Gus Copulos 1948

Gus Copulos 1894 – 1981
Legendary “Three Cushion” billiard player. Gus was one of the inventors of the diamond system, particularly the so-called “plus two” system, and in the 1920’s he was one of the most feared opponents in the country. He had a plus score against Willie Hoppe, and once scored 50 points against him in only 19 innings. He ran a 17 in the National league in 1924, 22 in an exhibition, and a remarkable 16 in call-shot three cushion, where you nave to call every rail and kiss.
In March 1977 a three-cushion tournament was held at Brunswick Billiards in Los Angeles that was named after Gus Copulos. When the event was over, Gus stepped to the table at the urging of the people who knew him and began “fooling around.” In the span of 20 minutes he dazzled everyone who was lucky enough to have remained in the room. He demonstrated one shot after another that most of the viewers had never seen before. They didn’t know if he invented them or not, bit it was said that he
shot them as if he owned them. He was 83 years old at
the time.