PoolSleuth
Banned
Maybe Willie Mosconi who one ran the 526 balls.
Who do you think is, or was the Greatest Pool Player of all time
- Thread starter PoolSleuth
- Start date
I love threads like this... everybody posts their opinion, and people take it personally when somebody doesn't agree with them:
"Mosconi ran 526 balls!"
"On an 8-footer! There are a dozen players who could do that today!"
"Nuh huh! Mosconi had the best cue ball control the game has ever seen!"
"Yeah, the game of 14.1! Let's see him run 11 racks of 9-ball like Earl!"
"Well, Sigel in his prime could kick Earl's butt!"
"Efren would whup both of them with a broomstick!"
"My daddy's stronger than yours!"
"You suck!"
Let's face it... there are so many great people in this game's history, and each one of them brings something special for us to admire and learn from. Maybe it's precise cue ball control over a short distance, maybe it's phenomenal shotmaking, maybe it's the ability to excel at a wide range of games... whatever skill we admire most, there's a player who exemplifies that skill for us.
And sometimes, being the "greatest" isn't even about skill at the table.
For me, Francois Mingaud is the greatest pool player of all time. If you don't know why, look him up.
"Mosconi ran 526 balls!"
"On an 8-footer! There are a dozen players who could do that today!"
"Nuh huh! Mosconi had the best cue ball control the game has ever seen!"
"Yeah, the game of 14.1! Let's see him run 11 racks of 9-ball like Earl!"
"Well, Sigel in his prime could kick Earl's butt!"
"Efren would whup both of them with a broomstick!"
"My daddy's stronger than yours!"
"You suck!"
Let's face it... there are so many great people in this game's history, and each one of them brings something special for us to admire and learn from. Maybe it's precise cue ball control over a short distance, maybe it's phenomenal shotmaking, maybe it's the ability to excel at a wide range of games... whatever skill we admire most, there's a player who exemplifies that skill for us.
And sometimes, being the "greatest" isn't even about skill at the table.
For me, Francois Mingaud is the greatest pool player of all time. If you don't know why, look him up.
Crispy Fish said:For me, Francois Mingaud is the greatest pool player of all time. If you don't know why, look him up.
Amen... were it not for Mingaud, pool wouldn't be what it is today!
Other than that, there's no question that the greatest of all time was a gentleman named.............
EfrenWillieEarlBustaRalphLutherCowboyJoeOrifinoMikey... hell, I don't have the energy to finish his first name, much less his middle and last name.
There are too many greats in this game to choose just one and say "he was the best". Every era has one or even MORE players that nobody could beat on most days... some of them we've never even heard of on ESPN or mainstream pool mags. I'm sure there have been thousands in the past, equally due respect and the title "The Best" and I'm sure there will be thousands in the future.
later,
Bob
Sure he did, the table just didn't have any pockets. It was very frustrating for him, I'm sure.Cornerman said:
I think all (billiard) tables around 1810 had pockets, and the pocketless form didn't happen until later in the century, maybe around 1860. Where is Shamos when you need him? Or even Hendricks.Crispy Fish said:Sure he did, the table just didn't have any pockets. It was very frustrating for him, I'm sure.
OldHasBeen
Tom Ferry
All the greatest had spurts where they couldn't hardly lose.
For about a 4 or 5-year period, Buddy played 9-Ball better than anyone has ever played the game - Eddie Taylor & Jersey Red words, not mine. But I agree.
Whimpy played at Johnston City better than anyone for a while.
Ronnie played the very best One Pocket for a while.
The Miz played the best Straight Pool for a while.
Bugs played Banks better than anyone for a while.
You can see where this is going don't you?
Efren is currently playing better than anyone, but it will only be for a while.
JMHO - TY & GL
Ps. - I played the table Mosconi ran the 526 on. The most amazing feat was that he didn't scratch. It was a 4 X 8 with exceptionally large pockets. Not to take anything away from a great player.
For about a 4 or 5-year period, Buddy played 9-Ball better than anyone has ever played the game - Eddie Taylor & Jersey Red words, not mine. But I agree.
Whimpy played at Johnston City better than anyone for a while.
Ronnie played the very best One Pocket for a while.
The Miz played the best Straight Pool for a while.
Bugs played Banks better than anyone for a while.
You can see where this is going don't you?
Efren is currently playing better than anyone, but it will only be for a while.
JMHO - TY & GL
Ps. - I played the table Mosconi ran the 526 on. The most amazing feat was that he didn't scratch. It was a 4 X 8 with exceptionally large pockets. Not to take anything away from a great player.
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Housestick
Registered
hmm...thats a damn tough question....I'd have to say Efren overall IMO. I would have liked to have seen him try some of Buddy Hall in nine ball back in the day though. Tough action right there 'fellas. Buddy was a machine back then...don't know if Efren could fade it or not. I know this for a fact though. My money would have gone on the rifleman. I've heard all the older guys were great too, but I haven't really seen them play much. Just basing my opinion on what I personally have seen. I don't think there is a real answer to that question...only opinions.
Housestick
Registered
"Mosconi ran 526 balls!"
"On an 8-footer! There are a dozen players who could do that today!"
Line'em up and let them try......I got a house and two cars they can win.
"On an 8-footer! There are a dozen players who could do that today!"
Line'em up and let them try......I got a house and two cars they can win.
Who cares about a 526 ball run that he did in an exhibition on a 4 X 8? That record does more harm to his legend then good IMO. He had far more impressive feats in the game. The number of 150 and outs he made in world championships on tight pocket regulation tables for example.
Mosconi's almost total domination of the straight pool world championship for over a decade is unmatched in recent times. No player since him has come anywhere close to that level of domination in pool. People look at how Allison dominated the WPBA for a year or two and think how amazing it was, everyone else was playing for second in that year or two span. Mosconi did the same thing to mens pool for over a decade. He was the undisputed best straight pool player in the world.
Noone in the modern era was ever as dominant as Mosconi was. Sigel, Efren, Hall, Earl, even in their prime there were always guys out there that were arguably their equal. Today you can look and say Efren is possibly the best, but then Alex P and CC Wu and a few others are arguably as good and have the wins to back up that claim. With Mosconi there was no question he was the best, and he did not really let anyone else have any titles so anyone could think otherwise.
Mosconi's almost total domination of the straight pool world championship for over a decade is unmatched in recent times. No player since him has come anywhere close to that level of domination in pool. People look at how Allison dominated the WPBA for a year or two and think how amazing it was, everyone else was playing for second in that year or two span. Mosconi did the same thing to mens pool for over a decade. He was the undisputed best straight pool player in the world.
Noone in the modern era was ever as dominant as Mosconi was. Sigel, Efren, Hall, Earl, even in their prime there were always guys out there that were arguably their equal. Today you can look and say Efren is possibly the best, but then Alex P and CC Wu and a few others are arguably as good and have the wins to back up that claim. With Mosconi there was no question he was the best, and he did not really let anyone else have any titles so anyone could think otherwise.
Housestick
Registered
I think running 526 balls is an amazing feat on any table. Like i said, if there are 12 players in the world who can do it. Let'em post up and bet what they want. Hell, I'll pay their airfare and lodging. In regards to the main topic, I just don't know enough about Willie to make a judgement on how he stacks up with the other greats. It sounds to me that he's way up there if not at the very top though. World titles and other stats don't really mean much in my opinion. Who got the doe gambling back then is what I go by. Not sure who it was, but it sounds like it was probably Willie. It seems like I read somewhere that he couldn't even get played for about 20 years or so. I still think he would have his hands full with Efren in a long match though. Just my opinion.
That Don Willis bit is great ...