You do realize that Willie Hoppe was born in 1887?
...he was no spring chicken in '49
So who was (is) the Greatest Player ever ?
- Thread starter PoolBoy1
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You do realize that Willie Hoppe was born in 1887?
...he was no spring chicken in '49
can you do likewise with the american stats?
hey if the good ole usa was in fact producing the best in the world and had the best talent pool, so be it, sure that would mean hoppe was likely the world's best
I don't see proof either way, most of the stuff online is simply incomplete when referencing any types of official records
I've hijacked this thread enough
straight eye test, Ronnie O as the best of his kind
His warm up strokes were almost circular, it looked very unorthodox.
Efren had to change his stroke before he started winning tournaments consistently in the USA. His warm up strokes were almost circular, it looked very unorthodox and broke down under the pressure of the finals (or pressure of "The Sigel") .
If anyone saw how he stroked the ball in the mid 80s they will agree. He got beat many times by Sigel and the other champions of his era before he made the changes.
His game actually peaked out (in tournament play) after the 80s. (imho) His record speaks for it's self in this matter, although he may have hit some really high gears in the 70s due to his immense, natural talent.....although this was in comfortable surroundings that he was accustomed to.
Efren had to change his stroke before he started winning tournaments consistently in the USA. His warm up strokes were almost circular, it looked very unorthodox and broke down under the pressure of the finals (or pressure of "The Sigel") .
If anyone saw how he stroked the ball in the mid 80s they will agree. He got beat many times by Sigel and the other champions of his era before he made the changes.
His game actually peaked out (in tournament play) after the 80s. (imho) His record speaks for it's self in this matter, although he may have hit some really high gears in the 70s due to his immense, natural talent.....although this was in comfortable surroundings that he was accustomed to.
Rex Williams a multiple English Billiards World Champion and top ranked world class snooker player lost a series of mixed game matches to a 60 year old Mosconi in 1974 (snooker on 5x10's)
Rex is still alive and has played all the snooker greats up to the latest crop of talent, who here would not wanna pick his brain for a few hours.....what a living billiards treasure
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1974/01/25/page/51/article/mosconi-at-60-still-cleans-tables
how many 60 year old pool players today could beat a world class snooker guy in his prime at both games?
Rex is still alive and has played all the snooker greats up to the latest crop of talent, who here would not wanna pick his brain for a few hours.....what a living billiards treasure
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1974/01/25/page/51/article/mosconi-at-60-still-cleans-tables
how many 60 year old pool players today could beat a world class snooker guy in his prime at both games?
another Mosconi tidbit I find interesting,
it seems as if all the top hustlers and money players of the day avoided him like the plague, yes we know Willie frowned on all that but I can't see how he never matched up against alot of these guys over the span of his championship years
surely he played cash matches, his ego was huge, I read his bio a long time ago, and all the top cash players had big egos too
it seems as if all the top hustlers and money players of the day avoided him like the plague, yes we know Willie frowned on all that but I can't see how he never matched up against alot of these guys over the span of his championship years
surely he played cash matches, his ego was huge, I read his bio a long time ago, and all the top cash players had big egos too
Good list ill go with this
I would have to go out on a limb here and say, Mosconi, if He did, would ONLY play 14.1 for the money! In that regard, I don't think there were many that wanted his action!
Great article and match, I remember it! If you're a champion or TOP player and have the knowledge and still maintain some level of ability at 60 or older, it's difficult for another to win. Obviously, Willie still processed ALL those qualities at that age!
Hell, I'll be 70 in June, and I think I would play ANY 'snuu-ker' player 3 Cushion for the CASH!
Second the motion. Knowledge in this game trumps youth nearly every time. As long as your mind is good, you can get to the table, and deliver a quality stroke. Been proven too many times particularly in the so called "thinking games" 14:1, 1Pocket, Carom games, Snooker.
How good was Efren when he was younger?? 
Here is some demonstration from 95 U.S open.
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrRxfvA-cCvLA4N1eyEq-PCCe451MEX-B
P.s Grady is making list of great players somewhere on match.. He mention C.J Wiley besides Earl, Varner etc.
So I really recommend taking his comments seriously enough because he was one of top guys out there.. I noticed many are making fun of him even he shares knowledge here for FREE!
Admit his posts look sometimes more like ads.
Here is some demonstration from 95 U.S open.
https://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrRxfvA-cCvLA4N1eyEq-PCCe451MEX-B
P.s Grady is making list of great players somewhere on match.. He mention C.J Wiley besides Earl, Varner etc.
So I really recommend taking his comments seriously enough because he was one of top guys out there.. I noticed many are making fun of him even he shares knowledge here for FREE!
Admit his posts look sometimes more like ads.
I had the pleasure of watching Rex Williams play for a few evenings in about 1977 in a 5 evening Billiard challenge with Eddie Charlton. He rarely went to the table without making a century break. Eddie was a pretty good all-rounder too! Eddie was a considerably better snooker player than Rex Williams I believe.
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