Pool Articles in Sports Illustrated

March 20, 1961 The Pool Hustlers
by Jack Olson
http://Vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1072373/index.htm

Dec,04 1961 Hustler's Holiday In The Lion's Den
New York Fats, self-proclaimed greatest pool hustler of them all, battles his peers with cue and quips and action on the side. Tom Fox
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1073280/index.htm

Feb 25, 1963 Battle Of The Hottest Sticks
The hustlers sidle into Johnston City, Ill. for the World's Pocket Billiards Tournament, and the action is hot and heavy and fast.
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1074551/index.htm

CORNBREAD RED: POOL’S GREATEST MONEY PLAYER
By Bob Henning
This book takes the reader into the life of pool’s legendary money player. It’s action-packed, entertaining, and easy to read. An inside look at the Johnston City tournaments and the world famous big-money poolroom -- the Rack, in Detroit MI. It has received rave reviews from pool publications and other reviewers.
$16.95
Excerpt from my book, The GosPool According To The Beard:
Cornbread Red liked to bet so high it put a "tremble" in his opponents stroke. Red was one of my heroes. Whenever I ran into him, I followed and hung onto him the whole time. He had me totally fascinated. Red was the master at shooting off the game ball. When confronted with a big-cheese-money-ball, Red would derisively snort, "Haw, haw," in his inimitable style, then he would increase his normally long back-stroke about another foot, and slip-stroke the shot in, with dust flying out of the back of the pocket.
Http://www.bankingwiththebeard.com/books.html

Mar 23, 1964 You Don't Beat Wimpy At The Game He Loves
Bible-reading Luther Lassiter, who in time past has overcome ulcers, the "swolls" and pool-shooting sinners who are not above duping their foes, makes a memorable last-gasp comeback to defend his world title. Tom Fox
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1075775/index.htm

Jan 9, 1967 Wimpy was a Sleeping Beauty
Luther (Wimpy) Lassiter, champion of all pool, began by allowing as how he was feeling poorly and finished more or less fast asleep, but Cicero Murphy, the challenger, turned out to be the man caught napping. Bob Ottum
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1079430/index.htm

July 10, 1967 US Open St Louis, Grandma Shot the Lights Out
Jimmy Caras wins. Ted O leary
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1080050/index.htm

August 5, 1968 What Can A Girl Give A Hustler Who Has Everything? Answer: A Jeweled Ginacue
Donald Ploski, Sean Holland
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1081471/index.htm

Oct 14,1968 Victimized By 'a Kid's Game'
To the foreign stars, veterans of snooker and billiards, the straight pool at New York's international tournament was a costly surprise. Pat Putnam
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1081692/index.htm

Oct 13,1969 The Frail Gray Man With The Strong Pool Cue
He is 55 years old, his build is slight, his taste in clothes is that of the conservative businessman he is—but Irving Crane happens also to be one of the greatest pool players of all time. Kim Chapin
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1082924/index.htm

Feb 8, 1971 Wimpy Tackles An Ex-Tiger at Jack and Jills
And finds the claws still sharp as Champagne Eddie Kelly disappoints a host of country folks by beating their perennial hero, Luther Lassiter. James Morgan
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1084567/index.htm

Aug 28, 1972 US Open Chicago, The Kid Hustles to a Title
Pool prodigy Jean Balukas, 13, breezed through the best women players to take the crown from 57-year-old Dorothy Wise. Barry McDermott
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1086453/index.htm

Mar 4, 1974 Big Fish In A Pool That's Too Small
As a two-time U.S. Open champion at 14, Jean Balukas seemed to have run out of competition, but in the first world tournament for women she was lured into lapses and a Japanese made an unexpected splash. Richard W. Johns
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1088318/index.htm

Dec 16, 1974 Coolest Hand With A Cue
Into the fast company at the hustler's tournament came Buddy Hall from Shreveport and soon the question was, would he ever lose? Walter Tevis
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1089351/index.htm

Nov 10, 1975 Easy Nine The Hard Way
Burlington, IA 9 Ball Tourn. He was up against the hotshots, but Jimmy Rempe outcooled them. Pat Putnam
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1090462/index.htm

Aug 30, 1976 Money Out of their own Pockets
Unkown Larry Lisciotti chalked up a PPPA tourney funded by his opponents. Mike DelNagro
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1091479/index.htm

June 27, 1977 A Hustler Meets An Artist
The $10,000 Challenge of Champions matched up two opposite U.S. titleholders, the ultimate gamesman Larry Lisciotti against organization man Tom Jennings. Mike DelNagro
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092545/index.htm

Aug 8, 1977 Easy Times The Hard Way
After long years on the hustle, pool shooter Danny Di Liberto realizes that he bought a dream. He has also discovered—too late—that the price was exorbitant. Barry McDermott
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1092683/1/index.htm

ROAD PLAYER: The Danny DiLiberto Story
By Jerry Forsyth
A lifetime of stories from the vibrant memory of Danny DiLiberto, one of Accu-Stats Video’s most popular commentators. DiLiberto was one of the fabled road players, beginning with the Johnston City Hustler’s Tournaments. He excelled in four sports: baseball, bowling, boxing, and pool. Boxing was his first love, but his own hands could not stand the power of his blows. He was forced to quit because he punched so hard that he kept breaking the bones in his hands. Pool gave him the greatest fame and that’s what this book is about. From Las Vegas to Hollywood to the smallest towns on the most distant highways, this is the life of the roadman. A gambler’s tale in his own words. $19.95 Http://www.bankingwiththebeard.com/books.html

Excerpt from my book, The GosPool According To The Beard:
"Most Talented Pool Player"
Probably Danny Diliberto from Buffalo, NY. Danny could run over 200 balls and was undefeated in 14 pro fights (12-0-2). Diliberto was an AA minor-league baseball player and a 200 average bowler who once bowled a perfect 300 game. Danny had a phenomenal throwing arm. He could throw a golf ball farther than anybody in the world. Danny could make a field goal on a football field with a golf ball by throwing it 100 yards through the goal-post uprights. He won the money doing that at Johnston City, IL. in the '60s. Later, he trapped the late Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle at a Fort Lauderdale bar during Yankee spring training. Danny bet Maris he could throw a golf ball farther than Roger could.
Diliberto won the bet from an amazed Maris by throwing the ball all the way across the waters of the Fort Lauderdale Causeway on Highway A1A. If I remember right, Roger didn't even take his turn and tried to renege and call off the bet. Danny, who had a punch that could down an elephant, stood his ground and finally got paid."

Aug 28, 1978 Unruffled At The Biltmore
Under a news blackout, Ray Martin got a second chance and won the world pocket billiards title in the small hours. Michael DelNagro
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1094012/index.htm

Oct 9, 1978 A Thing of Beauty
The graceful, solid dignity of an English Billiards table bespeaks the charm of a game that in its varied forms—billiards, snooker or just plain pool—has fascinated its devoted followers since the invention of the cue tip. Robert Byrne
Http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1094170/index.htm