1938 World Straight Pool Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Jimmy Caras
2	Andrew Ponzi

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

The 1938 World Straight Pool Championship was another title for Jimmy Caras, who won his third world championship by defeating Andrew Ponzi. This was one of two championship victories Caras claimed that year during an era defined by multiple tournaments in competitive billiards.

At 30 years old, Caras was in his prime. He had won his first two titles in 1935 and 1936, and would go on to accumulate five world championships by 1949. His victory over Ponzi, a future Hall of Famer and respected competitor, came against strong opposition in straight pool during this period.

The championship took place during an era when straight pool was the most prestigious discipline in professional billiards. The 14.1 continuous format, invented by Jerome Keough in 1910, had become the standard method for testing a player's ability to execute precise shots, think strategically, and build runs.

For Caras, this victory placed him among the sport's elite during what is considered one of the greatest eras in pool history. His rivalry with Willie Mosconi was developing, and champions like Ralph Greenleaf remained strong opponents. Capturing two world titles in 1938 demonstrated Caras's consistency and competitive drive.

This championship proved significant in Caras's career, establishing him as a dominant player of the late 1930s and launching his continued success into the following decade. After stepping away from competition for over a decade, Caras returned to win the BCA U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship in 1967 at age 58. His induction into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in 1977 recognized his championship achievements and his contributions to the game through trick shot innovation and instructional materials that helped grow the sport.

Sources: Jimmy Caras – Wikipedia World Straight Pool Championship – Wikipedia

This recap was compiled from public tournament records and tournament organizer communications. ForceFollow is not affiliated with the tournament organizer.