@johnnyfin1 If you watch the movie Gleason does shoot some of his own shots but not the tough ones.
Willie Mosconi was there for that. If you look closely you will see Willie a couple of times in the movie, he picks up the bet in one scene. He spent a couple of months teaching Newman to play, they did it in private at a girls college.
You have to admit he got the attention of the public with his ranting. This brought pool to the attention of the sit on the sofa masses and it jumped in popularity. Even though Mosconi beat him like a drum every time his joking and bragging made the public aware of pool which was a good thing. Fats ended up with his own show called Celebrity Billiards. Mosconi who at first hated Fats and came close to punching him out mellowed toward him. He said every time he opens his mouth I make money.
If Fats weren't this "trash-talking dildo" jackiebaron described, this would never be on film.That's what Wide-World-of-Sports was promoting: bad boys: Ali, Bobby Fischer, Jimmy Connors, McEnroe--loud mouthed drama. Mosconi tried to make the game dignified--and he, along with Brunswick Billiards--managed to kill pool. Pool is film noir: deal with it. As for Tevis origins--the Fats was a name back then and probably WAS the inspiration for Tevis, thereby himself. He was a top 1 pocket player.
Typical of a trash-talking dildo. Have some grace and respect and play the game like a maestro and don't stand there making immature fucking jibes. Nobody respects a skilled man or woman who uses their talent for cheap laughs. But what's worse is the spectacle of the lickspittles who childishly giggle along with his crap.
I watched a match on his own show "celebrity billiards" where Milton Berle beat him easily in 3 cushion billiards without any fooling around. I remember on one of those shows one of the celebs he played, Don Adams, asked him why he never plays any top players. Fats ranted the whole show and Adams won the match but that was because he got Fat's goat. Adams was not a good player. Supposedly they tried to get Gleason to play on it but he refused.
You know, people believing Tevis' nonsense about Fats not being based on Wanderone are naive. Read the actual book sometime instead of just watching the movie. The character was directly based on Wanderone, even down to the facial tic and other mannerism. Every pool player at the time knew this, even Mosconi, who hated Fats.
I read somewhere that he was known as New York Fats (his real place of origin) until Tevis's book came out. Then he claimed that the character was based on him and changed his name to Minnesota Fats. Tevis said that he'd never heard of Wanderon until after the book came out.
@notbestfriends In his day he was quite a player, and was beating Wimpy back in the 1930's. His game went downhill during the 50's, and especially in his later years. But don't let that fool you, he was no "good amateur" and its ignorant to even say that.
@wimpylassiter2336 Actually, Wimpy himself said it. Read "Hustler Days" by R.A. Dyer, page 35. Of course, as I said earlier, that was when Wimpy had only been playing a few years and fats was at his playing peak. Things quickly reversed, but it did happen.
@victimofcheese Yes I read that to in Hustler Days and in Straight Pool now isn't that a shocker he hated Straight Pool. Minnesota Fats wasn't a top player But he has beaten some good players he beat Handsome Danny Jones,Richie Florance,Tuscaloose Squirel and one point he played Ronnie Allen 8-6 [Fats with 6 ofc] and came out ahead slightly. Fats was a better hustler he actually played Richie Florance 8-7 and was losing so he changed the handicap to 9-6 and won over $40,000.
What a colourful and fun man he was (his so-called "memoirs" are entertaining to read), but one may wonder when the heck, given the fact he never shut up for a second, he learnt to play as well as he did. ;^)
Fats came into a pool hall in Wisconsin in 1975 to put on an exhibition. My friend and I were playing 9 ball when he arrived. Fats came over to us and started his talking with my buddy, who was qualified for the U.S. Open that year.
Fats: Hey son, you play pretty good. How long you been playin'?
Friend: About fifteen years.
Fats: Yeah? What's your high run?
Friend: Nine.
Fats: You been playin' pool for 15 years and you only run 9 balls?
Friend: That's all that's ever on the table, Fats.
Minnesota Fats only did 3 things in his life that are worth mentioning: #1- Played a good game of Pool #2- Fathered Etta James #3- Gave Jackie Gleason a dream role in "The Hustler"
Fats never had the class that Gleason was able to portray on screen so I am sure you are correct.
I didn't intend to imply that Fats had anything to do with the movie ... I was only suggesting that the "Role" a portrayed by Gleason was a major coup and the highlight of Gleason's career.
He was just a fat bastard who traded on the name Minnesota Fats as being famous from the great film The Hustler. He never won a professional tournament in his life!
ElectricLemonTone, you're exactly right. Fat's was just a pool hall hustler, that talked a lot of smack. He could beat average pool hall players easily, but playing Mosconi or Irving Crane, anyone of that caliber, he always got his butt kicked.
I'm not sure who is was that posted something about Fats being better than Strickland, but it's obviously that you are not a player. Fats was hussler. He could not compete at the pro level, but was very good at gambling - he almost always had to get a spot, he talked a lot, and when he'd get up a few hundred he would complain about his back and legs hurting (usually around the same time his opponent starting getting the rolls).
He was a colorful character, but never a top player.
"classic fatty rant" lolololol
smugglinbooze 2 months ago
@johnnyfin1 If you watch the movie Gleason does shoot some of his own shots but not the tough ones.
Willie Mosconi was there for that. If you look closely you will see Willie a couple of times in the movie, he picks up the bet in one scene. He spent a couple of months teaching Newman to play, they did it in private at a girls college.
dv713 6 months ago
the perfect hustler
itsyaboyitsyaboy 8 months ago
You have to admit he got the attention of the public with his ranting. This brought pool to the attention of the sit on the sofa masses and it jumped in popularity. Even though Mosconi beat him like a drum every time his joking and bragging made the public aware of pool which was a good thing. Fats ended up with his own show called Celebrity Billiards. Mosconi who at first hated Fats and came close to punching him out mellowed toward him. He said every time he opens his mouth I make money.
dv713 10 months ago
"HAVING FUN, MEETING PEOPLE & PLAYING POOL, IS WHAT WE DO!"
It's not about WINNING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good Luck to all those who PLAY FUN POOL
poolplayers. com
bradbroplay 11 months ago
If Fats weren't this "trash-talking dildo" jackiebaron described, this would never be on film.That's what Wide-World-of-Sports was promoting: bad boys: Ali, Bobby Fischer, Jimmy Connors, McEnroe--loud mouthed drama. Mosconi tried to make the game dignified--and he, along with Brunswick Billiards--managed to kill pool. Pool is film noir: deal with it. As for Tevis origins--the Fats was a name back then and probably WAS the inspiration for Tevis, thereby himself. He was a top 1 pocket player.
Odhinn222 1 year ago
Fuckin' moron.
Typical of a trash-talking dildo. Have some grace and respect and play the game like a maestro and don't stand there making immature fucking jibes. Nobody respects a skilled man or woman who uses their talent for cheap laughs. But what's worse is the spectacle of the lickspittles who childishly giggle along with his crap.
jackiebaron 1 year ago
This buffoon (Fats) doesn't even come close to the likes of Mosconi, Miserak or Reyes. I'd bet Jackie Gleason could have beaten him in straight pool.
notbestfriends 1 year ago
@notbestfriends
Gleason probably could have.
I watched a match on his own show "celebrity billiards" where Milton Berle beat him easily in 3 cushion billiards without any fooling around. I remember on one of those shows one of the celebs he played, Don Adams, asked him why he never plays any top players. Fats ranted the whole show and Adams won the match but that was because he got Fat's goat. Adams was not a good player. Supposedly they tried to get Gleason to play on it but he refused.
dv713 1 year ago
You know, people believing Tevis' nonsense about Fats not being based on Wanderone are naive. Read the actual book sometime instead of just watching the movie. The character was directly based on Wanderone, even down to the facial tic and other mannerism. Every pool player at the time knew this, even Mosconi, who hated Fats.
victimofcheese 1 year ago
I read somewhere that he was known as New York Fats (his real place of origin) until Tevis's book came out. Then he claimed that the character was based on him and changed his name to Minnesota Fats. Tevis said that he'd never heard of Wanderon until after the book came out.
mcdermottpeter 1 year ago
Fats couldn't carry Mosconi's jock.
At best, he was a good amateur. Never won a pro tourney.
notbestfriends 1 year ago
@notbestfriends In his day he was quite a player, and was beating Wimpy back in the 1930's. His game went downhill during the 50's, and especially in his later years. But don't let that fool you, he was no "good amateur" and its ignorant to even say that.
victimofcheese 1 year ago
@victimofcheese fats was a very good player, but dont say he could beat wimpy. only person who beat wimpy was don willis and willie mosconi.
wimpylassiter2336 1 year ago
@wimpylassiter2336 Actually, Wimpy himself said it. Read "Hustler Days" by R.A. Dyer, page 35. Of course, as I said earlier, that was when Wimpy had only been playing a few years and fats was at his playing peak. Things quickly reversed, but it did happen.
victimofcheese 1 year ago
@victimofcheese fair enuff. i have two copies of hustler days. changed my life lol.
wimpylassiter2336 1 year ago
@victimofcheese
Watch the match on u tube where Lassiter plays Fats.
Lassiter wins 7 ball 4-0 and 9 ball 4-0.
Fats may have won when Lassiter first started by never in his later days.
dv713 1 year ago
@dv713 Which...is exactly what I said? When they started out Fats was beating Wimpy. Simple fact. Wimpy quickly surpassed him, but it DID happen.
victimofcheese 1 year ago
@victimofcheese Yes I read that to in Hustler Days and in Straight Pool now isn't that a shocker he hated Straight Pool. Minnesota Fats wasn't a top player But he has beaten some good players he beat Handsome Danny Jones,Richie Florance,Tuscaloose Squirel and one point he played Ronnie Allen 8-6 [Fats with 6 ofc] and came out ahead slightly. Fats was a better hustler he actually played Richie Florance 8-7 and was losing so he changed the handicap to 9-6 and won over $40,000.
MurderMafia 8 months ago in playlist pool trick shots
@MurderMafia I also forgot to mention he beat Bill station [Weenie Bennie] while Bill was in dead stroke bill could hardly believe it.
MurderMafia 8 months ago in playlist pool trick shots
What a colourful and fun man he was (his so-called "memoirs" are entertaining to read), but one may wonder when the heck, given the fact he never shut up for a second, he learnt to play as well as he did. ;^)
LeonFleisherFan 2 years ago
Fats came into a pool hall in Wisconsin in 1975 to put on an exhibition. My friend and I were playing 9 ball when he arrived. Fats came over to us and started his talking with my buddy, who was qualified for the U.S. Open that year.
Fats: Hey son, you play pretty good. How long you been playin'?
Friend: About fifteen years.
Fats: Yeah? What's your high run?
Friend: Nine.
Fats: You been playin' pool for 15 years and you only run 9 balls?
Friend: That's all that's ever on the table, Fats.
madisonhack 2 years ago
Minnesota Fats only did 3 things in his life that are worth mentioning: #1- Played a good game of Pool #2- Fathered Etta James #3- Gave Jackie Gleason a dream role in "The Hustler"
hammerogod 2 years ago
according to walter tevis, the fictional fats was not inspired by the real one.
850kell531 2 years ago 4
Fats never had the class that Gleason was able to portray on screen so I am sure you are correct.
I didn't intend to imply that Fats had anything to do with the movie ... I was only suggesting that the "Role" a portrayed by Gleason was a major coup and the highlight of Gleason's career.
hammerogod 2 years ago
yeah fats probably heard the name minnesota fats and figured he could capitalize off of it.
850kell531 2 years ago
@850kell531 THR WAS NO REAL FATS
thoostorm4 1 year ago
@thoostorm4 i was referring to rudolf wanderone as the real fats, and george hegerman was the fictional minnesota fats.
850kell531 1 year ago
mosconi hated that fucker
gabbahey66 2 years ago
He was just a fat bastard who traded on the name Minnesota Fats as being famous from the great film The Hustler. He never won a professional tournament in his life!
awesomewelles90 2 years ago 2
He lived the last year's of his life in Nashville, Tn. Fats real name, for those who don't know, was Rudolph Wanderon, Jr.
GBeret83 2 years ago
ElectricLemonTone, you're exactly right. Fat's was just a pool hall hustler, that talked a lot of smack. He could beat average pool hall players easily, but playing Mosconi or Irving Crane, anyone of that caliber, he always got his butt kicked.
GBeret83 2 years ago 2
I'm not sure who is was that posted something about Fats being better than Strickland, but it's obviously that you are not a player. Fats was hussler. He could not compete at the pro level, but was very good at gambling - he almost always had to get a spot, he talked a lot, and when he'd get up a few hundred he would complain about his back and legs hurting (usually around the same time his opponent starting getting the rolls).
He was a colorful character, but never a top player.
ElectricLemonTone 2 years ago
He sure could talk a good game,he never was as good as he tried to make us believe.
NAMTRIP 2 years ago
Lol if he could back up fourth of his talk he would be without question the greatest pool player ever.
Never the less he still is a great player.
MurderMafia 2 years ago
Everybody undermines this guy I mean He's Deff Not the Best But i'de say he's deff Up there Maybe not Top 3 But Proboly like Top 15.
MurderMafia 2 years ago
that's one big mouth.......fat fucker
cellardoor199991 2 years ago
Thanks for the upload
char3795 2 years ago
colourful character he was...not like Strickland....sore loser...
kamikazeVX 2 years ago
He was never able to play at anywhere near the high level that Earl could either.
beachidiot 2 years ago
Minnesota fats was better then Earl Strickland.
MurderMafia 2 years ago
R.I.P. Fats. Your my hero!
sussexcounty 2 years ago
Danny Diliberto said or wrote that Minnesota Fats made pool trivial to the public with his ranting.
Entertaining it might be but I'm surprised one of his opponents didn't lose it and smack him.
Beretta9tt 2 years ago 6
The Greatest Ambassador that billiards could have ever asked for, made the game entertaining to watch.
DAVIDINTEL 3 years ago
Great stuff! Thanks for posting it.
zzzfore 3 years ago