Ralph Greenleaf facts for kids
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| Born | 3 November 1899 Monmouth, Illinois |
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| Died | 15 March 1950 (aged 50) |
| Sport country |  United States |
| Professional | 1916 |
| Tournament wins | |
| World Champion | Straight Pool 19x |
| Ranking info | |
Ralph Greenleaf (born November 3, 1899, in Monmouth, Illinois – died March 15, 1950, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was an American professional pool and carom billiards player. Many people think Greenleaf was one of the best pool players ever. Between 1919 and 1938, he won the World Straight Pool Championship an amazing nineteen times.
The New York Times newspaper wrote about Greenleaf in 1950. They said he did for pool what Babe Ruth did for baseball. This means he made the sport very popular.
During his time, championships were played using a game called 14.1 continuous (also known as "straight pool"). These events were not held every year. They were often challenge matches between two players. These matches could last several days. Players had to score many points, sometimes up to 1,500.
In 1966, Ralph Greenleaf was one of the first three people to join the Billiard Congress of America's BCA Hall of Fame. He was also ranked number 3 on Billiards Digest's list of the "50 Greatest Players of the Century."
Ralph Greenleaf's Life and Career
Greenleaf married Amelia Ruth Parker, a vaudeville actress. She was known by her stage names "Princess Nai Tai Tai" and "The Oriental Nightingale." They traveled together and performed trick shot demonstrations. This was when he was not competing in tournaments.
Greenleaf was a very strong competitor in pool championship matches. He won his first world title in 1919. He continued to win titles on and off until 1937. In 1942, he finished third in the World Three-Cushion Championship. He placed behind famous players Willie Hoppe and Welker Cochran.
In the 1930s, pool games were played on larger tables. These tables were usually 5 feet by 10 feet. Today's professional tables are a bit smaller, at 4.5 feet by 9 feet. Also, the billiard balls were different back then. They were often made of clay or ivory. Today, balls are made from synthetic plastic and resin.
Ralph Greenleaf had a serious hobby outside of pool. He raised turkeys and chickens on his farm. His farm was located on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. He even made a profit from his farm animals. His last championship title was in 1937. In that match, he defeated Irving Crane.
Greenleaf passed away suddenly at age 50. He died from internal bleeding in a hospital waiting room in Philadelphia.
Major Pool Titles and Achievements
Ralph Greenleaf achieved many important wins and records during his career. Here are some of his notable accomplishments:
- 1919 14.1 Record High Run. 155 Consecutive Balls
- 1919 World Straight Pool Championship
- 1920 World Straight Pool Championship
- 1921 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1921 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1922 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1922 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1922 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1922 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1922 14.1 Record High Run. 206 Consecutive Balls
- 1923 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1924 National Straight Pool Championship
- 1924 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1926 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1928 National Straight Pool Championship
- 1928 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1929 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1931 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1932 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1933 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1937 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1937 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1937 NBAA World Straight Pool Championship
- 1966 Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame
