Willie Mosconi

Willie Mosconi was a great pocket billiards player, and in fact, his name was practically synonymous with the sport. Willie is considered to be the best player in the history of the game of billiards. Willie Mosconi kept pocket billairds alive during the decline of the popularity of billiards in general after the world war II.

Willie Mosconi held a lock on the world title almost exclusively between 1940 and 1957 by winning the billiards world title 15 times. Mosconi retired in 1957 and with his retirement, the game and it's popularity went on the decline.

Willie Mosconi

In 1919, Willie Mosconi's father arranged a match between Willie and Ralph Greenleaf. Willie Mosconi was only 6 years old at that time, and although he lost, he played very well. This match was considered to be the match that launched Willie Mosconi's career. In fact, Willie's father frequently arranged billiard matches for Willie as a child as a way for Willie to help earn money for the growing family.

However, Willie wasn't always supported by his parents. His dad used to hide the billiard balls so that he couldn't play, but Willie used to practice anyway, by using small potatoes from his mother's kitchen and a broom handle for a pool cue.

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Willie Mosconi - Billiard Player

Headshot photo of Willie Mosconi:

Photos of Willie Mosconi playing billiards:

Photo of Willie Mosconi playing billiards #1

Poster featuring Boy Wonder Willie Mosconi at Age 11

Willie Mosconi - Biography

Date of Birth: 1913-07-27 (died 1993-09-17)
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
Country of Residence: United States (USA)
Willie Mosconis Nickname(s): Mr. Pocket Billiards
Willie Mosconis Sponsors: Brunswick Balke Collender Corporation
Inducted into the BCA Players Hall of Fame: 1968

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Willie Mosconis Cue Sports Records and Accomplishments

Willie Mosconi was considered a world leader champion for just about every year that he played billiards professionally. In fact he was considered a child prodigy from the moment he picked up a pool cue. Perhaps Willie Mosconi's most famous record, was his 526 high run on March 19, 1954. His record still stands today in the year 2008, and many feel that it will never be broken. To achieve this world record, Willie ran 526 consecutive balls without a single miss during a straight pool exhibition. There exists a handwritten and notarized affidavit with the signatures of more than 35 eyewitnesses to this world record achievement. The record was set at East High billiard club in Springfield, Ohio. It should be noted that this was done on a 5 and a half inch pocket, 4 by 8 foot Brunswick pool table. Today's tables are larger and the feat would be far more difficult today than it was in the past.

another notable accomplishment of Willie Mosconi's was that he won the World Billiard Championship (BCA) 15 times between 1941 and 1957.

Pool Players

Willie Mosconi Comments

Daniel Judd from San Diego, CA on 5/11/2007 2:24:28 PM
My name is Daniel Judd. I work for Encore Sports and Entertainment and we are trying to locate contact information for Willie Mosconi's estate.

We are looking to get in touch with Mr. Mosconi for a licensing deal and was looking for some help. I was hoping that you had a contact for Mr. Mosconi or you could pass this on someone who might be in the know.

We would love to send him a licensing proposal and see if they are interested. Any help you could offer on who we should be trying to track down would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and help,

Daniel Judd
Encore Sports and Entertainment

Mosconi526 from Nashville, TN on 7/22/2009 8:09:45 PM
Mr. Willie Mosconi passed away in 1992. He was 80 years old.

His wife "Flora Mosconi", still lives in New Jersey somewhere I believe. His son, Bill "willie" Mosconi and daughter Evelyn are around somewhere but I couldn't tell you where.

I have been trying to find some old footage of Willie Mosconi shooting a game of straight pool back when he was "kickin' ass and taking names"! But it is almost impossible to find this footage. If anybody has anything please don't hesitate to let me know.

Thank you,

Brad (Mosconi526)
Neuro_mason@hotmail.com

Chris in NC from NC, United States on 3/20/2011 2:07:45 PM
@Daniel Judd, you deserve to be shot in the face for such an ignorant post. Willie Mosconi passed away in 1993.

Quintilius Maximus from Scottsdale, AZ on 3/31/2014 1:24:38 AM
Everyone knows about Willie Mosconi's 526-ball run. Some people say that Willie Mosconi's 526 ball run ended when he missed ball number 527.

But one day in the mid-1990s in a Phoenix, AZ bar named "Pappy's", hall-of-fame inductee "Cowboy Jimmy Moore" was playing sets of "jacked up" nine ball (one handed shooting, not using the rail to support cue) for BIG money, and he told me PERSONALLY that Mr. Willie Mosconi never did miss after 526. He told me that Willie, after his 3-hour, 526 ball run, where he walked an estimated 2 to 3 miles in total, simply laid down his cue and said "That ought to do it. Let 'em beat that!"

Can you positively end this controversy? I really would love it if someone else could corroborate this story.

Thanks, Q

poolfool54 from CA, United States on 5/4/2014 4:18:34 PM
Thank you for the opportunity to see if I can find this Mosconi video.

My father passed on 6 years ago, and I recently discovered that I too love to shoot pool.

My father once told me he used to rack for "Two Hop" Willie for 2 bits a rack. I asked him why have I never heard of this before? Where can I see it?

Thank you so much, I really need to see this video of Willie Mosconi.

Willie Mosconi III from Alexandria, VA on 5/26/2014 6:42:13 PM
@Mosconi526 - Impossible you say sir? I uploaded this Willie Mosconi video to YouTube from my private family stash just for you my friend.

It is a video of Willie Mosconi and Jimmy Caras shooting a game of straight pool at the Chicago Lake Shore Athletic Club. It was shown originally on TV in 1963 on "Wide World of Sports".

Willie Mosconi III
From a Pool Hall Near You

Margo Clyma from Media, PA on 4/12/2017 7:35:39 PM
I would like to make a contact with Willie Mosconi's son and daughter, as they are my cousins and we have never met. Their mother, Anna Harrison, and my father, Charles Harrison, were brother and sister.

I met Willie Mosconi several times and he was such a nice man, so kind and engaging - a real gentleman.

If anyone knows how I can contact his children, I would appreciate hearing from you.

Joe NC from Charlotte, NC on 7/12/2019 8:34:25 PM
I am looking to contact Willie's Mosconi's estate about the way his record was supposedly broken.

Apparently the video is correct.

My question is, can the record be broken using a practice format vs Willie's match play?

The BCA says there is no difference, and that doesn't seem legal to me. I would challenge it. I am not a lawyer, but I just feel like I need to speak up about this.

I have posted several posts about it on FB. I feel that his record in match play should remain UNBROKEN.