Gleason used to rack balls for me when he was a kid in Brooklyn and in Long Island.

was known as "New York Fats" (among other nicknames) when the book was publiMinnesota Fatsd. He initially wanted to sue but realizing that there was more money to be made from the success of the book and subsequent movie changed his nickname to match the fiction. George Hegerman is a fictional pool hustler better known by the nickname "Minnesota Fats" and featured as a prominent character in Walter Tevis's novels The Hustler and The Color of Money.

Actor Jackie Gleason played this part in the 1961 film version of The Hustler based upon the novel. The Minnesota Fats character did not appear in the 1986 film version of The Color of Money which had an entirely different storyline from the novel. was known as "New York Fats" (among other nicknames) when the book was publiMinnesota Fatsd.