Pool is one game that allows you to get close to your opponent in the most relaxed manner. It is believed to be the best and most elegant form of billiard. It requires excellent skill, precision and concentration.
The moment you make a perfect shot is one of the most satisfying things in billiards. It’s a game of control and not much is left to luck or chance. Casino games are very different, most of the outcome is left to chance and you actually have very little control over the game; check out some of them here.
In this article, we’ll show you a list of the top billiard players of all time. Keep reading!
1. Efren “Bata” Reyes, The Greatest Pool Player of All Time
Efren Manalang Reyes is considered to be one of the greatest pool players ever. He won 14 titles at the Derby City Classic and was twice World Pool League Champion in 1990 and 1991. He also won the World Series of Professional Billiards once in 1990. In 2003, he was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame by the Billiards Congress of America.
2. Willie Mosconi, Legend of Pocket Billiards
Willie “Mr. Pocket Billiards” Mosconi is one of the greatest pool players ever. He acquired this nickname after he made a series of trick shots in the game of pocket billiards. Additionally, he quickly rose to the top of the professional rankings and became the youngest player in history to win a World Championship.
Mosconi held the record for longest run of consecutively pocketed balls, after a run of 526 balls during an exhibition in Springfield, Ohio in March of 1954. That record stood for 65 years until being broken by John Schmidt in 2019.
3. Ralph Greenleaf, Greatest Carom Billiard Player
Ralph Greenleaf is a professional pool player who earned acclaim as an elite billiards player. He has been mentioned as the most dominating player in the history of the sport and holds many records in the sport of carom. The 20 time World Pocket Billiards Champion was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1966.
4. Rudolf Wanderone, Greatest USA Pool Player
Rudolf Walter Wanderone, famously known as “Minnesota Fats,” became the most publicly recognized pool player in the United States during his heydays. He became famous not only as an amazing pool player but also as a complete entertainer. He earned his place in the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1984.
5. Luther Lassiter, The Wizard of Nine-Ball
A legend of the game, Luther Lassiter, popularly known as Wimpy, is one of the most revered pool players in history. His tournament career spanned over two decades and included three US Open titles in singles and four in doubles. This includes over 3 million dollars in prize money to his name.
His achievements were recognized with an award from the Billiard Congress of America’s Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
Conclusion
This list of the most famous pool players covers a broad spectrum. They are some of the greatest known professional and amateur pool players that have graced the sport in the past several decades. Generally, they have shaped the game’s history by winning numerous championships and earning their place in popular culture as excellent pool players.
