MovieChat Forums > The Hustler (1961) Discussion > World's Best Pool shooter ever...

World's Best Pool shooter ever...

posted 13 years ago by bluekarma06
9 replies | jump to latest

Many of you might not know but the greatest pool player of all-time was the older guy they called Willie, as in Willie Mosconi! You can hear Fats say a couple of times "rack'em Willie".
Between the years of 1941 and 1957, he won the World Straight Pool Championship an unmatched fifteen times!(Wikipidea)

Many of the trick shots you see done by Paul Newman are actually being performed by Mosconi. The hands look older and Willie wears a ring that is not on Newman's hand! For those who are interested in pool, I thought this might be interesting, if not, next topic please!

[–] Mark-Dziamski 13 years ago

I did not know that. I had to go back and watch the movie again to check it out. thanks for the trivia

[–] stephan-128 12 years ago

After I saw this the other night I read up on Mosconi. He onced sank 526 balls in a row, which is still the all time record, and many say no one will ever break the record.

[–] CineramaMama 12 years ago

I noticed that. While I was really impressed with both Newman's and Gleason's stick handling, the most difficult shots did not show their faces (until after the balls were hit or sunk).

[–] mp390a15 12 years ago

Mosconi was the technical adviser to The Hustler.

"The problem with Socialism is eventually you run out of other people's money"..Margaret Thatcher

[–] Ryannatthew 11 years ago

Who here would pay money to see Willie Mosconi vs Efren Reyes??

Those who know who Efren Reyes is will know what I'm talking about.. I consider him also to be one of the best strait pool players to have ever lived..

[–] bluekarma06 11 years ago

Willie was so good, back in the times when EVERYBODY played pool! He once ran 526 straight! That is still a certified record. Also, between the years of 1941 and 1957, he won the World Straight Pool Championship an unmatched fifteen times. No one was close to Willie. He was the Michael Jordan of pool!
I know your boy Reyes is great and it says so here in Wikipedia:

Numerous fellow professional players have credited Reyes with being the greatest living player in the world.[9] During ESPN television commentary on a semi-finals match between Reyes and Mika Immonen at the 2000 Billiard Congress of America Open 9-Ball Championship, veteran professional Billy Incardona stated that Reyes was "indisputably the best player in the world—especially when you consider all games—he can play any game as well as anyone, maybe better than anyone.... In my opinion we're watching probably the greatest player in my lifetime and I've been watching pool for the better part of forty years."[9]

BUT that is not ALL-TIMES! Willie is still the greatest Straight Pool Shooter and Reyes maybe the best ALL-Around pool player ever.

But it would be amazing to watch!

[–] kag2 11 years ago

Willie Moscone also had a bit part, playing "Willie" who held the stake money.

From what I've read, Jackie Gleason, who was a top-notch amateur, made his own shots, while Paul Newman had never played before and spent several days learning under the guidance of Moscone. But at one point Paul Newman (Fast Eddie), while talking boldly, makes an excellent combination and bank shot into the corner, inspiring applause from those that were watching. This shot was filmed with a wide angle so that it was clearly Newman sinking the shot. Who knows how many times they filmed that shot before Newman sank it?

[–] bluekarma06 11 years ago

Mosconi actually shot most of the close-up shots for Newman. The hand is older and he has a ring on it. Someone told me this 30 years ago when I was obsessed with pool and watched this movie a dozen times as well as The Color of Money. Hustler is still the best of the 2 and a classic!

[–] kag2 10 years ago

Good point, but Newman did make that one stellar combination bank shot that inspired applause from the guys watching, and Newman did so while walking around the table and trash talking Fats.

Moscone probably set this shot up for Newman, and maybe they had to do a few dozen takes to get it, but it worked.