John Schmidt (pool player)


John Schmidt also known as "Mister 600" is an American pool player, born in Keokuk, Iowa. Schmidt won the 2012 World Straight Pool Championship winning the final 200-169 against Efren Reyes. Schmidt also won the 2006 US Open 9-Ball Championship in Norfolk, Virginia. He was also part of the US team in two Mosconi Cup teams at the 2006, and 2014 Mosconi Cups. Schmidt holds the record for the highest in straight pool, with a run of 626 in 2019.

Career

Keystone Cue - Reno NV, 1994-1998 John Schmidt would practice daily for hours playing strait pool, and gamble with anybody that came in the door. He was as good then as he is today.
Schmidt won the 2006 US Open 9-Ball Championship Championship, with a 11–6 victory in the final over Rodolfo Luat. Schmidt would later become world champion in 2012 at the World Tournament straight pool championship winning 200-169 against Efren Reyes in the final.
On May 27, 2019 at Easy Street Billiards in Monterey, California, Schmidt defeated the longstanding 14.1 pool record set by Willie Mosconi in 1954 of 526 with a video-recorded run of 626 that was never released. Schmidt had made a personal best run of 403 balls in 2007, but in 2018, he began a concerted, dedicated effort to defeat Mosconi's record, shooting six to eight hours a day, filming the sessions for verification. Beginning May 8, 2019, the record was his fourth attempt.
Mike Panozzo, publisher of Billiards Digest, praised Schmidt's "focus and the perseverance to run 380, and then you miss and start over again." Mosconi's record 526 happened under circumstances somewhat different from those that Schmidt faced. Mosconi, then 40, was competing in an exhibition match with a man named Earl Bruney in Springfield, Ohio. Having defeating Bruney, he just kept shooting until he reached 526. Schmidt was purely going for the record, with no opponent, starting anew each time he fell short. Mosconi also played on a smaller table, 4 feet by 8 feet. Schmidt's run came on a larger 4½-by-9-foot modern professional table.
Filmed at the Derby City Classic, Schmidt ran 112 in straight pool on video by Accu-Stats, sharing many insights on the DVD version. Filmed at TAR Studio on July 13–15, 2012, Schmidt competed in an all-around challenge match against Corey Deuel in the disciplines of eight-ball, one-pocket, and ten-ball.

Titles and achievements