Fats #4

Famed pool player Rudolf "Minnesota Fats" Wanderone is interviewed, telling about the most recent tribulations in his life, including his recent divorce and move to Nashville. Fats shares his feelings on his divorce trial, which he believes was unfair to him, as well as the people he's helped that he feels have been ungrateful. This is followed by two clips of Fats playing his rival Willie Mosconi in a televised pool match.

00:00Copy video clip URL Color bars.

01:28Copy video clip URL Tight shot of Minnesota Fats, the venerable pool player, continuing a story about the way he feels he was mistreated in Dowell, a small mining community in Southern Illinois, after helping many of the citizens in the town. Fats talks about the many times he’d played pool and signed autographs for the Sheriffs and deputies in Southern Illinois, and the lack of repayment on their part. “They didn’t do nothing to help me.”

02:29Copy video clip URL Fats discusses his marriage of 45 years to  Evelyn Inez Graf, whom he recently divorced. “45 years I was married. And I would’ve left my wife after 5 years.” He proceeds to refute claims that he abused his wife, purporting her to be an alcoholic. “I wouldn’t lay a hand on nobody.”

03:10Copy video clip URL Fats talks about the nomadic nature of the pool playing lifestyle, saying that every city he’s visited would welcome him back with open arms. “Call anywhere on Earth, anywhere I ever been. They always want me back. You know why? Because I’m 100% pure.”

03:32Copy video clip URL Recounting the events of his recent divorce, Fats tells about how his wife wrongfully claimed abuse on his part, which is what caused him to immediately leave his house in Southern Illinois and move to Nashville, Tennessee. He explains that he chose to move to Nashville over anywhere else because he had already established a presence in the city with his celebrity billiards television show.

4:48Copy video clip URL Fats tells of his dislike for some of the people from Dowell and recalls an incident where some people stole a station wagon full of small Nerf pool tables. Fats says that he suspects that these people were unsatisfied with what he had given them. “The worst lice I ever run into in my life were in Southern Illinois.” Fats goes on to talk about the humanitarian work he’s done for those in Southern Illinois, bringing up his charity work for the Special Olympics in Carbondale.

07:12Copy video clip URL Regarding the periods of his career where he’s made money, Fats remarks that he’s made money consistently throughout his life and lost much of it by helping others. “I made money all my life…but what good is it? I spent it on them people.” Though Fats clarifies that although he is not broke, he lost a considerable amount of money from the divorce, and to his wife’s family. “You either take or you give,” Fats says in reference to his in-laws.

08:18Copy video clip URL Fats comments on his divorce trial, saying that it was “the biggest joke the world has ever known.” He attributes his loss to a betrayal by his maid, his wife’s claims that he was abusive, and shoddy lawyers on his side. “I never got on the stand. It was a fix like you never saw.” Fats says that he lost much of his money in the divorce, and the rest of it to his own lawyers.

10:07Copy video clip URL Fats maintains that he continues to feed animals, walking over to the couch and pulling out a bag of bird feed. He then walks over to the window and points out the birds’ usual location.

11:15Copy video clip URL Fats leaves the frame to go into his bedroom and retrieve a Parade magazine where he was the featured article.

13:34Copy video clip URL Fats steps back into frame, holding the magazine and explaining that the article written on him showed pictures of him feeding and taking care of destitute people and sick animals.

13:55Copy video clip URL Close on the article in the magazine about Fats.

14:12Copy video clip URL Fats says that he was at his heaviest weight at the time the pictures were taken, weighing in at between 260 and 270 pounds.

14:21Copy video clip URL Fats sits down and displays the article for the camera.

14:28Copy video clip URL Various close ups of the images from the magazine article, showing Fats shooting pool in his younger years, while he talks off-screen about feeding the birds before the interview. Fats gets up, puts the magazine away, and begins talking about the different types of animals and insects he’s fed.

16:19Copy video clip URL Clip of Fats playing in a televised pool match against his rival Willie Mosconi. Fats clears the table of every ball in a matter of minutes, eventually winning the game.

17:28Copy video clip URL After winning the match, Fats turns and banters with the crowd, saying “Give me some cash, I ain’t used to the applause.”

17:37Copy video clip URL Following more crowd banter, Fats breaks to begin the next game. He sinks a ball in a side pocket and continues talking with the audience, referring to a member of the crowd as one of “Mosconi’s henchman.” Fats then proceeds to sink a few difficult shots as Mosconi looks on, looking displeased.

18:37Copy video clip URL End of tape.