Was there really a Minnesota Fats pool player?

Was there really a Minnesota Fats pool player?

Minnesota Fats, the boastful billiard wizard whose real name was Rudolf Wanderone Jr., died Thursday, Jan. 18, 1996, at his home in Nashville, Tennessee.

What did Minnesota Fats play?

Rudolf Walter Wanderone (né Wanderon Jr.; January 19, 1913 – January 15, 1996), popularly known as Minnesota Fats or New York Fats, was an American professional billiards player.

Was Minnesota Fats the best pool player in the world?

Minnesota Fats, the flamboyant, self-proclaimed “world’s greatest pool player,” who became a popular icon after Jackie Gleason portrayed him in the 1961 film “The Hustler,” died Wednesday of congestive heart failure in Nashville.

How many championships did Minnesota Fats win?

He won the World Straight Pool Championship 15 times, the most of any other player.

Was Minnesota Fats Etta James father?

Although her father has never been identified, James speculated that she was the daughter of pool player Rudolf “Minnesota Fats” Wanderone, whom she met briefly in 1987. James referred to her mother as “the Mystery Lady”.

Was the hustler based on Minnesota Fats?

Minnesota Fats, or George Hegerman, is a fictional pool hustler created by American novelist Walter Tevis. The character was an original creation of Tevis, though a real pool hustler, Rudolf Wanderone, who began calling himself “Minnesota Fats” in 1961, claimed to be the inspiration.

Is Minnesota Fats still alive?

Deceased (1913–1996)Rudolf Wanderone / Living or Deceased

Who played against Minnesota Fats?

Mosconi
The two finally met in a highly publicized live, televised match in 1978 on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports,” with Howard Cosell serving as moderator. The customarily well-dressed Mosconi easily defeated the talkative, disheveled Minnesota Fats with rapid-fire, accurate shooting.

Did Minnesota Fats beat Willie Mosconi?

The two finally met in a highly publicized live, televised match in 1978 on ABC’s “Wide World of Sports,” with Howard Cosell serving as moderator. The customarily well-dressed Mosconi easily defeated the talkative, disheveled Minnesota Fats with rapid-fire, accurate shooting.

When did Willie Mosconi play Fats?

On Valentine’s Day, 1978, 20 million viewers watched hustler Minnesota Fats trash talk dapper champ Willie Mosconi in what was supposed to be an easy win for Mosconi. Fats gave him a run for his money in the most entertaining fashion. And Howard Cosell with the play-by-play!

Did Minnesota Fats ever acknowledge Etta James?

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The widow of billiards legend Minnesota Fats said Tuesday her husband always denied that he was the father of singer Etta James.

Who inherited Etta James Estate?

Etta James’ Husband to Remain Conservator of Her Million-Dollar Estate. The singer’s spouse, Artis Mills, and her two sons have sparred over control of her fortune and medical care in court throughout the year.

Is Minnesota Fats in the Hall of Fame?

This is an Aug. 7, 1981, photo of Jake LaMotta with pool player Minnesota Fats (left). Minnesota Fats, whose real name is Rudolph Walter Wanderone Jr., was inducted into the professional pool players’ Hall of Fame for his support of and showmanship in the game.

Who played Minnesota Fats in the movie The player?

In a feature film The Player (produced in December 1970, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana), Wanderone played himself as “Minnesota Fats” and was featured prominently on the promotional poster.

How old is Minnesota Fats now?

Minnesota Fats, the boastful billiard wizard whose real name was Rudolf Wanderone Jr., died Thursday, Jan. 18, 1996, at his home in Nashville, Tennessee. His age is and always has been in dispute.

How did Minnesota Fats get started in pool?

According to Fat’s biography, “Minnesota Fats: The Bankshot and Other Great Robberies” written with author Tom Fox, Fats was introduced to pool accidentally at the age of four by his pet goose, Gans (In German, Gans means goose). Fats explains, in “Chapter 3: The Oversexed Goose,” that his father won Gans in a raffle in New Jersey.