| Ralph Greenleaf won a total of 20 World Pocket | | | | Lassiter in 1964 in Johnston City and is a dual world |
| Billiards Championship titles from 1919 to 1937 and | | | | all-around tournament champion, although losing to |
| amazed audiences with his exhibition trick shots. A | | | | Lassiter in the 1967 Johnston all-around finals. He is |
| combination of alcohol and wild living led this pool | | | | widely held to be one of the greats in one-pocket and |
| legend to an early grave at the age of 50. | | | | bank pool. |
| Willie Mosconi, known as "Mr. Pocket Billiards," held 15 | | | | John Layton is regarded as the most scientific pool |
| world titles during his era, setting a single game record | | | | player in billiards. A 12-times World 3-Cushion |
| of 127 balls in 1945, along with potting 546 balls | | | | Champion, "The Diamond King" became famous for his |
| consecutively in 1954. | | | | "diamond system," using table marks to determine |
| Luther Lassiter, nicknamed "Wimpy," was a famous | | | | angles. |
| player from Elizabeth City, North Carolina. The winner | | | | Steve Mizerak, a world champion pool player reigned |
| of multiple world Championships and numerous other | | | | during the 1970s and early 1980s in the game of 14.1 |
| titles, Lassiter is most renowned for his mastery of the | | | | continuous. He won the US Open 14.1 pocket Billiards |
| game of 9-ball at which he is widely considered one of | | | | Championship in four consecutive years, from 1970 to |
| the greatest players in history. | | | | 1973 inclusive, defeating Luther Lassiter (see above) in |
| Efren Reyes, nicknamed "Bata" and "the Magician," is a | | | | 1970 and 1973, Joe Balsis in 1971 and Danny DeLiberto |
| dual world champion Filipino pool player, regarded as | | | | in 1972. He was also successful in the PPPA World |
| one of the all-time greats at 9-ball and one-pocket pool. | | | | Pocket Billiard Championship (14.1) events of 1982 and |
| He became the first ever non-American to win the US | | | | 1983. |
| Open 9-Ball Championship when defeating Nick Varner | | | | Left-hander, Mike "Captain Hook" Sigel is one of the |
| in 1994. Reyes has won World Championships at both | | | | best 9-ball players ever, illustrated by the most |
| 8-ball and 9-ball pool, collecting the WPA Men's World | | | | tournament wins in the 1980s and 1990s. Renowned |
| 9-ball Championship in 1999, along with the inaugural | | | | for his defensive play, as with other top 9-ball players, |
| WPA Men's World 8-ball Championship in 2004. | | | | he is also a "straight" pool champion with a high "run" of |
| Eddie Taylor, the "Knoxville Bear," defeated Luther | | | | 346. |