Most Perfect 14.1 Run You've Seen on Video

[JLW]

What is the most technically perfect 14.1 run you have ever seen on video? I don't pretend to know a great deal about straight pool, but Mike Sigel's 150 and out against Mike Zuglan and Irving Crane's 150 and out against Joe Balsis stand out in my mind as two nearly perfect runs. Anyone have any others they would recommend as required viewing for straight pool fans?

 

[sjm]

Well, this one I saw live. In Sigel's 150 against Zuglan at the 1992 US Open, he gets out of line exactly once and cruises to 150, with Jimmy Caras and Willie Mosconi watching from the front row. This run has often been acclaimed as a picture of technical excellence and elegance.

Zuglan's now legendary comment when the match ended was "I need to work on my lag."

 

[sjm]

Another technically superior run was Ralf Souquet's 120-something in the semi-finals of the 2000 BCA 14.1 championships against Efren Reyes.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

Well, this one I saw live. In Sigel's 150 against Zuglan at the 1992 US Open, he gets out of line exactly once and cruises to 150, with Jimmy Caras and Willie Mosconi watching from the front row. This run has often been acclaimed as a picture of technical excellence and elegance.

Zuglan's now legendary comment when the match ended was "I need to work on my lag."

I've watched that tape many times, and I don't see how a run gets much better than that. 1. Sigel does it in 1 inning from the break 2. there are no banks in it 3. there are very few combinations 4. he only has to come with a tough shot 1 time that i remember when he is forced to back-cut the 5 ball uptable. I didn't know Caras and Mosconi were watching that when it happend. Talk about pressure.

 

[Gerry]

I've watched that tape many times, and I don't see how a run gets much better than that. 1. Sigel does it in 1 inning from the break 2. there are no banks in it 3. there are very few combinations 4. he only has to come with a tough shot 1 time that i remember when he is forced to back-cut the 5 ball uptable. I didn't know Caras and Mosconi were watching that when it happend. Talk about pressure.

I see it a little differently. I don't think Mike felt pressure, I think he wanted to put on a stellar performance for 2 of the greatest living legends. I think he showed confidence more than anything during that match. I also watch that match at least once a month!

Gerry

 

[bruin70]

miz beating sigel. i forget when,,,maybe the year orttman won. don't know. what's technically perfect? simplest pattern?,,,easiest shots?,,,something that makes the most sense to me?,,,

 

[JLW]

miz beating sigel. i forget when,,,maybe the year orttman won. don't know. what's technically perfect? simplest pattern?,,,easiest shots?,,,something that makes the most sense to me?,,,

Well, let me put it this way. It appeared to me that Sigel only made 1 or 2 shots that entire run that didn't turn out exactly the way he wanted them to. The earlier comment about confidence applies too I think. He just seemed to be on auto-pilot. It was really an incredible run. The first time I saw it, I was blown away.

 

[poolplayer2093]

i've got a tape of efren reyes running 147 in a race to 150 against dallas west. dallas west didn't give up though he fought back with some great safety play

 

[eales]

Another technically superior run was Ralf Souquet's 120-something in the semi-finals of the 2000 BCA 14.1 championships against Efren Reyes.

I agree with this one. Ralf Souquet runs 28 & misses position on the break. He plays safe & Reyes wins the battle. Reyes runs 40+ and misses, I think. Souquet is absolutely perfect running out. I can't recall one hard shot.

Jim Eales

 

[DJKeys]

He also has to break out two tied up balls on the upper side rail. He has very few balls left with which to do it, but he gets them separated and the run continues. Fabulous run.

 

[JLW]

He also has to break out two tied up balls on the upper side rail. He has very few balls left with which to do it, but he gets them separated and the run continues. Fabulous run.

Yes, I rank that run and Ronnie O'Sullivan's fastest recorded 147 as the two most impressive pool related feats I've ever witnessed.

 

[Vahmurka]

And it's just amazing when Grady Mathews, one of doing commentary for Sigel vs Zuglan match, describes what is to be done and Sigel performs it hust like Grady suggests. Great game, great run, great commentary.

In regard with commentary I remember hilarious moment from Souquet's run. Ralf leaves a key ball (next to break ball on the same rail) and DannyD starts saying "Oh I don't like what he's doing, I don't like the way..." and is forced to interrupt by what he watches "Oh, what a shot!!!" Souquet made several breaks like that one later I think and Danny didn't blame him for that any more

 

[sjm]

miz beating sigel. i forget when,,,maybe the year orttman won. don't know. what's technically perfect? simplest pattern?,,,easiest shots?,,,something that makes the most sense to me?,,,

I don't think Miz would have played Sigel the year Ortmann won, because, if memory serves, that would be 1993, the year of the boycott by many of the top players, including both Miz and Sigel. As Sigel went undefeated in the 1992 Straight Pool Championships and there was no championship in 1991, more likely is that the match to which you refer occurred in the 1990 Straight Pool Championships won by Bobby Hunter.

Technically perfect, to me, means the racks were run with adherence to the most basic principles of running balls at straight pool: a) clearing the rails early, b) unlocking blocked pockets, c) minimal short side position, d) avoidance of long and/or difficult shots, and e) very easy end patterns involving minimal cue ball movement due to accurate planning.

 

[Tommy-D]

> I'm with you there,Sigel's 2nd 150-out against Zuglan has and always will be a source of inspiration for me,as flawless as can be. His other one,against Rempe in '89,is also a personal fave. He really shows heart and balls in this one,to come up with the shots he did to keep the run going. Tommy D.

 

[StraightPoolIU]

> I'm with you there,Sigel's 2nd 150-out against Zuglan has and always will be a source of inspiration for me,as flawless as can be. His other one,against Rempe in '89,is also a personal fave. He really shows heart and balls in this one,to come up with the shots he did to keep the run going. Tommy D.

I was just about to ask if anyone had seen Sigels 150 and out in the 1989 championship. I've personally always wanted to see this tape, but all of the Accu-stats videos from the '89 U.S. Open are out of print. Personally, I think if it's a 150&out it should always be available for sale.

 

[Bobby]

i've got a tape of efren reyes running 147 in a race to 150 against dallas west. dallas west didn't give up though he fought back with some great safety play

Are you referring to the match they played at the 2000 U.S. Open? Where Reyes wins 150-1? I don't
believe Reyes ran 147 balls, he may have been up 147-0 but I don't recall a big run like that, I may be wrong but I don't think so.

Bobby

 

[StraightPoolIU]

Are you referring to the match they played at the 2000 U.S. Open? Where Reyes wins 150-1? I don't
believe Reyes ran 147 balls, he may have been up 147-0 but I don't recall a big run like that, I may be wrong but I don't think so.

Bobby

You're right I don't think it was a 147, but I do think it was around 140.

 

[DJKeys]

141

You're right I don't think it was a 147, but I do think it was around 140.

I have that tape, the run was 141, and it was beautiful.

One of the most impressive runs I have ever seen is in the same tournament, 2000 US Open, Ortmann vs. Rempe. After Ortmann runs 129, Rempe gets a chance at the table. The first rack he has two bad rolls and has to make a bank and a very difficult shot off the rail. He continues his run and just gets lousy spreads on almost every break shot but picks away at the balls and keeps his run alive with a head spot break shot, side pocket break shot, etc. He had about 4 run-ending situations and gets out of all of them. He ends on a safety (after running 96) and Ortman scratches and leaves a dead ball in the stack. Rempe shoots it, but he has to cut the first ball in the combination to his right, and the cueball hits the one ball and blocks the dead ball from going in the corner. Talk about frustrating. Ortmann only needs about 17 and gets out, match ends, 150-144. This is one amazing run, this tape is highly recommended.

 

[Road Warrior]

Recommended accustats tapes?

I have both of Sigel's 150 and outs and I had the crane balsas one (Not sure what the hell I did with it) But can anyone here recommend any other great str8 pool matches, not necessarily huge runs just great shot making, commentary, whatever. Any thoughts will be appreciated

 

[Donovan]

What is the most technically perfect 14.1 run you have ever seen on video? I don't pretend to know a great deal about straight pool, but Mike Sigel's 150 and out against Mike Zuglan and Irving Crane's 150 and out against Joe Balsis stand out in my mind as two nearly perfect runs. Anyone have any others they would recommend as required viewing for straight pool fans?

No one likes to sound like a broken record, a broken record, a broken record...I love Zuglan's game, but yeah Mike's run was really amazing. Would have been great to see it continue, like they did for Niels Feijen's 259.