Reviews

who are these people that write reviews. I am only thirteen and i can at least spell my words right. Another thing is that i wonder if any of these people actually play pool. If you look at their other reviews they seem to all be on political books or things that have nothing to do with pool. It is senseless to even write them then. They could be leading people toward something educational or something not educational. Then their comments, some people need to do their homework before they write all these dumb things. I am conviced that i know more about pool than fifty percent of the reviewers.

I bought this tape just so I could see Fats at the table. He claimed to be have beaten every great player in the world - including Mosconi and Greenleaf. All lies. Mosconi ripped him for $600 in one-pocket years before he started spanking him up on that TV "comedy" show where Fats would beat terrible players and entertain the crowd at the same time.Of course, even as Mosconi was putting a good thrashing on him (in 8ball, 9ball, straight pool, and 1-pocket) Fats continued to entertain the audience with jokes. He was a good comedian that played a slightly better than average game of pool. For those of you who know nothing about pool/billiard history I'll let you in on this: Minnesota Fats was a FICTIONAL character from Walter Tevis, author of "The Hustler". Rudolph Wonderone, aka NEW YORK FATS, was a story telling hustler that had to keep his mouth running all the time at the table because his game wasn't good enough on it's own to be considered as a serious pool hustler. The biggest story he ever told is when he claimed that "Minnesota Fats", from the movie The Hustler, was based on HIM! So, not long after the movie hit the big time NY Fats took the name "Minnesota Fats" - no doubt as a publicity stunt.Anyway, this video is not educational. Buy a good book like Phil Capelle's "Play Your Best Pool" if you are interested in learning how to play good pool. BC

This video was great. After watching this video I went and shot some pool and made shots that I had not made before and have then gotten alot better since. This video is filled with sections on breaking,bank shots and many more shots.If you want to be a better pool player then do 2 things get the video and play.Good luck and have fun

If you want to learn pool, buy something else; try Byrnes or anything but this for pool knowledge. However, it is a good insight into one of the best B.S. artist to atempt to play the game. Buy for entertainment only, not serious pool players.

Minnesota Fats was the greatest player that ever lived. That cannot be disputed. If you came up against him in a match, get settled in that seat of yours!Not a great instructional video, but worth buying to listen to what Fats had to say and watch him play the hardest shots without a second thought.If you're looking for new age grates, look for Alison Fisher, but for the old days when balls where made from ivory, pick this title up.

Reviews

This kit is a little clunky and cheap to use (granted it didn't cost much to begin with). I would have been better off just buying a replacement cue stick or having it professionally repaired.

This is a decent pool tip repair kit. However these tips are already shaped and come in two different sizes. The adhesive doesn't set, use superglue instead. There are also replacement glue on ferrals. They come in a variety of sizes from 8mm up to 12mm. Sandpaper is included in this kit.

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Great Balls - Beautiful Color, Great Service and Fast Shipping. The only problem is with the shooter when on pool table.

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First off I have to say Amazon has been good to deal with so far, but the product is JUNK!!! DO NOT BUY!!! WASTE OF MONEY AND TIME!!! The first table we ordered came in about two weeks. It took 4 strong guys to lift and two guys about 45 min to assemble and level. One major problem, the pool table is warped. If you roll a ball along side each rail, the ball goes to the middle. Also the pool table came damaged. The cues and balls were alright, nothing special, the pockets are smaller than one would find on a bar table. I called amazon and they were great to deal with and shipped a new table right away. The second table came in about a week, and it was damaged. All of the under table supports were broke. I didnt even bother to waste my time on lifting the thing into my house. I called amazon the next day and they were agian good to work with. The table is going back and I am not going to waste my time on the piece of junk. They are cheaply made and it shows, big time. If you are getting a pool table for kids that wont care, dont want to spend a lot of money, and would like to have extra head ache in your life, than this is a good pool table. However, if it was my company, I would be embarrassed to sell a product like this.

This is much smaller that I expected. I guess I should have realized what 7.5 feet is. Anyway the set of balls this comes with is much smaller than normal size billiard balls. And the pockets are smaller as well. Especially the side pockets. ABF (shipper) wouldn't bring it into my house. Took 3 guys to push it into my living room. Twice the weight of slate it still effing heavy apparently. The construction is particle board, not "real wood." I'm not sure what I was expecting for only $800.

I was looking to upgrade my 7 foot pool table after a few years of heavy use. I wanted a table that would allow me to replace the cloth; this was the main reason I had to replace the 7 foot table. This 7.5 foot Minnesota Fats table seemed like an interesting option because it was a little larger and featured a "stone hard" play surface that would allow me to replace the cloth. I installed it about two weeks ago and it's been great. It's not a slate table, but it's close and no one has been able to tell the difference. Overall the table has been terrific. From the underside the play surface looks like a stone material. Assembly was straight-forward and the table looks great (if you like the black laminate look as I do). Billiard accessories could be better, but I'm using what I already had so I don't care. You may want to consider a couple of upgraded cues before too long.

Plays just like a slate table but much lighter and with no need of professional installation. The table cosmetically is beautiful. Minnesota Fats really got it right with this new play bed, looks great in my game room. Would reccomnde it anyone and it is a steal for the price.

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husband's Father's Day gift....he really loves it and keeps telling all his pool buddies all the stories he has read in the book as he reads it...GREAT READ!

i have heard of willie mosconi and minnesota fats since the early 60s but this book gives me an insight into their lives that i never knew.both their lives border on sad and tragic.it is a shame that willie mosconi,one of the best if not the best in his sport has been almost forgotten by the general public.

there are some great facts found in the pages of this book but the majority of the story is Mosconi champ-Fats hustler , over and over. R.A Dyer is a good writer and his book "hustler days" was a great champion. "The hustler and the champ" was a great hustle.

Upon completing this book, I can say I found it very informative along with being a great story. I have read the autobiographies of both Willie and Minnesota Fats and this book had numerous facts about the two I was unaware of. The book begins by explaining how there televised match originated, then goes on to chronicle the history and careers of both men. I don't think you can say Fats really had a "career" as much as a life spent hustling and gambling. Willie sure had one with all the World Championships and his lifetime spent doing exhibitions all over the country. Keep in mind that the book has much more history on Willie than Fats. The book then tells of their televised match. This part was excellent reading as he told of Fats "starting in" on Willie before the pool match even began. I read this part twice and had to laugh at the things he said and pictured him saying them on T.V. (CLASSIC FATS). The book talks about a few other meetings between the two as well as a little on their lives after pool. I thought it was kind of sad how both ended up. If I had one negative thing to say, it was maybe a little dry during the middle chapters. What I liked most was what the author gives us to think about at the end. Even though Willie absolutely detested Fats, Fats did a lot for pools popularity and Willie's. I believe the book claimed their original televised match had a 30 % share. That's incredible when you think about it. Willie had the records and championships but Fats was like the original one man show. Like Minnesota Fats said to Willie Mosconi...."You gotta have fans".

I have been a pool fan and player for about sixty years. I've been a Mosconi fan as long as I can remember and have attended several of this gentleman's exhibitions. At that time, I was an employee of the Brunswick Corporation, Mr. Mosconi's sponsor. This book was a "good read" from cover to cover. I read much too seldom, however once started in this book I couldn't lay it down. What was appreciated in this book was that it did not seem to be biased, it truly enabled the reader to know Mr. Mosconi.

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I love this book. But then again, I love the atmosphere of the smokey, dimly lit pool hall. If "The Hustler", "The Color of Money" or "Pool Hall Junkies" are any of your favorite movies then this book is for you! Excellent history on pool back in the day with information about a lot of the greats.

Pool is probably one of the few sports that the general public knows virtually next to nothing on. Ask anybody to name one pool player and the majority will say "Minnesota Fats". Most of the public would be amazed to find out that he wasn't a champion, never won a tournament, probably couldn't even beat half the country. This book explains how he could con a nation into thinking he was "the greatest" and in the process become single handedly the biggest promoter to the sport the game has ever known. Yes, this book is really about the true story of Rudolph Wanderone (Fats) and it is a very good read.

Who wouldn't want to be a pool hustler, being rich without ever having to work a day in your life? It's an exciting fantasy. To live in Little Egypt during the early 40's shooting pool with Minnesota Fats would've been incredible. Or riding with Sonny Barger in the mid 60's or any other kind of walk on the wild side fantasy one could concoct. The author clearly feels the same way in a midlife crisis sort of way. The subject matter is definitely fascinating, but I wish R.A. Dyer could've taken himself out of the text more. The book reads like he learned all his tough guy speech patterns from Scorcese films. Another thing that would've helped the prose is to explain the games more within the text. To an outsider it could get difficult during the game decriptions. It've been nice to not have to constantly check the glossary in the back.

Reflects the history of American pool playing from pre-Depression days to first resurgence in pool after the movie THE HUSTLER. As an aside, the larger resurgence happened after the sequel THE COLOR OF MONEY when women also entered the game and upscale rooms flourished. Many rooms have closed after the recent popularity of poker on TV. Back to the book, anyone with an interest in the history of American pool playing, hustling, and the sociology of pool--this is a must own!!!

As a pool player, I caught the end of what "Hustler Days" describes as the heyday of the road hustler. I watched two of the three main subjects of this book in action: Rudolph Wanderone (The Fat Man) and Luther Lassiter. Having frequented some of the New York pool joints (McGirrs, 7-11) that figure in R.A. Dyer's vivid depiction of the hustler's life, I can partly attest to its authenticity. But I was a player not a hustler. What Dyer gave me was the full and colorful history of the era that I saw ending. This is a beautifully written account covering the 1940s through the 60s. The story is told with the steely, merciless attitude of their game, but with a great deal of humor and affection. Dyer has written about the game in various publications and he appreciates the astounding skills of these men: the hustle was in the fact that if you were not in their world, you had no idea of the abilities that could be brought to bear against you if you went to the table. Anyone who saw "The Hustler" with Paul Newman has some idea of all this. But Dyer digs deep into their lives, sometimes painfully so. The canvas is not just New York but all the towns, big and small, where the action was. Such as Norfolk, Va., the Naval and shipbulding hub which during WWII was a pool hustler's paradise and a regular stop on the circuit. Once tournaments began to be televised, another chapter in the hustler's life opened and Dyer has it covered, shot by excruciating shot. Big-time pool is all about pressure, and with Dyer you can feel it taking the air out of the room. I loved reading this book and look forward to reading it again.

Reviews

The Hustler was NOT based on Wanderones life. Wanderone chose the name Minnesota Fats after the movie came out. This have been clarified by Walter Tevis, the author of the book "The Hustler" many times. The character in the hustler would appear to be based on a short story by Tevis. Wanderone was by many accounts not a world class pool player, but he was certainly a gambler, and an interesting personality.

A very fun book to read. Does not have as much instruction on how to make killer shots as I would have hoped, but still a great book. Just remember to keep your tongue firmly in your cheek as you read about the Fat Man's adventures.

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Overall, I'm quite happy with the purchase, I was a little hesitant when I read the reviews about the stickers leaving too much residue once removed and all, but I had no problem removing them, I did not use any products as some reviews recommend I was only careful when doing it, the weight of the cue is excellent, it gives you a very balanced feel when playing, the design of the cue is very elegant, even though it is a little hard to look at the details of it on the product images, the reasons why I'm not giving it the 5 stars are 1- As some other reviews mention, the "GRAPHITE" word seems a little out of place and 2- The cue comes with instructions as to how to adjust the weight settings, but it is not that easy I think they're for a different model, I rather not mess with that because I might end up damaging the cue and as I mentioned before the weight it has is more than ok for me. But overall it was a great purchase I recommend it.

my hubby absolutly loved this stick, i was lost when i ordered it not knowing what ounce to get, color or nothing but i guessed my way through it and am sooo happy that he loved it..also very affordable

I just used this cue for the first time last night and gave it a good workout (14 racks of 8-Ball). I've played pool on and off for 12 years, but this was my first time not using a house cue since I just joined a league. Wow, what a difference! It took me about 2-3 racks to get the feel of it and then everything clicked into place and I played the rest of the night at the absolute top of my game. It thrills me to know that this cue will now be a constant for me. So if you are an amateur looking to buy your first cue, this is definitely it. If you are a professional, I can't guess how you'll feel about this cue, but I can tell you that the grips are sweet, the tip is perfect, and the cue is exactly straight. What else do you really need, anyway? I got the 19oz in blue. By the way, all this talk about hard-to-remove stickers seems to be related to one stupid tiny round sticker behind the grip almost on the butt of the cue. It says "19 ounces made in China". Who cares? I figured why chance a sticky spot and I just left it on there. All of the big stickers that advertise features or would get in the way of playing came off easily with no residue at all.

The cue itself is good quality (for 45 $) and nice to play (good cue for beginners), but the labels which were on the cue were so hard to remove (took about 10 minutes to remove and clean it). Not well thought out. I thought the cue to be made in the US - it ist NOT. There's a label on it: Made in China. I don't think that this fact was mentioned in the description. (I bought the Minnesota Fats Hustler High Tech Grip Graphite Cue in orange)

Nice cue at a very nice price! I also have a Cuetec graphite shaft cue and they are very similar quality wise.

Reviews

I'm giving it four stars because of the good price and because it looks cool (you don't see a lot of jet black cues in most pool halls!). That it comes with a wrap is nice too, if you're prone to sweaty hands like me. But the graphite shaft feels "odd". The [...] pool guy claims graphite doesn't perform as well as real wood sticks, and I have to agree. Something about it just doesn't feel right. Also, the tip doesn't appear to have the correct rounded shape, although this may be intentional (so the player can shape the tip themselves?). If you simply want a cue that's straight and better than the unreliable house cues at your local pool hall, this is a good value for the money. But if you're serious about your game, you should pony up more cash and go with something better.

First cue I have ever purchased and like anything it is not perfect but it is a real nice cue. Has nice balance very little finger friction. Looks nice and is a nice addition to rest of my set. Would highly recommend this item.

I dont play well enough to hustle a lot of money as the name implies but it is a great pool cue and has improved my game. I am only a occasional recreational player but I definitely like to bring my own cue and perform better when I have the same one over and over again. It is pretty light weight too

my 14 year old is just getting started and this is a perfect breaking cue for him to go along with the more top of the line Viper i purchased for him as a shooting stick.

Very nice pool cue for the price. Very sturdy and reliable. Some people have the same stick and they paid at least $50 more than I did. Dependable cue for a novice player or one just for fun.