I have long said that the reason Willie Mosconi was so valuable to Brunswick is that he made it look so easy that anyone could buy a table and start running racks! I watched old video of Willie when he was "on". Very very few shots over thirty inches total, cue ball to object ball to pocket. I don't remember him pocketing a ball that day that the average bar room banger couldn't pocket. The other side of that coin is that John and Jane Doe watching wouldn't see the magic of that run. Anyone could see the magic of Efren, the less flamboyant magic of Willie could slip right by those that didn't play pool.
I never played straight pool but sometimes after matching up with someone for an hour or three their young lady would come up to me, "That wasn't fair, you got all the easy shots!" "Yes ma'am, it goes that way sometimes."
Hu
For Review only:
Since I don't have much else to do during the pandemic, I extracted Mosconi's World Championship winning performances from Charlie Ursitti's records. This starts from the first one he won in 1941. Note that in 1933 he lost by a single ball. From 1941 to 1956 there were some other championships he didn't win; this is just a list of those he did win.
WCL = World Championship League
WCT = WC Tournament
WCM = WC Challenge Match
1940-1941 WCL 32xRR? 12 players Mosconi 176-48, Ponzi 144-80 (224 match season) multiple cities
1942 Dec. WCT 6 player DRR, Mosconi 9-1, Ponzi 6-4, Detroit
1944 Feb. WCM 10 blocks of 125, Mosconi 1250, Ponzi 924, KC, MO
1945 Feb. WCM 48 blocks of 125, Mosconi 5498, Greenleaf 3738, KC, Chi., NYC, Det.
1946 Mar. WCM 86 blocks of 125, Mosconi 8727, Caras 7508, 10 locations
1946 Nov. WCM 30 blocks of 125, Mosconi 3750, Crane 2919, 4 rooms
1947 May, WCM 16 blocks of 125, Mosconi 2000, Crane 918, Perth Amboy + Chicago
1947 Nov. WCM 32 blocks of 125, Mosconi 4000, Caras 2334, Det., Perth Amboy, KCMO
1948 Mar, WCM 9 blocks of 150, Mosconi 1350, Ponzi 643, Chicago
1950 Feb, WCT, 4-player DRR to 150, Mosconi 4-2, Crane 4-2 (playoff), Chi.
1951 Jan, WCM, 20 blocks of 150, Mosconi 3000, Crane 2323, Phila. and KCMO
1951 Feb, WCT, 4-player DRR to 150, Mosconi 6-0, Crane, Chenier and Canton all 2-4, Chicago
1952 Apr, WCT, 10-player RR to 150, Mosconi 8-1, Crane 7-2, Boston
1953 Mar, WCT, 9-player RR to 150, Mosconi 8-0, Procita, Caras, Moore, Crane tied at 5-3, San Francisco
1954 Mar, WCM, 16 blocks of 150, Mosconi 2400, Procita 989, Phila. and Chi.
1955 Nov, WCM, 10 blocks of 150, Mosconi 1500, Crane 676, Phila.
1956 Jan, WCM, 42 blocks of 150, Mosconi 6300, Caras 3007, 6 cities
1956 Mar, WCM, 12 blocks of 150, Mosconi 1800, Moore 879, Albuquerque
1956 Apr, WCT 8-player RR to 150, Mosconi 14-0, Crane 10-4, Kinston, NC
Note that beginning in 1950 the matches seem to have been played on 4.5x9-foot tables. Prior to that 10-foot tables were standard. It's not clear but some of the challenge matches in the 1950s may have been on 10-foot tables.
Bob Jewett
SF Billiard Academy
Instead of being in awe of 18" shots by Mosconi in hi-runs.
Look at the "Killer Attitude" displayed in those World championships, Match play and League or Round Robins.
Mosconi had no mercy for any opponent, even Ralph Greenleaf, Caras, Irving or anyone else.
Can you imagine this talent playing today's best, and in full attack mode?
No Mercy.
14.1 was his job, not a playground.
He would just turn it up a notch at anytime against anyone.
He will always sit atop the 14.1 Throne. None better.