Questions about Luther Lassiter

[Big Bad Bern]

I have just finished watching one of the classic ESPN videos featuring Luther Lassiter vs UJ Puckett. I was wondering as I have read alot ( hustler days & several articles ) about how great a player Lassiter was if anybody who had seen him play at the top of his game could answer some questions for me. Is his form ( stance stroke etc. ) in these videos similar to when he was at his best, and if not what are the differences, as I was thinking about varying my fundamentals to be similar to his.

Bernie


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Life is short, it's better to win! -- Lance Armstrong

 

[drivermaker]

I have just finished watching one of the classic ESPN videos featuring Luther Lassiter vs UJ Puckett. I was wondering as I have read alot ( hustler days & several articles ) about how great a player Lassiter was if anybody who had seen him play at the top of his game could answer some questions for me. Is his form ( stance stroke etc. ) in these videos similar to when he was at his best, and if not what are the differences, as I was thinking about varying my fundamentals to be similar to his.

Bernie

Yep...that's how he did it. Players stood taller to the shot back then. The trend now is to have the chin on or close to the cue.

 

[Blackjack]

I have just finished watching one of the classic ESPN videos featuring Luther Lassiter vs UJ Puckett. I was wondering as I have read alot ( hustler days & several articles ) about how great a player Lassiter was if anybody who had seen him play at the top of his game could answer some questions for me. Is his form ( stance stroke etc. ) in these videos similar to when he was at his best, and if not what are the differences, as I was thinking about varying my fundamentals to be similar to his.

Bernie


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Life is short, it's better to win! -- Lance Armstrong

Yes it is. Luther was one of the greatest players to ever play the game of pool. The 1982 broadcasts are not a good representation of his true playing ability. Towards the end, he did not have the consistency or the eyesight that he once had. Luther was a very inventive player that was extremely strong mentally. Mike Sigel has compared Corey Deuel to Luther Lassiter, and I agree 100%. They are very similar.

Luther's stance was not textbook, yet he was very balanced. Sometimes, I could swear that when he shot in a ball, he didnt have to look at it. His mind always seemed to be 3-4 shots ahead of what he was shooting. His straight up stance would seem odd to players of today, but Wimpy always seemed to get the job done despite flaws in his mechanics. He was also one of the nicest people to talk to, and he was a great storyteller.

 

[Big Bad Bern]

Thank you drivermaker and blackjack for your replies. I guess I'll try it and see if it works for me. I am just trying to find a way to consistency as I am a
'B' player, some days I play unbeatable and win against some of the best local players and sometimes I struggle to make two balls in a row. After having seen several different coaches over a five year period who all taught different stances, grips, and strokes I've come to paralisis of analysis with so many fundamentals to choose from. As Luther was one of the greatest players ever I hope this will bring the consistency that I need.

Thank you
Bernie

_________________________________________________________________

Life is short, its better to win -- Lance Armstrong

 

[scottycoyote]

i watched a match a few weeks back between lassiter and i think it was jimmy moore (whoever was called the cowboy). They were both much older in this match.....id say in their 60s, but they were both running racks pretty strongly, i think the match must have been in the late 70s or 80s, a really young allen hopkins was commentating and the production level was really low, it was like an old wild world of sports thing.
Anyway, what i noticed was what little fanfare and preparation these guys shot with......both stood straight up......they would take a few tiny little 2 or 3 inch warmup strokes, line up the shot and shoot......all soft shots mostly, not much english. I wondered at the time if they always shot like this.....or if its something that had developed over time, or maybe they had to shoot like this because of their ages (bad joints, bad eyesight, etc). Id really love to see some footage of lassiter in his prime if it exists......seems like ive seen a dvd for sale that had footage from that old gamblers get together that used to have back in the 50's i think.....i believe it was in johnston city but i cant recall for sure.

 

[the kirkwood ki]

IMHO Lassiter was the best player that ever lived. He won 18 world championships after he spent years on the road dominating almost everyone. Never had a real job, lived his entire life off of pool.
Bert Kinister has some tapes of Lassiter on his site. I'm not sure when they are from though. Some Johnson city footage too. Great classic tapes.

i watched a match a few weeks back between lassiter and i think it was jimmy moore (whoever was called the cowboy). They were both much older in this match.....id say in their 60s, but they were both running racks pretty strongly, i think the match must have been in the late 70s or 80s, a really young allen hopkins was commentating and the production level was really low, it was like an old wild world of sports thing.
Anyway, what i noticed was what little fanfare and preparation these guys shot with......both stood straight up......they would take a few tiny little 2 or 3 inch warmup strokes, line up the shot and shoot......all soft shots mostly, not much english. I wondered at the time if they always shot like this.....or if its something that had developed over time, or maybe they had to shoot like this because of their ages (bad joints, bad eyesight, etc). Id really love to see some footage of lassiter in his prime if it exists......seems like ive seen a dvd for sale that had footage from that old gamblers get together that used to have back in the 50's i think.....i believe it was in johnston city but i cant recall for sure.

 

[B.J.the bandit]

Old Players

i watched a match a few weeks back between lassiter and i think it was jimmy moore (whoever was called the cowboy). They were both much older in this match.....id say in their 60s, but they were both running racks pretty strongly, i think the match must have been in the late 70s or 80s, a really young allen hopkins was commentating and the production level was really low, it was like an old wild world of sports thing.
Anyway, what i noticed was what little fanfare and preparation these guys shot with......both stood straight up......they would take a few tiny little 2 or 3 inch warmup strokes, line up the shot and shoot......all soft shots mostly, not much english. I wondered at the time if they always shot like this.....or if its something that had developed over time, or maybe they had to shoot like this because of their ages (bad joints, bad eyesight, etc). Id really love to see some footage of lassiter in his prime if it exists......seems like ive seen a dvd for sale that had footage from that old gamblers get together that used to have back in the 50's i think.....i believe it was in johnston city but i cant recall for sure.

Go to 1-pocket.org to see pic of them!!