I met a guy who swore he'd made a 157 break at snooker once.
He's got to be the best ever!
He's got to be the best ever!
Who do you think is, or was the Greatest Pool Player of all time
- Thread starter PoolSleuth
- Start date
I think the only way to really find this out is to poll the Pro players, and any top gambling player.
On the subject of Buddy Hall, did he have trouble playing long matches? with the extra weight and all?....seems to me if you could fight through the first 6/8 hours he might start to tire out....but by then he might own everything you got!
.....Gerry
On the subject of Buddy Hall, did he have trouble playing long matches? with the extra weight and all?....seems to me if you could fight through the first 6/8 hours he might start to tire out....but by then he might own everything you got!
.....GerryWait, now Don Willis is the best money player that ever lived? I thought it was Jersey Red, or wait, wasn't it Louie Roberts? Oh crap what about Efren Reyes or Buddy Hall or.....DO YOU SEE MY POINT? ITS ALL POOL MYTHOLOGY. STOP WITH THE BULLSHIT PEOPLE.
cuetechasaurus said:
What B.S. would that be? That's what we do here, and it's not mythology, just people sharing a few thoughts or ideas.....there's not going to be any 1 player at the top, but you might have 5 or so that keep being picked by a large majority of the best of the best.
And if it's such BS, why are you involved?..............Gerry
Who's the best? That's a tough one.
To thse who saw DeOro, Greenleaf, or Mosconi in their respective primes, who am I to argue when you say one of them is the best ever? Maybe you're right. Each dominated their respective eras and certainly has a well-deserved claim to pool immortality.
I can only comment on the pool eras I've been lucky enough to witness first hand. In my case, that would be 1966 (the year I first saw Lassiter play) to present, so I've watched thirty nine years of pro pool up close.
The question is not who is the best straight pool player, or the best nine baller, or the best at one-pocket, or eight ball, but who is the best pool player? To me, that calls for an inspection of a player's accomplishments across the games.
For me, only four players merit attention over the period in which I've watched pro pool: 1) Lassiter, 2) Sigel, 3) Strickland and 4) Reyes.
Lassiter
The best nineballer ever in the eyes of some, and a world champion at straight pool, as well. Nothing short of a legend at the great Johnston City events.
Sigel
The best straight pooler since Mosconi for sure. When the game decidning the world championship changed to nine ball, continued to be a dominating presence in pro pool. A greater title count than any player of the modern era.
Strickland
More than likely, the best nine ball player of his era, and always proved it on the game's very bigegest stages. Accomplishments in the other disciplines are comparatively modest.
Reyes
For my money, about the fifth best nine ball player of this era. In my view, the greatest eight ball player of his era, and I felt so before last week's IPT event even began. The most feared one pocket player in the world today. Straight pool --- he can do that, too, having finished 2nd in the 1993 US Open 14.1 event and 3rd in the 2000 US Open 14.1 event. Plays other games well. The most gifted all-around player of this era, and certainly the most creative. Fewer total titles than some of the other legends of the game.
I think the case for Reyes is the strongest, and, to me, he's the best pool player of the last forty years. I must leave the comparisons of Reyes to DeOro, Greenleaf, and Mosconi to others.
Efren's definitely the best I've ever seen.
To thse who saw DeOro, Greenleaf, or Mosconi in their respective primes, who am I to argue when you say one of them is the best ever? Maybe you're right. Each dominated their respective eras and certainly has a well-deserved claim to pool immortality.
I can only comment on the pool eras I've been lucky enough to witness first hand. In my case, that would be 1966 (the year I first saw Lassiter play) to present, so I've watched thirty nine years of pro pool up close.
The question is not who is the best straight pool player, or the best nine baller, or the best at one-pocket, or eight ball, but who is the best pool player? To me, that calls for an inspection of a player's accomplishments across the games.
For me, only four players merit attention over the period in which I've watched pro pool: 1) Lassiter, 2) Sigel, 3) Strickland and 4) Reyes.
Lassiter
The best nineballer ever in the eyes of some, and a world champion at straight pool, as well. Nothing short of a legend at the great Johnston City events.
Sigel
The best straight pooler since Mosconi for sure. When the game decidning the world championship changed to nine ball, continued to be a dominating presence in pro pool. A greater title count than any player of the modern era.
Strickland
More than likely, the best nine ball player of his era, and always proved it on the game's very bigegest stages. Accomplishments in the other disciplines are comparatively modest.
Reyes
For my money, about the fifth best nine ball player of this era. In my view, the greatest eight ball player of his era, and I felt so before last week's IPT event even began. The most feared one pocket player in the world today. Straight pool --- he can do that, too, having finished 2nd in the 1993 US Open 14.1 event and 3rd in the 2000 US Open 14.1 event. Plays other games well. The most gifted all-around player of this era, and certainly the most creative. Fewer total titles than some of the other legends of the game.
I think the case for Reyes is the strongest, and, to me, he's the best pool player of the last forty years. I must leave the comparisons of Reyes to DeOro, Greenleaf, and Mosconi to others.
Efren's definitely the best I've ever seen.
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Yes, a hat would probably hide it, though.cuetechasaurus said:
Yes, it is. It is what fans do, boxing fans, baseball fans, every kind of fan you could think of. Many like to think, their hometown guy was the greatest. So what if it is bullshit? It is fun. Remember when pool was fun? If not, you need to re-evaluate what pool means to you.cuetechasaurus said:
Tracy
I think no one has mesmerized pool players more than Efren. Just look at the past few threads all about him. He is to pool what Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are to their sports. There will always be debate about who is the best, but it seems clear it is Efren vs the rest. Not my personal opinion but only based on what I have read. The quality and number of competition, and the variety of games he has mastered, make him even greater than the past greats.
The Baby's Arm
Banned
ironman said:
Yeah its 1-800-ILL-DUMP, his cell is 1-800-IMA-DICK
OldHasBeen
Tom Ferry
This kind of post ..............
IMO - If you want to make a posting like this, you should have to include your real name, address & phone #. You know, just to make it official.
TY & GL
The Baby's Arm said:
IMO - If you want to make a posting like this, you should have to include your real name, address & phone #. You know, just to make it official.
TY & GL
I would like to change my vote. Originally I said Mingaud. Actually, I think that I am the greatest pool player in history.
Why, do you ask? Very simple. Efren has never beaten me. Sigel has never beaten me. Name any professional, and they have never beaten me. So there you have it, I am the greatest!
Why, do you ask? Very simple. Efren has never beaten me. Sigel has never beaten me. Name any professional, and they have never beaten me. So there you have it, I am the greatest!
The greatest player
Is the one that always set a higher standard than others
before him, and even breaks his own records. Best accomplished
Pool Player is Efren Reyes, and by accomplished I mean
wins and skill level attained. He is the standard by which
all other players are compared to.
Is the one that always set a higher standard than others
before him, and even breaks his own records. Best accomplished
Pool Player is Efren Reyes, and by accomplished I mean
wins and skill level attained. He is the standard by which
all other players are compared to.
Until the last few years players could not earn enough money to support themselves and a family without endorsements and/or making cues. Don Willis made a comfortable living for a family with 6 kids. Some of that was with cards but he was mostly known for pool. I saw him a a tournament in the 70's in Dayton, Ohio. All of pro's and other players couldn't get over to talk to him fast enough. It was genuine respect.
Don Willis gets my vote.
Don Willis gets my vote.
Outside of Babalou and Jimmy Mendoza, if I could have anyone's game, it'd be Efren.
I would love just to have his billiard knowledge.
I would love just to have his billiard knowledge.
matthew staton
Banned
Larry Nevel worlds best pool play he is a good freind of mine and my girl freind said he is the greatest so if I want my new cue I must Agree with her.
Voodoo Daddy
One Pocket 101
No mention of James Evans or Mike Eufemia...Willie 526 was impressive but no mention of Mike's 625 onna big table? No mention that Willie ducked James Evans for decades? I mean its all opinion and thats mine!!
Best player to ever hold a stick...could it be Harold Worst?
Best player to ever hold a stick...could it be Harold Worst?
Harold Worst might have been the greatest ever.Voodoo Daddy said:
Tennesseejoe said:
I never got to see Willis play but he seemed to
be universally feared as a player. Lassiter once
said that if his life depended on a single shot
and he could choose who would shoot it, he said
he'd want Don Willis to shoot it. I once asked
Johnny Ervolino about Willis and he was gushing
over how good Willis was. He said he Willis and
Greenleaf were the best ball pocketers he ever
saw.