Willie Mosconi
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William Joseph Mosconi (; June 27, 1913 – September 17, 1993) was an American professional
pool Pool may refer to: Water pool * Swimming pool, usually an artificial structure containing a large body of water intended for swimming * Reflecting pool, a shallow pool designed to reflect a structure and its surroundings * Tide pool, a rocky pool ...
player from
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. Between the years of 1941 and 1956, he won the
World Straight Pool Championship The World Straight Pool Championship is a pool competition, that was held up until the game of Nine-ball became popularized in America. It was the most prestigious straight pool tournament up until the early 21st century, tournaments like the Amer ...
nineteen times. For most of the 20th century, his name was essentially synonymous with pool in North America – he was nicknamed "Mr. Pocket Billiards" – and he was among the first
Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame This is the list of people inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's hall of fame to honour outstanding people who, through their competitive skills and dedication, have enriched the sport and industry. Two categories have been established in ...
inductees. Mosconi pioneered and regularly employed numerous
trick shot A trick shot (also trickshot or trick-shot) is a shot played on a billiards table (most often a pool table, though snooker tables are also used), which seems unlikely or impossible or requires significant skill. Trick shots frequently involve t ...
s, set many records, and helped to popularize pool as a national recreation activity. During the 1940s and 1950s, the pocket billiards game most often played in competition was called
straight pool Straight pool, which is also called 14.1 continuous and 14.1 rack, is a cue sport in which two competing players attempt to as many billiard balls as possible without playing a . The game was the primary version of pool played in professional ...
, or 14.1 continuous, a form of pool considered by most top players to be more difficult than today's fast tournament game
nine-ball Nine-ball (sometimes written 9-ball) is a discipline of the cue sport pool. The game's origins are traceable to the 1920s in the United States. It is played on a rectangular billiard table with at each of the four corners and in the middle of e ...
. Mosconi set the officially-recognized straight pool high world record of 526 consecutive balls in 1954.


Early life

Mosconi's family lived above a pool hall William's father, Joseph Mosconi, owned. Despite that, Joseph was strongly opposed to his son playing pocket billiards, preferring he become a
Vaudeville Vaudeville (; ) is a theatrical genre of variety entertainment born in France at the end of the 19th century. A vaudeville was originally a comedy without psychological or moral intentions, based on a comical situation: a dramatic composition ...
performer. He tried to keeping his young son away from the game by hiding the billiard balls, but Willie improvised by practicing with an old broomstick and small potatoes from his mother's kitchen. The young Mosconi was a
prodigy Prodigy, Prodigies or The Prodigy may refer to: * Child prodigy, a child who produces meaningful output to the level of an adult expert performer ** Chess prodigy, a child who can beat experienced adult players at chess Arts, entertainment, and ...
and his father soon realized that he could use his son's talent to help earn money for their growing family. Joseph Mosconi began advertising challenge matches, and though Willie had to stand on a box in order to reach the table, he beat experienced players many years his senior. In 1919, an exhibition match was arranged between six-year-old Mosconi and the reigning World Champion,
Ralph Greenleaf Ralph Greenleaf (November 3, 1899 in Monmouth, Illinois – March 15, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American professional pool and carom billiards player. He was a 19 time World Pocket Billiards Champion, who dominated the sport duri ...
. The hall was packed, and though Greenleaf won that match, Mosconi played well enough to draw considerable attention and launch his professional career.


Tournaments and exhibitions

In 1924, at the age of 11, Mosconi was the juvenile straight pool champion and was regularly holding trick shot exhibitions. By the early 1930s, Mosconi had taken a brief hiatus from the game, but returned a few years later in the hopes of earning some money. Upon his return, Mosconi entered one local tournament after another and according to his autobiography, "Willie's Game", he won them all. After a short while, Mosconi was making a living as a professional pool player. Willie claimed he never hustled anyone, beating everyone honestly: "I played everyone straight". In 1933, Mosconi competed in the
Billiard Congress of America The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) is the governing body for cue sports in the United States and Canada, and the regional member organization of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).` Puerto Rico, though a US territory, and Mexico, though ...
(BCA)
World Straight Pool Championship The World Straight Pool Championship is a pool competition, that was held up until the game of Nine-ball became popularized in America. It was the most prestigious straight pool tournament up until the early 21st century, tournaments like the Amer ...
.
Erwin Rudolph Erwin Rudolph (December 30, 1893 - May 19, 1957) was an American pocket billiards player from Cleveland, Ohio and a five-time world champion. One of his great feats was running 125 points in 32 minutes (now eclipsed). Biography Rudolph was born ...
won the title and Willie came in 5th place. His performance garnered the attention of the president of
Brunswick Corporation Brunswick Corporation, formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is an American corporation that has been developing, manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of products since 1845. Today, Brunswick has more than 13,000 employ ...
who immediately hired the young phenom. That same year, Mosconi embarked on a hectic cross-country exhibition tour promoting Brunswick products. Mosconi was joined by his idol and then World Champion
Ralph Greenleaf Ralph Greenleaf (November 3, 1899 in Monmouth, Illinois – March 15, 1950 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American professional pool and carom billiards player. He was a 19 time World Pocket Billiards Champion, who dominated the sport duri ...
, who was at the top of his game. In the end the scoreline read 57 wins for Greenleaf and a close 50 for the 20-year-old Mosconi. From 1940 to 1941, a
round-robin tournament A round-robin tournament (or all-go-away-tournament) is a competition Competition is a rivalry where two or more parties strive for a common goal which cannot be shared: where one's gain is the other's loss (an example of which is a zero ...
series was sponsored by billiard halls, with eight invitational players. Mosconi was sponsored by a hall in New York City called McGirr's. He dominated this series, and ran 125 balls from the five times when only two other players in history had ever done the same. In 1944, Mosconi enlisted in the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cla ...
, having already spent several years working within the defense industry. When
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
ended, he returned to a successful tournament career and renewed his affiliation with Brunswick. After suffering a stroke in 1956, Mosconi slowed down on his tournament appearances in order to recover. In 1958 Mosconi made a return and won the National Invitational Tournament defeating Jimmy Moore. Mosconi retired from tournament play in 1966, after once again making it to the final of the
World Straight Pool Championship The World Straight Pool Championship is a pool competition, that was held up until the game of Nine-ball became popularized in America. It was the most prestigious straight pool tournament up until the early 21st century, tournaments like the Amer ...
but losing in the final to
Joe Balsis Joseph (Joe) Balsis (born 1921, Minersville, Pennsylvania, died January 2, 1995, Minersville), nicknamed "the Meatman", was an American professional pool player, who was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 1982.
. He remained active in promoting the game and consulted and appeared in several movies dealing with billiards, made game show appearances and wrote many articles on billiards, as well as co-authored some books. A feud with pool hustler Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone (concocted mainly by Wanderone himself) kept Mosconi in the spotlight well into the 1970s and 1980s.


As an author

Mosconi authored an autobiography titled ''Willie's Game'', published in 1993. He and a
ghost writer A ghostwriter is hired to write literary or journalistic works, speeches, or other texts that are officially credited to another person as the author. Celebrities, executives, participants in timely news stories, and political leaders often h ...
authored an instructional book on pocket billiards entitled ''Willie Mosconi on Pocket Billiards''.
Willie Mosconi on Pocket Billiards
', Amazon.com
In the book he offers advice on fundamentals, includes photographs and diagrams on shotmaking and provides straight pool strategies. The book was published originally umber 121 in the Little Sports Library seriesby Ziff-Davis Publishing Company of Chicago & New York in July 1948. It was reissued by Crown Publishers of New York in 1959. A second ghost-written book (which on some finer points contradicts ''On Pocket Billiards'') was also published under his name.


526 high run

Mosconi set the world record by running 526 consecutive balls without a miss during a straight pool exhibition in
Springfield, Ohio Springfield is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Clark County, Ohio, Clark County. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio and is situated on the Mad River (Ohio), Mad River, Buck Creek, and Beaver Creek, approxim ...
on March 19–20, 1954. A handwritten and
notarized A notary is a person authorised to perform acts in legal affairs, in particular witnessing signatures on documents. The form that the notarial profession takes varies with local legal systems. A notary, while a legal professional, is disti ...
affidavit An ( ; Medieval Latin for "he has declared under oath") is a written statement voluntarily made by an ''affiant'' or '' deponent'' under an oath or affirmation which is administered by a person who is authorized to do so by law. Such a statemen ...
with the signatures of more than 35 eyewitnesses exists as proof of this feat. The record has been surpassed, with 626 consecutive balls run by
John Schmidt John R. Schmidt is a lawyer and former United States Associate Attorney General who served from 1994 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. His responsibilities included oversight of the Civil, Antitrust, Civil Rights, Environment and Tax Divisio ...
on May 27, 2019, recorded on a videotape. Critics have argued that Mosconi's record was made in competition while Schmidt simply set up break shots for himself, and that his video was never released. In similar fashion to Schmidt, on January 18, 2022 as part of the "Legends of Pocket Billiards" high run series,
Jayson Shaw Jayson Shaw (born 13 September 1990 in Glasgow) is a Scottish pool player. In 2010, Shaw was a WPA World Blackball Champion. In 2016, Shaw won the 25th International Challenge of Champions event. Shaw also appeared representing Europe at the Mo ...
completed a 51-rack record-breaking run of 669. Mosconi's record was set on a 4 × 8 foot Brunswick table with 5 1/4 inch corner pockets at the East High Billiard Club. Schmidt's run was on a 4 1/2 by 9 foot table which is more difficult in the sense that longer shots are required but which is easier to play on in the sense that there is more room for the balls to spread, creating unfettered shots. Mosconi competed successfully on 4 1/2 × 9 and even 5 x 10 ft tables.


''The Hustler'' (1961)

Mosconi was the
technical advisor In film production, a technical advisor is someone who advises the director on the convincing portrayal of a subject. The advisor's expertise adds realism both to the acting and to the setting of a movie. Nipo T. Strongheart Nipo T. Stronghear ...
on the 1961 film ''
The Hustler ''The Hustler'' is a 1961 American sports romantic drama film directed by Robert Rossen from Walter Tevis's 1959 novel of the same name, adapted by Rossen and Sidney Carroll. It tells the story of small-time pool hustler "Fast Eddie" Felson a ...
'', starring
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
,
Jackie Gleason John Herbert Gleason (February 26, 1916June 24, 1987) was an American actor, comedian, writer, composer, and conductor known affectionately as "The Great One." Developing a style and characters from growing up in Brooklyn, New York, he was know ...
,
George C. Scott George Campbell Scott (October 18, 1927 – September 22, 1999) was an American actor, director, and producer who had a celebrated career on both stage and screen. With a gruff demeanor and commanding presence, Scott became known for his port ...
, and
Piper Laurie Piper Laurie (born Rosetta Jacobs; January 22, 1932) is an American actress. She is known for her roles in the films ''The Hustler'' (1961), '' Carrie'' (1976), and '' Children of a Lesser God'' (1986), all of which brought her Academy Award no ...
. The movie played a major part in the boom in the popularity of pool. Mosconi's job was to teach Newman how to walk, talk, and shoot like a real pool hustler. Newman had never even picked up a pool cue before filming, but Mosconi's instruction helped to hide Newman's inexperience. According to Mosconi, Gleason was already skilled at billiards, and Mosconi recommended Gleason for the role of the original "Minnesota Fats". Mosconi also had a cameo role as himself, acting as a holder during the first match-up between the film's characters "Fast Eddie" Felson and "Minnesota Fats". Gleason can be heard saying "Willie, hang on to that" when the match commences. At various points in the extended scene, Mosconi can be seen in the audience watching the match. Mosconi also had a cameo role as himself in George Thorogood's official video for his song "Bad to the Bone".


Filmography

1937: ''Super Cue Men'', a short feature starring Mosconi, Jimmy Caras and
Joi Lansing Joi Lansing (born Joy Rae Brown, April 6, 1929 – August 7, 1972) was an American model, film and television actress, and nightclub singer. She was noted for her pin-up photos and roles in B-movies, as well as a prominent role in the famous o ...
. 1945: ''Columbia World of Sports'': "Champion of the Cue", an eight-minute "sports reel" in which Mosconi demonstrates his cueing expertise in slow motion. 1953: ''Columbia World of Sports'': "Billiard and Bowling Champs", another short documentary starring Willie Mosconi and
carom billiards Carom billiards, sometimes called carambole billiards, is the overarching title of a family of cue sports generally played on cloth-covered, billiard tables. In its simplest form, the object of the game is to score or "counts" by ' one's o ...
great
Willie Hoppe William Frederick Hoppe (October 11, 1887 – February 1, 1959) (surname rhymes with "poppy"), was an internationally renowned American professional carom billiards champion, who was posthumously inducted into the Billiard Congress of America H ...
(as well as bowlers), once again in slow motion. 1950–57: Mosconi appeared on ''Toast of the Town'' later known as ''
The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television program, television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in Septembe ...
'' on three occasions: April 23, 1950, January 6, 1952, September 25, 1961: Theatrical release of ''The Hustler'' ''(see above)''. February 5, 1962: Mosconi was a contestant on the television game show ''
I've Got a Secret ''I've Got a Secret'' is an American panel game show produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS television. Created by comedy writers Allan Sherman and Howard Merrill, it was a derivative of Goodson-Todman's own panel show, ''What's My Line ...
''. September 2, 1962: Mosconi was a contestant on the television game show ''
What's My Line? ''What's My Line?'' is a panel game show that originally ran in the United States on the CBS Television Network from 1950 to 1967, originally in black and white and later in color, with subsequent U.S. revivals. The game uses celebrity panelis ...
''. 1966: An episode of ''
Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...
'', "The Dead Spy Scrawls" , featured actor Harry Bartell in the role of "Willie Marconi," trying to teach
Maxwell Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...
how to play pool. While some have erroneously believed this is a cameo of Willie Mosconi playing himself, the Marconi character is a fictitious but obvious tribute to Mosconi, who is acknowledged by The Chief as "the greatest pool player in the world." February 25, 1978: "The Great Pool Shoot-Out", a US$15,000 match between Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone, Jr. and Mosconi at the
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in New York City. Mosconi won all three sets of the competition, which included nine-ball, eight ball, and rotation, 5–2, 5–3 and 5–2 respectively. Aired on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
's ''Wide World of Sports''1970s Sports Milestones
via ESPN
with commentator
Howard Cosell Howard is an English language, English-language given name originating from Old French Huard (disambiguation), Huard (or Houard) from a Germanic source similar to Old High German ''*Hugihard'' "heart-brave", or ''*Hoh-ward'', literally "high defe ...
and referee Charles Ursitti. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s: Mosconi made several other television appearances competing in challenge matches with other legends such as Jimmy Caras,
Luther Lassiter Luther Clement Lassiter, Jr. (November 5, 1918 – October 25, 1988),MyFamily.com Inc. (1998-2006)U.S. Social Security Death Index Search Retrieved December 5, 2006 nicknamed Wimpy, was an American pool player from Elizabeth City, North Carolin ...
,
Irving Crane Irving Crane (November 13, 1913 – November 17, 2001), nicknamed "the Deacon", was an American pool player from Livonia (near Rochester), New York,Billiard Congress America (1995-2005)BCA Hall of Fame Inductees: 1977 - 1984. Retrieved Nove ...
,
Joe Balsis Joseph (Joe) Balsis (born 1921, Minersville, Pennsylvania, died January 2, 1995, Minersville), nicknamed "the Meatman", was an American professional pool player, who was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 1982.
and "Fats" Wanderone. Many of these shows aired on ABC and the fledgling
ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...
network. May 9, 1980: Mosconi played a sportscaster in the film ''
The Baltimore Bullet ''The Baltimore Bullet'' is a 1979 American comedy film based on the adventures of two pool hustlers in the United States. It was directed by Robert Ellis Miller and starred James Coburn, Omar Sharif, Bruce Boxleitner and Ronee Blakley. The s ...
'' starring
James Coburn James Harrison Coburn III (August 31, 1928 – November 18, 2002) was an American film and television actor who was featured in more than 70 films, largely action roles, and made 100 television appearances during a 45-year career.AllmoviBi ...
and
Omar Sharif Omar Sharif ( ar, عمر الشريف ; born Michel Yusef Dimitri Chalhoub , 10 April 193210 July 2015) was an Egyptian actor, generally regarded as one of his country's greatest male film stars. He began his career in his native country in the ...
. 1982: He appeared in the music video for
George Thorogood George Lawrence Thorogood (born February 24, 1950) is an American musician, singer and songwriter from Wilmington, Delaware. His "high-energy boogie-blues" sound became a staple of 1980s rock radio, with hits like his original songs "Bad to the ...
's "
Bad to the Bone "Bad to the Bone" is a song by American blues rock band George Thorogood and the Destroyers, released in 1982 on the album of the same name by EMI America Records. The song adapts the hook and lyrics of Muddy Waters' 1955 song "Mannish Boy". Wh ...
", as a spectator and betting on
Bo Diddley Ellas McDaniel (born Ellas Otha Bates; December 30, 1928 – June 2, 2008), known professionally as Bo Diddley, was an American guitarist who played a key role in the transition from the blues to rock and roll. He influenced many artists, incl ...
's character. October 1984:In the Resorts International Shoot-Out—Mosconi lost to his rival "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone. August 10, 1991: Mosconi played his last challenge match, against Jimmy Caras at the Valley Billiards Hall of Fame tribute dinner show. The event was hosted by billiard artists the Birkbeck Twins at the Williamson Restaurant in
Horsham, Pennsylvania Horsham is a home rule municipality in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 14,842 at the 2010 census. Horsham is located entirely within Horsham Township, and it is home to the Horsham Air Guard Station at the form ...
. Both players were stopped every couple of for interviews. His story was also featured in an episode of Mysteries at the Museum.


Legacy

In 1968, at the age of 55, Mosconi was inducted into the
Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame This is the list of people inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's hall of fame to honour outstanding people who, through their competitive skills and dedication, have enriched the sport and industry. Two categories have been established in ...
. In
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, the
Mosconi Cup The Mosconi Cup is an annual nine-ball pool tournament contested since 1994 between teams representing Europe and the United States. Named after American pool player Willie Mosconi, the event is comparable to the Ryder Cup in golf and the Weber ...
, an annual pool competition between American and European players, was founded in his honor. The event has been held every year since then. In 2006, Mosconi was posthumously honored with membership in the
Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame The Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania that was established in May 2002 to honor individuals and groups who are either area natives who became prominent in the field of sports or who became ...
. In 2015, Mosconi was inducted into the Straight Pool Hall of Fame.


Personal life

Shortly before winning his first World Straight Pool Championship in 1941, Mosconi married Ann Harrison, his first wife. Shortly thereafter the first of his three children was born, William, Jr., who attended St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia and graduated with the class of 1959. Willie's and Ann's daughter, Candace, followed soon after William, Jr. The marriage ended in divorce. Mosconi married his second wife, Flora Marchini, in 1953. Their daughter Gloria was born in 1954. Flora remained married to Willie until his death in 1993.


Death

Willie Mosconi died of a
heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
on September 17, 1993, at his home in
Haddon Heights, New Jersey Haddon Heights is a borough in Camden County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 7,495, an increase of 22 (+0.3%) from the 2010 census enumeration of 7,473, in turn a decline of 74 (− ...
. He is interred at New Saint Marys Cemetery, in