Opening Break

[nick serdula]

Let me clarify

Hoppie would run out from his opening break. Not from the opponents break. And the break shot was no trick shot except to say that it was something only he was known to do.
Even doing the Mez and taking a scratch on your first shot so you could win the high run pool,it was $500 I think,because someone else ran 125 as amazing as it was comes up short to if you loose the break on a lag you don't see the table! And Steve did just that!
Seems up north years ago no one banked. And that is what really made this move amazing to me. Down here in the south,differant story. They bank at everything!
Thanks for your time!
Nick

 

[Pushout]

History lessons?
Willie Hoppie used to do this. He would announce to a crowd at his exibitions this is how you play straight pool. He called the head ball cross sides. Then he fired the cue into the head ball and banked it cross sides and run 100 balls declaring nothin to it.
Nick

I think you've got the names mixed up. Hoppe sneered at Pool. Do you mean Willie Mosconi?

 

[3andstop]

Maybe Minnesota Fats? ... I can't image any straight pool player in his right mind actually going in on some wacky cross corner or cross side flyer to start a game with the notion he would leave himself a shot afterwards.

Unless they were only playing me, that is ...

 

[rukiddingme]

Maybe Minnesota Fats? ... I can't image any straight pool player in his right mind actually going in on some wacky cross corner or cross side flyer to start a game with the notion he would leave himself a shot afterwards.

Unless they were only playing me, that is ...

Yes...but if you know the shot and have practiced it and make it regularly...and it may extend your best run ever...why not?
ruk

 

[Bob Jewett]

... I used to hear stories in New York in the middle 60's about Hoppie running out from the break and Greenleaf running 1200 balls and to this day I still say nothing close....

As others mentioned, Willie Hoppe could play pool, but played various kinds of carom billiards in his exhibitions. I don't know if Hoppe ever had a one-inning game at any form of billiards, but since he doesn't mention one in his book, "Billiards As It Should Be Played," I assume he did not.

The shots from the full rack that Mosconi is said to have played are:

the back corner ball one rail to a head pocket

the head ball straight into the side

the head ball two rails (side, head) to the side after playing the cue ball off the foot rail to the back corner ball

I have never heard any rumors of high practice runs by Greenleaf. I think his highest tournament run was 125 or 127.

 

[Robertduke]

lol, it's nice to give respect to the old greats, but I think you're too easily impressed by trick shots. Being able to call a funny shot from a full rack doesn't mean you're the best player in the universe (though Greenleaf certainly might have been, for a while).

Today's players are very close to the skill of the legends. Several modern players, even if they didn't try a bank as the opening shot, have run out from their first turn at the table (from 0 to 150). As for a run of 1200 balls... lol even Fats wouldn't make up such a crazy number. Better to make up a more believable number like 700.

Thomas engert is still playing and has a higher run than hoppe or greenleaf, I believe...

Didnt they play on 5 by 10s..

 

[CreeDo]

true
Maybe engert only runs half as many on a larger table. We'll never know.