Babe Cranfield
Lightning struck twice in a Billiard Tournament. In 1963–April 11–George Chenier defeated Irving Crane 150-0.
This was demoralizing for Mr. Crane as he had played safe and left Mr. Chenier an difficult shot… that was when lightning hit the game and left the Canadian champion 150-0 winner…
But the 1964 World Pocket Billiard Tournament at the Commodore Hotel in New York City had another lightning bolt, and it hit Mr. Crane again. Artur Cranfield 150 – Irving Crane – 2.
Let me tell you about this game as it contained the greatest pressure run in Pocket Billiards.
Mr. Crane opened the game and had a minus two score because of tactical scratches, Mr. Cranfield had 9 – Crane missed.
For the next hour and one half – WonderBoy from Syracuse performed a series of shots in pocket billiards that has never been equalled by any other player.
To begin his first run he had to perform a break shot out of the pack… This was one of those professional shots that requires a four ball combination. They are dangerous because the billiard balls do not always “mesh” as you anticipate them to act. But, “Babe” Cranfield got over that first hurdle – and ran out the string – score – 2-23.
If a mad bull elephant had stormed into the room at that moment he could have done no more damage than Mr. Cranfield did with his break shot. He plowed into the balls, sent them in all directions and ran, rack after rack until the score was – 2 to 141 and he was still at the table looking over “an impossible shot.” He had run 132 balls and needed 9 more to win the game…
After selecting a shot for a length of the table cut into the end pocket–he paused to reconsider–“Go on, Art, try it,” someone yelled from the sidelines and the crowd took it up.
“Play the shot.. Play it” – Ball, Point 142 went into the pocket and the crowd gave Art its support – But now something had come into the game – The Public – The Demanding Public and its raucous jibes, its Smart Allecky Wisemheimers, its Professionals, its Novices, and the Miracle Workers (you work the miracles.)
There was no shot – but the chant – “Find Something, ArtShow us something great,” He did. Another 5 ball combinations – but alas, the cue ball got wedged into the mess of balls on the table and 143 looked like the end of the run.
Now, however, Mr. Cranfield did it–He did it with ease and skill– A Masse into #5 and the ball spun into the side pocket (144). The crowd was stunned with silence momentarily but as Mr. Cranfield leveled on a long hard shot and sunk it for 145 the crowd was on its feet stomping and cheering their approval. Here’s was a great player–calm in action–and deadly as a Bazooka. But alas, the cue ball was wedged against the rail and near another ball. There was a shot but it required a passing shot of less than 1/100 of an inch and a perfect hit upon the object ball…146–and again a long shot 147–The cue ball spun around the table and came to rest behind a cluster of balls–another– “impossible shot”, but the crowd would have none of that As the ball fell into the end pocket Mr. Cranfield leaped around the table to follow the cue ball which had twisted away again 148–Two more difficult shots and the score 150-2.
This was the greatest sustained pressure run ever witnessed by Bob McGirr of the Billiard Room Proprietors association of America who has been running tournaments for 40 years…“Easily the greatest game I ever witnessed, even counting some dozen of matches I scheduled between Moscowi and Greenleaf.” Frank M. Bluhm of the New York Times named Art the Nyinsky of Billiards–Even Irving Crane remarked, “I hate to lose, but the fellow plays that well, he deserves to win. The greatest “pressure” run I ever saw, no question about it.”
