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Rudolf Wanderone

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Rudolf Wanderone
Sport
CountryUSA

Rudolf Walter Wanderone Jr. (January 19, 1913 - 15 or 18 January, 1996), best known as Minnesota Fats, was perhaps the best known pool player in the United States, in spite of the fact that he never won a single major pool tournament.

Wanderone began playing pool at a young age and became a travelling pool hustler as a teenager. In his 30s, he moved to Illinois, where he met and married his first wife, Evelyn. During World War II the couple moved to Norfolk, Virginia where Wanderone hustled the many servicepeople who were gathered there. With the end of the war, Wanderone returned to Illinois and entered semi-retirement.

With the release of the film The Hustler in 1961, Wanderone came to national prominence when the film's technical advisor, Willie Mosconi, claimed that the character of "Minnesota Fats" was based on Wanderone. Wanderone adopted the name "Minnesota Fats" and parlayed the association with the film into book deals and television appearances, including a series of matches with Mosconi.

Later in life Wanderone divorced Evelyn and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he married his second wife, Theresa. He lived with her until his death.

Early life and career

Wanderone was born in New York City to Rosa and Rudolf Wanderone, Swiss immigrants.[1] He was usually assigned 1913 as the year of his birth, but his obituary in the New York Times indicated that he may have been born prior to this year, perhaps by more than a decade, though it was impossible for the paper to confirm.

Wanderone started playing pool as a child. His first prominent match was in 1926, when he competed against former nine-ball champion Cowboy Weston. Wanderone won the match handily.[2] He became a traveling pool hustler, spending much of the 1920s playing at a pool hall called Cranfield's in New York. It was here that Wanderone received his first nickname. He beat another hustler known as "Smart Henry," leading Wanderone's friend Titanic Thompson to dub Wanderone "Double Smart."[3] He eventually ended up managing a pool hall in Anacostia, outside Washington, DC.[4]

In 1941, Wanderone and friend Jimmy Castras arrived in the region of southern Illinois nicknamed Little Egypt, settling in Du Quoin.[5] There Wanderone continued to hustle pool. While living in Du Quoin he met Evelyn Inez Grass. They were married May 7, 1941, two months to the day after they met.[6]

In 1942, the couple moved to Norfolk, Virginia. The town had become a key mustering point for soldiers as well as a shipbuilding center. The vast influx of people led to an enormous increase in gambling in the city and Wanderone, in partnership with fellow hustler Luther "Wimpy" Lassiter, took full advantage.[7] The action in Norfolk dried up following World War II and the Wanderones returned to Little Egypt.[8] Wanderone semi-retired but made occasional trips to New York throughout the 1950s; it was during this time that he picked up the nickname "New York Fats."[9]

Minnesota Fats

In 1961, the film version of Walter Tevis's novel The Hustler was released. The Hustler tells the story of a pool shark, "Fast Eddie" Felson, and his quest to beat the greatest pool player in America, "Minnesota Fats." Willie Mosconi served as a technical advisor for the film. During a promotional interview, Mosconi stated that the character of Minnesota Fats was based on Wanderone. Wanderone almost immediately dropped his "New York Fats" nickname, adopted the name "Minnesota Fats" and began to spread the story that the character was based on him. Tevis denied this for the rest of his life.[10]

His notoriety as "Minnesota Fats" led to a job as executive vice-president of billiard table manufacturer Rozel Industries, playing exhibition matches and giving demonstrations. Rozel also published Wanderone's 1965 book, "Minnesota 'Fats' Book of Billiards." He appeared on What's My Line? in 1965, successfully stumping the panel.[11]

"The Bank Shot, and Other Great Robberies: The Uncrowned Champion of Pocket Billiards Describes His Game and How It's Played," Wanderone's autobiography (co-written with sports journalist Tom Fox), was published in 1966, followed by "Minnesota Fats on Pool: The Complete Book for the Pool Enthusiast Including the How to of Shotmaking and All Game Rules" in 1967. Wanderone parlayed his fame into gigs hosting two syndicated television series. Celebrity Billiards with Minnesota Fats featured Wanderone playing against celebrity guests.[12] Minnesota Fats Hustles the Pros debuted in 1967[13] and featured Wanderone playing against other professional pool players.

He is remembered for saying, "Boys, the only difference between me and everybody else is that everybody else drives around in a Volkswagen, and Minnesota Fats drives around in a Duesenberg," when departing pool rooms in his travels.[14] Wanderone would go anywhere to help the game, and he was a crowd-pleaser.[15]

Wanderone enjoyed promoting his "feud" with Willie Mosconi. He would publicly state, "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'".[16] The two played a match on Valentine's Day 1978 on ABC's Wide World of Sports. It was the second-highest rated episode of the show for the year, behind only the Muhammed Ali-Leon Spinks rematch. Held at New York's Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the match was announced by Howard Cosell.[17] More than 10.9 million Americans tuned in to the match. Wanderone was defeated by Mosconi but charmed the crowd telling jokes.[18]

The flamboyant Wanderone once toured the country in a candied-apricot-over-carmel-plum Lincoln limo and had little trouble with identity recognition. His elongated nickname, "Minnesota Fats, King of Pool", on the side panels was done in transluscent paint which changed colors with reflections from the sun as it moved. In 1980, Wanderone had to double his order of autographed pictures after he was stopped 37 times in a one-mile (1.6 km) stretch while visiting St. Louis.[19]

File:FatsBirkbeck.jpg
A watercolor of Wanderone, by the Birkbeck Twins

Wanderone was notorious for his spontaneous wit. When he was named the "uncrowned king" because he never got actively involved in tournament circles, because he was too busy out hustling, his reply on his new title was: "You judge a king by the size of his wallet and his palace. You can leave the crown in the toilet." [20]

Resorts International Shoot-Out

The Resorts International Shoot-Out in 1984, commentated by sports broadcaster John Madden, began with a trick shot competition between Wanderone, Mosconi, Steve Mizerak, and Allen Hopkins. The next event was Hopkins and Fats against Mosconi and Mizerak in seven-ball and nine-ball, but it was the next event that really made history. Wanderone and Mosconi played a one-on-one game of seven-ball and Wanderone won the match. During an interview after the match, Wanderone was asked about his strategy to defeat Mosconi, and he replied, "I'll make [the 7 ball] on the break and end it...then I'll help carry Willie out on a stretcher."[21] Mosconi blocked out Wanderone's chatter by wearing ear plugs during the exhibition, which didn't stop Wanderone from putting on a show for the fans.[22]

Later life

The Billiard Congress of America inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 1984 for "Meritorious Service" in recognition of his contributions to bringing popularity to the game of pool.[23] Also in 1984, Wanderone left his wife Evelyn; they would divorce a year later.[24]

Wanderone moved into the Hermitage Hotel in downtown Nashville, Tennessee in 1985, remaining there for the next several years. In 1992, while undergoing surgery for a knee injury, he suffered a massive heart attack. In 1993, he met and married his second wife, Theresa Ward Bell. He lived in Bell's house until his death in 1996.[25] His date of death has been the subject of conflicting reports, some sources placing it at January 15[26] and others at January 18.[27] He left no known children. Singer Etta James has claimed that Wanderone was her father, although there is no proof of this. James and Wanderone met only once, in 1987.[28]

The epitaph on his tombstone reads: "Beat everybody living on Earth. Now, St. Peter, rack ’em up."[29]

Notes

  1. ^ Dyer p. 9
  2. ^ Dyer p. 13
  3. ^ Dyer p. 16
  4. ^ Dyer p. 35
  5. ^ Dyer p. 52
  6. ^ Dyer p. 61
  7. ^ Dyer p. 71
  8. ^ Dyer p. 88
  9. ^ Dyer p. 116
  10. ^ Dyer p. 122
  11. ^ "What's My Line? episode #747". TV.com. Retrieved 2008-04-03.
  12. ^ Dyer and BCA p. 154
  13. ^ Broadcasting p. 70
  14. ^ "Fatty". InsidePOOL Magazine. April 2006. p. 8.
  15. ^ "PPPA World Tournament". The National Billiard News. September 1976. p. 8.
  16. ^ "Minnesota Fats vs. Everybody". The National Billiard News. April 1980. p. 22.
  17. ^ Dyer p. 212
  18. ^ R.A. Dyer. "TV Fiasco Spawned Mosconi-Fats Duel". Billiards Digest. Retrieved 2008-04-29.
  19. ^ Photo caption, page 22, The National Billiard News, March 1980. Retrieved May 20, 2007
  20. ^ Stutz, Ellen (February 1982). "Legends of Pocket Billiard Stars Tournament". The National Billiard News. p. 11.
  21. ^ "Shootout on the Boardwalk," page 11, The National Billiards News, November 1984. Retrieved May 18, 2007
  22. ^ "Stars of Resort Shoot-Out," page 21, The National Billiard News, October 1984. Retrieved May 18, 2007
  23. ^ "BCA Hall of Fame Inductees". Billiard Congress of America. Retrieved 2008-04-02.
  24. ^ Dyer p. 219
  25. ^ Dyer pp. 220-1
  26. ^ "U.S. Social Security death index search 322-42-2372". MyFamily.com Inc. Retrieved 2008-01-23.
  27. ^ Thomas, Jr, Robert Mcg. (1996-01-19). "Minnesota Fats, a Real Hustler With a Pool Cue, Is Dead". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-01-23. {{cite news}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |coauthors= (help)
  28. ^ Quan, Denise (2002-09-19). "A life singing the blues". CNN.com. Retrieved 2008-04-21.
  29. ^ "True Animal Stories by Pool Hustler Rudolph Wanderone". Egyptian Area Agency on Aging, Inc.

References

  • Dyer, R. A. (2003). Hustler Days: Minnesota Fats, Wimpy Lassiter, Jersey Red, and America's Great Age of Pool. New York, Muf Books. ISBN 156731807X.
  • Dyer, R. A. and Billiards Congress of America staff (2005). Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book. Globe Pequot. ISBN 1592287441.
  • Broadcasting v. 72 1967 May-June (1993), University of Michigan.
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