It's almost too easy.
What if mosconi's high run was broken?
- Thread starter socopool
- Start date
It's almost too easy.
The best comparison i can come up with for someone beating 526 put up by Mosconi would be to that of some kid scoring 100 points during a pick up basketball game on the playground.
Everybody on that particular playground would talk about it like it was a world-record. News might spread to a few close playgrounds, where other kids would talk about it for a couple of days, but it would die off quickly because outside of that one playground, nobody else cares.
That, gentleman, is our playground.
Everybody on that particular playground would talk about it like it was a world-record. News might spread to a few close playgrounds, where other kids would talk about it for a couple of days, but it would die off quickly because outside of that one playground, nobody else cares.
That, gentleman, is our playground.
Even amongst pool room people 14.1 is a mystery.
When I go to the room and no one is there to play I practice straight pool because I like it and it fine tunes my game. I have had more then one old timer ask what was I playing. Now I understand the young people not knowing. Plus the fact that out here in the west as opposed to the northeast nobody plays the game much. So if the old guys in the room don't know the game how could one expect the general public to appreciate a record high run. And yes when non pool players find out I play they always ask was Fats the best ever. Just look at it this way that we are like a secret society.
When I go to the room and no one is there to play I practice straight pool because I like it and it fine tunes my game. I have had more then one old timer ask what was I playing. Now I understand the young people not knowing. Plus the fact that out here in the west as opposed to the northeast nobody plays the game much. So if the old guys in the room don't know the game how could one expect the general public to appreciate a record high run. And yes when non pool players find out I play they always ask was Fats the best ever. Just look at it this way that we are like a secret society.
Sadly this is true. I know some good 9 ball players who won't even attempt to play 14.1 because they think it's too easy....they say "you can shoot at any ball at any time, how hard can it be?" These are the same kinds of people who think balkline billiards is too easy because "you don't even have to hit a rail"....sigh.
14.1 needs to be reintroduced to the masses. It generally gets overlooked, even by so called "old guys" in the room. Thats is only because of the lack of knowledge of the games rules and or strategies.
There are players that perform terrible at rotation games that might pick up on the game and do really well, and due to him playing, become better player all around. It really helps you to appreciate pocket speed and the precision needed to break out clusters to be able to get those pesky high runs we all dream about.
We have a league here locally that forum member Mosconiac put together and it gets a warm reception from most who try it out. The handicaps seem to balance everything out very well and everyone has a good time win or lose. It has reintroduced the game to this area and the players are the ones who gain from it in every aspect of their game.
There are players that perform terrible at rotation games that might pick up on the game and do really well, and due to him playing, become better player all around. It really helps you to appreciate pocket speed and the precision needed to break out clusters to be able to get those pesky high runs we all dream about.
We have a league here locally that forum member Mosconiac put together and it gets a warm reception from most who try it out. The handicaps seem to balance everything out very well and everyone has a good time win or lose. It has reintroduced the game to this area and the players are the ones who gain from it in every aspect of their game.
Mike Eufimia has broken Willies record at least twice the good old boys at BCA just don't want to give it to anyone else.
If you don't do it in an exhibition or tournament with multiple witnesses from beginning to end, it doesn't count. At least as far as Brunswick is concerned. Mosconi did his run in front of a crowd. I would venture to guess that he had higher runs in practice.
Min Wai Chin also allegedly has several 600 plus runs.
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I wonder how long it would take to run 526. I've seen Mike Sigel run 150 in just over an hour, so it should take at least 3 1/2 hours, assuming that Willie played as fast as Mike. (And he didn't)
That's more time than even hardcore fans are willing to spend watching someone pocket one easy shot after another.
The exhibition clause makes this a very difficult record to break, because 14:1 exhibitions are not common anymore, and even if they were, it's likely that after 300 balls or so, all the potential witnesses would have left.
I've said before that I think John Schmidt would shatter the record if he played on a similar table to the one where Mosconi's run took place, but he would have to capture it on video for anyone to believe him...And video editing makes even that questionable.
I guess my point is that it would take absolutely perfect circumstances for anyone to break the record and be able to take credit for it, without the naysayers having a leg to stand on.
I actually think Willie played quite fast at times.
I remember reading a story where he had tickets to something(play or concert I think), and it started very shortly. He ran 150 and out in 20 something minutes, if I recall correctly.
Mosconi
Average people would still be clueless.
That doesn't take away from the achievement that is Mosconi. Second in his first world championship by one ball one game. 15 world championships almost consecutive with a few seconds sprinkled in and his high run. You all know all this if you don't check out The Hustler and the Champ its a good read. Or look at the BCA Rule book in the back there is a section for records. Mosconi's name is in there a whole lot.
Also here are a few videos from Freddy "the Beard" Bentivegna's site
Mosconi interview part 1
Mosconi interview part 2
Irving crane in his HOF interview with Luby says he once asked Mosconi for advice on his game. Mosconi looked at him and said "Don't Miss..." and walked away.
Average people would still be clueless.
That doesn't take away from the achievement that is Mosconi. Second in his first world championship by one ball one game. 15 world championships almost consecutive with a few seconds sprinkled in and his high run. You all know all this if you don't check out The Hustler and the Champ its a good read. Or look at the BCA Rule book in the back there is a section for records. Mosconi's name is in there a whole lot.
Also here are a few videos from Freddy "the Beard" Bentivegna's site
Mosconi interview part 1
Mosconi interview part 2
Irving crane in his HOF interview with Luby says he once asked Mosconi for advice on his game. Mosconi looked at him and said "Don't Miss..." and walked away.
Speaking of straight pool, have you guys ever play a game that's not 8 ball and have a random person say something silly? Like if I was playing:
9/10-ball: "Wow, who's solids/stripes?" or "Why didn't you go for that ball <the hanger>?"
One Pocket: "(after a safety break) Wow, who broke?" or "Why didn't you shoot it into that pocket?"
Straight Pool: "(after a safety break) Wow, who broke?" or "Wait, why did you shoot your opponent's ball?"
:grin:
9/10-ball: "Wow, who's solids/stripes?" or "Why didn't you go for that ball <the hanger>?"
One Pocket: "(after a safety break) Wow, who broke?" or "Why didn't you shoot it into that pocket?"
Straight Pool: "(after a safety break) Wow, who broke?" or "Wait, why did you shoot your opponent's ball?"
:grin:
You bring up an interesting point macguy. Several years ago, my men's masters team and our local women's masters team both won the state championship. If it wasn't for one of the women contacting the local paper, nothing would have been written about it. We only got a small article, but that's beside the point.
I bet if you stopped 10 American people on the street today and asked them who Willie Mosconi was, 9 out of 10 wouldn't have a clue.
If Willie's record got broken, ESPN might televise about 60-70 of the balls made (editing), but it wouldn't air until 3 months later.
Maniac
I agree, people outside the pool community have little knowledge about the game. I suspect if you asked the general public whether Mosconi or Fats was the better player they would choose Fats.
try this
Try this go to google news and make an email alert for news about pool and billiards. Then wait 6 months for something interesting to happen. Mostly you will receive real estate notices about condos in vegas and miami with Billiard rooms, occasionally you will receive a local feature about janette lee opening a pool and spa store. People who want to make the news usually call the newspaper ahead of time to tell them something is about to happen. Or hire a publicist to do it for em. They will cover our sport if we make them.
Try this go to google news and make an email alert for news about pool and billiards. Then wait 6 months for something interesting to happen. Mostly you will receive real estate notices about condos in vegas and miami with Billiard rooms, occasionally you will receive a local feature about janette lee opening a pool and spa store. People who want to make the news usually call the newspaper ahead of time to tell them something is about to happen. Or hire a publicist to do it for em. They will cover our sport if we make them.
Right On, Brother !!!
Thank You Very Much for voicing my (and millions of other's) opinion on Royalty and Hollywood Brats.
And yes, sadly, a 650 Ball Run in Straight Pool wouldn't even get
a "yawn" out of the Sports "bobble-heads".
Thank You Very Much for voicing my (and millions of other's) opinion on Royalty and Hollywood Brats.
And yes, sadly, a 650 Ball Run in Straight Pool wouldn't even get
a "yawn" out of the Sports "bobble-heads".
I had a dream that I ran 999 and to my horror no one out in the street knew it had happened! You can dismiss this or take it as a relevant, scientific proof that the outside world wouldn't know about Mosconi's record being broken.
I just hope it's streamed.
Since 14-1 is not the main game of professional pool today, after the initial event that must be documented, the persons name would be placed a record book and forgotten by most. The public in my opinion would not know the difference, unless some one came across it in the record book.
Now this does not reflect my sentiments about this, only what in my opinion would happen.
Mosconi ran a 589 and a 608 in practice (on a 9' table).
Do you know anything more about Chin's runs? I remember being really impressed with his game at the 2000 U.S. Open but I haven't really heard much about him since.
Where did you get the idea that Mosconi didn't play as fast as Sigel? Mosconi was known as a ridiculously fast player, twice he ran 150 and out in under 30 minutes. His 526 ball run is said to have taken about 2 1/2 hours.