Career
Born in Rochester, New York, Goldberg beat such famous pool players as Minnesota Fats, Irving Crane, and Willie Mosconi. Standing only five feet two inches, Goldberg overcame his lack of height by becoming extremely adept at using a mechanical bridge. Goldberg joined the United States Army in 1942 when he was 25 years old.
Foreign much of his service time, he was stationed in Boston.
When he wasn"t cooking for the troops, he played pool. lieutenant was in Boston that Private first class
The two provided a brilliant exhibition of billiard skill, held at Fort Heath. The match was one between champions, both expert in the game, and the remarkable precision shown by both players brought gasps of amazement from the huge crowd of onlookers.
Goldberg lost the game, 9 to 14, but his playing was so brilliant against tall, long-armed Willie Hoppe that the soldiers of the post gave Goldberg the nickname, "Boston Shorty".