Interesting observation in an old Mosconi vs Fats video
- Thread starter Jeff Rosen
- Start date
It was an exhibition, so I wouldn't be surprised if such instructions were given.
Anyhow, I've always been surprised at the authority with which Mosconi strikes the balls. I've never seen him in real life, and having read about him, I figured he would have sort of a Buddy Hall type of a stroke, really smooth, pushing the balls into the pockets. If you watch the videos, you see that his stroke is really straight and his touch is great but he really doesn't do the "Buddy" thing. When you remember how old he is in most of the recorded videos, he does have a PHENOMENAL touch. He did have a stroke (medical kind) that may have impacted that, slightly.
I also see that he does use the firm stun-run through type of a shot, rather than rolling the ball, which is what I gravitate to when I'm playing well. Watching him do it sort of validates that to me. Here are a couple in a row:
https://youtu.be/h6B1XncJoD0?t=2051
When you watch this video, you can see that he often chooses to firmly stun the ball, even when he has other options in 14.1 as well. He does roll the ball some times, but it appears he doesn't like it. He uses firm stun, stun-draw etc... Several times you can see just how fantastic his touch is. It would have been quite a thing to see him in his prime.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRKw56oAA-E
Firm stun-draw:
https://youtu.be/qRKw56oAA-E?t=317
Last edited:
OK, just a little more seriously, his touch was amazing. BUT he'd run balls fast and often quickly walk around the table backwards when he was running balls to get to the next shot. And, it always amazed me that thin cuts down the length of table or break shots wouldn't slow him up. He get to them, pump once or twice, and rifle them in, his CB acting as if it were alive.
Lou Figueroa
Lou Figueroa
Don't think I'd like his personality much from what I've read. Good thing he was so handsome and a snappy dresser.
Last edited:
I think there's passing resemblance to Michelangelo's David.
Lou Figueroa
full David frontal
censored for SJD
Attachments
Thanks for posting those 'suitable for framing' photos of your hero, Lou!..I had forgotten what a truly 'beautiful' man he was!..I am curious though, do these pictures simply adorn every wall in your house, or do you also have some of your favorites on your bedroom ceiling?..I would think if you do, the missus would be a little bit jealous.
(I am sure Mr. White will find 'sexual connotations' in my preceding remarks) 
PS.. I knew Danny Jones real well, and I don't recall many people addressing him in person, as "Handsome Danny"!..And even fewer still, who called him 'beautiful', while taking endless pictures of him! :embarrassed2:...BTW Lou, not to crush your feelings, But Danny could give Willy 8 to 2 and the breaks, in the handsome department! :sorry:
Last edited:
Thanks for posting those 'suitable for framing' photos of your hero, Lou!..I had forgotten what a truly 'beautiful' man he was!..I am curious though, do these pictures simply adorn every wall in your house, or do you also have some of your favorites on your bedroom ceiling?..I would think if you do, the missus would be a little bit jealous.
PS.. I knew Danny Jones real well, and I don't recall many people addressing him in person, as "Handsome Danny"!..And even fewer still, who called him 'beautiful', while taking endless pictures of him! :embarrassed2:...BTW Lou, not to crush your feelings, But Danny could give Willy 8 to 2 and the breaks, in the handsome department! :sorry:
So, you had a thing for Handsome Danny Jones, eh?! Knew him "...real well..." huh?
Well, different strokes and all that. Here you go, Dick. Enjoy.
Lou Figueroa
Attachments
Last edited:
Actually Lou, if its a matter of choice..Yes, my preference would certainly be Mr. Jones, over your hero!
In making a comparison of the two, female-wise....
=Willy
=DannyPS..However, unlike you, I do confess to having Jennifer's picture on MY ceiling..Not Willy's! (or Danny's) :thumbup:
..Over and out..Cocktail time!
Touche Lou!...Call me insecure, but I can't help myself..I just love 'beautiful' women! :thumbup: ..To see that adjective used to describe some 'hairy legged, sweaty (usually homely) male athlete..is to me almost blasphemy!..Why can't ya just say.."Boy that Ali floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee!"..Oh, wait..
I s'pose you would call Yogi Berra, a 'beautiful' catcher?
View attachment 431764
How sad that for you beauty is so one dimensional.
And that there are still people around that think questioning someone's masculinity is a cool thing to do.
One looks like a serial killer, the other not so much
I can't imagine what you are referring too?
...Lou and I are just having fun 'trading barbs'!..Neither of us are 'questioning' the others masculinity!..It is very sad indeed, that you saw fit to make such an erroneous assumption! :sorry:
PS..But yes, when it comes to beauty, I am
definitely glad to be 'one-dimensional'! :smile:
Last edited:
I've just read the thread, My 2cents
.
Fat was the greatest thing to happen to pool, a true ambassador, that rekindled interest in the game after the movie.
He was a gracious, generous person. I enjoyed immensely my time around him.
No funnier human ever lived.
As to all the people wanting to play him, most pulled back a nub. As a young man from NY, he was known as Triple Smart Fat. Yes he was a hustler, one of the best. Not sure anyone knew his correct age, In Houston in 1964 he beat both U.J.Puckett and Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman playing even one pocket. Names some here probably don't recall.
I believe most of the haters didn't know him, just didn't like what they saw on TV .
Rod Stephens..
.
Fat was the greatest thing to happen to pool, a true ambassador, that rekindled interest in the game after the movie.
He was a gracious, generous person. I enjoyed immensely my time around him.
No funnier human ever lived.
As to all the people wanting to play him, most pulled back a nub. As a young man from NY, he was known as Triple Smart Fat. Yes he was a hustler, one of the best. Not sure anyone knew his correct age, In Houston in 1964 he beat both U.J.Puckett and Johnny "Cannonball" Chapman playing even one pocket. Names some here probably don't recall.
I believe most of the haters didn't know him, just didn't like what they saw on TV .
Rod Stephens..
Last edited:
Very accurate statements Rod..But I think Coco and Danny Deliberto, may be the only two people who ever actually expressed a hatred for Fats!..I understand what you're saying though...His constant bragging, in his somewhat irritating 'Brooklynese' accent, did turn a lot of people off, who never really got to know him like we did!
Last edited:
I've never heard of DD expressing "hatred" for Fats. What I have seen him say, many, many years ago, sounded very logical, reasonable, and prescient:
#####
"Wouldn't I sound foolish if I publicly announced that I could kick one-hundred yard field goals, or drive a golf ball five hundred yards, or do a seven-hundred-and-twenty-degree dunk? The first person to pay attention to me at all would simply say, 'Prove it,' and that would be that.
But pool has a public that knows nothing, plus the media who know nothing, nobody knows what good pool really is, or what a really good player can do. So he's (Fats) free to tell them anything he pleases, anything at all. He couldn't play; he wouldn't play anybody good. And all the pro players used to stand around helpless with laughter while he told his dumb stories about winning millions in India or the Depression, or wherever or whenever. I told every one of them, 'You keep giving him that credibility that he doesn't deserve, and you'll help the con man artist make a name for himself while you, as genuine players, will get zero recognition. That's all that can possibly happen.' And I was right."
#####
from
Hustler Days
R.A Dyer
Lou Figueroa
But he was quite well off, wasn't he? I dare say he probably made more money back then than most make today, even with endorsements, so he couldn't have been that bad, even if he did exagerate and make up exploits. I never took it too seriously and can't imagine that anyone would. Seemed like an "in" joke that everyone was in on.
I think that if you read some of the magazine and newspaper stories from back then he was taken seriously. Not like anyone was doing a lot of fact check on a pool hustler's stories, nor was there any inter web to help verify. I mean, how would you fact check a gambling story about Fats beating Happy the Chinaman or even all the other hustlers he claimed to have beaten like a drum?
I believe that for us -- amateur pool players -- it's all very funny and easy to laugh off. But look at it from the perspective of guys that really were good at their craft. Imagine in your own profession some blowhard who exaggerated all his claims and accomplishments and subsequently basked in the spotlight shined on him by an unwitting media, which then led to him making a ton of money.
It's probably drive more than one of us nuts.
Lou Figueroa
Last edited:
Is it just me, or is anyone picturing this discussion going on in these guys local pool room?!! Seriously, funny stuff and very entertaining. You guys will never run out of things to argue about. when I'm 50 miles offshore this weekend fishing I'm going to ask the two guys I've been fishing with for over 35 years if a man can be considered beautiful.oh wait, that's a pretty long swim, maybe I will keep that to myself.