Bruce Christopher: Self-Appointed Legend

A former minister, showman Christopher found religion again in the late 1970s.

First off, Superstroke somehow managed to get himself listed in the "Guinness Book of World Records." The 1975 and 1977 editions name him as the record-holder for most balls pocketed in a 24-hour period. Christopher said he made it into "Guinness Book" by bugging editors to include a pool category. His record was 5,688 balls, he racked them himself, and he says he didn't miss the whole time. "I'm saying to myself, 'This is a gift from God,'" said Superstroke, a former church pastor, as he recalled the clearly miraculous accomplishment.

Superstroke said there were registered witnesses to his 24-hour, 379-rack, no-miss marathon. His press materials reported that it occurred on Sept. 12-13, 1974, at the old Times Square Famous Billiard Lounge (1663 Broadway, New York City). He said the record was recorded on a chalkboard at the billiard hall and remained there for years. The problem with all this, of course, is that almost any player who knows anything about pool would say that such a claim - at least as Christopher claimed it - is utter and total science fiction.

Players have since bested Christopher at 24-hour "speed pool" - but never without missing. Current record-holder Nick Nikolaidis (17,092 balls, set in July 2004, is his most recent mark) said it can't be done. He said he missed approximately 350 times. Moreover, "Guinness Book" itself never made any representation that Christopher didn't miss a ball - it simply reported that he ran 5,688 balls in 24 hours. "It's a hallucination," said noted promoter and former national champion Allen Hopkins.

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