‘Unbreakable’ record topped

Published 12:00 am Thursday, May 30, 2019

Every game has its so-called unbreakable records, like Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 points in a single NBA game or Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hitting streak.

In pool, one of those records is the run of 526 balls pocketed without a miss by one of the most famous players of all, Willie Mosconi, in 1954.

That total was surpassed on Monday by John Schmidt, a professional player who dedicated much of the last year to trying to top the mark.

Playing a game known as “straight pool” in Monterey, California, Schmidt, 46, started pocketing balls and did not miss for nearly four hours. He sailed by Mosconi’s 526 total, finally reaching 626.

“It’s something I’ve been trying for over 20 years,” he told TV station KSBW. “I had my doubts on breaking it.”

He added: “I’ve tried thousands and thousands — probably I would estimate 10,000 innings, which is a single attempt. The 10,000th inning finally came together.”

— New York Times News Service