Rudolf Wanderone - Rivalry With Willie Mosconi

Rivalry With Willie Mosconi

Wanderone enjoyed promoting a feud with world champion Mosconi over how to present pool – either as a rough-and-tumble gambling game (Wanderone) or as a genteel pastime and art form (Mosconi). Mosconi's widow, Flora, has said of the rivalry, "My husband hated Minnesota Fats because he felt that was always hurting the image of the game instead of helping it." Wanderone would state smugly, "I may have 'given away' a few games to deserving competitors, but I have never lost a real money game since I was old enough to spell 'Weeli Mesconi'." The two played on Valentine's Day 1978 in a televised match on ABC's Wide World of Sports. With almost 11 million viewers, the game was the second-highest rated episode of the show for that year, behind only the Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks rematch. The game was held at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and was announced by Howard Cosell. Although Wanderone lost the game, he won the audience with his banter, and with his joking manner. Mosconi on the other hand was reportedly perceived as cold.

"Fats" lost a number of rematches to Mosconi in the following years. However, in the nationally-broadcast Resorts International Shoot-Out of October 1984 – Wanderone's last notable TV appearance – he finally turned the tables on his rival. The event began with a trick shot competition between four players: Wanderone, Mosconi, Steve Mizerak, and Allen Hopkins. Next, Hopkins and Fats played against Mosconi and Mizerak in doubles seven-ball, then nine-ball. Wanderone and Mosconi ultimately played a one-on-one game of seven-ball; Wanderone won the match. During the exhibition, a very quiet and genteel Mosconi blocked Wanderone's rough-and-tumble banter by wearing ear plugs; yet that failed to stop Wanderone from putting on a show for his fans. In an interview, Wanderone was asked about his strategy to defeat Mosconi, and replied that he had thought to himself, "I'll make on the break and end it...then I'll help carry Willie out on a stretcher."