1965 World Straight Pool Championship

Results

Place	Player	Prize
1	Cisero Murphy
2	Luther Lassiter

Recap

Published April 13, 2026

Cisero Murphy won the 1965 World Straight Pool Championship, becoming the first African-American player to win a world title in pocket billiards. His victory took place during an era when the sport was dominated by established white champions.

Murphy won the World Straight Pool Championship on his first attempt, matching a feat accomplished by only one other player in championship history. Ray Martin repeated this achievement in 1971. Murphy defeated Luther Lassiter, a legendary straight pool player and one of the era's top competitors.

Murphy used a distinctive playing style featuring his signature hesitation stroke. He would come to a complete stop at the back of his stroke for a one- or two-second pause before executing each shot. This unconventional technique proved effective. Murphy was capable of running 200 balls, missing a shot, and then immediately following up with another 200-ball run.

The Brooklyn native grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant as one of eight children. After his father left the family and his mother went on welfare, Murphy dropped out of high school at 15. He turned professional in pool at 18 in 1953. His 1965 championship victory came after years of dedication to the sport.

Murphy's championship win occurred when straight pool was the premier discipline in professional billiards, before nine-ball gained prominence. His victory demonstrated that excellence in pool could emerge from any background.

Sources: Cisero Murphy – Wikipedia, World Straight Pool Championship – Wikipedia, Category:Straight pool world champions – Wikipedia

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