Rudolf Wanderone

Who was Rudolf Wanderone?

Rudolf Walter Wanderone, Jr. was an American professional pocket billiards player, also known as "Minnesota Fats". Though he never won a major pool tournament as "Fats", he was perhaps the most publicly recognized pool player in the United States – not only as a player, but also as an entertainer. Wanderone was inducted in 1984 into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame for his decades-long public promotion of pool.

Wanderone began playing at a young age in New York City. As a teenager, he became a traveling pool hustler. Later in his 30s, he moved to southern Illinois where he met and married his first wife, Evelyn. During World War II, he hustled servicemen in Norfolk, Virginia. With the end of the war, Wanderone returned to Illinois and entered semi-retirement.

Wanderone adopted the nickname "Minnesota Fats" from a character in the 1961 film The Hustler, claiming that the character was based upon him. He parlayed the association with the film into his own book deals and television appearances, including a series of matches with rival Willie Mosconi. Later in life, Wanderone divorced Evelyn and moved to Nashville, Tennessee, where he married his second wife, Theresa, with whom he remained until his death.