In the early 1960s, my father Richard Phipps was in college and he was his college's pool champion. Jimmy Caras, who went on to be a 4-time world champion who held both the national and world title, had just beat Willie Mosconi. Jimmy was doing an exhibition tour and came to my dad's college. He was supposed to play the school champion, beat him, and then do some trick shots. Well, that's not exactly how things went. Jimmy played my father and when my father sank the eight ball on Jimmy, the auditorium went wild, Jimmy looked at my father and said, "You got lucky." My father looked at Jimmy and said "Rack'em".
I got to meet and play a game of 8 ball with willie mosconi when I was a young teenager. colonial lounge ,when it was in colonial park malls lot. lots of fun. will never forget it.
@TRUMP2024 noice. There is a guy from my hometown that runs that high. A few years back he won the New York state straight pool tourney. During the blizzard of 93 I watch him and Rodney Morris play for a 100 a rack for 12 hours. 6 and a half feet of snow fell during the match. Maybe 12 of us were there.
@@butter7734 I haven't played since the early 2010s. Grew up playing from the age of 5 and hustled to make a fairly good living for a number of years, from late 80s to late 90s. There was a pretty good circuit in Colorado (from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins - Table Steaks in Denver was awesome) and around Phoenix. 211 Club in Seattle was a favorite for a long time. 211 had a table from 1928, small pockets, 10x5. LOVED playing straight pool on that.
I brought a book back in 1963, with both of these two great players name in it. At the age of 77 I still have them. I love this game. These two are the best that I have ever seen.
When I was a teen I played an exhibition game of straight pool with Willie. He was a spokesman for Brunswick at the time & the pool room where I played had 15 tables. He needed someone to beat so the owners asked me since I practically lived there. I still have my signature Mosconi cue.
Awesome match to see Dennis, thanks for sharing! Wish I could have seen these guys live in their prime. Was lucky to meet Mosconi a couple times, my Grandpa Charles Eberle saw him play 3 times and every time he ran over 100. Pop said he made it look soooo easy there was nothing to it.
So happy to see this video I played in a exhibition at Pappy's pool room with Jimmy as he at that time was representing AMF in Jacksonville NC some 50 plus years ago had about an hour lunch with him before hand and must have have asked a thousand questions, what stood out I guess the most was his humility and his kindness the also said he practiced for 40 years eight hours a day He put on an amazing pool shooting exhibition then destroyed me 125 to 3 Even though I lost I was the real winner ,thank you so much Mr. Caras a true gentleman .What a great memory
If humility and kindness is what you got out of that the most you either didn't ask the right questions or you didn't know nothing much about pool then lol. Or you're not kind or have humility so a trait you don't have sticks out the most
I WAS FORTUNATE TO PLAY A FEW RACKS WITH JIMMY CARAS AT HARLEYS POOL HALL IN JACKSONVILLE, FL...JIMMY WAS IN HIS 80S BUT COULD STILL PLAY A VERY MEAN GAME...HE WAS QUITE A GENTLEMAN...GLAD I GOT TO MEET HIM...
Firstly how can anyone dislike this video. If you dont like pool dont click on a pool video. For the rest of you saying the ref is annoying. This is 1963, before we invented modern corruption! The ref if im right isnt calling the shots he is only signaling the shots and a second announcer is shouting for the crowd to understand the next shot. These players are well used to each other and have played with these referees before, thats just the way it was played back then. Remember this was a new sport back then, in todays world we have developed it to a professional formal setup strick to advanced rules including additional social rules that also effect everything in life. Which is not authentic at all! This was one of the best things ive witnessed, to look back 20 years before I was even born! Again, how can someone dislike this! TV cameras and all! Info graphics in the 60s! Its one of my favorites, in my hall of fame :)
They were both great players and I was fortunate to have met both of them. Mosconi was the greatest ever, but Jimmy was right in that league. They were both great friends and played the pool halls of Philadelphia and South Jersey right to the end.
@@edbaranek4243not when he breaks a cluster out. Amateur players don't have the knowledge. That's why we call them bangers, they got hard as possible. I can bank and make the same shot hard like Eddie Taylor or softer than Caras.
It just wasn't Willies day. Jimmy was making almost every ball he shot at. Hard to beat a guy like that. Also, sometimes it seems the balls favor a different player from one day to the next. I know it sounds funny, but if you play a lot of pool, you understand what I'm saying. Caras was shooting some excellent pool. Thanks for this vid!!!!👍
***** This was after Mosconi had suffered a stroke.....the stroke that forced him to retire. I shot with Caras back in 1978/79.....truth is, the man was somewhat of a jerk. he was a spokesman for Brunswick and would travel to open stores that sold them and shoot with the locals...that is how I got to shoot with him....my right hand was in a cast so he didn't have much to say to me but some others were attempting to make the 6-in-6 shot and couldn't get it and he was just an ass to them.
Michael Foster., I had no idea that happen to Mosconi. That's interesting you shot with Caras, but that's too bad he was an arrogant person. I can't stand people like that. No matter how well they play. I seen a match with Fats and Mosconi. They were almost about to come to blows, but man could they shoot!! I always wondered how Wanderone could sight standing up. Very interesting. ✌️
kingstaff4.....That standing position is THE proper form. Watch Greenleaf, Hoppie and others from that era....once you become accustomed to it you will wonder how you played any other way...Gleason had much the same form as Greenleaf. When you stand like that you see so much better and your elbow does not stick up in the air like players today and this allows a smoother, flatter stroke. Truth is I am not that good but I'd make one hell of a coach. And notice how far forward Greenleaf holds the cue. Rambow and Brunswick cues can be balanced by moving an internal weight whose design is patented by Herman Rambow back in the 20's.
It's one of those things you just need to practice until it is natural...like running on the ball of your foot instead of the heel...awkward at first but much better once you do it enough.....look at a film clip of Barry Sanders running the ball. Watch the true masters of the game...Hoppe, Greenleaf, Mosconi, Lassiter and others, they all stand up at about a 45 degree or more vertical angle. Hoppe, being a 3-rail guy held his elbow stationary and all arm movement was from the shoulder whereas the pocket guys rotate from the elbow. 'Charleston' (Eldridge) Tucker would tell you the stroke is the most important single item in the game....other than being able to actually make the shot....your stroke is what controls the cue, the shape, everything other than the accuracy of the cue striking the object ball. Practice that for a month and see if you are not a better player.
I remember playing on tables like those in the 70's. The felt was much thicker than today and the balls then were not as lively as they are today. The game was much different back then. Notice how much more firm they had to hit the balls and notice how fast the cue ball would slow coming off a rail. Back then, we had to learn to rifle shots down the rail if we needed to move the cue ball more than a couple feet. You had to know how to stop a ball to get it to go 3 rails for position.
I was the 19 year old boy in the first row left watching my Uncle Jimmy in awe. (14.40) Great match. He beat the goat. It was the highlight of his life.
That's not reflective of pool. It's reflective of society at large. After 'social liberalization', we've been culturally denigrating in pretty much every observable way.
Jimmy used to come into Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill Pa. I used to play there a lot but never got to meet him. He used to live nearby and come to visit Florida Bob Maidhof, the owner. Lots of great memorabilia of Jimmy on the walls there.
ahh actually, although I love Caras and his playing... I'm looking for a video of Mosconi either running out or a video of him winning lol... He's so legendary and I'd love to have some old footage of him like this of him winning
Oh plz. Everyone is (over) dressed the same, you can smell the obnoxious stale cigarette smoke, and the whole atmosphere has all the liveliness of a funeral for unlikable stranger.
Most Americans have the same or less life expectancy now given ingesting micro plastics, eating a cruel violent diet of dead raped factory farmed animals injected with chemicals, and other frankenfoods made in a lab. Arteries clogged with animal fats and dairy. Only vegans are living over 100 easily.
It's possible and not unusual for the ref to call ball and pocket from a respectable distance and not disturb the players at all. What this ref is doing is terrible and non professional. Never saw such a poor job before.
Strait pool is call pocket. This is probably a more formal match, so the ref does it automatically the obvious shot, and if differetn they say so. Don't want to argue over lucky b.s. shot in strait pool i guess.
Especially because in the beginning he was pointing at the balls in front of the shooter. Later in the match he didn't do that anymore. I guess they asked him to stop pointing at the balls.
Mosconi is a name synonymously with pocket billiards however, Caras kicked ass effortlessly! You're not remembered by your many losses to the top but by your wins. Great game!
ESPN has a lot to thank for WWoS. It was that quirky format they borrowed when they started and couldn't show any big leagues of any of the popular US sports. It got them through the early years and let many of their sportscasters cut their teeth.
At that time, wasn't it still necessary to either drive a ball to the rail or drive the cue ball to the rail, after making a carom? I lost audio and cc and I'm unsure if fouls were called
These two of the best that ever lived. I remember that day that he sent 568 balls and then went home without missing. Mosconi sunk balls like a wizard and finally was wore out. That record stood for years and he could have had he been younger could have definitely kept going.
@@JohnS-il1dr so do a lot of pinoys today. play on slow worn tables with high deflection cues that is. the difference is that they from day one can study every aspect of the game and learn from the masters, for free, on youtube and flashback. this is imo the main reason for the high level of elite pool players today,
Pockets were huge but playing in a suit makes up for that The speed willie shoots at and a guy up on the table announcing your shots I can’t imagine modern players handling that as well
I watched(played with him) Toby Kavanaugh run 38 straight bank shots, after not playing for five years, in Lexington, KY on South Limestone Street in 1979 Do any of you remember him? .
Mosconi was the greatest there will never be any one like him. Now jimmy caras. Is the player who was close in ability to him. This talk about efren reyes being the greatest is a joke.
DEAR GOD!!!! WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS FOOTAGE!!????? I have been looking for old footage of Mosconi like this for at LEAST 10 years! lol... is there ANY way you might burn this to a dvd and mail it to me????? Or is it possible to send the video through email?? I'd love to have it fo rmy collection!!!
is just me or is the audio dropping out at 10:50? I'd like to hear the commentators - and yes the ref calls are annoying, but what are you going to do? - go back in time and change how it was done?
Willie was past his prime: a few years earlier, he wouldn't have missed easy shots. Hurts to watch, since I saw him when he was sharp, the best. To be fair, Caras was top competition, with ability similar to Willie's.
Back in the 60s and 70s, most Americans would spend the weekend watching the ABC Wide World of Sport and to see Willie Mosconi beaten so badly by Jimmy Caras was definitely humiliated. Willie Mosconi must have felt the phrase made famous by ABC Wide World of Sport: "The agony of defeat!"
Willie was pissed at the ref, the ref stood right over Willie's shot shouting and waving arms, Willie missed and scouled at the ref... You can see the ref then stopped the pointing game.
jayzbond007 This was in the '60's. It's been said that Mike Eufemia ran 625 back in that era and several top players witnessed it. A lot of players today consider the 400+ runs on more difficult equipment equivalent or better than Willie's 526. Willie ran 526 on a 4x8 foot table with 5 inch pockets. Thomas Engert had a run of 491 in the late 90's on a 4.5x9 with shimmed 4.25 inch pockets. That's not to detract from Willie's tremendous skill however, he probably could have ran 1,000 if he really wanted to. He said the most difficult part about it was the stamina it takes to run that many balls in one session. If he took some long breaks to rest and relax those aching joints who knows how far he could have gone. On the 527th ball he was tired and got careless, and he didn't bother trying to beat that record again because he said it was just too draining.
DastardlyDaring Yeah ~ seems all the tournament TV matches were played on tables with 5" or LARGER even pockets ! They want to put on a show for the TV viewers so bigger pockets made for pocketing LOTS of ball much easier :) Example would be pool table pockets vs. snooker pockets ..... quite a difference :)
+DastardlyDaring Thats not what happened,theres a video on here where Willie says he put the stick down because he couldnt go on he was tired leaving it at 526. he did not miss.
+Steve Hanes There seems to be a consensus that it's easier to play straight pool on a 4X8 table, but I'm not sure that's true. On a smaller table the balls take up a larger percentage of the room you need to move the cue ball around for position. Ever tried straight pool on a 3-1/2X7 table?
bnhamilton Not necessarily. 8 foot tables with large pockets are considered to be the easiest playing conditions for just about every game. What you are saying is absolutely true for games like 8 ball on 7 foot bar tables. It's more difficult because as you said the table is a lot smaller but the balls are the same size, so it's more difficult to run out when there is more congestion and less playing space. That being said, the pockets on bar tables (even on Diamonds) are bigger than pro standard 9 foot tables, with the exception of the side pockets which are quite small on Diamonds and Valleys and most other bar boxes. This makes games like 9-ball and 10-ball a lot easier on a smaller table. The reason I'm talking about 7 footers is my point is that some games are easier on smaller tables and some are more difficult, but 8 footers are the 'happy medium' and don't pose much of a threat in difficulty, especially because of the size (in this case) of the pockets.
Top right spin. He hit it with enough force off a slight cut shot. The ball was driven hard into the first rail with a lot of top spin, kinda like a tennis player putting spin on his ball. The ball spin takes ahold and rolls on its own power. The spin actually slightly changes the natural path of the cue ball due to the friction imparted between the ball and the cloth of the table, hence the curve. He was trying to break the two balls loose on the right rail, but wasn’t able to get enough action on the cue ball.
He wasn't even better than Greenleaf from his era. Plus, as a world champion... you could pick your opponents and set the conditions back then... As soon as they opened the championship to all players... He lost the title and never got it back, ever.
I didn't herd about willy mosconi playing outside America and beating the best of the world. only Efren is legitimate. When I watch the color of money it's legit that the pool world decided. Efren is The Best Ever!!!.
Why does the ref have to lean over the table and almost touch the ball and pocket as he calls the shot lol? I love how fast they play, no nonsense. I am just getting into straight pool and I got my first loss because I just couldnt stand the guy taking 5 minutes between each shot just to play another safety.
Those are not fouls in 14.1. It is a part of playing safe. If they had done that 3 times it would have cost them points, I think 21 but it's been a while. This was incredible to watch of both of these legends. The red was blowing Mosca I concentration. He is faster shooter than Caras so he was ready to shot at the same time the red was calling the shot.
+Daniel Cook in straight pool it is a foul to play a scratch and each player loses a point for each scratch, and 3 straight fouls/scratches has a 16 point penalty, with all 15 balls being reracked and the player who made the rd straight scratch, having to break the balls in the same way as they would at the beginning.
In the early 1960s, my father Richard Phipps was in college and he was his college's pool champion. Jimmy Caras, who went on to be a 4-time world champion who held both the national and world title, had just beat Willie Mosconi. Jimmy was doing an exhibition tour and came to my dad's college. He was supposed to play the school champion, beat him, and then do some trick shots. Well, that's not exactly how things went. Jimmy played my father and when my father sank the eight ball on Jimmy, the auditorium went wild, Jimmy looked at my father and said, "You got lucky." My father looked at Jimmy and said "Rack'em".
where's the source??
So you're dad beat jimmy carris one rack of eight ball that's impressive
Phipps, a name that will live in infamy! Hahahaha😂
Must be more fond memories about your dad. Awesome.
Yeah, okay, buddy, and my dad blows smoke for a living
I got to meet and play a game of 8 ball with willie mosconi when I was a young teenager. colonial lounge ,when it was in colonial park malls lot. lots of fun. will never forget it.
david shuller Hello Harrisburg!
Really, he was invincible, I love Ralph greenleaf you was very lucky
Wow. Very cool!!
David, did you beat Willie?
Please post positive proof pronto
Pics preferred
Mosconi. Caras. Two absolute legends. Straight pool is my favorite pool game. It's truly an art to play it well.
What's your high run? Mine is 148. Use to play a strong game.
@TRUMP2024 noice. There is a guy from my hometown that runs that high. A few years back he won the New York state straight pool tourney. During the blizzard of 93 I watch him and Rodney Morris play for a 100 a rack for 12 hours. 6 and a half feet of snow fell during the match. Maybe 12 of us were there.
@@butter7734 Nice! 140 or 150, can't recall it's been so long.
@@eclecticx unfortunately me too. Life and time get in the way.
@@butter7734 I haven't played since the early 2010s. Grew up playing from the age of 5 and hustled to make a fairly good living for a number of years, from late 80s to late 90s. There was a pretty good circuit in Colorado (from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins - Table Steaks in Denver was awesome) and around Phoenix. 211 Club in Seattle was a favorite for a long time. 211 had a table from 1928, small pockets, 10x5. LOVED playing straight pool on that.
How great it is to have this visual record of these wonderful players. It connects me to the glory days of pool.
I brought a book back in 1963, with both of these two great players name in it. At the age of 77 I still have them. I love this game. These two are the best that I have ever seen.
When I was a teen I played an exhibition game of straight pool with Willie. He was a spokesman for Brunswick at the time & the pool room where I played had 15 tables. He needed someone to beat so the owners asked me since I practically lived there. I still have my signature Mosconi cue.
Please post positive proof pronto
Pics preferred
Awesome match to see Dennis, thanks for sharing! Wish I could have seen these guys live in their prime. Was lucky to meet Mosconi a couple times, my Grandpa Charles Eberle saw him play 3 times and every time he ran over 100. Pop said he made it look soooo easy there was nothing to it.
You tend to make it look easy, too. Even when it isn't!
hey max why dont you win anything anymore? is the players better or have you gotten older??
So happy to see this video I played in a exhibition at Pappy's pool room with Jimmy as he at that time was representing AMF in Jacksonville NC some 50 plus years ago had about an hour lunch with him before hand and must have have asked a thousand questions, what stood out I guess the most was his humility and his kindness the also said he practiced for 40 years eight hours a day He put on an amazing pool shooting exhibition then destroyed me 125 to 3 Even though I lost I was the real winner ,thank you so much Mr. Caras a true gentleman .What a great memory
If humility and kindness is what you got out of that the most you either didn't ask the right questions or you didn't know nothing much about pool then lol. Or you're not kind or have humility so a trait you don't have sticks out the most
What a dumb-ass reply!!
When I was a kid in NJ, these matches were on live TV. Loved them, thank you.
Legendary. I came here because of the movie The Hustler. I love it.
the audience is more well behaved back then than the crowds today. great classic video.
This is the year these "well behaved" people killed their president.
I WAS FORTUNATE TO PLAY A FEW RACKS WITH JIMMY CARAS AT HARLEYS POOL HALL IN JACKSONVILLE, FL...JIMMY WAS IN HIS 80S BUT COULD STILL PLAY A VERY MEAN GAME...HE WAS QUITE A GENTLEMAN...GLAD I GOT TO MEET HIM...
GLAD YOU LEFT CAPS LOCK ON
Thanks for this video, what a fantastic experience and contrast to today's game. Mature players and audience.
Firstly how can anyone dislike this video. If you dont like pool dont click on a pool video. For the rest of you saying the ref is annoying. This is 1963, before we invented modern corruption! The ref if im right isnt calling the shots he is only signaling the shots and a second announcer is shouting for the crowd to understand the next shot. These players are well used to each other and have played with these referees before, thats just the way it was played back then. Remember this was a new sport back then, in todays world we have developed it to a professional formal setup strick to advanced rules including additional social rules that also effect everything in life. Which is not authentic at all! This was one of the best things ive witnessed, to look back 20 years before I was even born! Again, how can someone dislike this! TV cameras and all! Info graphics in the 60s! Its one of my favorites, in my hall of fame :)
It's the only way some folks in life can get a simple acknowledgment of their mere existence. They're not even worth commenting on.
They were both great players and I was fortunate to have met both of them. Mosconi was the greatest ever, but Jimmy was right in that league. They were both great friends and played the pool halls of Philadelphia and South Jersey right to the end.
Notice how soft caras shoots
@@edbaranek4243not when he breaks a cluster out. Amateur players don't have the knowledge. That's why we call them bangers, they got hard as possible. I can bank and make the same shot hard like Eddie Taylor or softer than Caras.
@@edbaranek4243you only need to hit hard enough based on where you want the cue ball to go, in relation to English used.
John Schmidt could rob them both!
It just wasn't Willies day. Jimmy was making almost every ball he shot at. Hard to beat a guy like that. Also, sometimes it seems the balls favor a different player from one day to the next. I know it sounds funny, but if you play a lot of pool, you understand what I'm saying. Caras was shooting some excellent pool. Thanks for this vid!!!!👍
***** This was after Mosconi had suffered a stroke.....the stroke that forced him to retire. I shot with Caras back in 1978/79.....truth is, the man was somewhat of a jerk. he was a spokesman for Brunswick and would travel to open stores that sold them and shoot with the locals...that is how I got to shoot with him....my right hand was in a cast so he didn't have much to say to me but some others were attempting to make the 6-in-6 shot and couldn't get it and he was just an ass to them.
Michael Foster.,
I had no idea that happen to Mosconi. That's interesting you shot with Caras, but that's too bad he was an arrogant person. I can't stand people like that. No matter how well they play. I seen a match with Fats and Mosconi. They were almost about to come to blows, but man could they shoot!! I always wondered how Wanderone could sight standing up. Very interesting. ✌️
kingstaff4.....That standing position is THE proper form. Watch Greenleaf, Hoppie and others from that era....once you become accustomed to it you will wonder how you played any other way...Gleason had much the same form as Greenleaf. When you stand like that you see so much better and your elbow does not stick up in the air like players today and this allows a smoother, flatter stroke. Truth is I am not that good but I'd make one hell of a coach.
And notice how far forward Greenleaf holds the cue. Rambow and Brunswick cues can be balanced by moving an internal weight whose design is patented by Herman Rambow back in the 20's.
Michael Foster I understand that your stroke is smoother by standing up, but in my opinion it's very hard to sight the ball.
It's one of those things you just need to practice until it is natural...like running on the ball of your foot instead of the heel...awkward at first but much better once you do it enough.....look at a film clip of Barry Sanders running the ball. Watch the true masters of the game...Hoppe, Greenleaf, Mosconi, Lassiter and others, they all stand up at about a 45 degree or more vertical angle. Hoppe, being a 3-rail guy held his elbow stationary and all arm movement was from the shoulder whereas the pocket guys rotate from the elbow. 'Charleston' (Eldridge) Tucker would tell you the stroke is the most important single item in the game....other than being able to actually make the shot....your stroke is what controls the cue, the shape, everything other than the accuracy of the cue striking the object ball. Practice that for a month and see if you are not a better player.
I'd get pissed if some dude was swinging his arms and pointing at balls and pockets right in front of me.
Mosconi missed because of that and steamed in his chair for an hour.
The pace of their play is remarkable- very engaging for the audience.
I remember playing on tables like those in the 70's. The felt was much thicker than today and the balls then were not as lively as they are today. The game was much different back then. Notice how much more firm they had to hit the balls and notice how fast the cue ball would slow coming off a rail. Back then, we had to learn to rifle shots down the rail if we needed to move the cue ball more than a couple feet. You had to know how to stop a ball to get it to go 3 rails for position.
So, the felt was more woolen than worsten, correct?
@@tt-tk9076The balls were also a bit heavier too, as well as having the thicker cloth to play on. That made a big difference as well.
Mr. Walsh! Thanks for the video. It was very good to wach so excellent players. A peace of joy!
I was the 19 year old boy in the first row left watching my Uncle Jimmy in awe. (14.40) Great match. He beat the goat. It was the highlight of his life.
i like how quick they play
Me too. Where u been for 4 years ?
@@stephenaustin5525 just got home from shooting pool :)
Thats how we all played back then
I love the class the game had then. The players and the gentlemen in the crown in coat and tie, and the ladies in dresses.
+Don And Earl wasn't there yet XD
Not to mention Efren.
That's not reflective of pool. It's reflective of society at large. After 'social liberalization', we've been culturally denigrating in pretty much every observable way.
Don Henderson just like snooker.
Anybody know what year this was?
Thank u for putting Willie on UA-cam. I am getting back in to the game and this really helps...thanks again...
i had a cue stick signed by willie mosconi when i lived at home wish i had it now he's a legend.
Thank you so much for spending the time to get this video online.
The pace is absolutely sublime
Jimmy Caras is very great in this game . he shoot fast and almost 100% shooting
What a gentleman with his nod to mosconi at the end. He shot like he drank a pot of coffee before the match. He got the cash!
Caras was a great great player. Wonderful stroke and game.
*ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE VIDEO*
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE HEARD MOSCONI SAY HES RETIRED AND PLAYS
He was telling me that the other day...
Great Vid. Thanks for posting. Jimmy really laid the Smack Down.
Jimmy used to come into Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill Pa. I used to play there a lot but never got to meet him. He used to live nearby and come to visit Florida Bob Maidhof, the owner. Lots of great memorabilia of Jimmy on the walls there.
ahh actually, although I love Caras and his playing... I'm looking for a video of Mosconi either running out or a video of him winning lol... He's so legendary and I'd love to have some old footage of him like this of him winning
I love how everyone is dressed up, civil and enjoying themselves. Where is this civility in 2020?
Oh plz. Everyone is (over) dressed the same, you can smell the obnoxious stale cigarette smoke, and the whole atmosphere has all the liveliness of a funeral for unlikable stranger.
When your life expectancy is 63, you get down to business. Absolutely fantastic match.
Most Americans have the same or less life expectancy now given ingesting micro plastics, eating a cruel violent diet of dead raped factory farmed animals injected with chemicals, and other frankenfoods made in a lab. Arteries clogged with animal fats and dairy. Only vegans are living over 100 easily.
I like that you're actually able to hear their calls, all the other games I've watched you can't
Jimmy was great! Willie still the champ.
Watched Willie play many many years ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Jimmy looks like his first name should be "Herb"
Having the REF call every shot is anoying
very annoying; almost ruins the game for me.
i enjoyed it. adds to drama
It's possible and not unusual for the ref to call ball and pocket from a respectable distance and not disturb the players at all. What this ref is doing is terrible and non professional. Never saw such a poor job before.
Strait pool is call pocket. This is probably a more formal match, so the ref does it automatically the obvious shot, and if differetn they say so. Don't want to argue over lucky b.s. shot in strait pool i guess.
Especially because in the beginning he was pointing at the balls in front of the shooter. Later in the match he didn't do that anymore. I guess they asked him to stop pointing at the balls.
Mosconi is a name synonymously with pocket billiards however, Caras kicked ass effortlessly! You're not remembered by your many losses to the top but by your wins. Great game!
I miss watching wide world of sports
Wide world of sports in 67 or 68 was my intro to pool and l fell in love with
ESPN has a lot to thank for WWoS. It was that quirky format they borrowed when they started and couldn't show any big leagues of any of the popular US sports. It got them through the early years and let many of their sportscasters cut their teeth.
Mosconi vs Reyes is the dream match
Reyes would win. He's much more creative.
@@BMWLDRider in rotation, but in straights Reyes won't stand a chance. Reyes high run was 115. Marconi in his 60s was running 200's.
Awesome vi, thanks for posting it
At that time, wasn't it still necessary to either drive a ball to the rail or drive the cue ball to the rail, after making a carom? I lost audio and cc and I'm unsure if fouls were called
These two of the best that ever lived. I remember that day that he sent 568 balls and then went home without missing. Mosconi sunk balls like a wizard and finally was wore out. That record stood for years and he could have had he been younger could have definitely kept going.
Caras' combos are killer!
Pretty amazing stuff... thanks👍🇳🇿🎱
13:58 Look at the size of that pocket
😂😂😂
Yep huge pockets
Notice how everyone wore suits and ties and dressed better back then, now days there's no telling what you see in public.
yeah go take a walk around L.A.
No one had any personality whatsoever
@@hoodyhoo1004 When now or back then?
Thus is about the time Hollywood called Willie for the 🎥 of"The Hustler"
Wide World of Sports made me love pool
Does anybody have any footage from this era or earlier where Mosconi wins or runs out the game?????? C'mon!! Somebody must have something! lol
Still waiting
Great video! Always good to see the old-timers play! However, I have to say, Willie looked as though he wanted to choke that referee. lol
What Happened to the Sound at 10:49 Plus ...
They don't get down on the cue the way today's players do. They shoot very upright. They must have had incredible hand eye coordination.
How many are watching this in 2020?
$3500 for the winner - sounds like a modern tournament, sadly! Great history here, thanks for the upload.
In today's dollars it would be around $20k.
Willie is all time best in world!!
From his era. Have to break pocket billiards up into eras. And regions.
I could take them both, with one arm behind my back. LMAO 🤣😅🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
pockets back then were huge. still, absolute legends both of them
They also played without low deflection shafts, played on poor slow rolling clothes and clay balls instead of composite materials.
@@JohnS-il1dr so do a lot of pinoys today. play on slow worn tables with high deflection cues that is. the difference is that they from day one can study every aspect of the game and learn from the masters, for free, on youtube and flashback. this is imo the main reason for the high level of elite pool players today,
Pockets were huge but playing in a suit makes up for that
The speed willie shoots at and a guy up on the table announcing your shots
I can’t imagine modern players handling that as well
This was after Mosconi had suffered several strokes around 1956 or so.
Wow -cant believe they had these matches on old 8' bar type tables
I watched(played with him) Toby Kavanaugh run 38 straight bank shots, after not playing for five years, in Lexington, KY on South Limestone Street in 1979 Do any of you remember him?
.
Mosconi was the greatest there will never be any one like him. Now jimmy caras. Is the player who was close in ability to him. This talk about efren reyes being the greatest is a joke.
DEAR GOD!!!! WHERE DID YOU FIND THIS FOOTAGE!!????? I have been looking for old footage of Mosconi like this for at LEAST 10 years! lol... is there ANY way you might burn this to a dvd and mail it to me????? Or is it possible to send the video through email?? I'd love to have it fo rmy collection!!!
But there's really not much footage of Willie here, keep searching.
Just searched for Willie Mosconi on a whim. Had to feel for him. Jimmy Caras just stomped him.
flatonia
It does seem Willie had bad luck against Caras, he never got going well.
Caras chalks up after every shot.
These guys play with a coat n tie.
Audience wears suits.
CLASSY TIMES
Interesting. Shame the sound basically goes at 10.59ish
I would like to know what the rules are for a safety. Can someone explain? Thanks.
just imagine if these guys could see svb, I'd bet they would be rather impressed
They would probably fall asleep. The game has gotten a whole lot slower.
is just me or is the audio dropping out at 10:50? I'd like to hear the commentators - and yes the ref calls are annoying, but what are you going to do? - go back in time and change how it was done?
Eight Italians are still angry that Mosconi lost.
100000 americans are still angry an Italian was the best ever
Make it nine.
@@MrKinghuman
Every Filipino is now angry that 100,000 Americans don't know who was the best ever.
Cool video. Damn they are good. Table looks small though. Not what is today's tournament regulation. 8 ft?
9ft is what they use today. The table in this video is a 9ft. They're all 9fts, at least in 14.1
Willie was past his prime: a few years earlier, he wouldn't have missed easy shots. Hurts to watch, since I saw him when he was sharp, the best. To be fair, Caras was top competition, with ability similar to Willie's.
Mosconi is the man I read about that got me started in pool and Billards. But I prefer Snooker.
Willie Mosconi made more than 500 balls in 14.1 fjust crazy
Amazing!!!
Back in the 60s and 70s, most Americans would spend the weekend watching the ABC Wide World of Sport and to see Willie Mosconi beaten so badly by Jimmy Caras was definitely humiliated. Willie Mosconi must have felt the phrase made famous by ABC Wide World of Sport: "The agony of defeat!"
Willie looked kind of pissed off during this match.
Did you notice the way he looked at the referee when he walked past him? I don't know but could Mosconi was Earl Strickland of his time? :)
Id be pissed too if I was losing that bad
Willie was pissed at the ref, the ref stood right over Willie's shot shouting and waving arms, Willie missed and scouled at the ref... You can see the ref then stopped the pointing game.
what year was this match? has anyone come close to mosconi's famous 526 ball run?
jayzbond007 This was in the '60's. It's been said that Mike Eufemia ran 625 back in that era and several top players witnessed it.
A lot of players today consider the 400+ runs on more difficult equipment equivalent or better than Willie's 526. Willie ran 526 on a 4x8 foot table with 5 inch pockets. Thomas Engert had a run of 491 in the late 90's on a 4.5x9 with shimmed 4.25 inch pockets. That's not to detract from Willie's tremendous skill however, he probably could have ran 1,000 if he really wanted to. He said the most difficult part about it was the stamina it takes to run that many balls in one session. If he took some long breaks to rest and relax those aching joints who knows how far he could have gone. On the 527th ball he was tired and got careless, and he didn't bother trying to beat that record again because he said it was just too draining.
DastardlyDaring Yeah ~ seems all the tournament TV matches were played on tables with 5" or LARGER even pockets ! They want to put on a show for the TV viewers so bigger pockets made for pocketing LOTS of ball much easier :) Example would be pool table pockets vs. snooker pockets ..... quite a difference :)
+DastardlyDaring Thats not what happened,theres a video on here where Willie says he put the stick down because he couldnt go on he was tired leaving it at 526. he did not miss.
+Steve Hanes There seems to be a consensus that it's easier to play straight pool on a 4X8 table, but I'm not sure that's true. On a smaller table the balls take up a larger percentage of the room you need to move the cue ball around for position. Ever tried straight pool on a 3-1/2X7 table?
bnhamilton Not necessarily. 8 foot tables with large pockets are considered to be the easiest playing conditions for just about every game.
What you are saying is absolutely true for games like 8 ball on 7 foot bar tables. It's more difficult because as you said the table is a lot smaller but the balls are the same size, so it's more difficult to run out when there is more congestion and less playing space.
That being said, the pockets on bar tables (even on Diamonds) are bigger than pro standard 9 foot tables, with the exception of the side pockets which are quite small on Diamonds and Valleys and most other bar boxes. This makes games like 9-ball and 10-ball a lot easier on a smaller table.
The reason I'm talking about 7 footers is my point is that some games are easier on smaller tables and some are more difficult, but 8 footers are the 'happy medium' and don't pose much of a threat in difficulty, especially because of the size (in this case) of the pockets.
Brunswick Gold Crown Table, and classic dart balls.
I wouldn't be able to play with that ref I don't know how no one knocked him out.
I’m trying to remember the name of the announcer from ABC’s Wide World of Sports. Anybody?
Bill Fleming - passed away 7-20-2007, 80 yrs. of age
@@kmaxx1493 Thank you. He looked and sounded so familiar but I just couldn’t place him.
@@CBrolley You are quite welcome. I was wondering myself and saw your comment, so I "googled it" to put a name to the voice..
Could someone explain the shot at 10:50? How did the ball curve like that after bouncing off the rail?
Because he put screw on the ball when he shot it.
Topspin
No, he hit it firm with center right in pretty sure
Top right spin. He hit it with enough force off a slight cut shot. The ball was driven hard into the first rail with a lot of top spin, kinda like a tennis player putting spin on his ball. The ball spin takes ahold and rolls on its own power. The spin actually slightly changes the natural path of the cue ball due to the friction imparted between the ball and the cloth of the table, hence the curve. He was trying to break the two balls loose on the right rail, but wasn’t able to get enough action on the cue ball.
Mosconi was the best ever
Until Efren Reyes
Efren is the best of them all.
Legit stright pool player maybe. But greatest ever can certainly be argued.
He wasn't even better than Greenleaf from his era. Plus, as a world champion... you could pick your opponents and set the conditions back then... As soon as they opened the championship to all players... He lost the title and never got it back, ever.
I didn't herd about willy mosconi playing outside America and beating the best of the world. only Efren is legitimate. When I watch the color of money it's legit that the pool world decided. Efren is The Best Ever!!!.
is this 8k?
The prices didn't go way much up, haven't they :D?
They are using Bamboo hand carved sticks they just made the day b4. With the slip on Ferule tip combo,,lol
Jimmy Caras is amazing pool player,, he got his cue ball out of all his brake shots.
Caras push fouled big time 15:04
Earl must have learned from these guys on the Pace of the game
Why does the ref have to lean over the table and almost touch the ball and pocket as he calls the shot lol? I love how fast they play, no nonsense. I am just getting into straight pool and I got my first loss because I just couldnt stand the guy taking 5 minutes between each shot just to play another safety.
Mosconi's weak breaks were the death of his game.
Those are not fouls in 14.1. It is a part of playing safe. If they had done that 3 times it would have cost them points, I think 21 but it's been a while. This was incredible to watch of both of these legends. The red was blowing Mosca I concentration. He is faster shooter than Caras so he was ready to shot at the same time the red was calling the shot.
+Daniel Cook
in straight pool it is a foul to play a scratch and each player loses a point for each scratch, and 3 straight fouls/scratches has a 16 point penalty, with all 15 balls being reracked and the player who made the rd straight scratch, having to break the balls in the same way as they would at the beginning.
I'm going to try playing in a tie and sport coat sometime. It sure won't hurt my pathetic game
ESSA CAÇAPA PASSA A BALL OF THE BASKETBALL.
As much as like playing Pool (and al its games), Snooker is a much better, entertaining and challenging game.
and the snooker refs know to shut the hell up XD
Willie mosconi won how many championships compared to Jimmy Cara's come on now that speaks louder than words