Who is the best ball runner to date?

backplaying

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I know Efren was always noted a few years back as the best ball runner playing one pocket. I think there are a few now that run balls as well or better than Efren did. Shane, Scott and Alex for example. I know Billy I. and several others here could answer this better than I can? I know many young players like Justin B, Chip and a few others can run 12's very often, when giving up big weight. I watched a young player run 12 and out 4 times the other night. Opinions?
 

gulfportdoc

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I think you named most of the obvious choices. You'd have to add Orcullo (the rat) to that group. Also John Schmidt runs balls VERY well. He's used to working in close due to his 14.1 prowess. And one could never leave out Daulton.

But most of the young guns can run big numbers.

~Doc
 

mr3cushion

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I know Efren was always noted a few years back as the best ball runner playing one pocket. I think there are a few now that run balls as well or better than Efren did. Shane, Scott and Alex for example. I know Billy I. and several others here could answer this better than I can? I know many young players like Justin B, Chip and a few others can run 12's very often, when giving up big weight. I watched a young player run 12 and out 4 times the other night. Opinions?

Mike Carella from Florida back in the 70's was the BEST ball runner I've ever seen, (including Efren) playing 1 pocket. It was like watching Mosconi run balls in straight pool!

P.S. Doc, you don't think Carella belongs in "Your" list?
 

keoneyo

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I think you'd have to put Alan Hopkins in there. Didnt he cream the one pocket ghost at the Derby one year along with Corey Deuel?
 

wincardona

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No one ran balls better than Reyes. Not only did Reyes run the balls around the rack better than anyone, he also ran balls that were scattered over the table better than anyone I ever watched play the game..imo.

Other notable ball runners are Frost, VanBoening, Alex, and yes Carella. Carella ran balls as good as R. Allen, Joyner, and Hopkins. All of these champions were big ball runners.

Unfortunately we don't have a lot of footage on these guys, including Reyes. However, we do have the DCC one pocket tournaments and Reyes showed how efficient of a ball runner he actually was..going to 8 balls. I myself and other people from Chicago have watched Reyes play more handicap games where he ran 10-11-12- and more many times.

Bill Incardona
 

straightback

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My take on Hopkins Is that he was good for his time but the quality of play and strategy has advanced considerably since his time. Having said that, he can run balls in 1p. However, I wouldn't even put him in the top 250 9-ball players of all time - I doubt even in his prime years if he would make it much past the 5th round of today's US Open or DCC.

For sheer volume of balls, Reyes cannot be topped. It doesn't matter what game - he just puts 'em down. He is hands-down the best at negotiating difficult layouts. His delicate nudges and break outs are perfect, as his ability to shoot shots with maximum English (most notably, inside) to get shape. In fact, he's twice as good as the next inside cue ball player, maybe more. When you throw in 3C and balkline, his speed control is top flight.

Can you just imagine if Efren ever really took the time to really learn the intricacies of 1p?
 

keoneyo

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No one ran balls better than Reyes. Not only did Reyes run the balls around the rack better than anyone, he also ran balls that were scattered over the table better than anyone I ever watched play the game..imo.

Other notable ball runners are Frost, VanBoening, Alex, and yes Carella. Carella ran balls as good as R. Allen, Joyner, and Hopkins. All of these champions were big ball runners.

Unfortunately we don't have a lot of footage on these guys, including Reyes. However, we do have the DCC one pocket tournaments and Reyes showed how efficient of a ball runner he actually was..going to 8 balls. I myself and other people from Chicago have watched Reyes play more handicap games where he ran 10-11-12- and more many times.

Bill Incardona

I just watched the Reyes/Daulton match from the AccuStats MIH One Pocket Invitational. Twice Efren runs 8 and out on a 5x10. This after he was behind in the count. Running balls is one thing but when Shannon has you 6 to 0 and to run out is an added pressure that Efren also fades very well
 

straightback

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Now that's really funny on so many levels that you probably don't realize it:). It's an "inside 1P.org. joke":D

Some here think Efren is a 1P genius.

Dennis

He is not a 1p genius. What he does have is a fukkin ridiculous skill set that is extremely entertaining to watch. He plays shots that are risky but he gets away them because his execution is otherworldly. He is also VERY creative.

However, he does not play the odds-on smartest shots at all times. Take a look at his middle and end games - you can tell that he has only learned the game just enough to win. Considering his love of chess, you'd think he could figure 1p out if he put his mind to it.
 

tylerdurden

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My take on Hopkins Is that he was good for his time but the quality of play and strategy has advanced considerably since his time. Having said that, he can run balls in 1p. However, I wouldn't even put him in the top 250 9-ball players of all time - I doubt even in his prime years if he would make it much past the 5th round of today's US Open or DCC.

For sheer volume of balls, Reyes cannot be topped. It doesn't matter what game - he just puts 'em down. He is hands-down the best at negotiating difficult layouts. His delicate nudges and break outs are perfect, as his ability to shoot shots with maximum English (most notably, inside) to get shape. In fact, he's twice as good as the next inside cue ball player, maybe more. When you throw in 3C and balkline, his speed control is top flight.

Can you just imagine if Efren ever really took the time to really learn the intricacies of 1p?

I have put a lot of thought into this (for whatever reason), and have never come to any solid conclusions. It is very true though, as I see it. Back when players were playing more conservatively, Hopkins seemed to be unstoppable. There was kinda a change somewhere in there, maybe early 90's (say when shannon was just coming up), and that conservative hopkins style started to get beat upon by ball runners, who seemed to take the "wrong shot" all the time, yet still win. Ha. In any case, the conservative style of Hopkins became less effective, but for a long time there, the way people were playing seemed to very much suit his style - maybe it would be like a baseball player who hits splitfingers really well, and one day all the pitchers stop throwing them. Most of my thoughts are based on tournaments I have watched since accustats started though, players who were really in the middle of things certainly have a better understanding of all this than me. And, I know RA was certainly playing some very offensive one pocket long before 1990. The real point I am getting at is of you want to win a one pocket tournament nowadays, you gotta be shooting at things and running loads of balls, no 2 ways about it.

I wonder how RA and Hopkins came out in their matchups.
 

fred bentivegna

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Carella was frightening. Playing guys games like 50 to 12 and 30 to 8, he might hit you with a 20 25 or 30! With those games the balls would be spotted like lineup straight pool, so running big numbers wasnt really as difficult as you might think -- but it was still difficult.

However, like Cardone said, nobody ran more balls for everywhere on the table. Balls lying behind the side pockets presented no problemo for Efren. He went and got everything sticking out no matter where it was on the table.

When I shot balls uptable on him, I used a speed that would keep them close to the back rail. If they came out too far, he was subject to get behind them and shoot them in.

Beard
 
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