Thu 8 May 2008
Classic Billiards. Willie Mosconi VS Cowboy Jimmy Moore.
Posted by admin under Billiard , Billiards , Pool Billiards
Classic Billiards on ESPN. Have you been watching?
I am writing this post on my lap top as I watch two legends of Pocket Billiards battle it out. Willie Mosconi (my personal pool playing hero) is playing Cowboy Jimmy Moore. I’m not sure when the match was played but the guide from Dish Network states the original air date of 2004.
They are playing on a 9 foot Brunswick Gold Crown Pool Table and I believe the tournament is in Atlantic City. Jimmy Moore was 71 years old and Willie Mosconi 68 at the time of this match. Both players could still run the balls even in their old age. (I met Willie in Denver back in 1989. I was 21 and he blew my mind.) I love Classic Billiards.
Willie Mosconi a 15 time world champion (Yeah Fifteen Time Champion) shined like the true star that he was. In the interview after the match, Allen Hopkins asked Willie, “Now that you are in the finals do you think you will win the tournament?” Willie replied, “Allen I didn’t think I had a chance. you know I’m not a 9 ball player.”
Willie went on to win the winners side of the tournament bracket. Cowboy Jimmie Moore cruised through the losers side (politically correct term would be the one loss side), drilling Luthar Lassiter in the semi finals, to meet Willie again in the championship match.
The format of this tournament was a race to 4 in 7 ball and the seven has to go in a designated pocket for each player and a race to 4 (First player to win 4 games.) nine ball.
Jimmy Moore started the match running 6 balls and leaving the 7 in front of his assigned pocket. Willie cross banked the 7 into his own pocket taking a 1-0 lead. Jimmy got to shoot in the next match and left Willie tough on the seven. Willie rolled it out and left Jimmy a bank on the seven ball. Jimmy made the bank and scratched in the top corner losing the game. This put Willie ahead 2-0. Willie Mosconi (Mr. Pocket Billiards) then proceeded to break and run the next 2 racks back to back, winning the 7 ball portion of the match 4-0.
Now that’s Classic Billiards.
Willie also ran 2 racks of nine ball in the race to 4 with Jimmy in the semi finals.
Jimmy played safe on the eight ball in the first game of the 9 ball match. Willie backward cut the 8 ball and swung the cue ball around 4 rails for perfect shape on the 9 ball. This puts Willie ahead 1-0. Willie caught a bad roll on the break and didn’t have a good shot on the one.
The announcers were talking about a safe and Willie banked the one ball down table, it hit the rail behind the 6 ball and rolled down pocketing the 9 ball. This put Willie in the lead 2-0. Willie broke the next rack and played safe on the one. Jimmy made a great shot got in line and should have been out when he missed an easy shot.
Willie stepped up to the table, made a nasty cut shot, banged the next one off the nipples of the corner pocket so bad that it double banked back to his intended pocket, shook off the slop (Luck) shot that he just executed and proceeded to cut the nine ball in the corner taking the lead 3-0. Alan Hopkins said part of playing good is getting the rolls.
The last game was back an forth for a few shots. Jimmy scratched giving Willie cue ball in hand on the 5 ball. I’ll bet you can guess the results from this. Yep you guessed it, Willie Mosconi runs out winning game set and match. Rack up another championship for Mr. Pocket Billiards.
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May 8th, 2008 at 11:27 am
I would have loved to see that match. I do not get the channel it would have been on, ESPNC because I am in dispute with my cable company at the present. They have to be he most arrogant company around.I’m waiting for Verizon FIOS to become available so I can switch. I spent two hours the other night practicing with only one ball on the table. It was the CB. I was practicing diamond shots from all different positions.
Last night it paid off, I made three out of 5 banks from awkward positions in a straight pool game on regulation table.
Take care, good luck and have fun.
Jim
May 25th, 2008 at 2:31 am
Thanks for the reply. Sorry to hear you don’t have access to the Classic Billiards Game. I have Dish Network and the match is recorded on my DVR.
I am watching a recorded Pool Match as I type this comment. The match I’m watching is between Joe Balsis and Luther Lassiter.
I spent 5 hours practicing today. Sometimes practice with the cue ball really offers huge rewards.
Ted
September 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
First of all I enjoy your style of announcing the play by play action. So exactly what is a backward cut? I bet Cowboy Jimmy Moore was ‘fit to be tied’ when he missed that shot. I would like to hear what they both would have to say on the mental aspect of the game and how they keep their composure in times such as this.
September 27th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Hey Patti,
Thanks for the note.
A backward cut would be when the angle of the cut reaches beyond 90 degrees. Keeping your composure under pressure is a huge part of the game. Willie Mosconi obviously had this skill mastered pretty good based on his achievements.