John Schmidt at BullShooters

[NH Steve]

Steve, maybe you could help me out, for it is bugging me that I can not come up this old time straight pool player's name. I have been thinking about it because of the discussions concerning Babe Cranfield, but it is not him.
This player would come into the pool hall and the side bet money odds would be on him that he would run 200 hundred balls. He was known as probably the most prolific runner of balls the world as has ever seen, but when he would get into a tournament he had a hard time running 60 balls.
Thanks, Whitey

You must be talking about Mike Eufemia (which I might be spelling wrong). He is reported to have run over 600 balls but it was before the age of live streaming

He apparently ended up here in NH -- with his family owning a small poolroom in the small city of Keene. Freddy Agnir might know more because I think he lived near there and may have played in that room.

 

[Miller]

I had the pleasure to watch a little of John's attempts to break the record yesterday. Wow, i all I can say. He is so fluid at the table its just beautiful to watch. Ive never really watched many straight pool masters play thru racks, its interesting to see how effortlessly he evaluate his patterns and how he decides on his break ball and his key ball. In the short time I watched I saw him manufacture 3 break balls by moving them into position with the cue ball.

I also want to mention what a nice friendly guy John is. He came over and spoke to my wife and I between every rack, which was a real bonus for us spectators. It appears the luck of the break shots will ultimately determine when the record will be broken. He was in the latter stages go a 224 ball run when we arrived and that run and many others I watched on the stream ended with John pocketing the ball but having the cueball carom into a pocket. There is no question he can run more the 526 if the Cueball Gods look favorable on him.

Im routing for John to get that record, he deserves it. Keith

very cool. he's always seemed like a friendly guy to me as well....

the guys that are the very best at what they do....don't care what it is....cow-tipping or running hundreds of balls....just make it look so easy and seamless....and you inherently know talent when you see it....

you can write what i know about the nuances of straight pool on a napkin, but got to think that a man has got to get a couple decent rolls to navigate through 36+ racks.

sign up for philly, el sappo….

 

[beatle]

mike eufemia did run balls like no one around. he was from new york city. hung out in queens a lot.
would play people 100 no count and beat them easily.

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

You must be talking about Mike Eufemia (which I might be spelling wrong). He is reported to have run over 600 balls but it was before the age of live streaming

He apparently ended up here in NH -- with his family owning a small poolroom in the small city of Keene. Freddy Agnir might know more because I think he lived near there and may have played in that room.

It's possible that is who I am thinking of. Here is what is wrote up about Michael Eufemia in my '69 - 1st. Los Angeles World's Invitational Championships Program @ Elks, Los Angeles: Always a dangerous competitor, fifty-year old Mr. Eufemia from Long Island City, New York is truly "Mr. High Run" of pocket billiard world. He holds the world record of 371 balls and many other runs over 300. At the 1967 World All Around at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas, Mike won the straight pool crown by defeating Joe Balsis in a very dramatic finish. There is no top player who he has not met and defeated at least once.

I plan on posting pictures from this program. It is quite a remarkable program. It has pictures of all the contestants, with full page pictures of world champions that are competing, the rules of 14.1, a map and listing of a pool halls in and around L.A., a write up of all the BCA HOF'ers, history of billiards, sponsor pages including Chop-Stix Billiards w/ a picture of Bobby Craig, Jack Lemon, Walter Mathau, Celebrity Billiards, L.A. Bowling & Billiard, Marina Billiards, North Hollywood Recreation Center, Gate #1, Mr. Pockets, a full page tribute to the late Howard Worst, and a 2 page write up by Fred Whalen, 15 Times Pacific Coast Champion.

Thanks, Steve! I'll do some more research, for I am not sure Mike is who I am thinking of, but probably! Whitey

 

[beatle]

according to what you wrote whitey it definitely is eufemia .
he was okay for money but in a tournament he dogged it badly some times for some reason other times never missed.

he was like arizona lee, would be happy to play for hours by himself.

 

[gulfportdoc]

...
I plan on posting pictures from this program. It is quite a remarkable program. It has pictures of all the contestants, with full page pictures of world champions that are competing, the rules of 14.1, a map and listing of a pool halls in and around L.A., a write up of all the BCA HOF'ers, history of billiards, sponsor pages including Chop-Stix Billiards w/ a picture of Bobby Craig, Jack Lemon, Walter Mathau, Celebrity Billiards, L.A. Bowling & Billiard, Marina Billiards, North Hollywood Recreation Center, Gate #1, Mr. Pockets, a full page tribute to the late Howard Worst, and a 2 page write up by Fred Whalen, 15 Times Pacific Coast Champion.
...

Those were great tournaments run by Whalen and Tiff Payne. Very classy, and they put some money into them. The program booklets were wonderful. I wish I'd kept mine from '69 and '70!

~Doc

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

Doc,
I always knew Whalen was 15 times Pacific Coast Champion, but I had forgot how I knew this. I have researched this championship but am unable to find even a mention of it. The other day I was looking for something else and stumbled upon a box of magazines and there it was, the '69 L.A. Invitational setting right on top. And the final message from Whalen is noted as he being the 15 time champion.
I wish I could duplicate this program. I guess there is a way. I also have a program from, what I believe, is the '67 or '68 Norwalk 14.1 Championship. I believe McGown won it. Whitey

 

[NH Steve]

Just hit 200 this rack and still going...

 

[NH Steve]

He missed a shot and ended with a 235

 

[NH Steve]

I wonder what the record of balls run into one pocket are? I remember a few years back at Derby City they had a One Pocket challenge -- break open 5 racks and see how many you can run each rack. The highest that came up ever at DCC was I believe Gabe Owen with 60. Of course that was not a run of 60, but it was an average of 12 balls a rack -- pretty damn good!

One year Corey was betting I think even money he could run all 15 balls. I think he quit partly because a guy betting would not allow spotting a ball that fell into a neutral pocket. Well you cannot run 15 unless you can spot it so Corey dropped out as I recall. Maybe it wasn't an even money bet either lol my memory fades

 

[FxYxDx]

That’s good the most i ever ran was 10 n out in a game where i owes two and then i kept shooting got 13 and missed 14 for position on 15

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

The One Pocket record is held by Ronnie Allen- 6 racks on a Brunswick Gold Crown Table - spotting 10-8. Witness by the Freddy "The beard" Bentivegna. Whitey

 

[Billy Jackets]

I wonder what the record of balls run into one pocket are? I remember a few years back at Derby City they had a One Pocket challenge -- break open 5 racks and see how many you can run each rack. The highest that came up ever at DCC was I believe Gabe Owen with 60. Of course that was not a run of 60, but it was an average of 12 balls a rack -- pretty damn good!

One year Corey was betting I think even money he could run all 15 balls. I think he quit partly because a guy betting would not allow spotting a ball that fell into a neutral pocket. Well you cannot run 15 unless you can spot it so Corey dropped out as I recall. Maybe it wasn't an even money bet either lol my memory fades

I think he was getting 3 to 1 which is still ridiculous.
The guy that wouldn't spot the ball is not worth dealing with.

 

[NH Steve]

The One Pocket record is held by Ronnie Allen- 6 racks on a Brunswick Gold Crown Table - spotting 10-8. Witness by the Freddy "The beard" Bentivegna. Whitey

Now that is in a game situation, and of course you stop once you win each game. Then next game -- unless Ronnie was getting spotted the break and making a ball every time (not likely lol) -- then of course there were moving shots in those games until Ronnie got into his run out. That is the way it is in One Pocket, and I would agree that would be a run of 60 in One Pocket match play.

Doing it as John Schmidt (or Mosconi ) in an exhibition style format, it could be all 15 from 4 racks, with a break shot obviously for each of those racks.

You could also have a single game high run, with a player handicapping to a high count, and they run off all 15 balls and then the spotted balls (all spotted at once, in a lineup off the spot).

So it seems like there are three different kinds of high run available for One Pocket!

 

[NH Steve]

I think he was getting 3 to 1 which is still ridiculous.
The guy that wouldn't spot the ball is not worth dealing with.

Tha's more like it, thank you.

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

Steve, I do not know any particulars about Ronnie's record OP run, except what I mentioned, and I found that record among many pocket and billiard records, and rewrote exactly as it was described. The author of these record lists is Keebe Fleniken, it has Ronnie's rated at #10 of greatest runs in either pocket or billiard records.

We use to play, whereas you get 5 breaks and see how many balls you can make in your scoring OP pocket, but it was not ball in hand. It was actually a soft break. You'd bet a guy he could not do it from anywhere from 10 balls on up depending upon a players ability. I have seen a player shooting at 23. In talking to Monk, he said he seen 27. If you miss or scratch it ends the inning. A scratch is played just like in OP, loss of a ball, and if you make a ball and scratch it still is a minus one.

Now days they break them and get ball in hand anywhere. So they use an open break. It is a completely different game. You are right Gabe Owens has that record. As listed; Gabe "the babe" Owens, one pocket ghost 4 racks perfect 60. Whitey

 

[baby huey]

Fred Whelan was a character among characters. He was an old time hustler who beat many a bookie with past posting horse races. He had a spotter who would watch the horses from his apartment and when a horse would be winning easily he'd phone in a bet to the bookie. He cheated (with class) at gin rummy with the Hollywood folks and won a lot of money. His son was Frank (the enforcer) Whelan who was killed by Mickey Cohen during the LA gang wars of the 40's and early 50's during the Bugsy Segal era. His daughter was married to Richard Widmark the actor and this allowed him to mix with the rich Hollywood crowd. But Freddie had a soft spot for pool players thus the LA Open Events. When Fats came out to the coast he stayed with Fred and some say that's when he fathered Etta James, I think that's the name, the singer. There's actually articles about their liason. I know this because an old bookie friend was close to Fred and Fred actually beat this guy past posting many a time. Even so they were friends. I knew Fred a little bit as he used to come in to the room I played in and we would talk mostly about pool and he tried to hustle me some but I was cautious and trapped him in One Pocket for only a one game bet and he quit. I wish someone would do a story about Fred as he was a contempory of Titanic Thompson, Fats and many other legendary hustlers of that era. Lastly, I wish I had that Rambo Cue Fred owned as it was one of his prized possessions. Beautiful with a capital "B."

 

[lfigueroa]

It's possible that is who I am thinking of. Here is what is wrote up about Michael Eufemia in my '69 - 1st. Los Angeles World's Invitational Championships Program @ Elks, Los Angeles: Always a dangerous competitor, fifty-year old Mr. Eufemia from Long Island City, New York is truly "Mr. High Run" of pocket billiard world. He holds the world record of 371 balls and many other runs over 300. At the 1967 World All Around at the Stardust Hotel in Las Vegas, Mike won the straight pool crown by defeating Joe Balsis in a very dramatic finish. There is no top player who he has not met and defeated at least once.

I plan on posting pictures from this program. It is quite a remarkable program. It has pictures of all the contestants, with full page pictures of world champions that are competing, the rules of 14.1, a map and listing of a pool halls in and around L.A., a write up of all the BCA HOF'ers, history of billiards, sponsor pages including Chop-Stix Billiards w/ a picture of Bobby Craig, Jack Lemon, Walter Mathau, Celebrity Billiards, L.A. Bowling & Billiard, Marina Billiards, North Hollywood Recreation Center, Gate #1, Mr. Pockets, a full page tribute to the late Howard Worst, and a 2 page write up by Fred Whalen, 15 Times Pacific Coast Champion.

Thanks, Steve! I'll do some more research, for I am not sure Mike is who I am thinking of, but probably! Whitey

I think it was him.

Here's GF's article: http://www.billiardsdigest.com/showblogentry.php?id=114

Lou Figueroa

 

[Dennis "Whitey" Young]

I think it was him.

Here's GF's article: http://www.billiardsdigest.com/showblogentry.php?id=114

Lou Figueroa

Thanks Lou, for me that confirms it. What a great article! thanks again!

Both of JS long runs on Friday were ended just because he stretched for the shot, and did not get the shape he wanted and ended up with a hard shot. One of them was a stretch plus he shot left handed. He had struggled mightily until he got 'focus' and did that long run, only to be undone by over stretching. That was probably hard to take after doing such a magnificent run. I believe he was well on his way and on the 17th rack.

 

[Jimmy B]

Last couple of days for this event.. John over 300 right now.. Watching John's run and The Cathedral burn at the same time...surreal ....



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