Willie Hoppe & Welker Cochran

[capitalismforme]

The game became a lot more fun once they put 4 holes in the corners and 2 in the sides. :)

[t4v1nh0]

Joe Chamaco los traba

[TheWillsmith13]

my 2 idols. i cant decide who's better!!

[ToothyGus]

The skill required is impeccable. And these players mastered it. But the game itself, quite boring and not amusing at all; unlike, snooker and pool.

[nae8man87]

@ToothyGus HEY,,,XTRA TOOTH GUS, CLOSE UR MOUTH, YA DONT KNO SHIT...CANT CLOSE UR MOUTH THO I GUESS, "TOOTH GUS"...ITS A GAME TO BUILD QUE SKILLS, AND A GAME TO SHOW CUE SKILLS, NOT FOR FLASH AND FAME,,,,,DUDE RESPECT THE GAME

[skaterdudeguyperson]

AWESOME!!! THANKS FOR POSTING!!!

[GetMeThere1]

Geez. Looking at that crowd, it looks like a judges convention!

[mikie47]

somewhere there is a 30minute or so film of willie's trick shots i saw on tv in the late 50s. Amazing stuff ending with him standing up a quarter between two chalks 8inches or so from one end of table. With his cue he hit the top of the quarter out from between the two chalks that didn't move. The quarter rolled the length of the table hit the cushion and rolled back between the quarter thick space (yes the thickness of a quarter!) between the chalks, hit the cushion and fell over. so did i.

[fconor]

thanx for this video of a game i love. Used to play at Cochran's Billiards on Market Street in San Francisco

in the '60's

[fconor]

thanx for this video of a game i love. I used to play with dick cochran (welker's son) at Cochran's Billiards in San Francisco on Market Street in the '60's, Brings back memories.

[MrMudneck]

thanks for the great vid. wish I could find some of Ralph greenleafs straight pool vids throw em thisaway

[ilos7391]

I am so glad that this could be filmed and placed on UTube. Their bridge is pretty awkward compared to the orthodox style. The cannons they display are nothing out of the extraordinary. Horace Lindrum still remains my idol........Soli Variava

[SodatSobat]

Hello. I would like to ask what about the bridge is awkward? It looks like a normal close bridge to me. I feel their grip that is different instead. Thanks.

[kamikazeVX]

Anciet legends...like the god of pool...I want that cue...pray to them before any1 of you guys enter any tournament...

[LatinPercussion]

what year is that from ?

[shybuttcute]

wow so this is the famous Willie Hoppe! I read about him, never thought I was going to see a video here, thank you so much for uploading. Greetings from Spain

[Valdinsh]

superb... appreciate the upload... respect

[michaelfbooth]

Is that Hoppe at 1:14, wiggling his cue all over the place during his stroke? So much for all those textbooks that specifically tell us never to do that. :) I guess if you're Willie Hoppe, who started practicing almost before he was born, those textbook rules are more like... guidelines.

Awesome video, thanks a lot!

[Deathugee]

i've been reading some of byrne's books, different strokes for different folks seems to be his message.

[ggab7768]

There are a handful of players over the years that had absolutely horrible strokes, but still played beautifully.

Your best bet is to develop a steady proper stroke, but some have done well without.

Hoppe is, of course, famous for the side arm stroke.

[lemonite1]

Allen Hopkins, Efren Reyes, Cisero Murphy, Francisco Bustamante....all players with 'improper strokes.'

[gavpots]

And in the snooker world: Alex Higgins (I suppose action more than stroke) twice world champ and considered by many to be the most naturally gifted player ever, Ray Reardon (six times world champ had "chicken wing" stroke due to an injury) and current top 16 player Joe Swail (when you watch Joe cueing you'd think he couldn't string 3 balls together) are three that spring to mind who shatter the myth that you need a "textbook" stroke.

[lemonite1]

Yes! My apologies as I forgot the Snooker players. Especially The Hurricane. His cue would wiggle back in forth! And that look on his face...I think to pool players, snooker players look a bit odd as their stance is more square because the table is higher.They also appear stiff with the exception of O'Sullivan. in the Billiard world, Sang Lee had a very odd stance and stroke which looked pokey. Yeah, you make a very good point.

[ggab7768]

Excellent examples lemonite1.

I believe Ralph Greenleaf also shot sidearm. Can't forget him.

[lin2k4]

Can someone explain to me what's happening?

[outotfog]

These two gentleman are putting on an exibition of a game known as 3 cushion billiards. They were both world champions. This is very rare footage indeed. The Game: In order to score a point, the cue ball must hit 3 cushions before it strikes the second ball. For exampl: the cue ball could hit one ball and then hit 3 cushions, and then hit the second ball. That is a point. Basically, you have to hit both balls with the cue ball hitting 3 cushions before it hits the second ball.

[sleeepy2]

Thanks for the explanation, for the life of me I couldn't figure out what they were getting at.!  Any idea what year this was filmed?

[gavpots]

I'd guess at late 30's, only a guess though. Hoppe's gettin on, he was born in 1887. Kept playing until 1952 and retired as world champ. One of the longest careers in the game.

[lemonite1]

How many World Championships?10,11? I know that his high run of 25 held for a long time till Cuelmans broke it. Hoppe owns records of 2000 straight rail, and 622 balkline.

[Kriterian]

@outotfog I was wondering why everyone was clapping when all he did was make contact. I always thought 3 cushion meant you had to bank it 3 rails before making it, haha. Thanks for the info!

[Quadstriker]

Thank you very much for posting this!

[poolplayer0714]

Thanks for posting this excellent and rare footage.

[notphilivey]

Hoppe was brilliant, a craftsman of the highest order, devoted to his profession, fastidious yet elegant, and a credit to this game of ours.

[Stiletos]

Way slower table then the game is now played on. Hoppe was amazing given those playing conditions.

[winkamundo]

Nice find, rare footage, a lost art

[TheRealBoroNut]

Hardly a lost art. The standard has never been higher.