Was There A Real Minnesota Fats?
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pendragon679 — 21 years ago(May 07, 2004 11:06 AM)
From the author who wrote the original novel:
"I once saw a fat pool player with a facial tic. I once saw another pool payer who was physically graceful. Both were minor hustlers, as far as I could tell. Both seemed loud and vain with little dignity and grace, unlike my fat pool player. After THE HUSTLER was published, one of them claimed to "be" Minnesota Fats.
"That is ridiculous. I MADE UP Minnesota Fats name and all as surely as Disney made up Donald Duck."
This is from the paperback edition of the novel, by Walter Tevis, dated 1976. Draw your own conclusions. -
dannieboy20906 — 9 years ago(May 07, 2016 12:23 PM)
I wasn't there when the novel was written, so I don't claim to know the truth. However, I will throw in as a matter of perspective that I think a lawyer would tell Mr. Tevis to deny any relation between "Minnesota Fats" in the novel and any real person. Mr. Wanderone went by the nick name "New York Fats" prior to the publication of the novel. He changed it to "Minnesota Fats" after it became popular. The general impression that I have gotten is that books and movies always deny any relation to any person living or dead unless they histories/documentaries. I think that if Mr. Tevis publicly admitted that "Minnesota Fats" was based on Rudolph Wanderone it would have given him an open door to make financial claims or complaints on the book and the movie. So, regardless of the reality, it is to Mr. Tevis's interest to deny that the character is based on a real person, even Donald Duck.
The best diplomat I know is a fully charged phaser bank. -
brokedickdog7 — 10 years ago(October 22, 2015 06:48 AM)