For a long time I've read the forum threads here and over at azbilliards and I've seen a lot of threads with opinions of who was really the best all time one pocket players. I know the game of one pocket as well as any living human, it's the best pool game in the world, so I'm going to give my opinion. Starting from the 60's I've seen them all play, I'm not including guys whose heyday was before that time because they weren't in their primes anymore when I saw them play. I'm not saying who was the one and only best player, but who was the best according to category.
For aggressive, offensive, runout one pocket, I believe the two all time best are Ronnie Allen and Efren Reyes. And speaking of Efren, the part of his game that everybody always talks and raves about is his creativity, well I disagree. Yes he has that, but I think the strongest part of his game that has most of all given him his success, is his unsurpassed cueball control and his ball running. Scott Frost and Chohan are the up and comer's in this category.
For careful, smart, defensive minded one pocket, Artie Bodendorfer was the best I've ever seen. For those of you on here who never saw him play and wonder if what you hear on here is B.S. or biased, as far as his playing, it's the truth, he did play that good. As far as some other things he's said, that might be a different story that I'll talk about another time. After Artie, next best at this style of one pocket were guys like Varner, Hopkins, and Fusco.
Last of all are the best all time one pocket players who played a 'centered' game, somewhere in the middle area between very offensive minded and very defensive minded. In this category I put Grady and Bugs as the best, closely followed by guys like Steve Cook, Cliff, and Cooney. Up and comer's in this category are young players like Gabe Owen, Ochoa, Nevel, etc.
OldSchool
For aggressive, offensive, runout one pocket, I believe the two all time best are Ronnie Allen and Efren Reyes. And speaking of Efren, the part of his game that everybody always talks and raves about is his creativity, well I disagree. Yes he has that, but I think the strongest part of his game that has most of all given him his success, is his unsurpassed cueball control and his ball running. Scott Frost and Chohan are the up and comer's in this category.
For careful, smart, defensive minded one pocket, Artie Bodendorfer was the best I've ever seen. For those of you on here who never saw him play and wonder if what you hear on here is B.S. or biased, as far as his playing, it's the truth, he did play that good. As far as some other things he's said, that might be a different story that I'll talk about another time. After Artie, next best at this style of one pocket were guys like Varner, Hopkins, and Fusco.
Last of all are the best all time one pocket players who played a 'centered' game, somewhere in the middle area between very offensive minded and very defensive minded. In this category I put Grady and Bugs as the best, closely followed by guys like Steve Cook, Cliff, and Cooney. Up and comer's in this category are young players like Gabe Owen, Ochoa, Nevel, etc.
OldSchool
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