Billiards may not be a physically exhausting game. However, it is a game of wit and intelligence. You need to be able to anticipate where your cue ball would land, and you need to be in control. Furthermore, you need to understand physics to become good at it.
Having said that, who are the best players of billiards of all time? Today, we will take a look at some of the most talented players of this game in its history.
1. Efren “Bata” Reyes
Also called the Magician, Efren is a winner of more than seven international titles. He was the first player to ever win world championships for different disciplines in pool. Efren is widely considered the best pool player of all time. There really is no debate on this, unlike basketball where people are in constant argument whether the G.O.A.T. is Lebron James or Michael Jordan.
Overall, Efren has won more than 70 titles in his entire career. He is a world-class player who also won derby classic championships 14 times. Efren is a billiard specialist in both 8-ball and 9-ball. Many expert players specialize with only one game version.
Efren started as a helper in a pool shop. From there, he learned from good players until he was ready to strike on his own. He was discovered in the 1970s. One of his best achievements is winning a race-to-120 game against Earl Strickland. It was in the 80s that he rose to fame. He hustled in the US at that time and won $80,000. In 2007, he was named as the second most favourite players of fans.
2. William Joseph Mosconi
Born in Philadelphia, William is known for holding the World Straight Pool title for 15 consecutive times. He and Efren never got to play as they belonged in different eras. William played in the 30s to 50s. William was fond of doing trick shots, and this earned him the title of “Mr Pocket Billiards.” In North America, every pool player knows who he is.
It was in 1924, at the age of 11, when William got a break. He won as the champion of the juvenile straight pool category. He regularly held trick shot exhibition games. In the 30s, he took a break but returned later to earn some money. During his return, he entered one tournament after another and won them all. By then, he was already making a living as a player. It was in 1933 when he competed in the Billiard Congress of America. He did not win the title, though. He lost to Erwin Rudolph.
William enlisted in the army in 1944. This was not new to him, as he had a history of working for the defense industry for many years. By the end of the Second World War, he came back to playing billiards and also renewed his affiliation with Brunswick.
He suffered a stroke in 1956. Because of this, he had to slow down his pace. It was in 1957 when he came back to 100% in the game and once again won a championship title with the BCA World Championship.
3. Mike Sigel
Nicknamed Captain Hook, Mike Sigel is known in the world of billiards to “hook” his opponents. He used safety plays until his opponents made a mistake. Mike was so good that he won over 120 major tournaments. He was a champion of 9-ball three times in the U.S. Open and also a champion for pocket billiards five times. At the young age of 35, he became the youngest hall of Famer in billiards.
4. Earl Strickland
The last on our list is Earl “The Pearl” Strickland. It was in 2006 that he was inducted into the billiards congress Hall of Fame. Earl is a controversial player. He has outspoken views and his habit of having heated exchanges with fans.
Earl started playing when he was only eight. He entered his first tournament when he was 16, and he became popular in the 1980s. Earl is a multiple winner of several awards. He was named Player of the Year several times, and he was a five-time champion in the U.S. Open Nine Ball.
While billiards does not have the same level of support as basketball, boxing, baseball or any popular sport, it does have its own following. Billiards is also called pool. Do not get confused between these terms. Pocket billiards is a name that is commonly used in North America, but they are the same thing.
If you do not have access to a pool table, there are many options for gaming. You can play billiards on your mobile, console, or PC. If you are feeling lucky, pool is a common sport found on betting sites. Place your wager for eSports bets at GGBet and see if you are lucky enough to choose the winning player!
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