The Legendary Pearl to Take On 14.1 Attempts

[alstl]

Objectively, much of Efren's well-deserved worldwide renown stems from his dazzlingly inventive and creative ability to extricate himself from difficulties his opponents leave him with, or difficulties (problems) which he has inadvertently imposed on himself.

The useful term heard in 14.1 discussions:"sustained excellence", perfectly describes a prime ingredient (beyond resilience and fitness) for ultra-high runs insofar as it pertains to "staying out of (self-imposed) trouble".

Having been fortunate enough to personally witness more than thirty of Willie Mosconi's Straight Pool exhibition and competition sessions during the 1950s and mid-1960s, I would informedly tell anyone that he got himself into trouble less often than any player the world has ever seen or heard of in the history of pool.

What for better or worse was behind the purity of play he displayed in his prime years -- his "sustained excellence" at 14.1 -- was his near-clinical - but beneficial -- total obsession with Perfection in every element that the game demanded. He was a virtual automaton swiftly but measuredly circling the table like the gifted dancer he actually was. Mistakes of judgment or positional execution were emotionally intolerable to him.

It's seemingly simplistic but actually inarguable that the limits on any world-class champion achieving multiple-century runs, always involve a characteristically sustained ability to stay out of trouble. By that measure even prime Efren would predictably falter under innocent, but statistically inevitable layout dilemmas. Endurance and excellence in long One Pocket back and forth exchanges with an opponent are not a useful or relevant metric to compare or predict a result for hyper-long sessions of any player alone at the table during a 14.1 challenge performance.

Arnaldo.

I have a question you are uniquely qualified to answer since you saw 30 of Mosconi's exhibitions. At the "Mosconi Cup" the fans in the stands are acting like buffoons trying to shark the players and apparently the organizers and referee approve.

What would Mosconi have done if the audience was yelling and trying to shark him like they do at the event named for him?

 

[realkingcobra]

I have a question you are uniquely qualified to answer since you saw 30 of Mosconi's exhibitions. At the "Mosconi Cup" the fans in the stands are acting like buffoons trying to shark the players and apparently the organizers and referee approve.

What would Mosconi have done if the audience was yelling and trying to shark him like they do at the event named for him?

Well, first off, Mosconi's name wouldn't be on this event if he was still alive, as he actually detested 9 ball, and actually felt 8 ball was a better game

 

[lfigueroa]

Funny Mosconi story Lou.

Sounds like your family and mine might have been neighbors. My Dad grew up on Cordova St, off Geneva right near the Cow Palace.

Bud, we would have been very close to each other -- my family lived on Winding Way.

I often played at The Billiard Palacade off Mission and Geneva.

Lou Figueroa

 

[arnaldo]

I have a question you are uniquely qualified to answer since you saw 30 of Mosconi's exhibitions. At the "Mosconi Cup" the fans in the stands are acting like buffoons trying to shark the players and apparently the organizers and referee approve.

What would Mosconi have done if the audience was yelling and trying to shark him like they do at the event named for him?

You're a very sharp, knowledgeable guy, Al -- My ESP tells me you knew the answer even before you finished typing your rhetorical hypothetical.

One raised eyebrow and twitch of Mosconi's pointed-finger towards the event manager, and as in the film about Elliot Ness vs Capone's mob (The Untouchables) the audience (jury) would have been emptied and replaced with a more respectful and appropriate one.

Or option (b) as in "Bronx Tales" the event manager (and burly associates) would have engaged in the bloody baseball bat pummeling scene, after announcing to the unruly biker buffoons: "Now yiz can't leave."

Arnaldo ~ Delightful imagery in either of the two above solutions. Charlie Ursitti himself would have decked 3 or 4 of the buffoons in a heartbeat.

 

[tomatoshooter]

Ok what’s the opening line on the over/under on earls high run?

We need to stipulate a certain number of attempts for the bet to be valid. If the number of attempts isn’t reached even if the over comes in the bet is off. That only fair for the under bettor and over bettor for obvious reasons.

Lou what’s a reasonable number of attempts? Id appreciate your input on that.

Establish a number of attempts for any runs to count. Then a over/under line to bet.

Let’s gambol
Fatboy

So if Earl runs 627 in his first attempt and goes home, the over doesn't pay?

 

[Fatboy]

So if Earl runs 627 in his first attempt and goes home, the over doesn't pay?

No

Need a defined number of attempts to activate any bet. Protects both sides.

That way nothing weird can happen like it did a month ago in that one match they extended.

My thinking anyways

Best
Fatboy

 

[ShortBusRuss]

Well, first off, Mosconi's name wouldn't be on this event if he was still alive, as he actually detested 9 ball, and actually felt 8 ball was a better game

It probably was back then, on table with slow cloth.

 

[tomatoshooter]

No

Need a defined number of attempts to activate any bet. Protects both sides.

That way nothing weird can happen like it did a month ago in that one match they extended.

My thinking anyways

Best
Fatboy

I've never thought about the over under when the number of attempts could vary. Maybe a max number of attempts for the over to count and a minimum for the under. So if Earl shows up on day one, runs 6 and goes home, bet cancels. If Earl runs 207 every day for a year and finally cracks off a 400 on attempt 400, the bet would have paid the under after attempt 50.

 

[Dead Money]

You're a very sharp, knowledgeable guy, Al -- My ESP tells me you knew the answer even before you finished typing your rhetorical hypothetical.

One raised eyebrow and twitch of Mosconi's pointed-finger towards the event manager, and as in the film about Elliot Ness vs Capone's mob (The Untouchables) the audience (jury) would have been emptied and replaced with a more respectful and appropriate one.

Or option (b) as in "Bronx Tales" the event manager (and burly associates) would have engaged in the flying clubs scene, after announcing to the unruly biker buffoons: "Now yiz can't leave."

Arnaldo ~ Delightful imagery in either of the two above solutions. Charlie Ursitti himself would have decked 3 or 4 of the buffoons in a heartbeat.

"Bronx Tales"

I love that movie!

 

[SBC]

It took me 2 or 3 days to make my first 50. It took me a month or so to make my first 70. It took me about 6 months to make my first 80. It took me about 18 months to make my first hundred.
I copied this from your post.
I've played straight pool for 60 years and have a lot of experience playing it in competition and what you have done in just 18 months is really good.

I spent a summer about 6 years back playing straight pool on my home nine foot anniversary with diamond spec pockets. Was playing alot of pool then and was shooting good enough to own the 9ball ghost on my home table. I studied some Grady videos and other straight pool strategy videos. Was getting 50s to 80s by the end of the first month.

Worked on break shots, using the best ones and avoiding getting stuck in the rack. By month 2 I'd broke 100 or better a couple times. That really got my attention.

I kept playing and got about 5 runs over 120, my highest was 168, a good 2 racks over any other. I was focused and was moving through racks quickly. On the 168 run at the beginning of the 13th rack I had a good break shot, with a back cut into the corner and the cueball hitting the rack ideally. I hit the break ball right in the hole but it jawed.

I never had another run over 100 after that. I soon stopped working on my straight pool game. Really have not played much straight pool since.

 

[alstl]

No

Need a defined number of attempts to activate any bet. Protects both sides.

That way nothing weird can happen like it did a month ago in that one match they extended.

My thinking anyways

Best
Fatboy

I'll bet he has a nice run somewhere along the line.

 

[AtLarge]

Lou,
What was Shane and the other players high runs so far in your events?

308 for Van Boening
266 (twice) for Chinahov in just 10 attempts

 

[cueman]

Here's what I have for Shane.

I can't find a similar compilation for Ruslan. Perhaps one of our AZ statistician can chime in.

Lou Figueroa

241 is pretty impressive. Maybe you could keep this going year after year and call it the 2022 Straight Pool High Run World championship. Each year gives another World Champion.

 

[lfigueroa]

241 is pretty impressive. Maybe you could keep this going year after year and call it the 2022 Straight Pool High Run World championship. Each year gives another World Champion.

I believe the intent is to let it go for awhile.

Lou Figueroa

 

[SBC]

I'll bet he has a nice run somewhere along the line.

I'd bet he breaks 250 or his stick. Either way he will pull the most viewers.

 

[DCMike]

Bud, we would have been very close to each other -- my family lived on Winding Way.

I often played at The Billiard Palacade off Mission and Geneva.

Lou Figueroa

I live about a mile from mission and Geneva …..Sadly, Billiard Palacade closed for good last year … I talked to Francisco’s daughter six months ago…. and there were no plans for reopening

 

[lfigueroa]

I'd bet he breaks 250 or his stick. Either way he will pull the most viewers.

I think the potential for stick abuse is very real.

Lou Figueroa

 

[lfigueroa]

I live about a mile from mission and Geneva …..Sadly, Billiard Palacade closed for good last year … I talked to Francisco’s daughter six months ago…. and there were no plans for reopening

oh no, that's very sad.

I started out playing there and probably spent two or three of my formative years there, sort of like a recently spawned baby salmon who stays in the tidal pools before attempting the run upstream. I was probably fresh out of 8th grade. It was a great room.

You’d walk in and there was a snooker table off to the right in the front window where “the big boys” played pink ball. The counter was to the left. Perhaps a dozen or more Gold Crowns. The room had huge vaulted ceilings, a reminder of the vaudeville theatre it once was in a past life.

Very sad to hear of its closing.

Lou Figueroa

 

[AF pool guy]

Guilty as sin.

Lou Figueroa

Okay, now I want to know what the title of all the spiral bound books are.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[alstl]

I'd bet he breaks 250 or his stick. Either way he will pull the most viewers.

We all know how high a gear Earl has when he is in stroke. That's why I'll watch.