Scott Lee said:
Scott,
Whatever happened to Lance. Good looking guy and a damn good player. We played twice in the 70's. I heard he was up in Montana, but haven't heard anything about him in years.
Will Mosconi
- Thread starter olauzon
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Scott,
Whatever happened to Lance. Good looking guy and a damn good player. We played twice in the 70's. I heard he was up in Montana, but haven't heard anything about him in years.
jay helfert said:
Jay...Lance moved to Iowa several years ago. As far as I know, he quit playing pool. I think he works as some kind of counselor for troubled kids.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
I understand that from reading "Willies Game" Mosconi faced so much adversity, hardship and responsibility playing pool during the depression to support his parents and siblings it was never any fun for him. I guess that attitude followed him throughout his entire life. Seemed like he was an extremely competitive person who had to win whenever and whoever he played against.
He remarked about Irving Crane that the only difference between he and Crane was the latter's wealthy upbringing. Mosconi wanted to win more, and during the depression he probably didn't have much of a choice.
Still it seemed he could have been a little friendlier to his fans and especially children.
Danny K
He remarked about Irving Crane that the only difference between he and Crane was the latter's wealthy upbringing. Mosconi wanted to win more, and during the depression he probably didn't have much of a choice.
Still it seemed he could have been a little friendlier to his fans and especially children.
Danny K
Mosconi was a simple guy to understand- A hard ass perfectionist grump and a sore loser. I have met 100 like him but I never met anyone like Fats. He seemed half an idiot much of the time and quite insane.
Jay, Was he at all normal ever? Could you have a conversation with him or did he immediately go into one of his monologues?. When he called the dogs to the driveway, did he play with them, watch them eat or just leave?
Thanks.
Jay, Was he at all normal ever? Could you have a conversation with him or did he immediately go into one of his monologues?. When he called the dogs to the driveway, did he play with them, watch them eat or just leave?
Thanks.
Mosconi was PIMPED OUT by his old man when he was just a kid
i's no wonder why he never loved the game
i's no wonder why he never loved the game
diller47 said:
He was friends with Steve's Dad, Steve Mizerak Sr. Willie did indeed help Steve with his game, and Steve was unquestionably the best 14.1 player of his era.
Fragged said:
Fats was constantly "on stage". He was a "ham" for lack of a better word. But he was funny as Hell all the time and he had a unique outlook on life. Just like everyone else, I enjoyed being around him. You could have a conversation with him, as long as you were prepared for him to do most of the talking.
When he fed the dogs, he would talk to them and let them enjoy their food. He told me not to interrupt a dog when he was eating. He truly loved animals, no one was watching him do this and he didn't brag about it either. It was not one of the stories he told. If I hadn't been there, I would never have known.
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smashmouth said:
Can you please explain this?
I sort of sensed there might be some 'daddy trauma' somewhere, as he seemed to be such an perfectionist and up tight personality, but what you mean by 'pimped out'? Did his dad force him to earn money by playing pool?
jay helfert said:
Fatty was a people person - and yes he LOVED animals. He would take in many, many, many stray dogs and cats - Fatty always said that they, like him - "were just hobos looking to hustle someone for a meal."
Fatty's generosity is often overshadowed by his showmanship. For those of us that got to spend time with him away from that stage, you understand that Fatty's main goal in life was not to "get Fatty awl da Caaasssshhh".... it was to make people laugh and smile.
Marvel, If I remember right, according to the book "Willies Game" mosconi's father became ill and Willie had no choice but to provide for his family. His dad seemed to be very conscious of what Willie would do for a career, and I believe wanted him to become an attourney, or something like that. The Mosconis had a pool room over a store, and lived over the pool room.The young Willie would sneak down the drain pipe in the middle of the night and play pool, until his father found out and hid the balls.
Willie then just used his mother's potatoes. Of course he was found out, but his father eventually relented, realizing what kind of talent and passion he had for the game.
Pimped out though, I doubt it. This was Willie arising to the responsibility of taking care of his family like his father had taken care of him. During the depression there probably was no real choice, people did what they had to do to survive.
Danny
Willie then just used his mother's potatoes. Of course he was found out, but his father eventually relented, realizing what kind of talent and passion he had for the game.
Pimped out though, I doubt it. This was Willie arising to the responsibility of taking care of his family like his father had taken care of him. During the depression there probably was no real choice, people did what they had to do to survive.
Danny
A Dancer
I was reading Fats book Bankshot and Other Great Robberies yesterday. Moconis' dad wanted him to be a dancer, if I recall this properly. Fats' dad wanted him to go into Vaudville as an entertainer which might be why Fats was the entertainer that he was.
Danny Kuykendal said:
I was reading Fats book Bankshot and Other Great Robberies yesterday. Moconis' dad wanted him to be a dancer, if I recall this properly. Fats' dad wanted him to go into Vaudville as an entertainer which might be why Fats was the entertainer that he was.
jgpool said:
In a tv interview, Mosconi said that he first began playing pool, because there was a pool table at the 'dance school' where he attended lessons as a small boy. Mosconi would knock the balls around while waiting to be picked up after his dance lessons. His uncle was the first one to notice his apparent proclivity, and challenged him to a game. Mosconi ran all the balls off the table on the first try. His uncle asked him to do it again, and he ran 10 or 12 before missing. The very next week the uncle had him playing in an exhibition match in Philadelphia. These are Mosconi's own words...you can hear them on the 'Match of the Century' link that dmgwalsh provided in another thread.
Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
George Fels said:
Ab-so-lute-ly,
Prima Donna might fit. If you read Willie's Game, you will get a feel
for how intensely competitive he was.
And the traveling thing. He was making $600 a month, during the Great
Depression for roaming the backwoods of America. My dad worked
in a small town factory at that time, for $9 per week. 90% of
the family men in America would have killed half their family for his gig.
At the end of the day, Willie was a great role model...as a pool player.
Anyone who expects pro sports players, actors, celebs to be role
models is a couple steps left of the reality line.
Dale
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jgpool, I stand corrected. I believe Willie's uncles were dancing brothers, and I think his dad wanted him to follow in their footsteps (so to speak).
Danny
Danny
Blackjack said:
You're right. When he made people laugh, he was happy.
Marvel said:
yes, and not so little Willie could buy a new bike, he was supporting the family
the history books mention this little fact almost as an afterthought, you have any idea the dynamics of such a father/son relationship?
that shit changes you for life
smashmouth said:
Never happened.
OK, Let's bring in some facts.
I don't know where you got your info, but Willie's dad
did not do what you are accusing him of, and Willie was certainly
not ever scarred for life.
Willie did take on the burden of suporting the family, but that was at age
17 or so. And it wasn't because his father pimped him out, but because
his father was too ill to work. And it was long after Willie had quit
playing pool.
The father did get Willie into ehibs at a very young age.
And, Willie did bemoan the fact that after refusing to even let him play,
he changed to shoving the game down his throat.
But Willie took up pool as a profession only after his hot-headed
temper got him fired from his job.
Dale
pdcue said:
pdcue,
That is 100% accurate. I would be hard pressed to write a better account of what actually happened than you did, so I won't!
Nice post.
Terry