Jimmy Caras - Billiards Champion

Jimmy Caras – Upper Darby/Springfield

Jimmy Caras may not be a household name, but in his 93 years he literally "racked up" a set of accomplishments few have achieved. Caras, who was born in Scranton, PA, lived in Upper Darby and Springfield from the 1940s into the 1980s, and became ranked by Billiards Digest as the 10th greatest pocket billiards player of the 20th century. He is a 4 time World Champion and was inducted in the Billard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1977. His name is connected to billiards giants like Willie Mosconi, Luther Lassiter, Irving Crane and Ralph Greenleaf, a champion Caras beat in a match when he was just 17 years old. Later in life he beat Wimpy Lassiter in 11 straight victories after losing the initial game.

Born in 1909, Caras had forsaken tournaments in the early '60s in favor of teaching and  traveling for Brunswick, the sporting goods manufacturer he had represented since the 1930s. Then in 1962 Caras defeated Willie Mosconi  at the New York Athletic Club in a match taped for Wide World of Sports. He returned to the sport at top level in 1967 winning the United States Open in St. Louis.

Caras' main hangout in Delaware County was Drexeline Billiards Club, still one of the the top billiards parlors in the Philadelphia area. After his wife Marjorie died, Jimmy moved into an apartment in Drexel Hill near the Club and showed up nightly.

He moved to Jacksonville, Florida and lived with his daughter Linda later in life, She said he played a game or two of pool every day until he died in 2002.