Pool Urban Legends

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voiceofreason

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I was reading a book today that described an urban legend that allegedly took place during the second world war. The Russians, sometime during the invasion of Russia by Germany and whilst the USA were supplying them. asked for a million condoms. In an effort to impress their American suppliers they asked that they be at least 15 inches long.

The USA duly had these made a shipped a container load marked "medium".

I have no idea of the truth of this but it did make me chuckle and it also got me wondering about pool urban legends?

Even better, is there evidence of people successfully starting a rumour and seeing it spread round the block and all the way back?

We have one in our local area about the time that Jimmy White came down to play a local for cash. There was a heavy handicap difference but Jimmy knocked in a 147 in the first frame and the player complained the table was too easy so they swapped tables and Jimmy knocked another 147 in. Thus, the legend was born about Jimmy knocking in two back to back 147's on two different tables.
 
voiceofreason said:
I was reading a book today that described an urban legend that allegedly took place during the second world war. The Russians, sometime during the invasion of Russia by Germany and whilst the USA were supplying them. asked for a million condoms. In an effort to impress their American suppliers they asked that they be at least 15 inches long.

The USA duly had these made a shipped a container load marked "medium".

I have no idea of the truth of this but it did make me chuckle and it also got me wondering about pool urban legends?

Even better, is there evidence of people successfully starting a rumour and seeing it spread round the block and all the way back?

We have one in our local area about the time that Jimmy White came down to play a local for cash. There was a heavy handicap difference but Jimmy knocked in a 147 in the first frame and the player complained the table was too easy so they swapped tables and Jimmy knocked another 147 in. Thus, the legend was born about Jimmy knocking in two back to back 147's on two different tables.
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Real player but somewhat urban legend Johnny Irish
I remember being at an exhibition by Danny DiLiberto People in the crowd would ask questions and someone began talking about Johnny Irish. They went on to recount things they had seen him do that were by anyones estimation, impossible, but they would swear they saw it. Dannys response was pretty funny.

"Yea, Johnny Irish was a great player and the longer he is dead, the better he plays".
 
macguy said:
...Dannys response was pretty funny.
"Yea, Johnny Irish was a great player and the longer he is dead, the better he plays".
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On the topic of Diliberto...I heard he had many talents (other than pool).
The legend goes that he once both bowled a "300" and ran a "significant" number of balls in 14.1 on the SAME DAY.

Sorry, I forget the details, but that's the jist. :p
 
boogeyman said:
On the topic of Diliberto...I heard he had many talents (other than pool).
The legend goes that he once both bowled a "300" and ran a "significant" number of balls in 14.1 on the SAME DAY.

Sorry, I forget the details, but that's the jist. :p
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Danny was one hell of a boxer....Angelo Dundee didn't take on any bums.
I asked him once if the reason he took up pool was because he misunderstood the
term 'double knockout'......probably thought it would be twice the fun.
 
Danny had to give up boxing because of his hands. They were too fragile for boxing and he had too many injuries. He was a hell of an athlete, one of his propositions was to bet he could stand in the end zone of a football and throw a golf ball through the uprights on the other end.
 
Here is my Pool Urban Legend:

Back in the 1960s Wimpy (Luther Lassiter) was playing $100 a rack 9-Ball against some Hustler. Wimpy wins the flip and proceeds to run 8 racks.
Now down $800 the Hustler tells Wimpy that he needs to be spotted the 8-Ball. For which Wimpy replies "How can I spot you the 8, I haven't seen you shoot yet"
 
spktur said:
Danny had to give up boxing because of his hands. They were too fragile for boxing and he had too many injuries. He was a hell of an athlete, one of his propositions was to bet he could stand in the end zone of a football and throw a golf ball through the uprights on the other end.
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The golf ball bet was for real , I saw him throw a golf ball over 100 yards.
The interesting thing was, he could throw other things long distances as well Basket balls or baseballs. I am not sure how he was able to do this.

I remember one night he got into some kind of argument with a guy in the Congress and the guy wanted to play one on one basketball. This guy was like 6' 6". Danny told him if he wanted to do something with a basketball he would bet him a thousand he could throw the ball farther then he could.

At that point the guy become kind of insulting, (Remember this guy is huge). Danny gets like a foot away from the guy and says, "I'll tell you what, there is another sport we can play if you want". I think the guy got the message as well as this was no bluff.

Danny used to be so quick it was scary. If he shadowed boxed at you you could not see his hands coming. I saw him fake sparing with Jimmy Ellis who although a heavy weight was not much taller then Danny. Danny would slap him in the face and Ellis could not seem to see it coming or block it Danny's hands were so fast.

Ellis used to come to the pool room after training at the 5st gym in Miami that was owned by Chris Dundee Angelo's brother. I used to go over there and you could sit and watch Ellis or then Cassius Clay train.
 
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jmurphy said:
Here is my Pool Urban Legend:

Back in the 1960s Wimpy (Luther Lassiter) was playing $100 a rack 9-Ball against some Hustler. Wimpy wins the flip and proceeds to run 8 racks.
Now down $800 the Hustler tells Wimpy that he needs to be spotted the 8-Ball. For which Wimpy replies "How can I spot you the 8, I haven't seen you shoot yet"
Click to expand...

Quality...
 
voiceofreason said:
I was reading a book today that described an urban legend that allegedly took place during the second world war. The Russians, sometime during the invasion of Russia by Germany and whilst the USA were supplying them. asked for a million condoms. In an effort to impress their American suppliers they asked that they be at least 15 inches long.

The USA duly had these made a shipped a container load marked "medium".

I have no idea of the truth of this but it did make me chuckle and it also got me wondering about pool urban legends?

Even better, is there evidence of people successfully starting a rumour and seeing it spread round the block and all the way back?

We have one in our local area about the time that Jimmy White came down to play a local for cash. There was a heavy handicap difference but Jimmy knocked in a 147 in the first frame and the player complained the table was too easy so they swapped tables and Jimmy knocked another 147 in. Thus, the legend was born about Jimmy knocking in two back to back 147's on two different tables.
Click to expand...
A common story is the guy who comes in and plays anyone for any amount using a broom handle. Although you can play with a broom handle you can't really beat anyone who can play at all. But people will swear they saw it happen and the guy ran racks with the broom handle.
 
macguy said:
A common story is the guy who comes in and plays anyone for any amount using a broom handle. Although you can play with a broom handle you can't really beat anyone who can play at all. But people will swear they saw it happen and the guy ran racks with the broom handle.
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Well he did not play any one in the room for any amount of money. But I have seen a guy play with a broom. He did not run racks but he did win.
 
DblGonzo said:
Well he did not play any one in the room for any amount of money. But I have seen a guy play with a broom. He did not run racks but he did win.
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Most urban legends have some basis in reality It is the exaggeration that happens as the story gets retold and passed on.

I play good with a broom also but I can't really beat anyone who can play. I can beat non players.
 
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macguy said:
Most urban legends have some basis in reality It is the exaggeration that happens as the story gets retold and passed on.

I play good with a broom also but I can't really beat anyone who can play. I can beat non players.
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I have played with a broom many times..
 
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