No dispute that Efren is the GOAT, but who is the 9 ball GOAT?

[PoolBum]

$150K iirc.
Beat Feijen in the finals.
It's still the largest 9B purse afaik.

Nah, this is the largest 9 ball purse. You could easily fit 150K inside this.

 

[sjm]

So who is the best at big scores?

Jack Cooney.

 

[u12armresl]

So who is the best at big scores?

Legit scores?
2 real players playing each other?
Gaff games?
Backers who don't care and just want action?

There are so many scores we never hear about except through others, then there are guys like Cooney who you hear a little about.

 

[sjm]

Legit scores?
2 real players playing each other?
Gaff games?
Backers who don't care and just want action?

There are so many scores we never hear about except through others, then there are guys like Cooney who you hear a little about.

Very true. As for those not under the radar, Jose Parica played as well for the cash as anyone I've ever watched.

 

[maha]

all of the players were in on the cheating scandal. it just that buddy ended up being the one in the spotlight to do the final. and lebron was so out of stroke he couldnt take it down without all the steam that came from it.
he needed to bite the bullet and just win and have them suffer the losses. as it now follows them all their lives. i bet he wishes it never happened .

 

[straightline]

all of the players were in on the cheating scandal. it just that buddy ended up being the one in the spotlight to do the final. and lebron was so out of stroke he couldnt take it down without all the steam that came from it.
he needed to bite the bullet and just win and have them suffer the losses. as it now follows them all their lives. i bet he wishes it never happened .

Maybe he wanted to undump?
Regardless, I miss way better than that Buddy guy...

 

[straightline]

Jack Cooney.

Sounds pretty definitive.

 

[straightline]

Legit scores?
2 real players playing each other?
Gaff games?
Backers who don't care and just want action?

There are so many scores we never hear about except through others, then there are guys like Cooney who you hear a little about.

I read someplace they used to call in Dave Bollman to take down tourney winners but there must be dozens who can do that gig.
Pool. Only the guilty know for sure.

 

[u12armresl]

I read someplace they used to call in Dave Bollman to take down tourney winners but there must be dozens who can do that gig.
Pool. Only the guilty know for sure.

At pool and golf.

 

[FunChamp]

Next we can discuss who is the overall . Worst, Lassiter, Eddie Taylor, Sigel, Varner, player X who was never in the limelight, Efren, Parica, Alex, SVB, Darren Appleton, or FunChamp. Discuss. I vote for FunChamp

 

[AtLarge]

So just out of curiosity, who else was in the tournament, and who else did LeBron have to beat to make it to the final match?

,

1991 Challenge of Champions, First Round:

Hall def. Hopkins 5-3​

Lebron d. Rempe 5-4​

Davenport d. Sigel 5-4​

Howard d. Varner 5-0​

Second Round (Semi-Finals):

Hall d. Davenport 5-3​

Lebron d. Howard 5-3​

Finals:

Lebron d. Hall 9-8​

 

[jasonlaus]

Everyone mentioning Buddy Hall should mention Howard Vickery, both are huge stains on the game and you should just stop talking about them

And yet here you are mentioning him. Most don't even know who Vickery is

 

[jasonlaus]

Legit scores?
2 real players playing each other?
Gaff games?
Backers who don't care and just want action?

There are so many scores we never hear about except through others, then there are guys like Cooney who you hear a little about.

I watched 1 pocket sets in Vegas, where $250,000 was won before lunch and those were fairly regular games when I was staying out there.

 

[ideologist]

And yet here you are mentioning him. Most don't even know who Vickery is

You immediately understood the point, why celebrate someone who only hurt the game? Vegas blacklisted pool because of these dickheads.

They made their payday and hurt the game forever, no amount of stumpjumping in Oklahoma or romantic tales of action can counteract that.

 

[garczar]

All of you are wrong aside from OP

Efren revolutionized 9-ball. He stomped over everyone like King Kong until they figured out how to kick safe. Efren was so good at escaping what were considered "captain hook" safes, absolute lockup safes, it just blew everyone away. Excellent cueball, excellent pace, and he followed the Al Davis mantra "Just win, baby, win". He snatched victory so many times that we can't even count.

Most of the guys you mentioned in the vintage trifecta used "hit and hope" as a real strategy. Even when they figured out how to play, he was the undisputed master of creative play and ferocious defense for 20 years.

GOAT for sure. All modern play is based on his style.

buddy beat him almost everytime they played 9b. i asked Buddy once in about '04 and he said he was up pretty good on Efren playing 9b. They match they played in Houston at Red's was the first time they gambled. ER beat everyone to win the tourn. but Buddy beat him playing after.

 

[ideologist]

buddy beat him almost everytime they played 9b. i asked Buddy once in about '04 and he said he was up pretty good on Efren playing 9b. They match they played in Houston at Red's was the first time they gambled. ER beat everyone to win the tourn. but Buddy beat him playing after.

We believe gamblers talking about their own winnings now?

 

[garczar]

We believe gamblers talking about their own winnings now?

I've known BH a long time. He's not one to make shit up. Efren is great without a doubt but Buddy played better 9ball than he did. Apparently Buddy played pretty good 10b too.

 

[PoolBum]

Here are the players Efren beat at the Red's tournament in 1985:

Romero Flores
Dave Matlock
Bobby Hunter
Danny DiLiberto
Mike Gulyassy
Wade Crane

 

[metallicane]

What did Vickery do?

Sigel, SVB, Earl, Varner, Efren are my top 9ballers.

 

[measureman]

What did Vickery do?

Sigel, SVB, Earl, Varner, Efren are my top 9ballers.

went to prison for being a convicted pedophile.