the straightest shooter in our game's history.
That's impressive but I have been around pool halls enough to know guys tend to not actually count all the innings. It was probably a few 7 packs with a safe or something in between imo.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SEB
Yes. 6 B&Rs -- a 3-pack, a 2-pack, and a single.

Above someone thought Ko ran 15 racks. Turns out it's a race to 11. And he only ran 3 consecutive. This is usually what I've seen in the pool world. That's why I'm really looking for video proof.
.
So far we have a documented 15 pack. That's pretty incredible although I didn't watch the video personally to see if there were any innings.
 
how many packs they ran is a valid estimate of how good they were. but does nothing to estimate how successful pool was for them.

of the hundreds or thousands of great pool players only a handful ever ended up with even a pot to piss in as they say. those handful are the real ones to emulate. or look up to other than their pocketing balls. svb is the most modern one and efrin.

but to the op post,

ive never bothered to watch or care for 9 ball run outs. but i saw both mike euphemia and mizerack run over 200 just playing and quit as it was tiring and didnt care to go on. and mosconi run 100 over and over without ever being in trouble and quitting.
 
I don't personally believe it. No offense.
It's safe to say that if you don't believe it, you have no idea who Matlock is.

It was witnessed by many. Dave may have been the greatest ever bar table eight ball player and would be the guy you'd figure would have had the biggest package.

I wouldn't be surpirsed if Dave has more than ten 20+ packs in bar table 8-ball in his life.
 
It's safe to say that if you don't believe it, you have no idea who Matlock is.

It was witnessed by many. Dave may have been the greatest ever bar table eight ball player and would be the guy you'd figure would have had the biggest package.

I wouldn't be surpirsed if Dave has more than ten 20+ packs in bar table 8-ball in his life.
It may have happened. If anyone could do it, it would be him. But this thread alone should be enough for people to question the validity of "witnessed" high runs. People are arguing over how many racks were run in a tournament that happened just one year ago. I would bet against anyone that they couldn't Break 28 times in a row successfully (ball pocketed and no scratch). To be clear, I'm not saying it didn't happen, but that the number is so high that it's not unreasonable to *not* believe it.

I'm always a bit skeptical of threads like this. I've played pool with people posting here and I have to chuckle at some of their claimed high runs...
 
no doubt matlock did. however on bar tables you can make a ball every single time on many of them and up to 3 or 4 regularly. and its hard to miss a shot unless things get too tied up. and on a small table its much easier to get to break them as well.

still all these big runs are tremendous feats and should not be minimized or also then make them sound astounding. just a fact of great players playing long enough over time to have things fall right so they can capitalize on the situation..
 
no doubt matlock did. however on bar tables you can make a ball every single time on many of them and up to 3 or 4 regularly. and its hard to miss a shot unless things get too tied up. and on a small table its much easier to get to break them as well.

still all these big runs are tremendous feats and should not be minimized or also then make them sound astounding. just a fact of great players playing long enough over time to have things fall right so they can capitalize on the situation..
Maha, this is what I had 'Fall in place' for an entire year!

I'm sure many if not most have read the Billiards Digest on time or another.
On the second or third page they have a column called, 'Yesteryear.' It's for outstanding accomplishments a player achieved 10 years ago, 50 years ago and 75 years ago from that year.

In 1993 I was featured along with, Nick Varner, Luther Lassiter and UJ Puckett.
In 1983 in USA sanctioned ABA 3 cushion tournaments across the country I Won 62 Consecutive games without a loss and enroute to Winning 8 Consecutive tournaments.

I lost the 63rd game 50-49 at 'Cushion n Cue Billiards' in Oak Park, MI.

Here's the page from the Billiards Digest in 1993.

I hope this will suffice as proof.

Yesteryear-02jpg.jpg
 
Last edited:
Yeah me and Jamie matched up a couple of times many years ago. He got me at 9 ball and I got him at 10 ball. Then several years later I was going to be flying out of New Orleans and stopped in. He wasn't there and I played some with some of the locals. Jamie comes in, but we didn't have time to play before I had to catch my flight. Jamie asks if anyone played me and one young guy pipes up, yeah we played some 10 ball and I didn't have a chance, but I think I might playing one pocket... Jamie says, and I'll never forget this "Kid, you don't have a chance at any game".

Another funny story about Jamie killing my action.. I was hanging out in Corner Pocket and this older black gentlemen hinted at wanting to play me some one pocket. Jamie hears it from across the room and comes bounding over saying, I'm backing Jaden... LOL Needless to say, we didn't end up playing.

One time several of us went out to dinner and I accidentally referred to Jamie as "The Red Rocket". Everyone started busting up laughing and to this day, I can never remember what his actual nickname is, I always think Red Rocket.

Jaden

I think jamie nicknamed himself the red rifle after his hair and Buddy Hall. jamie has a vivid imagination. I refer to him as the red riffle. Not impressed with jamie as a person. His dad was, maybe still is a good guy. When he made jamie the better half hit the wall.

Hu
 
i found that railbirds and top players were the most likely to knock your action. some reason both of those sides think it makes them look smart by doing it.
then at some time in the future when broke and most were always broke, would ask to borrow money . i usually told them to meet me there at a time when i knew i wasnt coming down.
 
Maha, this is what I had 'Fall in place' for an entire year!

I'm sure many if not most have read the Billiards Digest on time or another.
On the second or third page they have a column called, 'Yesteryear.' It's for outstanding accomplishments a player achieved 10 years ago, 50 years ago and 75 years ago from that year.

In 1993 I was featured along with, Nick Varner, Luther Lassiter and UJ Puckett.
In 1983 in USA sanctioned ABA 3 cushion tournaments across the country I Won 62 Consecutive games without a loss and enroute to Winning 8 Consecutive tournaments.

I lost the 63rd game 50-49 at 'Cushion n Cue Billiards' in Oak Park, MI.

Here's the page from the Billiards Digest in 1993.

I hope this will suffice as proof.

View attachment 775294
It is super cool that you have those articles as proof. Although your personal achievements I already believed. Just seem like a straight shooter (pun intended).
.
My dad never did anything like you did, few have, but he tried some pro tournaments and toured some in the 70s and 80s. He apparently beat Mataya, Cincinnati Red, and a handful of other decent players. Played Bobby Hunter all night and broke even. Had several pretty sizeable trophies growing up but we got our house foreclosured on when drug habits were too bad and they ended up gone. Also lost my grandpa's medals from ww2. I still have his dog tag though.
.
Anyway thanks for sharing. It is cool to hear a veteran champions stories.
 
It is super cool that you have those articles as proof. Although your personal achievements I already believed. Just seem like a straight shooter (pun intended).
.
My dad never did anything like you did, few have, but he tried some pro tournaments and toured some in the 70s and 80s. He apparently beat Mataya, Cincinnati Red, and a handful of other decent players. Played Bobby Hunter all night and broke even. Had several pretty sizeable trophies growing up but we got our house foreclosured on when drug habits were too bad and they ended up gone. Also lost my grandpa's medals from ww2. I still have his dog tag though.
.
Anyway thanks for sharing. It is cool to hear a veteran champions stories.
Thanks for the props!
Sorry to hear about the unfortunate past you endured.
 
I saw Cory in Deluth run a 10 pack of 8B on a barbox playing Thorp. He one a rack and then 10 more.

I saw Jason Kirkwood run a 7 pack 10B, I believe it was playing scott frost in the TAR pit room at the Riv in about 08 or 09. He might have ran 8. That was recorded. I’ve never seen the tape/ that table was brutal. Wet and boingy.

That’s all that comes to mind right now. This is in real life runs. I’m certain I’ve seen more cool runs, I just can’t recall now.

Oh I have one more. The last year the Reno tourney at the Sands in 07 Johnny Archer went 44-0 in his first 4 matches. I think he went up 5-0 the next set and it ended. He might have got 6 for 50-0 in game count. SVB double dipped JA in the finals.

That’s all I have right now.
 
It's safe to say that if you don't believe it, you have no idea who Matlock is.

It was witnessed by many. Dave may have been the greatest ever bar table eight ball player and would be the guy you'd figure would have had the biggest package.

I wouldn't be surpirsed if Dave has more than ten 20+ packs in bar table 8-ball in his life.
Stu,
It would be easier to say Matlock was the best ever on a bar table.

No need to mention any game because he was the best on a bar table at any of them.

I would gather that Dave was probably the best all around player in America if you take into account all games on all tables.
 
He broke and ran out all 11 racks in the semis, then he ran the next four in the finals so 15 total
Okay, a couple of us have informed you that Ko's largest B&R package in his semifinal match against Yapp was 3, not 11. And in the finals against Gorst, he had 5 B&Rs, but the first one of those didn't happen until Game 12. The 5 B&Rs consisted of two 2-packs and a single.

What in the world made you think he had 15 B&Rs in a row over those two matches? Really strange.
 
Back
Top