To refute some statement Jay Helfert made on the main forum, I went to the trouble of looking up Mosconi's championship challenge matches on Charlie Ursitti's website (www.charlesursitti.com). I'm posting them here since 14.1 guys might be interested.
These are challenges for the championship, i.e., the challenger would become champion if he won. You had to have "standing" to challenge for the title. I'm not sure, but I imagine only the runner-up in the previous championship tournament could challenge, or perhaps a prior champion during a certain prior period (I'm guessing).
Anyway, here are all the championship challenge matches Mosconi played in during the '40's and '50's, either as challenger or defending champion. As you see, he won 12 of 13, losing only his first. Some of the margins of victory are embarrassing, especially during the latter period but before his stroke. Conclusion - in a long match Mosconi was pretty much unbeatable during his prime.
April 13-17, 1943... Ponzi 1250, Mosconi 1050
Feb 29-March 4, 1944... Mosconi 1250, Ponzi 924
Jan 29-Feb 24, 1945... Mosconi 5498, Greenleaf 3738
Feb 4-March 30, 1946... Mosconi 8727, Caras 7508
Nov 6-22, 1946... Mosconi 3750, Crane 2919
May 8-18, 1947... Mosconi 2000, Crane 918
Oct 25-Nov 12, 1947... Mosconi 4000, Caras 2334
Mar 5-7, 1948... Mosconi 1350, Ponzi 643
Jan 8-19, 1951... Mosconi 3000, Crane 2323
Feb 22-Mar 11, 1954... Mosconi 2400, Procita 989
Nov 28-Dec 2, 1955... Mosconi 1500, Crane 676
Jan 30-Feb 22, 1956... Mosconi 6300, Caras 3007
March 15-20, 1956... Mosconi 1800, Jimmy Moore 879
These are challenges for the championship, i.e., the challenger would become champion if he won. You had to have "standing" to challenge for the title. I'm not sure, but I imagine only the runner-up in the previous championship tournament could challenge, or perhaps a prior champion during a certain prior period (I'm guessing).
Anyway, here are all the championship challenge matches Mosconi played in during the '40's and '50's, either as challenger or defending champion. As you see, he won 12 of 13, losing only his first. Some of the margins of victory are embarrassing, especially during the latter period but before his stroke. Conclusion - in a long match Mosconi was pretty much unbeatable during his prime.
April 13-17, 1943... Ponzi 1250, Mosconi 1050
Feb 29-March 4, 1944... Mosconi 1250, Ponzi 924
Jan 29-Feb 24, 1945... Mosconi 5498, Greenleaf 3738
Feb 4-March 30, 1946... Mosconi 8727, Caras 7508
Nov 6-22, 1946... Mosconi 3750, Crane 2919
May 8-18, 1947... Mosconi 2000, Crane 918
Oct 25-Nov 12, 1947... Mosconi 4000, Caras 2334
Mar 5-7, 1948... Mosconi 1350, Ponzi 643
Jan 8-19, 1951... Mosconi 3000, Crane 2323
Feb 22-Mar 11, 1954... Mosconi 2400, Procita 989
Nov 28-Dec 2, 1955... Mosconi 1500, Crane 676
Jan 30-Feb 22, 1956... Mosconi 6300, Caras 3007
March 15-20, 1956... Mosconi 1800, Jimmy Moore 879
