CBS News - on the Death of Minnesota Fats - January, 1996!

From January 15, 1996, here is a real short story from the CBS Evening News on the death of pool maverick Minnesota Fats (Rudolf Walter Wanderone, Jr.). Taped from KLAS, Ch. 8, Las Vegas.

• Category

  Entertainment

[dv713]

He once bought a TV for a guy who could not afford one and wanted to see his TV matches. Ed helped him carry it up to his apartment. He then went to the landlord and paid for 6 months of the guys rent. So that surely says something about the guys kindness. He also loved animals feeding many stray dogs and cats. So he surely had a kind heart. There was more than one side to the man and he was very entertaining.

[dv713]

He beat most of them easily.

One time however he played Milton Berle in 3 cushion billiards and he lost that one badly as Berle was a very good 3 cushion player. Another time he played Don Adams who was in the Get Smart series. Adams got Fats goat by prodding him about playing the top players. Fats was so mad he could not make a shot. I wish I could find that show on video as it was entertaining.

[dv713]

I don't know why they limit this to 500 characters???

There were some later challenges with the older champions like Crane and Lassiter. which were played in the early 80s. Mosconi won the first one then Lassiter won the second. He blanked Fats 0 and 0 in the 2 sets they played which were 9 ball and 7 ball. I have those on VHS. I surely must admit that guys like this are needed today. Fats had his own TV show called celebrity billiards. He played celebs with a handicap.

[dv713]

The videos I have are on Beta unfortunately. I was a Zenith dealer back then and they had the Beta system which of course I went with. The machine I had only recently went bad. Belts probably dried up. If I can get those switched to disk maybe we could so some trading. I surely did not say that Fats could not play, he surely could. He was just not of Willies caliber. I knew a guy named cowboy Ed who knew Fats well. He said he was a very generous guy who would help out others when he could.

[dv713]

I have the challenge match's from the late 70s, I think 78 & 79. There is was only Mosconi & Fats playing. They played 8, 9, Straight and one pocket. The good thing about this series is that it brought pool to the top of the televised sports. It was only out watched by some major football game. This is something it sorely needs today. It is hard to find a televised pool match today. The only thing I have seen lately is the Mosconi cup. Even woman's pool which was on pretty regularly is gone.

[Brian Hill]

they were played in the early 80's..and Fats won some matches...i have over 500 matches and are in the process of transferring them to dvd.....long.....no denying mosconi's skill....anybody would be a fool to do that.....but dont kid yourself...Fats could play...he wanted word to get out that he was a nit...lol..maybe we should trade some copies and build up both collections

[dv713]

Not only have I watched every televised match I still have all those matches on video from the late 70s. They had 2 matches back then. Mosconi won every set. In the later great pool shootout Fats came close to winning one of the 8 ball sets.

I think he won one set off Mosconi out of the many they played. Mosconi beat him in 8 ball, 9 ball, Straight pool and Fats favorite game one pocket. I will say it again he could not match Willie in skill but he was a great showman and we do need them.

[Brian Hill]

I hope you have went back and actually watched some of the legends matches....the one were fats actually beats mosconi...not just one game but the set.....pool needed both of those guys....

[bill bixby]

He was the greatest personality of the game(s) of pool/billiards. Many may argue who the best ever was but he will always be in the discussion.

Best shooter of balls while they were moving I ever saw. You think there was a ghost putting the balls in the pockets. I bet no one alive could run as many balls as he could.

[MRSAMMYMARKS]

this was my great grandfather rest in peace