Rack ‘Em Up

Willie Mosconi

March 19, 1954: Willie Mosconi sets a new world record. Pool or pocket billiards is one of a family of games. The game was first played outdoors as a lawn game similar to golf or croquet. In 1470 French King Louis XI had a billiard game board in his inventory, the first recorded listing. The game was enjoyed by both aristocrats and commoners as the game moved indoors by the mid-1500s. However the table was quite different than today’s. The table slowly went from something fairly similar to today’s ping pong tables to the surface with bumpers and six pockets. The accoutrements changed along with the table.

Straight pool, also called 14.1 continuous or just 14.1, is a cue sport. The shooter is to pocket one of the fifteen colored/numbered balls. There is no specific order for placing balls. However, the ball and pocket must be called prior to the shot. Scoring is usually one point per ball with the game won at 100 points. The path to the pocket is immaterial, as long as the named ball enters the selected pocket. The shooter continues to place balls until a shot is missed. Professional games are often played to higher scores.

Willie Mosconi was challenged by Earl Bruney in Springfield, Ohio. Bruney began and sank three shots. The particular game was played to 200 points. Mosconi began his run. He shot to 200 and then kept right on going. He averaged four shots a minute and played for two hours and ten minutes. He ran 526 balls without a foul. A lawyer in the crowd wrote an affidavit and witnesses signed the document. The Billiard Congress of America recognized Mosconi’s feat a few days later. The record still stands.

Mosconi had been playing pool since he was a child. He became the juvenile straight pool champion at the age of eleven. He went on to become a professional billiards player. His fame spread and he was hired as technical advisor for the 1961 movie, The Hustler. The film starred Paul Newman (who had never played pool before), Jackie Gleason, and Piper Laurie. With Mosconi’s help, Newman learned the ropes and took most of his shots himself, according to some historians. Others say it was Mosconi shooting. Either way, The Hustler was nominated for nine Academy Awards and won two of them.

I finally missed a difficult cut shot, but by that time I was weary; it was almost a relief to have it come to an end. – Willie Mosconi

Thus so wretched is man that he would weary even without any cause for weariness… and so frivolous is he that, though full of a thousand reasons for weariness, the least thing, such as playing billiards or hitting a ball, is sufficient enough to amuse him. – Blaise Pascal

The tusks that clashed in mighty brawls / Of mastodons, are billiard balls. – Arthur Guiterman

Fast Eddie: Fat man, you shoot a great game of pool.

Minnesota Fats: So do you, Fast Eddie. – last lines of The Hustler

Also on this day:

Avalanche – In 1775, four people were buried in an avalanche and three survived 37 days.
PTL Club – In 1987, Jim Bakker resigned as chairman of his PTL ministry.
And the Winner Is … – In 1953, the Oscars were televised for the first time.