Rudolph Wanderoni was known as New York Fats, Chicago Fats, and other Fats until Jackie Gleason played him in The Hustler as Minnesota Fats and Rudolph lost his anonymity outside the pool parlor circuit. Now he is the most renowned cash player extant. Fats refers to Willie Mosconi, the all-time billiards champion, as a fun player, an exhibition player who wears a tux. Fats says he has never lost a cash game to Willie, but that he never plays his best unless there are cash stakes. About fifteen years ago he had whacked out every major player so often that he retired to raise his 27 dogs and 14 cats. Rudolph is about 5'10"", and carries about 270 pounds around in his 39 tailor-made suits he picked up at $500 a pop. As Gleason showed, Fats has some fastidious habits while playing, such as washing and talcuming his hands and dressing like a sultan. Fats always played for his own gold and never needed backers. In his heyday he liked Philadelphia, kept a suite of rooms, played all the big joints but never sneaked in and gave anybody the double double, i.e. he announced that he was Fats, the greatest living, and never hustled. His joy as a high action man is to shoot out all the lights at One Pocket, a game in which each player tries to sink eight balls in one pocket. Fats tells about his greatest matches and includes a long glossary on technique, all in his highly personal patois. Chalk up, high rollers.