Who Is The Greatest Pool Player Of All Time? List Of 10 Greats As Of 2024

The game of pool is one of the most popular cue sports people play casually. However, some pursue it professionally and are known for their skill, mastery, and achievements. So, who among them is the greatest pool player of all time?

To compile the list of the greatest pool players of all time, we considered various factors, such as records and achievements, technical skills and consistency of performance. We also relied on data from the Blatt Billiards and Billiards Factory. So, who is the greatest billiard player of all time?

Greatest pool players of all time

The most common form of pool is pocket billiards, which consists of an 8-ball pool, 9-ball pool, 10-ball pool, one-pocket, bank pool, and straight pool. Other variations include carom, balkline, and straight rail. Pocket billiards is where the most significant players showcase their skills. So, who are the best pool players in history?

1. Efren Reyes

• Full name: Efren Manalang Reyes
• Nickname: Bata, The Magician
• Nationality: Filipino
• Date of birth: 26 August 1954
• Place of birth: Angeles, Pampanga, Philippines

Efren Reyes is considered the greatest pool player of all time. The Filipino is revered for his expertise in one-pocket pool. He has won six titles, the most in the Derby City Classic, and holds the record for the most in the competition, with eight.

To cap off his greatness, he was the first to win the WPA World Championships in two disciplines. In 1999, he won the nine-ball tournament; in 2004, he won the eight-ball championship. Overall, Reyes has over 100 international titles.

2. Allison Fisher

• Full name: Allison Fisher
• Nickname: Duchess of Doom
• Nationality: English
• Date of birth: 24 February 1968
• Place of birth: Cheshunt, England

Allison Fisher is one of the most famous pool players in the world and is considered the best female pool player. With 60 victories, she holds the record for winning the most World Professional Billiards Association (WPBA) titles.

Moreover, the English player has won the National 9-ball championship eight times, the most of any other player and the world 9-ball championships four times. In recognition of her achievements, Fisher was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.

3. William Hoppe

• Full name: Willie Hoppe
• Nickname: Willie, Boy Wonder
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 11 October 1887
• Place of birth: Cornwall-on-the-Hudson, New York

Hoppe won 51 world titles between 1906 and 1952. He specialized in balkline and won multiple championships. The player also set a record for scoring the most consecutive points after he made 622 points in a balkline exhibition. Moreover, Hoppe won 12 annual world championship tournaments. After such an illustrious career, he retired in 1952.

4. Jeanette Lee

• Full name: Jeanette Lee
• Nickname: The Black Widow
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 9 July 1971
• Place of birth: Brooklyn, New York

Jeanette was named “The Black Widow” because she always wore black clothing when playing pool. During the 1990s, she ranked as the world's number-one female pool player. Lee also won more than 30 titles in her WPBA career.

In 2001, the American-born Korean won a gold medal for the United States at the World Games in Akita, Japan. In recognition of her work, she was inducted into the Women's Professional Billiards Association (WPBA) Hall of Fame and the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 2013. Two years later, she was named to the Asian Hall of Fame.

5. Ralph Greenleaf

• Full name: Ralph Greenleaf
• Nickname: Boy Wonder
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 3 November 1899
• Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Ralph Greenleaf won the World Straight Pool Championships 20 times in a row between 1919 and 1938. His impact on the sport goes beyond the pool table. Greenleaf is credited with establishing a professional pool environment in the United States. Furthermore, he was among the first three pool players inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.

6. Willie Mosconi

• Full name: William Joseph Mosconi
• Nickname: Mr. Pocket Billiards
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 27 June 1913
• Place of birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The American, known as Mr. Pocket Billiards, earned his nickname for his ability to invent new tricks and popularise the game. He won the Straight Pool World Championships 15 times and set a record by playing 526 balls consecutively without missing. The record was eventually broken in 2019 by John Schmidt, who recorded 626 balls in four hours.

However, in 1956, Mosconi suffered from a brain stroke. His health condition limited his time at the pool table, but he successfully returned the following year. In recognition of his achievements, Mosconi was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1968.

7. Mike Sigel

• Full name: Michael Sigel
• Nickname: Captain Hook
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 11 July 1953
• Place of birth: Rochester, New York

Mike Sigel won 108 pool championships, including 3 U.S. Open Nine-Ball Championships and 10 World Pocket Billiards Championships. He was highly skilled at Straight Pool, where he managed a run of 339 balls. Besides this, Sigel was known for his ability to use both hands to shoot.

For his accomplishments, he was recognized as the Greatest Living Player of the Century and was the youngest member of the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.

8. Ronnie Allen

• Full name: Ronnie Monroe Allen
• Nickname: Fast Eddie
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 12 July 1938
• Place of birth: Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire

Ronnie Allen was considered one of the best one-pocket pool players. He dominated the game in the 1960s and 1970s, reportedly winning four World One-Pocket Championships and five U.S. Open One-Pocket Championships. Allen also clinched the Stardust Open 9-Ball Championship and the International 9-Ball Tournament.

9. Earl Strickland

• Full name: Earl Strickland
• Nickname: The Pearl
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 8 June 1961
• Place of birth: Roseboro, North Carolina

The American is a nine-ball specialist and ranks among the best in the world. He won 5 U.S. Open Nine-ball Championships and 6 WPA World Nine-ball Championships. In addition, Strickland competed in the Mosconi Cup from 1994 to 2015, winning nine titles. Overall, he won over 100 major pool events.

10. Rudolf Wanderone

• Full name: Rudolf Walter Wanderome
• Nickname: Minnesota Fats
• Nationality: American
• Date of birth: 19 January 1913
• Place of birth: New York City, New York

Rudolf did not win any major world championship titles, but his presence in the game was influential in promoting the sport. His personality earned him popularity, inspiring the film The Hustler. Additionally, Wanderone hosted the Celebrity Billiards show. His contributions to the sport were recognized when he was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1984.

FAQs

1. Who is the GOAT of billiards? Filipino pool player Efren Reyes is regarded as the GOAT of billiards.
2. Who has the most pool wins? Efren Reyes has the most, with over 100 professional victories and 80 international titles.
3. Who invented the Z-shot in billiards? Efren Reyes is credited with inventing the Z-shot during a 1995 9-ball game.
4. Who has the most 9-ball world championships? Earl Strickland holds the record for winning the most WPA World Nine-ball Championships with three titles.
5. Who invented billiards? The inventor of billiards remains unknown. However, King Louis XI of France is credited with creating the first billiards table.
6. What is the hardest pool game? Three-cushion billiards and carom billiards are considered some of the hardest pool games.
7. Who has the most billiards titles? Efren Manalang Reyes has over 100 professional titles.
8. What country did billiards originate from? Although the origins of billiards remain unknown, the game is believed to have originated in France or Northern Europe between the 14th and 15th centuries.

Final word

Efren Manalang Reyes is regarded as the greatest pool player of all time. His record of achievements is second to none. His mastery of different types of pool games set him apart from the rest. All the other players on the list also left an indelible mark on the game.

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Left: Jeanette Lee at the NY Giants Justin Tuck 4th Annual celebrity billiards tournament. Right: Philippines' Efren Reyes in men's billiards 3-cushion event.

Philippines' Efren Reyes competes against Vietnam's Tran Quyet Chien in men's billiards 3-cushion event.

Left: Allison Fisher is studying the game from the side of a pool table Right: Allison Fisher aiming for a shot.