Pool formally known as pool billiards in Europe and pocket billiards in Australia or North America, is among the most sophisticated and fashionable indoor games there is in the world. It belongs to the family of cue games and sports.
This game is not just about fame but also pays good remuneration to its players. In this article, we are going to discuss the greatest pool player of all time.
10 Best Pool Players In The World:
This game, which is played with a pool table and six pockets along the rails, has various versions. There is a nine-ball pool, an eight-ball poll, and a six-pocket as well, but it has become an obsolete version of the popular game.
Numerous players are associated with the game. Here are the 10 greatest pool players of all time.
10. Kelly Fisher
She is among the greatest pool players in history and also the best among female pool players. She began her career playing snooker and won three Ladies World Snooker Championships in a row from 1998 to 2000.
After winning the titles in 2002 and 2003, she swapped to pool from snooker and did not look back.
She moved to the US to pursue a career in the pool and joined the Women’s Professional Billard Association. She became the best in the women’s pool in 2008, also made her place in the greatest pool player of all time.
9. Johnny Archer
Johnny Archer used to be widely known as one of the best 9-ball pool players in the world.
“The Scorpion” reached the finals of three WPA world Nine-ball championships and won two, but lost the other one between 1992 and 1998. It was only Earl Strickland who won the game more times than him.
Hailing from Georgia and Waycross, he capped an amazing decade when he won the US Open Pool Championship in 1999. He made his place at the international level and was immensely successful.
Also, he represented the US Mosconi Cup team seventeen times and made a record. Johnny Archer has won more than 60 professional tournaments and is among the greatest pool layers of all time.
8. Allison Fisher
When we are talking about the best pool player in the world, we cannot miss Allison Fisher. Moreover, this British player and champion has bested snooker and the international nine-ball in the recent past.
She was introduced to BCA in June 2009 and has been teaching at the Allison World Champion Academy in Charlotte, NC.
7. Mike Sigel
This American player has won more than 120 major tournaments since he was active in his career. Mike Sigel dominated the game in the 70s and 80s and got himself the nickname “ Captain Hook.”
This was because of his ambidextrous ability, which he used to hook his opponent’s players. He was only 35 when he was named the youngest player in the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1989.
6. Earl Stickland
This American player from North Carolina got himself the nickname “The Pearl” and is considered among the best nine-ball players there are.
He is not just popular for his great skills but also as the most controversial player because of his outspoken behavior and volatile nature. However, he earned his place in BCA in 2006.
5. Luther Lassiter
Born in the US, in Wimpy, Pasquotank County, he loved billiards from a very young age. He dropped out of school at the age of 16 to pursue his professional career in the game of pool.
Additionally, he was introduced to the BCA Hall of Fame in 1983. Sadly, he died in the year 1988, and his nephew discovered his body next to his pool table.
4. Rudolf Wanderone
Rudolf Wanderone is considered one of the greatest billiard players of all time. Popularly called “Minnesota Fats” from a character in ‘The Hustler movie in 1961, the player became famous for being a serviceman during World War II in Norfolk.
He made his place in the BCA Hall Of Fame in the year 1984, as he played a big role in promoting the sport and not just winning any championships.
3. Willie Mosconi
Like many other pool players, he also got a nickname, “Mr. Pocket Billiards,” and he came up with a lot of trick shots. Masconi was born in 1913 and made it to the Billiard Congress of America in 1968 at the age of 55.
He made the sport popular by assisting in creating the film “The Hustler” in 1961. The Philadelphian player passed away in New Jersey on the 6th of September 1993.
2. Ralph Greenleaf
Ralph Greenleaf was born in Monmouth in 1899; the charismatic shooter was one of the most prolific players during his active time between 1919 and 1937.
He became the champion of the World Pocket Billiards Championships twenty times. He was one among the three people who made it to the Hall Of Fame of the Billiard Congress of America in 1966.
Honorable Mentions🫡
Before we see who is the No.1, maybe we should take a moment to appreciate some of the honorable mentions. Players who are great but did not quite make the list. Here are some of the honorable mentions of players who were considered a perfect fit for this list.
👉 Shane Van Boening
First up is Shane Van Boening. Shane was born on July 14th, 1983. Countless pool enthusiasts consider him to be one of the best pool players of all time. Shane van Boeing hails from Rapid City, South Dakota.
Boening has earned more than 100 titles. Some of his titles include five US Open Nine-ball Championships and one WPA World Nine-Ball Championship. Therefore, it is understandable why he has such fanfare around him.
Not many people know this, but Boening has a hearing impairment. As a result, his achievements automatically become more commendable. Apart from that, he is a strong advocate against alcohol and is known to be a phenomenal personality outside the matches.
👉 Alex Pagulayan
Alejandro Salvador “Alex” Pagulayan is a wizard with a pool stick. He is considered to be one of the best Canadian pool players of all time. Pagulayan was born on June 25th, 1978, in a Filipino household in Cabagan, Isabela, Philippines. But now, he holds Canadian citizenship and resides in Toronto, Canada.
Pagulyan is like a bottle of Valium. He is famous for his calm mind and perform under immense pressure. In fact, he rather remains jovial and cracks jokes. As a result, he remains a crowd favorite.
Alex Pagulayan is popularly called the Lion. The great Cliff Thorburn has given me this name. As a result, Pagulyan belongs to a certain class that is rare. Apart from the pool, Pagulyan also plays other sports and does not pursue them professionally.
👉 Francisco Bustamante
Francisco Bustamante is another uber-popular Filipino Pool Star who has taken the world by storm. He has easily become one of the biggest names in the pool community.
Bustamante hails from Tarlac, Central Luzon. He started out his career back in 1990 and eventually went on to become one of the greats. As per sources, Bustamente has managed to win around 70 international titles.
👉 Johnny Archer
Johnny Archer from Waycross, Georgia, is one of the most accomplished American Pool Players of all time. He is popularly lauded as one of the finest pool players who have ever lived. His skills with nine balls are amazing.
Archer has won several accolades, including being the WPA World Nine-ball Champion two times. He is also a staple name in the Mosconi Cup. By far, he managed to join the US team for a record-breaking 17 times.
👉 Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes
Who is the greatest pool player of all time? Here is the answer. Efren Bata Reyes is the GOAT of billiards. His nickname is Bata, which actually means kid in Filipino.
His friends gave him this nickname to keep him separate from another older billiard player called Efren.
He became the first Asian billiard player to join the BCA in 2003 and also holds the record of winning the first World Championship in two separate disciplines.
Moreover, his mad skills in different disciplines, including Nine-ball, Straight pool, and Three-cushion billiards, got him the nickname “The Magician.”
Wrapping Up!
Precision, patience, focus, and skills are all very crucial qualities of a great pool player. However, this is just the end of it. There is something so poise and elegant about the pool players. Moreover, these are aspects related to the sport itself.
It’s a very interesting game – as long as you know how to play it! Don’t forget to tell us about your favorite pool player in the comments below.
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