Mr. X

[L.S. Dennis]

I just watched Willie Mosconi (mister X) on ‘What’s My Line’ filimed Sept 2 1962 and none of the panel could nail his occupation.

Willie looked quite dapper in those days,,

 

[middleofnowhere]

I just watched Willie Mosconi (mister X) on ‘What’s My Line’ filimed Sept 2 1962 and none of the panel could nail his occupation.

Willie looked quite dapper in those days,,

There was a time before cable news and the internet when everybody had just three tv channels and a local paper. In fact before, I think it was Telstar to get film of international news it came as a can of film on a fast jet.

It is surprising what average people didn't know back then. Fats was also on WML and they didn't know him. So was Jimmy Carter and Mercury astronauts.

That phone you have in your pocket connected to the internet has access to pretty much all the accumulated knowledge known to man from the beginning of time.

By comparison people of just say the 50s lived in a complete information vacuum. They knew little beyond their own small world. You know, very few of the public knew FDR was in a wheel chair and he was the President.

For good or bad, what a time we live in. As it was for those people not so far back, we can't imagine what the future will be.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Willie Mosconi was classy guy.

 

[garczar]

Times haven't changed much. Then or today nobody in the general public has a clue who the best poolplayer is.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Most people playing pool today, the recreational players could not name 10 top pros.

Phx Sun just played in NBA final, l live in Phx, could not name one person on team.

 

[Rusty in Montana]

I'm just a young pup compared to some on here and I remember having just two channels to choose from in the 60's around the early 70's is when we got a third channel .
Around that time our phone number went from 5 numbers to 7 without operator assistance .

I can't blame you for not knowing the names of the players for the Sun's , I grew up around rodeo and have know many contestants and competed against some and any more I recognize some of them ha ha . Isn't getting old fun ????

Yes I enjoyed watching Willie on that show and no I didn't watch it live ha ha

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Well my best & longest friend was Willie’s cousin, met Willie in friend business in 1960’s. Friend introduced me to Willie, said my cousin is Pool player. Never put 1+ 1 together at time.

Modt of Mosconi were in entertainment biz, Willie went his own way. Was successful.

My buddy dad was mentioned in Book - Willie’s World, he was talent agent in HollyWeird, Lou Sr.

 

[Pin]

Most people playing pool today, the recreational players could not name 10 top pros.

Phx Sun just played in NBA final, l live in Phx, could not name one person on team.

Charles Barkley.
Jason Kidd.

I don't know how they got past Stockton and Malone though.

 

[Pin]

 

[middleofnowhere]

Mosconi was also on I've Got a Secret. You can find it on YouTube. His secret I think was he taught a trick shot to one of the panelists Bill Cullen.

Heres another clip. Who ever posted it did some cutting but the best part starts about 1.30 in. it shows there was a time pool players were on legitimate TV.

Another fun clip

 

[Fatboy]

There was a time before cable news and the internet when everybody had just three tv channels and a local paper. In fact before, I think it was Telstar to get film of international news it came as a can of film on a fast jet.

It is surprising what average people didn't know back then. Fats was also on WML and they didn't know him. So was Jimmy Carter and Mercury astronauts.

That phone you have in your pocket connected to the internet has access to pretty much all the accumulated knowledge known to man from the beginning of time.

By comparison people of just say the 50s lived in a complete information vacuum. They knew little beyond their own small world. You know, very few of the public knew FDR was in a wheel chair and he was the President.

For good or bad, what a time we live in. As it was for those people not so far back, we can't imagine what the future will be.

I liked it when everyone was uninformed

 

[L.S. Dennis]

I'm just a young pup compared to some on here and I remember having just two channels to choose from in the 60's around the early 70's is when we got a third channel .
Around that time our phone number went from 5 numbers to 7 without operator assistance .

I can't blame you for not knowing the names of the players for the Sun's , I grew up around rodeo and have know many contestants and competed against some and any more I recognize some of them ha ha . Isn't getting old fun ????

Yes I enjoyed watching Willie on that show and no I didn't watch it live ha ha

 

[L.S. Dennis]

Actually the reason he had to sign in as ‘mister X’ is because people of that time did know his name but not his appearance, Probably people of that time knew the names of some top players but had no idea of what they looked like. Hell, my father who was as far removed for the game of pool as one could be knew the name of Willie Mosconi.

As someone said in an earlier post, today ther would be virtually nobody who would have any idea who the top ten players were today in pool.

 

[ChrisinNC]

Willie Mosconi was classy guy.

I’ve heard more than one first hand account that would differ with that opinion, usually after missing a shot in an exhibition.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

I’ve heard more than one first hand account that would differ with that opinion, usually after missing a shot in an exhibition.

Make no mstake about it, Mosconi is well known for his temper especially if he were to miss

 

[garczar]

Make no mstake about it, Mosconi is well known for his temper especially if he were to miss

What really top player isn't? Some hide it better but its there.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

What really top player isn't? Some hide it better but its there.

Of course no top player (or any player) likes to lose but most and I’m thinking of people like Nick Varner can lose with dignity and respect for their opponent.

Mosconi was known for being particularly mercurial so much so that if I’m not mistaken he actually launched his cue like a spear through a wall at one of his tournaments.

 

[garczar]

Of course no top player (or any player) likes to lose but most and I’m thinking of people like Nick Varner can lose with dignity and respect for their opponent.

Mosconi was known for being particularly mercurial so much so that if I’m not mistaken he actually launched his cue like a spear through a wall at one of his tournaments.

WM's problem was he was a child prodigy and was coddled like a little kid from a early age. Sounds like he would have fit in perfectly in todays world of butthurt entitled whiners.

 

[L.S. Dennis]

A child prodigy to be sure, but I’m not sure about being coddled as a your kid. From what I’ve read his had a somewhat abusive father and probably not the greatest of childhoods.

 

[garczar]

A child prodigy to be sure, but I’m not sure about being coddled as a your kid. From what I’ve read his had a somewhat abusive father and probably not the greatest of childhoods.

I forgot to put 'probably'. I have no clue as to his actual upbringing. Have just seen the same attitude in many child prodigys.