Who Beat Mosconi in Exhibition?

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AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I wonder how many people beat Willie Mosconi in exhibition matches and who some of them were? I know that I was always told that a fellow named John Cook beat him real bad in Binghamton, NY sometime in the '50s, I think. I was also told that Willie never took it well when he lost.
Comments?
 
If you want a good picture of Willie Mosconi when he was up and coming in the pool community, definitely check out the book "The Hustler and the Champ" by R.A. Dyer. I just got this book for Christmas, that and Running the Table, and I'm just going through this book now.

You really get to know a lot about Willie's fiery, but stoic, personality, and the love-hate relationship he shared with the sport. You see his comments on the potential greatness of pocket billiards, but you also hear about him wanting to wrap his cue around the neck of a tournament organizer for introducing a funky rule.

Nutshell:

I really have no answer to your post, but I'm looking forward to the answers as much as you are. :D
 
Ben Katz, at the student union MSU Starkville, MS in the early 60s. Ben ran just over 150 balls and quit. Happened to quit without trying a tough break shot. He just handed the cue ball to Mosconi and said, I'm tired, you shoot a while. Ben was one of the best unknown players of that time period.
 
I'm pretty sure "The Old Trapper"

whacked Mosconi in a Brunswick exhibition around Springfield,Ohio.
 
BWTadpole said:
If you want a good picture of Willie Mosconi when he was up and coming in the pool community, definitely check out the book "The Hustler and the Champ" by R.A. Dyer.
Click to expand...

Just finished it a few weeks back. I've also read Willie's Game. I did have the opportunity to meet Willie a couple of times.
 
I was told that Harold Taberski, son of World champion Frank Taberski, beat Willie in exhibition. This was told to me by an old acquintance named Brad Taberski, Harold's son.
 
Mosconi exhibitions

Chicago's Javanley "Youngblood" Washington beat him at Bensinger's; I was there to see it. Willie was clearly not happy, but took his defeat graciously. GF
 
mosconi

He playered a number of exhibitions in the late 60's at Spinella's Albamarle off Flatbush Ave. in Brooklyn.
No one ever beat him.
 
selftaut said:
Here is a video of Jimmy Caras vs. Willie in a 14.1 TV match, you can see how much Willie likes getting beat. He didn't have his magic that day.

http://www.surreypool.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=180
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That's a great video. A couple of points....

The referee was a total idiot. His main job seemed to be to shark the players with waving arms and missed calls. Also, he didn't help with the bridge as he should have.

The lack of call at 15:05 was questionable. I wonder what rules they were playing by.

The mechanical bridge evidently scratched Caras's cue as he had to work for a minute to smooth it after a bridge shot.

It looked like Mosconi missed two shots due to table roll. One was a safe where he missed the ball entirely and the other was a moderately soft shot to the far corner where he didn't even touch the jaws. Between that and the idiot ref, I'm not surprised that he was irritated.
 
hangemhigh said:
whacked Mosconi in a Brunswick exhibition around Springfield,Ohio.
Click to expand...
I believe 'The Old Trapper' George Rood told me he had a winning record against Mosconi in something like 11 exhibitions (George never played in the tournaments). One time Mosconi got so hot he challenged George to a longer session. Mosconi did win that by a pretty good margin.

George Rood interview here
 
George Fels said:
Chicago's Javanley "Youngblood" Washington beat him at Bensinger's; I was there to see it. Willie was clearly not happy, but took his defeat graciously. GF
Click to expand...
George, was that the time that I've heard told Youngblood got Mosconi to play him 2 out of 3 -- straight pool 9-ball and Banks?
 
An old friend of mine by the name of Jim Abel beat him,he is from NY and at one time held the world record for most balls pocketed in 24 hours,he also beat the Miz,Caras,and a few others,if i had his book handy i could post some of the names. :)
 
1pocket said:
I believe 'The Old Trapper' George Rood told me he had a winning record against Mosconi in something like 11 exhibitions (George never played in the tournaments). One time Mosconi got so hot he challenged George to a longer session. Mosconi did win that by a pretty good margin.

George Rood interview here
Click to expand...

George told me the story about 12 years ago.

Willie would contact George when he had ehibitions scheduled
in the area. I don't recall a claim that he won more than he lost,
but there were a few juicy tidbits.

One time George won a late evening match - Willie insisted they play
a second game. The owner said no at first, local closing law was
strictly enforced, and he was concerned they couldn't finish in time.
Willie was adamant - they played anyway - they did have to play
past closing time - Willie won.

In 1956 George again won a match, Willie was so upset he challenged
George to a 1500 point match. Willie put up his World title and even
got someone to put up $1500 as a prize.

Side note - in 1956, union auto workers, who make $25 - $30 an
hour today made about $80 a week.

George said Willie showed up for the match with his own set of balls,
an ivory cue ball, and a look of grim determination - Willie won.

George would have liked to play 9 Ball(his best game) along with
14.1 - Willie wasn't going for it.

Dale
 
pdcue said:
George told me the story about 12 years ago.

Willie would contact George when he had ehibitions scheduled
in the area. I don't recall a claim that he won more than he lost,
but there were a few juicy tidbits.

One time George won a late evening match - Willie insisted they play
a second game. The owner said no at first, local closing law was
strictly enforced, and he was concerned they couldn't finish in time.
Willie was adamant - they played anyway - they did have to play
past closing time - Willie won.

In 1956 George again won a match, Willie was so upset he challenged
George to a 1500 point match. Willie put up his World title and even
got someone to put up $1500 as a prize.

Side note - in 1956, union auto workers, who make $25 - $30 an
hour today made about $80 a week.

George said Willie showed up for the match with his own set of balls,
an ivory cue ball, and a look of grim determination - Willie won.

George would have liked to play 9 Ball(his best game) along with
14.1 - Willie wasn't going for it.

Dale
Click to expand...
I'm gonna tell all of you who do not allready know. George Rood was one of the best,ever. When you see him lay down moves at 90yrs. old + that you may never see anyone come with again in your lifetime,you know what I mean.
 
DeadPoked said:
Did you really get to play him Jay? What's the story behind that?
Click to expand...

I played him at Ye Billiard Den in Hollywood, CA back about 1968. Before the match he told me, "Kid, these people are here to see me...get it?"

He didn't have to worry. I nearly sh-t my brains out trying to make a ball. I did get to 19 before he ran 131 and out. After that debacle, he liked me and I spent quite a bit of time with him over the years. He was a very nice man off the table. On the table, he could be a little touchy to say the least.

I used to have a photo of me at the table with Mosconi watching me shoot. I don't know what happened to it. Wish I had it now. I think Yobagua was around back then. He may have been at that exhibition.
 
Bob Jewett said:
That's a great video. A couple of points....

The referee was a total idiot. His main job seemed to be to shark the players with waving arms and missed calls. Also, he didn't help with the bridge as he should have.

The lack of call at 15:05 was questionable. I wonder what rules they were playing by.

The mechanical bridge evidently scratched Caras's cue as he had to work for a minute to smooth it after a bridge shot.

It looked like Mosconi missed two shots due to table roll. One was a safe where he missed the ball entirely and the other was a moderately soft shot to the far corner where he didn't even touch the jaws. Between that and the idiot ref, I'm not surprised that he was irritated.
Click to expand...

Wow, great video, but Bob is 100% right, that ref was the biggest jackass I have ever witnessed. Why didn't he just stay away from the table? Just annonce the ball and pocket and stay away. Unbelievable. I thought Willie was going to drop him.
 
Mosconi Exhibition

I was told by many an old timer, that back when Willie Mosconi had won his first World 14.1 Championship he stoped thru Warren,Arkansas and played, "Lenard (Rip) Johns" in an exhibition.

Was told that they played 12 hrs., sets to 150, and that Mosconi never won a set. Rip told me that Mosconi just didn't have it together that day, was standing room only and that Mosconi was very nervous, for everyone wanted to see Mosconi make some high runs but it never happen.

Rip was also a great snooker player, when he was 67 years old, i saw him run a short 10 red ball rack of snooker at the local pool room, i was only 17 at the time.( 49 now)....

Rip sure did shoot amean stick, he often talked about Fats,Mosconi,Caras,Worsts, and of course the best Hustler of them all...
UJ (Rags) Puckett!!!!!!!:)

David Harcrow
 
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