John Schmidt's 626

Off the main subject but bearing directly on the events that may have harmed our sport's reputation. About 30 years ago I began hearing a tale about why Las Vegas did not make book on pool. I heard this story repeated over many years from both pool players and casino insiders. The story involved a dump by the odds on favorite player. A vast number of players, officials, the whole pool world, all had money down on the dump. It ultimately cost the casinos a whole ton money. The upshot was like "fool me once . . ." but Vegas then decided that pool players were not to be trusted under any circumstance so the rule became "never again". Vegas, to this day, does not book pool. Any truth to this urban rumor? If the story is true, what are the details?

Vegas was still booking the Challenge of Champions and setting money odds on the players after 1991 when Mike Lebron won.
 
A local sport book employee, who says he worked in Las Vegas for over 20 years, said that he had never heard of a bet on pool and cited "lack of interest". When I related it to him, he had never heard the "dump" story.

At 20-1 you get to a million very quickly.
 
So who's "certification" would give credibility? Guinness Book of World Records?


Actually, if he had met all the criteria that Guinness spells out for a record to be listed in their book, yes.

Running the tape (who knows at what speed and with how much attention to detail) past two guys at the BCA who, as you put it, "cant run 2 racks of balls" doesn't amount to much of a "certification."

Lou Figueroa
 
Off the main subject but bearing directly on the events that may have harmed our sport's reputation. About 30 years ago I began hearing a tale about why Las Vegas did not make book on pool. I heard this story repeated over many years from both pool players and casino insiders. The story involved a dump by the odds on favorite player. A vast number of players, officials, the whole pool world, all had money down on the dump. It ultimately cost the casinos a whole ton money. The upshot was like "fool me once . . ." but Vegas then decided that pool players were not to be trusted under any circumstance so the rule became "never again". Vegas, to this day, does not book pool. Any truth to this urban rumor? If the story is true, what are the details?


The story is true.

Pool players, even professional pool players, have a long history of doing anything for a buck. And yet, there are those that want to bestow Papal Infallibility to some players and not question the legitimacy of their accomplishments, preferring instead to wring their hands while moaning about appearances in pool.

What a laugh. Freddy the Beard wrote an entire book, "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers" documenting how far some pool players would go for a profitable con.

Lou Figueroa
 
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The story is true.

Pool players, even professional pool players, have a long history of doing anything for a buck. And yet, there are those that want to bestow Papal Infallibility to some players and not question the legitimacy of their accomplishments, preferring instead to wring their hands while moaning about appearances in pool.

What a laugh. Freddy the Bread wrote an entire book, "The Encyclopedia of Pool Hustlers" documenting how far some pool players would go for a profitable con.

Lou Figueroa

Ha Ha,,, Freddy the Bread. Good one, that gave me a good chuckle. Guess spell check doesn't know about The Beard.

Papal infallibility might be a bit of a stretch, but JS making all this up to basically make nothing monetarily from the accomplishment,,,, doesn't pass the sniff test to me.

I could see trying something a bit shady to get the inside line on winning lotto numbers, but I think we can all agree that even now running 727 balls won't be a financial windfall.
 
Did the casino book pay or not?

I also read that only 11 bets were placed with a payout of 44K. Why dump a first place prize of 50K for 44K in bets? Can't be the whole story.
 
Did the casino book pay or not?

I also read that only 11 bets were placed with a payout of 44K. Why dump a first place prize of 50K for 44K in bets? Can't be the whole story.

Haven't boxers dumped since the beginning of time, even before pool players? They get Vegas odds on every fight. I think its not booked for the same reason its not on TV, and the general public never watches it: Its boring, hence no casual fans/betters. Simple as that.
 
Ha Ha,,, Freddy the Bread. Good one, that gave me a good chuckle. Guess spell check doesn't know about The Beard.

Papal infallibility might be a bit of a stretch, but JS making all this up to basically make nothing monetarily from the accomplishment,,,, doesn't pass the sniff test to me.

I could see trying something a bit shady to get the inside line on winning lotto numbers, but I think we can all agree that even now running 727 balls won't be a financial windfall.


Musta been one of them Fredian Slips, lol.

Lou Figueroa
 
Old news in red:
From May 13, 2011 as follows;
We opened up the booth yesterday afternoon and got real busy.

No good runs. Great location in the middle of the front ballroom.

2 - 9' Diamonds. Both tables have a camera and monitor on them so everyone can see.

I think the high run was 59 - and total of 122 (4 attempts) by Jesse Engle.

More to come - maybe some pics can be posted - it is a good setup.
Mark Griffin

BTW: Bob Jewett pledged $10,000 if anyone ties or beats Mosconi 526. CSI matched it so it stands at $20,000 bonus. Highly unlike;y and maybe next year we can get this up to at least $50,000.


Next year never came for 14.1 hi-run promise of at least 50K$'s.

Eight years later, in 2019, along came the Team of JS/Doug Desmond with high expectations of the $windfall even doubling to maybe about 100K$. This too, never materialized.

This windfall will likely, never arrive in the 14.1 pool world.

Doug Desmond teamed with JS to solicit free playing time at a couple of locations in pursuit of surpassing Mosconi's 526. They seriously miscalculated the monetary gains in hopes of cashing in from a proposed video.

Today, we are where we are!

14.1 is my favorite pool game. But the reality is that none of the US pool games are super compelling on TV or as a spectator sport. Cross the pond and Snooker is absolutely captivating and easy to follow both as a spectator and on TV. Pool needs a new game in my opinion to every really be succesfull. I don't think an American Snooker tour is a viable idea, but there needs to be invented a new game for it to take off as a spectator sport.
 
same people

Did the casino book pay or not?

I also read that only 11 bets were placed with a payout of 44K. Why dump a first place prize of 50K for 44K in bets? Can't be the whole story.



The same people rigging the bet were cutting up the prize money too no doubt. They got both. Plus, the bet in terms of dollars was an absolute no risk thing.

The amount of the score wasn't huge in Vegas terms even back then. However, ripping off these guys is a guaranteed way to piss them off and people have swam with the fishies for a lot less. They don't like being played for fools any more than anyone else does. A friend's brother died for a $2000 bad poker debt to some good hands people. They weren't even out of pocket there, just couldn't collect winnings. When my friend came home upset and confronted the wrong people about it he was cut up so badly he spent six months in the hospital.

Hu
 
Musta been one of them Fredian Slips, lol.

Lou Figueroa

Coz you're baked. Riiiight.
snik2-20161003092505474.jpg
 
duly noted

It might be duly noted that when I played my last TAR match with none other than j.s. - during the one pocket leg (held in North KC at Side Pockets bar and grill) I decide to take a restroom break after just pocketing three balls, I left the balls in the ball return. When I returned j.s. had stolen the three from the ball return and placed them in his pockets ball counting tray (just as I thought would happen). It was being filmed and I knew if he tried it - his larceny would fail. My sponsor and owner of Side Pockets told me John just stole three balls, I saw the infraction and questioned John as to why he chose take those balls (as I was the last one at the table). His reply was "I just saw a few balls down there and assumed they were mine".

Thieves are oppurtunist in nature - j.s. and bca have seen another opportunity i guess, now they think it's time to try and steal the greatest American Pocket Billiard record in history - Willie Mosconi's 526 - and not even show verifiable evidence - what an atrocity this could end up being for the corrupt crew that are involved. What a news cluster this is for the Pocket Billiard world. The people who share the info that j.s. has surpassed Mosconi's record are also to blame for spreading irresponsible journalism. They are trampling on the greatest Pocket Billiard sports history record. I see Dan Barouty is employed at easy street billiards ( i wonder if Dan will cover for Schmidt's chopped video of great corruption)?
 
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LOL...wants to talk about past acts.

It might be duly noted that when I played my last TAR match with none other than j.s. - during the one pocket leg (held in North KC at Side Pockets bar and grill) I decide to take a restroom break after just pocketing three balls, I left the balls in the ball return. When I returned j.s. had stolen the three from the ball return and placed them in his pockets ball counting tray (just as I thought would happen). It was being filmed and I knew if he tried it - he his larceny would fail. My sponsor and owner of Side Pockets told me John just stole three balls, I saw the infraction and questioned John as to why he chose take those balls (as I was the last one at the table). His reply was "I just saw a few balls down there and assumed they were mine".

Thieves are oppurtunist in nature - j.s. and bca have seen another opportunity i guess, now it's time to try and steal the greatest American Pocket Billiard record in history - Willie Mosconi's 526 - and not even show verifiable evidence - what an atrocity this could end up being for the corrupt crew that are involved. What a news cluster this is for the Pocket Billiard world. The people who share the info that j.s. has surpassed Mosconi's record are also to blame for spreading irresponsible journalism. They are trampling on our sports history records is all.
 
yep

What's pretty clear is that a few want that to be the case - either because of professional envy, bad blood, simple contrariness or all of the above. It's not a good look.

pj
chgo

What is clear to me is that not all that glistens - is gold. j.s and bca's failure to show unedited video has nothing to do with any of those three facets u mentioned above. That is purty' clear to anyone who has the ability to think logically p.j.

u might call that taking a closer look - and yea it does look ugly. The fake news journalists can run their 'story' now lets see how long they can hide.
 
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